Why is the Fruit of the Spirit Important for Christians?

With so much negativity in the world around me, I think it’s important to focus on who God is calling me to be.  So, I’ve spent the past few months working on my prayer life.  I’ve also been studying ways to develop Godly character.  

One of the best ways I’ve learned to become more like God is by studying the Fruit of the Spirit.  Galatians 5: 22-23 says, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith, gentleness, and self-control.”  I think we can all agree that these are great characteristics to have.  But, why is the fruit of the Spirit important to us as Christians?

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What is the Fruit of the Spirit?

When asking the question why is the fruit of the Spirit important, we need to learn more about what it is.  After learning what the fruit of the Spirit is, we can learn how to develop it.  And when we develop the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, we will be able to practice using it.

Why is it Called the Fruit of the Spirit?

When asking why is the fruit of the Spirit important, we need to first learn what it is.  The “spirit” in the fruit of the Spirit stands for the Holy Spirit.  

In the Bible, God is referred to as having three different forms: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Father is what we are usually talking about when we say “God”. The Son is usually used to mean Jesus.  These are both more concrete forms of God.  

The Holy Spirit is the spirit form of God.  It has been mentioned in both the Old and New Testament.  In Psalms 51:11 (WEB), David wrote, “Don’t throw me from your presence, and don’t take your Holy Spirit from me.”  Jesus was also said to be “… full of the Holy Spirit…” (Luke 4:1 WEB).  Acts 8 talks about the Holy Spirit being received by the Apostles and early believers.  It’s the part of God that stays with us as Christians.  

Christianity.com says the meaning of the word “fruit” in the Bible can be an actual fruit.  But it can also stand for “deed, action, or result.”  

Which One Makes the Most Sense?

Both of these meanings can be applied to the fruit of the Spirit.  When a person becomes a Christian, they don’t instantly become perfect.  It takes a whole lifetime to become like Christ.  Growing fruit is just like that.  I planted my garden in May, but my green beans weren’t ready until late June.  My tomato and pepper plants are finally ready now, and we’re still waiting on most of the corn.  Literal fruit doesn’t happen overnight, so developing fruit in your life takes time too.

The same is true when talking about fruit as a “result” of something.  Almost everything we do takes time to produce results.  Parenting is a long haul job.  You won’t see the results for many years.  Getting healthy is the same way.  You can’t change your diet and exercise for one day and expect to be in great shape tomorrow.  Developing the fruit of the Spirit in your life takes time too.   

How Can You Receive the Fruit of the Spirit?

Now we need to know how to receive the fruit of the Spirit in your own life.  This is another important point to think about when asking why is the fruit of the Spirit important.  

To start receiving the fruit of the Spirit, you have to accept Jesus as your Lord and savior.  Prayer is a HUGE part of becoming a Christian.  Your first prayer is usually to ask God for forgiveness and to ask Jesus into your heart.  Many churches (like mine) believe that baptism is an important symbol of your surrender to Christ and being born a new person.  Some churches also encourage a confession of faith in front of other church members.

According to Joyce Myer, when becoming a Christian, the Holy Spirit joins you and small seeds of the fruit are planted in your heart.  Like I mentioned in the last section, these seeds don’t produce perfect fruit overnight.  They have to be grown and developed over time.  

Many people, even non-Christians, can possess at least a couple of the fruit of the Spirit before the Holy Spirit starts guiding them.  But, each fruit mentioned isn’t meant to stand apart by themselves.  The entire list of nine fruit of the Spirit goes together to help Christians become more like Jesus.  Each of them is something we must work on all the time.  And sometimes, we fall backward in one aspect or another. 

Which Fruit of the Spirit is Most Important?

All nine of the fruit of the Spirit go together to make us more like Christ.  They are all important and should be developed at the same time in us.  But after asking why is the fruit of the Spirit important, we also need to ask which one is the most important.

In Matthew 22:36, Jesus was asked, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”  (WEB) There are many answers he could have given.  As a Hebrew child, he had memorized the first five books of the Old Testament.  But he simply answered like this, “‘You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’  This is the first and greatest commandment.  A second is equally important: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’” Matthew 22:37-39 (NIV)

Love is the Most Important

In Jesus’ opinion, love was, and is, the most important commandment from God.  This would make it the most important fruit of the Spirit too. 

Loving God is the most important part of being a Christian.  I mean, why would we even call ourselves Christians without loving and seeking a relationship with Him?  

But he didn’t stop there.  “A second is equally important..,” talks about loving your neighbor as yourself.  If we are Christians, and truly love God, then we should also love people as ourselves. 

1 Corinthians 13 is sometimes called the love chapter.  It’s all about how important love is to us as  In those verses, you have patience and kindness as the first two parts of