Holiness: For the Will of God Is Your Sanctification – 1 Thessalonians 4:3 [Annotated, Updated]

by J.C. Ryle

The Spirit never lies dormant and idle within the soul. He always makes His presence known by the fruit He causes to be borne in heart, character, and life. The fruit of the Spirit, says Paul, is this: Charity, joy, peace, tolerance, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, and such like (Galatians 5:22-23). Where these qualities are to be found, the Spirit is there. Where these qualities are lacking, people are spiritually dead before God.