Week 19: Bare Fruit
Do you know why it’s so important to know the Truth? Of course, because we all need a Savior- but also because without it, we won’t recognize a counterfeit when it appears.
We live in an interesting time. Social media and news sources can spread across the world in a matter of minutes—if not seconds. If we choose to, we can have a bird’s eye view (or what I call, a deity viewpoint) of everything under the sun. And what did Solomon say in Ecclesiastes 1:9?
“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” (NIV)
Evil is evil. Fear is fear. Chaos is chaos. Shame is shame. Deception is deception. Satan and his minions have no new tricks under the sun since the beginning of time. Therefore, when we KNOW the Word, study its truth, write it on our hearts, and invite the Holy Spirit to live in us, we can more easily discern what is “like” the truth and what IS the truth.
“Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (1 Peter 5:8)
Satan dresses up LIKE the truth, but there is only ONE Lion- there is no other. One way to discern if what you’re seeing or hearing is truth, besides aligning with Scripture, is to look for fruit.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22 NASB)
If truth is a seed, then love is what flourishes…along with joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Where Godly truth is, so is the fruit of the Spirit. But I’d like to draw your attention to where God directed mine when it comes to Galatians 5:22: “against such things there is no law.” Considering that we’ve been deep in Levitical Law- and that this is the first time we see God giving His people a way to live differently, set apart as holy through a law- let’s pause here as we unfold Leviticus 26. Stay with me; I promise it will all come together!
The Levitical law gave the Israelites a system of sacrifices and commands that acted like ‘checks and balances,’ because their sin required continual cleansing. But the law also served another purpose: it provided a way for them to draw near to a holy God and remain in covenant relationship with Him. If they broke the law, consequences followed.
Now consider the fruit of the Spirit. There is no law or system needed against these virtues- why? Because the law was given to expose and condemn sin, but the fruit of the Spirit is not sinful. Instead, these qualities - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control - reflect the very nature of God. They are the highest expression of goodness and will never be found in violation of God’s law.” Let that sink in…
Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control will NEVER VIOLATE GOD’S LAW.
And this is where Leviticus 26 comes alive for us! Just as God laid out blessings (and consequences) for Israel’s obedience, we now see that living a life in the Spirit naturally fulfills the heart of the law…not through rituals or sacrifices (because Jesus fulfilled that with his death and resurrection), but through the fruit He produces in us!! What a cool thing, right?!
As we move through life in these times, keep His truth close, but also let it sink so deeply into you that your spirit, mind, heart, voice, and actions bear FRUIT when His Spirit lives in you. Will it always be easy to show compassion, love, or kindness? Absolutely not. Our flesh resists the Spirit, and more often than not, it will pull us in the opposite direction. But this is exactly how we are called to live differently…by allowing the fruit of the Spirit to overflow from us and touch others!
Our faith is not works-based. Jesus doesn’t require us to perform in order to receive His saving grace…He gives it freely! God showed us in Levitical law that no amount of ritual or sacrifice could ever be “one and done.” All the rituals and works were never enough to atone for their sins. The incense had to keep burning, the offerings had to keep coming, and the cycle of cleansing was never complete. That constant repetition highlighted their desperate need for something greater.
Enter Jesus. His death and resurrection fulfilled what the law pointed to. He is the once-and-for-all sacrifice. The blessings and warnings of Leviticus 26 remind us of God’s holiness and His call to obedience, but in Christ we see the ultimate fulfillment…He carried the penalty, secured the blessing, and now pours out His Spirit so that our lives bear fruit! We don’t have to DO things or BE anything to receive Him. Jesus truly meant it when He said, “Come as you are.”
“The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come!’ And let the one who is thirsty come; and *let the one who wishes take the water of life freely*.” (Revelation 22:17, NIV)
Such a broad, open invitation for anyone to come and receive salvation without cost or condition. So incredible! Do you see the fruit of the Spirit within this truth? So much love, goodness, compassion, kindness…do you see it?
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and *the one who comes to me I will never drive away*.” (John 6:37, NIV)
This verse emphasizes that no one who seeks God will be rejected. WOW. And again, the fruit of the Spirit is all wrapped up in that truth.
You might be thinking, “Aren’t we here to discuss Leviticus 26”? Yes, we sure are! Keep everything we just discussed in your back pocket, but for now, let’s take a peek at the two parts of this chapter: ‘The Blessings’ and ‘The Penalties’.
The chapter opens with gentle reminders to not make idols, which is timely for our culture. No one, absolutely no one, comes before Jesus. Sometimes we may see worship occurring or people talking about Jesus, but I also believe there is a difference between Jesus (capital letter) and jesus. Idolatry can be more than what we think: cell phones, our feelings, gossip, television, addiction, money, a person…the list could go on and on. I tend to think of it as anything that takes you further away from Jesus.
The cool thing we see at the beginning of chapter 26 is God speaking blessing after blessing, and using confident language such as, “I WILL.” What a great reminder that God does what He says. Period.
“Moreover, I will make My dwelling among you, and My soul will not reject you. I will also walk among you and be your God, and you shall be My people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt so that you would not be their slaves, and I broke the bars of your yoke and made you walk erect.” (Leviticus 26:11–13, NASB 1995)
Sound familiar? If not, scroll up and reread the scripture highlighted. We serve the same God the Israelites did. And He has not changed His mind!
Read this next passage from The Message. While I personally prefer a more “word-for-word” translation versus “thought-for-thought,” the imagery here is pretty neat. Replace the word Egypt with the thing that has been holding you back and imagine God, the Creator of the Universe, saying this to YOU:
“I’ll set up my residence in your neighborhood; I won’t avoid or shun you; I’ll stroll through your streets. I’ll be your God; you’ll be my people. I am God, your personal God who rescued you from Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians. I ripped off the harness of your slavery so that you can move about freely.” (Leviticus 26:11–13, MSG)
He means what He says. Are you taking this truth to heart? And if so, can you see it bear fruit in your life? That’s the question I wrestled with all week. God shows us here that He saves again and again and will not reject us when we come to Him in humility. His love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control are given to us freely through His Spirit.
But it doesn’t stop with receiving His free gifts… when we accept Jesus as our personal Savior, we are also empowered to bear the same fruit in our own lives. This is what true freedom looks like. Just as God broke Israel’s “yoke of slavery in Egypt,” Christ has broken the chains of sin for us:
“It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.” (Galatians 5:1, NIV)
And this, friends, is what the world needs to see in the followers of Jesus…lives that walk in His freedom and overflow with His fruit!
The second half of chapter 26 takes a turn, we move from the blessings of obedience to the penalties of disobedience. Why such a sharp shift? The Israelites didn’t have a Savior like we do today. Despite the law, they were still sinful people just like us. The difference was that their disobedience carried a direct penalty.
Now, it’s not that we don’t face consequences for sin today - we do - but Jesus has already PAID the ultimate penalty for us. That’s why, although reading the penalties in chapter 26 can feel heavy or even frightening, we need to remember this: God was showing Israel the natural consequences of rejecting Him and choosing sin over covenant faithfulness.
But notice this…His justice is never separated from His mercy.
“If they confess their iniquity and the iniquity of their forefathers, in their unfaithfulness which they committed against Me, and also in their acting with hostility against Me… then I will remember My covenant with Jacob, and I will remember also My covenant with Isaac, and My covenant with Abraham as well, and I will remember the land.” (Leviticus 26:41–42, NASB)
Compassion. Understanding. Love. FAITHFULNESS.
God always made a way back. No one is ever too far gone or too steeped in sin to return to Him. He is jealous for EVERY SINGLE PERSON. Now, if you’re like me, the word jealousy often carries a negative meaning because of how we experience it in this world. But God’s jealousy isn’t like ours. It’s holy, protective, and relentless.
Qanna is the Hebrew word for “jealousy.” It describes a fierce, protective zeal for something that rightfully belongs to you, such as a spouse or a covenant partner. In a biblical context, when used to describe God, it refers to His passionate commitment to His exclusive relationship with His people. God’s jealousy is not rooted in insecurity but in His holiness! It’s hard to wrap our minds around a type of jealousy NOT rooted in insecurity, isn’t it?
On the other hand, qin’ah describes sinful human jealousy, often a negative, malicious emotion driven by envy, rivalry, or ill will. This destructive jealousy led to many biblical tragedies, and still does today.
As you can see, the way God interacts with the world, even the penalties of disobedience in chapter 26, is through the lens of His HOLINESS, not human emotion. His way is laced with the fruit of the Spirit because it is TRUTH, and it will never be any different.
Leviticus isn’t an easy book to get through, yet here we are with just one more chapter to go! But before we end week 19, I must mention just one last Jesus whisper: every blessing, every warning, every covenantal promise in Leviticus points us forward to the fulfillment in Christ. He is the truth, He is the fruit, and He is the way back for every heart that turns toward Him.
Reflection
When you look at the rhythms of your daily life - your conversations, reactions, and choices - where do you see evidence of the Spirit’s fruit already growing in you?
Which fruit of the Spirit feels the hardest for you to practice right now, and how might God be inviting you to lean on His strength (not your own) to let that fruit take root?
Prayer
Jesus, thank You for being the true Vine and for filling us with Your Spirit. Thank You that we don’t have to strive to earn Your love, you’ve already given it freely. Help me stay rooted in You so that Your Spirit’s fruit can grow in my life and spill over onto others. When I feel weak or resistant, remind me that Your strength is made perfect in my weakness. Teach me to love like You, live like You, and reflect Your heart in everything I do. Amen.