The Fruit of the Spirit

How can we recognize the influence of the Holy Ghost?

Paul told church members in Galatia, “If ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). That sounds liberating! But Paul didn’t want them to misunderstand him and adopt an “anything goes” attitude, so he gave them some additional guidance.

First, he listed some behaviors that are not consistent with the Spirit (which he called “works of the flesh”):

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

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

Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

Galatians 5:19-21

This is not a comprehensive list of “thou-shalt-nots.” He’s not saying that if you don’t do these things, you’re fine. Rather, he’s trying to illustrate the kinds of activities which will drive the Spirit away. He might easily have added King Benjamin’s words: “I cannot tell you all the things whereby ye may commit sin; for there are divers ways and means, even so many that I cannot number them” (Mosiah 4:29).

He then provides a list of behaviors and emotions that are in harmony with the Holy Ghost:

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

Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

Galatians 5:22-23

After King Benjamin’s people prayed for a remission of their sins, “the Spirit of the Lord came upon them.” How did they recognize it? They were “filled with joy.” They had “peace of conscience.” They were meek. They were filled with “the love of God.” (See Mosiah 4:3, 5, 11-12.) They knew they had the Spirit of the Lord because it was leading them “to do good—yea, to do justly, to walk humbly, to judge righteously” (Doctrine and Covenants 11:12).

Elder Dieter F. Uchtdorf taught that Paul’s list can be a useful touchstone for our personal decisions:

There may be moments when we are tempted to justify our actions by believing that the end justifies the means. We might even think that to be controlling, manipulative, and harsh will be for the good of others. Not so, for the Lord has made it clear that “the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, [and] temperance.”

“Perfect Love Casteth Out Fear,” General Conference, April 2017

Today, I will strive to recognize and follow the Spirit of the Lord. I will use Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit to identify thoughts and feelings which are in harmony with the Holy Ghost.