fruit of the Spirit in non-believers. .. ?

Galatians 5:22-23:

22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,

23Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

I'm puzzled when I see this fruit manifesting in non-believers. Should I understand that in non-believers, it's down to will-power, upbringing etc?

What about genuine believers in Christ who after years of Christian walk have more in common with Galatians 5:19-20:

19Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,

20Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,

?

Thanks.

I think you basically answered your own question.

Romans 8v9, 'But ye are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.

If someone is an unbeliever, they cannot have the Spirit of Christ. So, that which you do have relates to upbringing, will-power, worldly wisdom, but not from God.

Someone who confesses Christ, and professes to be a Christian, yet exhibits the traits of an unbeliever, has to be an unbeliever. They might be a church-goer, and might have done so for years. But, have they been born of the Spirit of God?

I'll leave it at that. Others will answer.

God bless.

Someone may be good, kind, and
help and share if it is in their
self-interest. That is not the
fruit of the Spirit; because the
Spirit always acts in GOD'S
interest!!

Someone may be good, kind, and help and share if it is in their self-interest. That is not the fruit of the Spirit; because the Spirit always acts in GOD'S interest!!

Well said!

"The best duties of unbelievers are but white lies."
-John Owen

I would tend to agree with what everyone has said.

I think for the reasons everyone mentioned (i.e. non-believers may show fruit similar to that of the Spirit because of upbringing, worldly wisdom etc) it makes it dubious -for me, at least - to hastily apply the principle of 'you'll know them by their fruit.'

I'm just astounded by non-believers who have done great things selflessly to advance the cause of human rights, or to change life for the poor, to represent the voice of the oppressed. . .

I think it makes me more careful when examining fruits...

First and foremost, the unsaved do not love with the love of the spirit.

God's love is unconditional wanting nothing, unbelievers love while genuine, is certainly not unconditional, and is always wanting for something.

That said, it is the reason that love is the first mentioned fruit.

Second, I have never seen joy in an unbeliever, I have seen pleasure, there is a major difference at the very core of those two things.

Third, peace is never operating at all times in an unbeliever, it comes and goes, but their soul is not at rest until they have made their peace with God, then their soul can rest, and they walk in unwavering peace.

I could go on, but I don't think there is a need. The fruits of the spirit are not manifest in unbelievers.

I you think you have seen love in non-believers, you probably have never seen real agape love. It is so different. real agape love NEVER SEEKS ITS OWN. If you beat someone up who has agapelove, he will forgive you and love you, because agape-love loves his enemies. No non believer has such a thing.

They may have things that look similar on the outside, but put them in a crisis and the real thing, what is on the inside will come out.

Actually, to say the truth, all this "GOOD STUFF" that sometimes nonbelievers show in their actions or words is a BIG HINDRANCE for them to come to Jesus Christ. Human Goodness is a major hindrance to come to Christ, the rich young ruler couldn't come, the pharisees couldn't come.

Every mans heart is very evil and deceitful right from birth on and is full of hidden pride (which is very disgusting in the sight of god). Now when such "good" people show good deeds on the outside, the devil will actually tell them that they are better than others. Additionally to all that evil pride and wicked flesh/self-nature comes now even more pride from "beeing good" and judging others, who don't show good deeds. Therefore they are even farther away from god than any sinner.

That' why Jesus had no problems with the prostitutes (they knew they were NOT GOOD) but he had problems with the pharisees. They were evil, but they didn't know it. If every Christian would have the revelation that "in me dwelleth nothing good", than Christ would be seen so much more in his body!

Thank you all.

Growingone, thanks especially for the strongly-referenced answer. You've moved me a far way forward in my understanding.

My question has been answered and I wont labour this further than just this one invitation for comment on a related point;

I heard/read recently about how soon after the reformation, a popular Christian discourse pointed to the 'Christian work ethic' as a sign of salvation or of being filled of the Spirit. The (Christian sociological?) response was then of course to *become* industrious at home and the community. So you see, if we observe the Christian community through a purely secular lens, we'd find that we flock and create culture like any other community. The norms of the culture (the 'currency'/'credentials') are the bearing of the fruit of the Spirit, as well as many other traits like industriousness.

So I guess I'm trying to separate out what we have unconsciously sociologically inherited (much like someone inherits an accent) from what truly (and 'naturally') stems from a love relationship with Jesus Christ.

We must all know someone who - e.g. who while wanting to portray the 'joy' of a Christian walk or with a true zeal for evangelism - is always bordering on being ecstatic, or wanting to show in very sharp contrast how loving he/she is. To me, it speaks sometimes (not always) more of the pressures of the Christian society than of the fruit genuinely borne of the Spirit and of relationship with Jesus.

Quick illustrative anecdote; I was once in an office where I had never told anyone I was a Christian (infact I was very backslidden). One colleague was a declared Christian who openly read his bible at the lunch break. Another was a declared Muslim. I remember once the Christian making a phonecall with all of us in ear-shot, and it was clear to me that he was portraying in his conversation a (forced?) fullness of life (i.e. exuberant love, respect, kindness etc). While he was still on the phone, the Muslim leaned over and whispered in my ear 'You know he's doing that to evangelise.' The Muslim guy was calling bluff on the fruit he saw.

I guess my point is partly a call to authenticity; to not mimic the fruit, but rather seek to personally relate with Jesus and let what naturally will flow out of that, flow out of that.

I'm puzzled when I see this fruit manifesting in non-believers. Should I understand that in non-believers, it's down to will-power, upbringing etc?

If I see the fruit of the Spirit manifesting in “anyone’s” life; then perhaps I should stop judging what “I” know or think to be truth about that person and accept what Jesus said simply, “You shall know them by their fruit.”

And pray and ask the Lord about it but in the mean time, love your neighbor as you'd love yourself. Just saying...

God bless you,
Lisa

“Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.”
James 3.13

I did not read all the posts in regard to your question, but I do have a thought.

If Gal 5:19-20 is descriptive of the religious person, he is not a Christian. Blunt, yes. And I did not write the Scriptures!

There are lots of real nice people out there who are not Christian. In fact it is a tad bit unnerving when one finds nonChristians who are so dreadfully nice and polite.... they are so nice that it will evoke the question of God not accepting them apart from the blood of Jesus. But they are still lost.

We are all sinners who need a Saviour and when we have made this decision it also means we have repented of a sinful lifestyle...there is another thread on this forum somewhere that deals with this issue - and a good one, IMHO.

Blessings,
ginnyrose

It does not take a belief in any religious system to be a good person and in fact some the nicest and most trustworthy people are atheist.

On the other hand some of the worst, untrustworthy and most contrary to God and Jesus Christ persons that I have had the misfortune to meet are known christians established both in the leadership of the church(s) and in the local community.

For that matter if I was to judge Jesus by the conduct of the majority those who call themselves by His name I would run the other direction. This is not just my observation but is a general consensus of how the world views christians and the church....... no wonder the head in heaven does not have a body on earth to rest His on (Luke 9:58)

However judgement will come first to the House of God and He will clean out the church......... nuff said about Christians

All of mankind have inherited through Adam the seeds of the knowledge of good and evil and just like Adam all of mankind can produce either good or evil and for that matter sometimes both.

However Christ produces nothing but good works yet he still hates evil and is not above calling the kettle black.

Yet he forgives all sin and if I was to point out the one thing to me that separates a real "walking as Jesus Christian" from the best that the secular world has to offer, is that a true Christian besides not committing sin themselves will forgive anyone no matter their sin.

Remember the Amish girls that were murdered in Pa a few years back? Their forgiveness of the murderer and the fellowship and assistance extended to that persons family, IMO did more to testify to the Love of Christ than any sermon ever spoken about the love of Christ.

So we are reminded that we have been born of a better blood than that of righteous Able whose blood cried out from the earth....... the one thing I do not think that Abel's blood ever cried out was his forgiveness of Cain for killing him unlike Stephen who was born again of the better blood of Jesus.

Blessings

Doug