Fruit thrives within the right environment with the proper living conditions. The same holds true concerning God's virtues in the life of a Christian. It is God's indwelling Spirit that provides the fertile environment necessary for every believer to cultivate these virtues. They include love, joy, peace, and faith. Only as Christians submit to the leading of the Holy Ghost can we fully access these virtues. Though mentioned last in the list from Galatians, temperance is another of the important virtues making up the fruit of the Spirit. Though frequently neglected, temperance is no less important than the other virtues naturally growing in the life of a fertile believer. A disregard for the proper mix in the Christian life causes imbalance. Believers who fail to cultivate stability and peace by not yielding control to God's indwelling Spirit never realize their God-given potential.
Today's passage contrasts the works of the flesh with the fruit of the Spirit. The works of the flesh are works done by man in his own strength and abilities; whereas, the fruit of the Spirit is the natural growth in the believer's life when surrendered to the leading of God's Spirit. The Bible lists eighteen works of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21) but only one ninefold fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). The fruit of the Spirit includes many wonderful things such as love, joy, and peace. However, meekness remains one of most undervalued characteristics in that list. Similar to the other fruit, meekness should naturally mature in the believer's life as he yields to the Lord. When a believer lacks meekness, it is because he is not properly surrendered to God's will.
The Bible describes the Corinthian Church as carnal. In fact, some of the believers at Corinth had become puffed up that Paul was not personally coming to visit them. Instead, the apostle Paul sent Timothy to the church of God at Corinth with words of warning. Paul informed them that he could come to them with the rod of judgment or “in love, and in the spirit of meekness.” Paul strongly believed in dealing with wayward believers in the spirit of meekness. He expressed as much in Galatians 6:1 when he wrote: “Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.” Paul favoured restoration and believed that responding in love and meekness was generally the best avenue for that restoration. Often, the prideful response of those who should be reacting spiritually toward wayward believers simply drives these believers further away from God.
