Unclean Mind vs Fruit of the Spirit in Sinful Believers
The Fruit of the Spirit and the Unclean Mind in Believers
The concept of the "fruit of the Spirit" is rooted in Galatians 5:22, where the Apostle Paul lists the characteristics that result from being controlled by the Holy Spirit. These characteristics include love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control [1]. In contrast, an "unclean mind" is described in Titus 1:15 as a state where "nothing is clean" due to a lack of faith and uncleanness in thought.
The fruit of the Spirit is seen as a direct result of the Holy Spirit's influence on a believer's life, producing a transformed character that is in opposition to the "works of the flesh" (Galatians 5:19-21) [1, 3]. According to John Calvin, the presence of the Spirit in a believer is what distinguishes them from unbelievers, who are controlled by their sinful nature [4]. The Spirit enables believers to resist sin and live a life characterized by the fruit of the Spirit.
In the view of John Gill, the fruit of the Spirit is not a product of human effort or natural ability but is instead a result of the Spirit's work in a believer's life. This is in contrast to the "works of the flesh," which are the result of human sinful nature [5]. The Catholic tradition, as represented by Thomas Aquinas, also understands the fruit of the Spirit to be in opposition to the works of the flesh, with the Spirit moving the human mind towards what is in accord with reason and surpassing reason [3].
The presence of the fruit of the Spirit in a believer's life does not mean that they are completely free from sin or that they never experience unclean thoughts. According to Charles Hodge, the process of sanctification is progressive, and believers continue to struggle with sin even after they have been justified [7]. The Tyndale House commentary on Romans 8:9 notes that the Spirit does not eliminate human initiative or make it impossible for believers to sin, but rather enables them to resist the continuing power of sin [8].
The relationship between the fruit of the Spirit and the presence of sin in a believer's life is complex. While the Spirit produces a transformed character in believers, they still struggle with sin and can experience unclean thoughts. Adam Clarke notes that the Spirit's work in a believer's life is like a tree that produces good fruit, but the presence of sin can be likened to a bad tree that produces bad fruit [2]. The key distinction is that believers are controlled by the Spirit, who enables them to resist sin and produce the fruit of the Spirit.
The early Church Fathers also grappled with the issue of sin in believers. Augustine, for example, argued that even the children of believers are not born without sin, but are considered "clean" through their parents' faith [6]. This understanding highlights the ongoing struggle with sin that believers face, even as they are being transformed by the Spirit.
The contrast between the fruit of the Spirit and the unclean mind is not simply a matter of individual moral effort but is instead a reflection of the deeper spiritual dynamics at play in a believer's life. As believers continue to grow in their faith and are increasingly controlled by the Spirit, they will exhibit more of the fruit of the Spirit and fewer of the characteristics of an unclean mind.
Sources
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:22: Meekness,.... Humility and lowliness of mind, of which Christ is an eminent example and pattern; and which the Holy Spirit from him transcribes into the heart of a regenerate person; and lies in having mean thoughts of himself, in walking humbly with God, acknowledging every favour, being thankful for every blessing, and depending on his grace, and in behaving with modesty and humility among men. The last of the fruits of the Spirit mentioned is temperance, or "continence"; and designs both chastity and sobriety, and particularly moderation in eating and drinking”
- Galatians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Galatians 5:22: But the fruit of the Spirit - Both flesh - the sinful dispositions of the human heart and spirit - the changed or purified state of the soul, by the grace and Spirit of God, are represented by the apostle as trees, one yielding good the other bad fruit; the productions of each being according to the nature of the tree, as the tree is according to the nature of the seed from which it sprung. The bad seed produced a bad tree, yielding all manner of bad fruit; the good seed produced a good tree, bringing forth fruits of the most excellent kind. The tree of the flesh”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, First Part of the Second Part (Prima Secundae), Of the Fruits of the Holy Ghost, Art. 4: Article: Whether the fruits of the Holy Ghost are contrary to the works of the flesh? I answer that, The works of the flesh and the fruits of the Spirit may be taken in two ways. First, in general: and in this way the fruits of the Holy Ghost considered in general are contrary to the works of the flesh. Because the Holy Ghost moves the human mind to that which is in accord with reason, or rather to that which surpasses reason: whereas the fleshly, viz. the sensitive, appetite dra”
- CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 30: the devil. 117 117 2 Cor. 4:4 ; Eph. 2:2 ; Rom. 9:22 ; John 8:44 ; 1 John 3:8 . For as believers are recognised to be the sons of God by bearing his image, so the wicked are properly regarded as the children of Satan, from having degenerated into his image. 19. Having above refuted that nugatory philosophy concerning the holy angels, which teaches that they are nothing but good motions or inspirations which God excites in the minds of men, we must here likewise refute those who foolishly allege that devils are nothing but bad affec”
- Galatians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Galatians 5:21: But the fruit of the Spirit,.... Not of nature or man's free will, as corrupted by sin, for no good fruit springs from thence; but either of the internal principle of grace, called the Spirit, Gal 5:17 or rather of the Holy Spirit, as the Ethiopic version reads it; the graces of which are called "fruit", and not "works", as the actions of the flesh are; because they are owing to divine influence efficacy, and bounty, as the fruits of the earth are, to which the allusion is; and not to a man's self, to the power and principles of nature; and because they arise from ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 41.-- CHILDREN OF BELIEVERS ARE CALLED (part 1): " CLEAN" BY THE APOSTLE.[1] The apostle indeed says, "Else were your children unclean, but now are they holy;" [2] and "therefore" they infer "there was no necessity for the children of believers to be baptized." I am surprised at the use of such language by persons who deny that original sin has been transmitted from Adam. For, if they take this passage of the apostle to mean that the children of believers are born in a state of holiness, how is it that even they have no doubt about the necessity o”
- CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 26: of the Spirit, progressive sanctification, and all the fruits of holy living. It may be said that this scheme involves an inconsistency. there can be no holiness until there is reconciliation, and no reconciliation (so far as adults are concerned) until there is faith. But faith is a fruit of the Spirit, and an act of the renewed soul. Then there is and must be, after all, holy action before there is reconciliation. It might be enough to say in answer to this objection, 173 that logical order and chronological succession are different thi”
- Romans (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on Romans 8:9: 8:9 You are controlled by the Spirit: In contrast to unbelievers, who continue to live under the domination of Adam’s sinful nature, believers are directed in their lives by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not take away human initiative or make it impossible for believers to sin. However, as the most powerful force in believers’ lives, the Spirit makes it possible for them to resist the continuing power of sin.”