Jesus laid down the criteria for discerning the true from the false prophet, “…you will know them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:20) Paul picked up this same criteria and applied it to the church when he contrasted the “fruits of the flesh” with the “fruits of the spirit.” (Galatians 5:16-20 and Colossians 3:5-17) I would like to suggest that this becomes the final mark of the true church. While most people are familiar with the list of the fruits that are given in Galatians and Colossians, almost all of the epistles to the early church in our Scripture have some version of the fruits of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit.
How do you know if the spirit in this church comes from God? James speaks very clearly: “But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without a trace of partiality or hypocrisy.” (James 3:17)
Do you want to know how to strengthen your faith? Peter says:
“For this very reason, you must make every effort to support your faith with goodness, and goodness with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with endurance, and endurance with godliness, and godliness with mutual affection, and mutual affection with love.” (2 Peter 1:5-7)
Paul speaks of how living out these fruits is often in contrast to what the world assumes is valuable: “To the present hour we are hungry and thirsty, we are poorly clothed and beaten and homeless, and we grow weary from the work of our own hands. When reviled, we bless; when persecuted, we endure; when slandered, we speak kindly. We have become like the rubbish of the world, the dregs of all things, to this very day.” (1 Corinthians 4:11-13)
Hebrews speaks to how these fruits flow out into the relationships beyond the gathered congregation. “Let mutual love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it. Remember those who are in prison, as though you were in prison with them; those who are being tortured, as though you yourselves were being tortured. Let marriage be held in honor by all, and let the marriage bed be kept undefiled; for God will judge fornicators and adulterers. Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be content with what you have; for he has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you.” So we can say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can anyone do to me?” (Hebrews 13:1-6)
