Fruits of Righteousness

Fruits of Righteousness

Q.   What are the Fruits of Righteousness?

A.   1 Cor 1:30 tells that Christ is made unto us, amongst other things, Righteousness. More than giving us Righteousness, He Himself is our Righteousness. That Righteousness should produce Fruit means that it has Life within itself, which confirms that it is the Life of Christ in us. The Fruit Righteousness produces is the very Fruit of the Indwelling Christ, the Fruit of the Spirit of Christ according to Gal 5:22-23 is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and temperance.

Note that this is the Fruit of the Spirit of Christ, not of the Holy Spirit. The whole context of Gal 5 is Christ, and what He does in us and means to us.

See also that the Word expresses ‘Fruit’ in the singular … ‘is’ … in 5:22-23, but describes it as a composite with several facets. This makes it clear that if we have the Fruit, we have all its facets too. It is not possible that we have one without the other; one cannot have a part of Christ living in us, or be partly saved.

Phil 1:11, Being filled with the Fruits of Righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God, by no means contradicts the concept of Gal 5’s singular Fruit. Gal 5 expresses the Fruit of the Spirit and the facets of Christ’s nature introduced and operating in the life of a Believer. Phil 1 talks of the effects or outworking of one of those facets, His Righteousness, like not being entangled again with the yoke of bondage, crucifying the flesh with its affections and lusts, separation, sanctification and holiness, honesty, a renewed mind and a pure heart – whatever our Lord Jesus is.

Col 1:27To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory:

How do we acquire the Fruits of Righteousness? Simply said, not at all by our effort; these fruits are by Jesus Christ, Phil 1:11, and He wants us to be filled with them! They ‘happen’ as Christ indwells us and they are by His operation alone for His purpose alone – to the praise and glory of God, that God may be glorified in all things through Jesus Christ (in us!). 1 Pet 4:11

Gal 5:1, 24 calls on us to stand fast in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free – that is, abide in Him Who is our Salvation – having crucified the flesh with its affections and lusts. Desire the Fruits by all means, but let Jesus produce them in you as you abide in close intimacy in Him. He said so in Jn 15:5 I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing.