I had never really thought about it, fruits versus gifts of Spirit. It never entered my mind that they were different, yet a couple days back, early in the morning, I was led to ponder and research the meaning and impact of these two very separate, unique ideas.
Here are some of the things I noted as interesting.
Gifts of the Spirit are established in the Old Testament. They include:
- Ecstatic speaking (speaking in tongues)
- Prophecy (speaking into visions and future events)
- Apostleship (one whom God has sent on an errand or with a message – speaking)
- Works of charity (living God’s blessing out with actively helping others)
The first two above seem to be a gift that is given to a few, while the second two seem to be things to cultivate.
On the topic of speaking in tongues, which I may never do as I have an aversion to channeling, it is the one type of channeling approved by God, from the spirit of praise and healing.
Fruits of the Spirit are qualities of nature, evidence of your refinement in alignment of temperament to God and His will for you. They include:
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Generosity
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
Fruits of Spirit are introduced in the New Testament. They help us develop a foundation in our original creation experience, restoring our original temperament to align with God.
