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The Fruitful Life
We want to live loving, joyful, anxiety-free lives. Yet how can we live in grace when we’re so busy battling our old patterns of behavior?Jerry Bridges explores the nine aspects of the “fruit of the Spirit” described in Galatians 5:22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. These qualities of character can truly mark our lives if we devote ourselves to a twofold God-centeredness and God-likeness. Jerry shows us how to practice the fruit in daily life.When The Fruitful Life first released, Jerry said, “It was the book I had wanted to write that included everything I forgot and/or learned since The Pursuit of Holiness.”
179 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 8, 2006
237 people are currently reading
1302 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Bridges
121 books686 followersJERRY BRIDGES was an author and conference speaker. His most popular book, The Pursuit of Holiness, has sold over one million copies. Jerry was on the staff of The Navigators for over fifty years, and currently served in the Collegiate Mission where he was involved primarily in staff development, but also served as a speaker resource to the campus ministries.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 86 reviews
February 12, 2019
Read everything Bridges ever wrote. You won't regret it.
June 7, 2010
Jerry Bridges has written an accessible, thoroughly Biblical guide to the fruits of the Spirit, based on Galatians 5:22-23. Full of practical application and Scripturally saturated, “The Fruitful Life” is a must-read. As Bridges states in the Introduction, a healthy life is a fruitful life. This book, the content of which is mostly derived from his earlier book “The Practice of Godliness”, is a wonderful tool to that end.
I loved the emphasis throughout that producing spiritual fruit is not something that we can do ourselves, it’s something we must allow the Spirit to do through us. We can’t manufacture or self-generate these characteristics, nor can we take pride in them. Yet we still have a responsibility. Bridges uses the term “garments of grace” to describe that, although God is the source, we must actively “put on” these character traits like garments. What a beautiful word picture! The fruit of the Spirit is also relational, having an outward focus toward other people, not just an inward, personal spiritual focus. It flows to us from our union with Christ and beyond us to bring us into fellowship with others.
The first chapter begins by examining how each of the traits listed in Galatians is cultivated through devotion to Christ and conformity to His character. The second chapter is one of the best, discussing our devotion to God in terms of a triangle with the two points at the base representing the fear of God and love for God while the apex represents the desire for God. These are the three essential elements of devotion. Bridges’ explanation of the biblical concept of the fear of God is superb. The third chapter is another favorite of mine. It addresses humility. Although not one of the nine fruits, humility is essential. It opens the way for all the other godly character traits...it is the soil in which they grow.
The fourth through eleventh chapters each examine one of the nine fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: 22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The final chapter, titled “Seeking a Deeper Devotion”, revisits devotion to God as the only acceptable motive for actions that are pleasing to God, and what we can do to develop and grow this fruit even further in our lives. Praying for growth, meditating on God’s word, worshiping God, and fellowship with God through “quiet time” are essential. The three essential elements of devotion discussed in the second chapter are revisited. We must strive to grow equally in these three areas, or we risk becoming unbalanced in our devotion to God, emphasizing fear of God or love of God to the extreme. Balance is crucial, along with vital dependence on the Holy Spirit. Bridges closes by explaining that there is another area of life that is key. It’s not an activity, but an attitude of life: obedience to the will of God. He calls this “the ultimate test”, the only true response to His love for us. Do we earnestly desire to obey His commands?
Each chapter ends with questions for discussion and personal application, as well as Scriptures for meditation. This book is ideal for a group study or to use in personal devotions. Jerry Bridges has a true gift for expressing Biblical truth in an accessible, applicable way. I’ll be revisiting this book in my personal devotions and taking more time to meditate on the Scriptures he provides throughout.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
I loved the emphasis throughout that producing spiritual fruit is not something that we can do ourselves, it’s something we must allow the Spirit to do through us. We can’t manufacture or self-generate these characteristics, nor can we take pride in them. Yet we still have a responsibility. Bridges uses the term “garments of grace” to describe that, although God is the source, we must actively “put on” these character traits like garments. What a beautiful word picture! The fruit of the Spirit is also relational, having an outward focus toward other people, not just an inward, personal spiritual focus. It flows to us from our union with Christ and beyond us to bring us into fellowship with others.
The first chapter begins by examining how each of the traits listed in Galatians is cultivated through devotion to Christ and conformity to His character. The second chapter is one of the best, discussing our devotion to God in terms of a triangle with the two points at the base representing the fear of God and love for God while the apex represents the desire for God. These are the three essential elements of devotion. Bridges’ explanation of the biblical concept of the fear of God is superb. The third chapter is another favorite of mine. It addresses humility. Although not one of the nine fruits, humility is essential. It opens the way for all the other godly character traits...it is the soil in which they grow.
The fourth through eleventh chapters each examine one of the nine fruits of the Spirit listed in Galatians 5: 22-23: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness and goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. The final chapter, titled “Seeking a Deeper Devotion”, revisits devotion to God as the only acceptable motive for actions that are pleasing to God, and what we can do to develop and grow this fruit even further in our lives. Praying for growth, meditating on God’s word, worshiping God, and fellowship with God through “quiet time” are essential. The three essential elements of devotion discussed in the second chapter are revisited. We must strive to grow equally in these three areas, or we risk becoming unbalanced in our devotion to God, emphasizing fear of God or love of God to the extreme. Balance is crucial, along with vital dependence on the Holy Spirit. Bridges closes by explaining that there is another area of life that is key. It’s not an activity, but an attitude of life: obedience to the will of God. He calls this “the ultimate test”, the only true response to His love for us. Do we earnestly desire to obey His commands?
Each chapter ends with questions for discussion and personal application, as well as Scriptures for meditation. This book is ideal for a group study or to use in personal devotions. Jerry Bridges has a true gift for expressing Biblical truth in an accessible, applicable way. I’ll be revisiting this book in my personal devotions and taking more time to meditate on the Scriptures he provides throughout.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
June 25, 2008
I loved this books practical discussion on how the Fruit of the Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control) is the simple result of my devotion to God.
Instead of the usual "become more patient...become more kind...etc" that is usually found in such books, this book emphasizes the importance of staying connected and devoted to Christ and His word. When that is occurring, the "Fruit" is just that, a blessing that naturally occurs in one who is devoted and in love with God.
Favorite Quotes:
"This is the heartbeat of the godly person. As he contemplates God in the awesomeness of His infinite majesty, power, and holiness, and then as he dwells upon the riches of His mercy and grace poured out at Calvary, his heart is captivated by this One who could love him so. He is satisfied with God alone, but he is never satisfied with his present experience of God. He always yearns for more." (pg. 43)
"The person who spends time with God radiates His glory in a manner that is always warm and inviting, never cold and forbidding." (pg. 44)
Unlike many other books that discuss the "fruits", this one shares that having these fruits is the blessing and obligation of all Christians. A Joyful obligation because a) it is for our benefit and b) it pleases God.
Each chapter then discusses each of the fruits, pointing out how the Holy Spirit uses the circumstances in our lives to bring about a transformation in us (if we are truly seeking and humble) to display each of these: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I really enjoyed it and will most likely be re-reading portions of it in the future (particularly the one on patience...) ;-)
Instead of the usual "become more patient...become more kind...etc" that is usually found in such books, this book emphasizes the importance of staying connected and devoted to Christ and His word. When that is occurring, the "Fruit" is just that, a blessing that naturally occurs in one who is devoted and in love with God.
Favorite Quotes:
"This is the heartbeat of the godly person. As he contemplates God in the awesomeness of His infinite majesty, power, and holiness, and then as he dwells upon the riches of His mercy and grace poured out at Calvary, his heart is captivated by this One who could love him so. He is satisfied with God alone, but he is never satisfied with his present experience of God. He always yearns for more." (pg. 43)
"The person who spends time with God radiates His glory in a manner that is always warm and inviting, never cold and forbidding." (pg. 44)
Unlike many other books that discuss the "fruits", this one shares that having these fruits is the blessing and obligation of all Christians. A Joyful obligation because a) it is for our benefit and b) it pleases God.
Each chapter then discusses each of the fruits, pointing out how the Holy Spirit uses the circumstances in our lives to bring about a transformation in us (if we are truly seeking and humble) to display each of these: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
I really enjoyed it and will most likely be re-reading portions of it in the future (particularly the one on patience...) ;-)
December 10, 2022
Practical and convicting book about what living out the Fruit of the Spirit looks like. I did feel at times like Bridges came off too strong and without enough nuance (such as when he suggested that "wearing a gloomy countenance" was akin to "practical atheism." Yet, while joy is to be commended, even Christ had times when he was overcome with gloom and sadness. Being sad can be sinful depending on the cause--but it doesn't have to be!)
I did appreciate most of this book, though--and was convicted at several points about how I ought to be living. The final chapter, when he talked about how to rely on the Spirit and how to feed the desire to live the fruit of the Spirit out in our lives was probably my favorite.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
I did appreciate most of this book, though--and was convicted at several points about how I ought to be living. The final chapter, when he talked about how to rely on the Spirit and how to feed the desire to live the fruit of the Spirit out in our lives was probably my favorite.
Rating: 3.5-4 Stars (Good).
June 2, 2010
I was not disappointed with Bridges' Scripture-laden study on the fruit of the Spirit. Devotion to God is the only reason we can and should seek to bear fruit. I agree with Bridges statement that all too often our motives are self-centered: worrying about what others might think of us, or feeling good about ourselves personally. We can even be acting on ethics or morals, yet not truly out of sole devotion to God.
One lesson that God has been teaching me personally over and over again lately is humility. Bridges starts his book off with the virtue of humility, stating that bearing fruit starts with an attitude of humility. The more I think about his hypothesis the more I agree that humility is the central virtue necessary for bearing fruit. In order to act in love, we must put others before ourselves. In order to live a self-controlled life, we must realize we have no power to do so in and of ourselves.
Bridges also shows the never-ending cycle between conduct and character. Which direction are we training ourselves by our actions? Are we training ourselves to wait patiently for God's timing? Are we cultivating thankfulness that will create a joyful character?
Devotion to God, according to Bridges is based on fear of God, love of God, and desire of God. I definitely agree with Bridges' assertion that all three need to be in balance. He states that the church today is strongly lacking in the area of fear of God.
Bridges' proceeds to devote a chapter to each of the fruit of the Spirit. My favorite part of The Fruitful Life is the fact that Bridges provides meditation verses for each fruit of the Spirit. I have found in my own life, meditating on Scriptures is a great way not only to fight sin but also to build the corresponding virtue. I want to return to Bridges' list of Scriptures for each of the fruit.
Bridges also directs the reader to prayer giving ideas for Scripture the reader can pray in building fruit in their lives. He provides applicational questions about each fruit, centering the reader on honestly evaluating him or herself in regards to struggles. For instance:
"Review the last couple of days, looking for situations in which you were tempted to act in a self-centered way instead of putting others before yourself. What did you do in each case? What do you observe about yourself." (60). Ouch, Bridges asks some tough questions of the reader.
The Fruitful Life is a book I will find myself "chewing" on for weeks to come. I plan to spend more time meditating on the Scriptures and questions Bridges shares.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
http://www.darkglassponderings.blogsp...
One lesson that God has been teaching me personally over and over again lately is humility. Bridges starts his book off with the virtue of humility, stating that bearing fruit starts with an attitude of humility. The more I think about his hypothesis the more I agree that humility is the central virtue necessary for bearing fruit. In order to act in love, we must put others before ourselves. In order to live a self-controlled life, we must realize we have no power to do so in and of ourselves.
Bridges also shows the never-ending cycle between conduct and character. Which direction are we training ourselves by our actions? Are we training ourselves to wait patiently for God's timing? Are we cultivating thankfulness that will create a joyful character?
Devotion to God, according to Bridges is based on fear of God, love of God, and desire of God. I definitely agree with Bridges' assertion that all three need to be in balance. He states that the church today is strongly lacking in the area of fear of God.
Bridges' proceeds to devote a chapter to each of the fruit of the Spirit. My favorite part of The Fruitful Life is the fact that Bridges provides meditation verses for each fruit of the Spirit. I have found in my own life, meditating on Scriptures is a great way not only to fight sin but also to build the corresponding virtue. I want to return to Bridges' list of Scriptures for each of the fruit.
Bridges also directs the reader to prayer giving ideas for Scripture the reader can pray in building fruit in their lives. He provides applicational questions about each fruit, centering the reader on honestly evaluating him or herself in regards to struggles. For instance:
"Review the last couple of days, looking for situations in which you were tempted to act in a self-centered way instead of putting others before yourself. What did you do in each case? What do you observe about yourself." (60). Ouch, Bridges asks some tough questions of the reader.
The Fruitful Life is a book I will find myself "chewing" on for weeks to come. I plan to spend more time meditating on the Scriptures and questions Bridges shares.
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from NavPress Publishers as part of their Blogger Review Program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."
http://www.darkglassponderings.blogsp...
May 17, 2022
“God has given us everything we need for life and godliness.” (2 Pt 1:3)
I had recently read The Daily Grace Co.’s devotional on the The Fruit of the Spirit and wanted to do some further reading on it. I picked up this book and it was an excellent companion to the shorter study.
This book is gospel-centered, highly applicable, encouraging, and convicting.
[I’ll keep this review fairly short because I’ve decided to do a blog series on this that I will link once it’s done.]
I love how he begins his book talking about devotion to God and humility.
These two things tell us WHY we pursue the fruit of the spirit and HOW we pursue them.
We must have the right motive and the right source.
He rightly separates devotion to God from fear of consequences.
“The fear of consequences may keep us from committing the outward acts of murder or adultery, but only love will keep us from committing murder or adultery in our hearts.”
We desire to be loving, joyful, peaceable, patient, kind, good, gentle, faithful, and self-controlled because we love God and we want to be more like Him. We love him and therefore want to obey. Out of the love, reverence, and thankfulness for his character and his love toward us, shown sacrificially on the cross.
The transformation of the Holy Spirit is not merely behavior modification. It’s heart transformation and it should change our hearts and minds along with our actions.
Not only must we have the right motive, but if we don’t have the right source, it becomes a sinful endeavor of pride. If we think we can create these attributes on our own and achieve them if we work hard enough, we will fail.
The Holy Spirit is at work in us to produce His fruit. That is the only way.
“These godly qualities are not something we can manufacture, take pride in, or lay claim to as self-generated. Rather, they are the work of God, and their source is God alone.”
“Humility with regard to ourselves, then, consists in ascribing all that we are, all that we have, and all that we have accomplished to the God who gives us grace.”
Humility helps us stay plugged into the right source, but it also knows that sanctification is a lifelong process until we are finally glorified in heaven. The Spirit produces the fruit and also gives us endurance to continue growing.
There are only two directions. Either we are moving toward Christ or we are moving away from Him. There is no in between.
“Growth in godly character not only is progressive and always unfinished, it is absolutely necessary for spiritual survival. If we are not growing in godly character, we are regressing; in the spiritual life we never stand still.”
And we cannot cultivate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control if we are not first humble before a holy God, aware of our sinful nature, and devoted to Him.
Bridges breaks ‘devotion to God’ down into three essential elements:
- fear of God
"If we truly reverence God, we will obey Him, because every act of disobedience is an affront to His dignity and majesty.”
- love of God
"The love of God has no meaning apart from Calvary, and Calvary has no meaning apart from the holy and just wrath of God… He died to reconcile us to a holy God who was alienated from us because of our sin.”
- desire for God
"[We are] satisfied with God alone, but never satisfied with [our] present experience of God. [We] always yearn for more.”
“The fear of God and the love of God form the base of the triangle, while the desire for God is at the apex. As we study these elements individually, we will see that the fear of God and the love of God form the foundation of true devotion to God, while the desire for God is the highest expression of that devotion.”
“To seek to grow in the fear of God without also growing in our comprehension of His love can cause us to begin to view God as far-off and austere. Or to seek to grow in our awareness of the love of God without also growing in our reverence and awe of Him can cause us to view God as a permissive and indulgent Heavenly Father who does not deal with our sin.”
The rest of the book goes through each attribute. The fruit of the Spirit is not just about ourselves, they are relational; they dictate how we treat other people.
Because we often learn the fruit of the Spirit at a young age, I think the depth of it in our lives is often over-looked. I found myself teaching my kids to be patient and turning around the next minute and being impatient with them.
I felt convicted to study these traits and really think about how they can be exhibited in my life right now. And not only how to produce this fruit but how to prune off the ‘bad fruit’ so to speak. To put off the old self as I’m putting on the new self. We need both things.
This is a really good book to read to remind ourselves that the fruit of the spirit is more than a cute song we teach our kids so they stop hitting each other and wait quietly for more than 30 seconds.
They are characteristics of our holy God that he has commanded us to exemplify with his help.
All of them are for everyone all the time. We don’t just pick the ones we’re good at and use our personality as an excuse to ignore the ‘hard ones.’
One thing that’s hard to get our minds around is that we are responsible to strive to exhibit these characteristics, yet also with the knowledge that it is not us at work, but the Holy Spirit. There is both responsibility for our actions and dependence on the Spirit.
“We need to learn that the Bible teaches both total responsibility and total dependence in all aspects of the Christian life.” (Phil 2:12-13)
Being successful in producing this fruit is not what saves us. We do not achieve our salvation. Yet they are evidence of our abiding in Christ.
It’s a weird line to walk but it is what the Bible teaches.
I highly recommend this book for all people! I’ll leave you with this quote, lest we feel overwhelmed or unappealed by the task before us. And remember to check back for a link to my blog series where I will flesh out each attribute.
“The practice of developing our relationship with God should never be thought of as drudgery. We are seeking to grow in our devotion to the most wonderful Person in all of the universe, the infinitely glorious and loving God. Nothing can compare with the privilege of knowing Him in whose presence is fullness of joy and in whose hand there are pleasures forever. From this joyful relationship flows the rich harvest of our transformed character.”
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I had recently read The Daily Grace Co.’s devotional on the The Fruit of the Spirit and wanted to do some further reading on it. I picked up this book and it was an excellent companion to the shorter study.
This book is gospel-centered, highly applicable, encouraging, and convicting.
[I’ll keep this review fairly short because I’ve decided to do a blog series on this that I will link once it’s done.]
I love how he begins his book talking about devotion to God and humility.
These two things tell us WHY we pursue the fruit of the spirit and HOW we pursue them.
We must have the right motive and the right source.
He rightly separates devotion to God from fear of consequences.
“The fear of consequences may keep us from committing the outward acts of murder or adultery, but only love will keep us from committing murder or adultery in our hearts.”
We desire to be loving, joyful, peaceable, patient, kind, good, gentle, faithful, and self-controlled because we love God and we want to be more like Him. We love him and therefore want to obey. Out of the love, reverence, and thankfulness for his character and his love toward us, shown sacrificially on the cross.
The transformation of the Holy Spirit is not merely behavior modification. It’s heart transformation and it should change our hearts and minds along with our actions.
Not only must we have the right motive, but if we don’t have the right source, it becomes a sinful endeavor of pride. If we think we can create these attributes on our own and achieve them if we work hard enough, we will fail.
The Holy Spirit is at work in us to produce His fruit. That is the only way.
“These godly qualities are not something we can manufacture, take pride in, or lay claim to as self-generated. Rather, they are the work of God, and their source is God alone.”
“Humility with regard to ourselves, then, consists in ascribing all that we are, all that we have, and all that we have accomplished to the God who gives us grace.”
Humility helps us stay plugged into the right source, but it also knows that sanctification is a lifelong process until we are finally glorified in heaven. The Spirit produces the fruit and also gives us endurance to continue growing.
There are only two directions. Either we are moving toward Christ or we are moving away from Him. There is no in between.
“Growth in godly character not only is progressive and always unfinished, it is absolutely necessary for spiritual survival. If we are not growing in godly character, we are regressing; in the spiritual life we never stand still.”
And we cannot cultivate love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control if we are not first humble before a holy God, aware of our sinful nature, and devoted to Him.
Bridges breaks ‘devotion to God’ down into three essential elements:
- fear of God
"If we truly reverence God, we will obey Him, because every act of disobedience is an affront to His dignity and majesty.”
- love of God
"The love of God has no meaning apart from Calvary, and Calvary has no meaning apart from the holy and just wrath of God… He died to reconcile us to a holy God who was alienated from us because of our sin.”
- desire for God
"[We are] satisfied with God alone, but never satisfied with [our] present experience of God. [We] always yearn for more.”
“The fear of God and the love of God form the base of the triangle, while the desire for God is at the apex. As we study these elements individually, we will see that the fear of God and the love of God form the foundation of true devotion to God, while the desire for God is the highest expression of that devotion.”
“To seek to grow in the fear of God without also growing in our comprehension of His love can cause us to begin to view God as far-off and austere. Or to seek to grow in our awareness of the love of God without also growing in our reverence and awe of Him can cause us to view God as a permissive and indulgent Heavenly Father who does not deal with our sin.”
The rest of the book goes through each attribute. The fruit of the Spirit is not just about ourselves, they are relational; they dictate how we treat other people.
Because we often learn the fruit of the Spirit at a young age, I think the depth of it in our lives is often over-looked. I found myself teaching my kids to be patient and turning around the next minute and being impatient with them.
I felt convicted to study these traits and really think about how they can be exhibited in my life right now. And not only how to produce this fruit but how to prune off the ‘bad fruit’ so to speak. To put off the old self as I’m putting on the new self. We need both things.
This is a really good book to read to remind ourselves that the fruit of the spirit is more than a cute song we teach our kids so they stop hitting each other and wait quietly for more than 30 seconds.
They are characteristics of our holy God that he has commanded us to exemplify with his help.
All of them are for everyone all the time. We don’t just pick the ones we’re good at and use our personality as an excuse to ignore the ‘hard ones.’
One thing that’s hard to get our minds around is that we are responsible to strive to exhibit these characteristics, yet also with the knowledge that it is not us at work, but the Holy Spirit. There is both responsibility for our actions and dependence on the Spirit.
“We need to learn that the Bible teaches both total responsibility and total dependence in all aspects of the Christian life.” (Phil 2:12-13)
Being successful in producing this fruit is not what saves us. We do not achieve our salvation. Yet they are evidence of our abiding in Christ.
It’s a weird line to walk but it is what the Bible teaches.
I highly recommend this book for all people! I’ll leave you with this quote, lest we feel overwhelmed or unappealed by the task before us. And remember to check back for a link to my blog series where I will flesh out each attribute.
“The practice of developing our relationship with God should never be thought of as drudgery. We are seeking to grow in our devotion to the most wonderful Person in all of the universe, the infinitely glorious and loving God. Nothing can compare with the privilege of knowing Him in whose presence is fullness of joy and in whose hand there are pleasures forever. From this joyful relationship flows the rich harvest of our transformed character.”
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July 17, 2025
Something I love about Jerry Bridges is how his books always beautifully portray the biblical view of both God's sovereignty and man's responsibility.
Like this quote: "These godly qualities are not something we can manufacture, take pride in, or lay claim to as self-generated. Rather, they are the work of God, and their source is God alone. However, we have a crucial role to play."
"Godlike character is both the fruit of the Spirit as He works within us and the result of our personal efforts. We are both totally dependent upon His working within us and totally responsible for our own character development." (p.57)
A wonderful book on the fruit of the Spirit (including a chapter on humility and having devotion to God).
Like this quote: "These godly qualities are not something we can manufacture, take pride in, or lay claim to as self-generated. Rather, they are the work of God, and their source is God alone. However, we have a crucial role to play."
"Godlike character is both the fruit of the Spirit as He works within us and the result of our personal efforts. We are both totally dependent upon His working within us and totally responsible for our own character development." (p.57)
A wonderful book on the fruit of the Spirit (including a chapter on humility and having devotion to God).
January 26, 2018
It’s sad that the Christian community won’t get any more new content from the late Jerry Bridges, because his books are just SO GOOD. This is one I would easily recommend and revisit, as it was theologically sound while being practical. I love how he reiterates over and over again that true spiritual fruit is a result of inner devotion to God. As he says in his conclusion, “A focus on the outward structure of character and conduct without taking the time to build the inward foundation of devotion to God will fail us. This eventually results in a cold morality or legalism, or even worse, self-righteousness and spiritual pride.” Or as Jesus said to the Pharisees, “First clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also” (Matthew 23:26).
May 22, 2024
10/10. AMAZING DEVOTIONAL!! i studied this with my college group at church and we absolutely loved it. it was very easy to understand, applicable, and good for in depth conversation. the questions in the back helped you to really think about what you read too. i really enjoyed this read and would 100% recommend to anyone for a reminder about the fruits of the spirit and how to truly see them in your life
May 2, 2019
I thought I understood the Fruits of the Spirit until I read this book. We are using it in a Women’s Monthly study at our church and it has stretched us all!
December 7, 2020
Challenging and convicting cutting to the heart of the fruits of the Spirit...excellent. Definitely a book to be read again. Marked up every page...’til we meet again.
June 4, 2025
Some chapters were excellent, others weren't as notable. This book was helpful to read along with other books on the Fruit of the Spirit like Kurtz "Fruitful Theology"
January 10, 2025
This is a good book. It is certainly worth reading. You will find quite a bit of what is said here in other books by the same author but these things do bear repeating!
July 19, 2020
Practical and convicting
Bridges’ treatment of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of the believer is challenging and encouraging at the same time. His probing questions and personal applications are helpful and thought provoking.
Bridges’ treatment of the fruit of the Spirit in the life of the believer is challenging and encouraging at the same time. His probing questions and personal applications are helpful and thought provoking.
June 11, 2023
Bridges has this ability to make his writing seem less like a sermon you have to sit through or a textbook for a class. It’s more like a personal message to the reader and I felt like I was consuming exactly what I needed to in order to have The Fruitful Life.
September 29, 2025
“The model for fruitfulness is God”
“Christian character arises from “participation in the divine nature”
“the fruit of the Spirit is both formational and relational”
“character traits “garments of grace” because we must actively put them on”
“we are responsible for acts of obedience by which this fruit is “preserved, increased, strengthened, and improved.”
“Fruitful character comes from a great devotion, and the greatest devotion of all is the love of God. A life that grows in loving God becomes like God”
“we demonstrate the genuineness of our devotion to God by our earnest desire and sincere effort to be like Him”
“To the qualities listed in Galatians 5 — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — we can also add such traits as holiness, humility, compassion, forbearance, contentment, thankfulness, considerateness, sincerity, and perseverance”
“these traits are the fruit of the Spirit, the result of His work within us”
“the real reason I should not do that is because God is worthy of my most honorable conduct.”
“there is nothing more ordinary and routine than our eating and drinking; yet even this is to be done with a godward motivation”
“As the source of power for Christlike character is Christ, so the means of experiencing that power is through our relationship with Him”
“It is only by abiding in Him that we can bring forth the fruit of godly character”
“To abide in me’ expresses the continual act by which the Christian sets aside everything which he might derive from his own wisdom, strength, merit, to draw all from Christ”
“both total responsibility and total dependence”
“We are to put off falsehood and put on truthfulness. We are to put off stealing and put on generosity. Unwholesome talk must be put off and replaced with speech that is helpful for building others up. Bitterness, rage, anger, and slander are to be replaced with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness”
“there is a sense in which we are growing in our character every day”
“conduct produces character”
“the habitual inclination of [the] heart unto the life of God”
“Only a strong personal relationship with the living God can keep such a commitment from becoming oppressive and legalistic”
“The fear of God is a heartfelt recognition of this gap”
“What or whom we worship determines our behavior”
“obedience to the Lord is an indication of our love for Him”
“Only the God-fearing Christian can truly appreciate the love of God”
“He worshiped God with reverence and awe because of His forgiveness”
“How much we appreciate God’s love is conditioned by how deeply we fear Him”
“It is this awareness of His individual love that draws out our hearts in devotion to Him.”
“As we mature in our Christian lives, we are increasingly aware of God’s holiness and our own sinfulness”
“If God’s love for us is to be a solid foundation stone of devotion, we must realize that His love is entirely of grace”
“our spiritual failures do not affect God’s love for us”
“His love for us does not fluctuate according to our experience”
“He is satisfied with God alone, but he is never satisfied with his present experience of God. He always yearns for more.”
“In the culture of John’s day, to share a meal meant to have fellowship, so Jesus is inviting us to open our hearts to Him that we may fellowship with Him”
“Christian character arises from “participation in the divine nature”
“the fruit of the Spirit is both formational and relational”
“character traits “garments of grace” because we must actively put them on”
“we are responsible for acts of obedience by which this fruit is “preserved, increased, strengthened, and improved.”
“Fruitful character comes from a great devotion, and the greatest devotion of all is the love of God. A life that grows in loving God becomes like God”
“we demonstrate the genuineness of our devotion to God by our earnest desire and sincere effort to be like Him”
“To the qualities listed in Galatians 5 — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control — we can also add such traits as holiness, humility, compassion, forbearance, contentment, thankfulness, considerateness, sincerity, and perseverance”
“these traits are the fruit of the Spirit, the result of His work within us”
“the real reason I should not do that is because God is worthy of my most honorable conduct.”
“there is nothing more ordinary and routine than our eating and drinking; yet even this is to be done with a godward motivation”
“As the source of power for Christlike character is Christ, so the means of experiencing that power is through our relationship with Him”
“It is only by abiding in Him that we can bring forth the fruit of godly character”
“To abide in me’ expresses the continual act by which the Christian sets aside everything which he might derive from his own wisdom, strength, merit, to draw all from Christ”
“both total responsibility and total dependence”
“We are to put off falsehood and put on truthfulness. We are to put off stealing and put on generosity. Unwholesome talk must be put off and replaced with speech that is helpful for building others up. Bitterness, rage, anger, and slander are to be replaced with kindness, compassion, and forgiveness”
“there is a sense in which we are growing in our character every day”
“conduct produces character”
“the habitual inclination of [the] heart unto the life of God”
“Only a strong personal relationship with the living God can keep such a commitment from becoming oppressive and legalistic”
“The fear of God is a heartfelt recognition of this gap”
“What or whom we worship determines our behavior”
“obedience to the Lord is an indication of our love for Him”
“Only the God-fearing Christian can truly appreciate the love of God”
“He worshiped God with reverence and awe because of His forgiveness”
“How much we appreciate God’s love is conditioned by how deeply we fear Him”
“It is this awareness of His individual love that draws out our hearts in devotion to Him.”
“As we mature in our Christian lives, we are increasingly aware of God’s holiness and our own sinfulness”
“If God’s love for us is to be a solid foundation stone of devotion, we must realize that His love is entirely of grace”
“our spiritual failures do not affect God’s love for us”
“His love for us does not fluctuate according to our experience”
“He is satisfied with God alone, but he is never satisfied with his present experience of God. He always yearns for more.”
“In the culture of John’s day, to share a meal meant to have fellowship, so Jesus is inviting us to open our hearts to Him that we may fellowship with Him”
November 19, 2025
"The Fruitful Life" by Jerry Bridges was a book that my church used for one of our adult Sunday School classes. Each week, we covered one of the twelve chapters in the book. Most of the lessons covered one of the nine traits that are represented in Galations 5 as the fruit of the Spirit. Overall, I found the book to be solid and the divisional chapters to work well. The books opening chapters dealt with themes that could be reinforced throughout the rest of the book and were certainly appropriate for the topic. The remaining chapters on the fruit of the Spirit divided well and expressed solid biblical truths. The book was easy to read and was packed with many biblical references. The numerous texts allowed for solid support of the information. It was nice to have so many references available for additional individual consideration and for sharing with the class. There was also a discussion guide at the end of the book for individual or group usage. Indeed, this book can be of great assistance in pursuing a life that both honors God and serves others.
December 25, 2020
Highly recommended!
Bridges walks is through how to practically apply the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit both inwardly and outwardly based on the foundation of the fear, love, and desire for God.
"We express this vital dependence on God by praying that He will cause us to grow in our devotion to Him. David prayed, “give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11). Paul prayed that the Ephesian Christians might be able to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (see Ephesians 3:16-19). And David prayed that he might dwell in the house of the Lord to behold His beauty and to seek Him in His temple (see Psalm 27:4). Each of these prayers is a recognition that growth in devotion to God is of Him."
Wonderful book!
Bridges walks is through how to practically apply the nine aspects of the fruit of the Spirit both inwardly and outwardly based on the foundation of the fear, love, and desire for God.
"We express this vital dependence on God by praying that He will cause us to grow in our devotion to Him. David prayed, “give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name” (Psalm 86:11). Paul prayed that the Ephesian Christians might be able to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ (see Ephesians 3:16-19). And David prayed that he might dwell in the house of the Lord to behold His beauty and to seek Him in His temple (see Psalm 27:4). Each of these prayers is a recognition that growth in devotion to God is of Him."
Wonderful book!
September 8, 2023
This was an incredible book about, as our pastor consistently reminds us, "believing God in an obeying way." Bridges takes you through the fruits of the Spirit and does a deep dive into each, looking into what it truly means to be loving, joyful, peaceful, patient, etc. based on the biblical definitions of each. I highly recommend this one as a must-read for every Christian. As he says at the end of his book:
"Nothing can compare with the privilege of knowing Him in whose presence is fullness of joy and in whose hand there are pleasures forever. From this joyful relationship flows the rich harvest of our transformed character."
"Nothing can compare with the privilege of knowing Him in whose presence is fullness of joy and in whose hand there are pleasures forever. From this joyful relationship flows the rich harvest of our transformed character."
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December 23, 2024I read this book for a year-long book club read with monthly discussions.
I really appreciated Bridges' simple yet honest way of writing. It felt like he was sitting there on the couch next to us, with a cup of coffee in hand, just imparting his wisdom to us. It was very Bible-based, yet refreshing. He explored deep topics that he managed to make easy to understand.
This book has a focus on being holy, and how we are holy through the fruit of the Spirit. If we are holy, these fruits will be present in our lives.
Well worth the read, highly recommend it - both as a book club pick and as a personal reflection read.
I really appreciated Bridges' simple yet honest way of writing. It felt like he was sitting there on the couch next to us, with a cup of coffee in hand, just imparting his wisdom to us. It was very Bible-based, yet refreshing. He explored deep topics that he managed to make easy to understand.
This book has a focus on being holy, and how we are holy through the fruit of the Spirit. If we are holy, these fruits will be present in our lives.
Well worth the read, highly recommend it - both as a book club pick and as a personal reflection read.
May 13, 2022
I really enjoyed reading this and felt closer to God through Bridges' insight and writings on the 9 fruits of the spirit. He has a really gentle way of writing and each chapter is split into smaller headlined sections so it was easy to read day-by-day without having to go back and re-read the following day.
I always wanted to dwelve deeper into the fruits of the spirit and this is a an excellent book to read for this topic. A great way to keep myself spiritually filled and not lose track of who's with me and guiding me —God, father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
I always wanted to dwelve deeper into the fruits of the spirit and this is a an excellent book to read for this topic. A great way to keep myself spiritually filled and not lose track of who's with me and guiding me —God, father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
September 9, 2025
This is a good book by a wonderful author. Bridges presents a wealth of practical knowledge about cultivating the Fruit of the Spirit. His opening three chapters and the final chapter focus on the work of Jesus and the Holy Spirit that allow us to have and grow in holiness.
The one critique is that the chapters dealing with the actual Fruit of the Spirit can seem overly practical and pragmatic. If the reminders of the opening and closing chapters had been spread throughout the book, our focus would have been kept on Christ rather than our own efforts.
The one critique is that the chapters dealing with the actual Fruit of the Spirit can seem overly practical and pragmatic. If the reminders of the opening and closing chapters had been spread throughout the book, our focus would have been kept on Christ rather than our own efforts.
March 12, 2018
This is an excellent book. Jerry does a great job of describing and "Fleshing out" what the fruits of the Spirit would look like in a person's life. It is helpful to have such a clear picture of what the goal is.
Jerry is also very clear on the Gospel method of growing in these graces. Dependent responsibility - We are responsible to have this fruit in our lives; we are completely dependent on God to grow these fruits in our lives.
Jerry is also very clear on the Gospel method of growing in these graces. Dependent responsibility - We are responsible to have this fruit in our lives; we are completely dependent on God to grow these fruits in our lives.
March 23, 2019
He makes things clear and fans the flame
I love this book! Whether the season you are going through is good, tough and confusing, or a mix of both, this book focuses you on the path and then it fuels you to walk in it. It lays out what to focus on in any season and how to go about it in a God-centered and balanced way.
Pick up this book. Digest it. Train yourself in godliness.
I love this book! Whether the season you are going through is good, tough and confusing, or a mix of both, this book focuses you on the path and then it fuels you to walk in it. It lays out what to focus on in any season and how to go about it in a God-centered and balanced way.
Pick up this book. Digest it. Train yourself in godliness.
July 14, 2020
Awesome!
What a wonderful book that really breaks down practically, the descriptions of the Fruit of the Spirit, what they look like in a believer's life, and how to grow in these traits. How to let them practically be alive in your own life through the aid of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Mr. Bridges. All of his books are a Godsend, practical, encouraging and written with such humility.
What a wonderful book that really breaks down practically, the descriptions of the Fruit of the Spirit, what they look like in a believer's life, and how to grow in these traits. How to let them practically be alive in your own life through the aid of the Holy Spirit. Thank you Mr. Bridges. All of his books are a Godsend, practical, encouraging and written with such humility.
March 23, 2019
I love Jerry Bridges. But this book was slightly off the mark. On more than one "fruit," Bridges was exegetically and lexically off from the meaning of the words and texts. Basically, it felt as if he took one of his many gospel-centered books and imposed it over Galatians 5. Chris Wright's book on spiritual fruit has been much, much better.
November 10, 2020
Did this with our small group. Great book to study with others and full of meaningful ways to grow in fear, love, and desire for God. Great balance between the work of HS and our response of prayer, worship, Bible reading, meditation, and study of His word. A book one could come back to for encouragement and challenge in many seasons of life.
November 26, 2020
A Practical Read On Growing In Grace
This book is an ever so practical read on the Fruits of the Spirit and other essential Christian graces. Like his other books such as The Discipline of Grace and The Pursuit of Grace, his writing is ever so useful. This book is the definitive read on Christian growth.
This book is an ever so practical read on the Fruits of the Spirit and other essential Christian graces. Like his other books such as The Discipline of Grace and The Pursuit of Grace, his writing is ever so useful. This book is the definitive read on Christian growth.
May 13, 2022
Went through this in a Bible study at Carley’s church- really enjoyed thinking of one fruit of the spirit each week and learning practical ways to grow in each. I particularly like the author’s point that you aren’t excused from any of them if it’s not naturally part of your personality- since they are all a result of following God
June 15, 2023
Truly one of the best books I’ve ever read. I look forward to reading more from Bridges as I find he explains things in practical, easy to understand ways that resonate so well. I’m leaving this book feeling encouraged and challenged by all that was said. Highly recommend this book if you’re looking to be reminded about our goals as we walk with Christ.
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