Works and fruit

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are:adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self- control. Against such there is no law. And those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. – Galatians 5.19-24

Based on who we side with, Flesh or Spirit, our lives are going to do work or bear fruit. The only question is what kind of works or fruit we are going to produce. 

The works of the flesh, as posted above, are simply terrible. They even sound ugly. This is what the flesh, left to its own devices, is capable of doing. Sure, not everyone in the flesh does all of these things. Some in the flesh may even do good things. But this is what man does without God. That is why no utopia has ever been utopian. 

Notice that the works of the flesh are works. It is what people do. It is natural. It is just what the flesh does. 

But look at the fruit of the Spirit. This is what the Holy Spirit produces in man. 

The works of the flesh are what happens when man just lets his flesh do its work, and those who consistently live that way have no hope of heaven. 

But when the Holy Spirit comes to dwell in man and that man yields to His direction a new kind of fruit is produced to mark that man out. What kind of fruit does the Sprit produce. What fruit do I show if I am yielded to His control? 

Love

Joy

Peace

Longsuffering 

Kindness

Goodness

Faithfulness

Gentleness

Self control

These are character traits that make up the man who yields to the control of the indwelling Holy Spirit. We need to examine our lives to see if these describe us. If not we need to go back and check on that battle between Flesh and Spirit. If I am feeding the Spirit this is how I will live. 

What does my life show about me?