"A tree is known by the fruit it bears", yet as a tree takes time to grow and mature, the spirit does not cultivate these virtues into a believers life over night. But just like you can see the evidence that it is a fruit tree before it bears fruit, there should also be some evidence in the believer of the nature of God. With the death of Christ, all who believe are born of the spirit of God, and exposed to the fruit of the spirit, the true nature of a child of God.
We have been blessed with the fruit of God's Spirit, and we are now to walk through life bearing God's nature. A nature made up of Love, a willing sacrificial giving of oneself for the benefit of others. Joy, a gladness of the heart; Peace, a tranquility of mind, free from worry and fear; Long-suffering, being patient with others; Gentleness, kindness; Goodness, generosity; Faith, is dependability; Meekness, having consideration for others; Temperance, is self control, the ability to harness and control ones lust. God has absolutely nothing to do with sin, it is not within His nature. Therefore being born again with the nature of God, we are not to surrender ourselves to the lust ,will and desires of the old nature. We are to walk bearing the fruit of God's nature, in the fruit of God's spirit. Now notice the word fruit is singular not plural, the Holy Spirit has one fruit, God has but one nature, but it has been broken down into a list of traits to help us understand His nature. When the believer is blessed with God's nature, all the traits are present, but time is needed for all to mature.
At conversion every believer crucifies the flesh, that is in repentance we have turned from, renounced and destroyed all that held us in the life of sin. We have forsaken all our evil passions that we might walk in the nature of God. All of our earthly children bear some, if not all of our characteristics, and if we have been born of the nature of God, we too should bear His characteristics and nature.
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