Exposition:
Fruits denote the works of people. Someone has said that “a man’s works are the tongue of his heart, and tell honestly whether he is inwardly corrupt or pure.” By the works of people, one may distinguish the wolves from the sheep. Thorns can only produce thorns, and the thistle, prickles; in the same vein, an unregenerate heart will produce fruits of degeneracy. As a good tree will not produce bad fruit, and
the bad tree will not and cannot produce good fruit, so the pretence of godliness at best makes one an impostor, a hypocrite and a deceitful person.
A man cannot be a saint and a sinner at the same time. Galatians 5:19-23 tell us about the works of the flesh and the fruit of the Spirit. The inclinations and desires of the flesh are contrary to those of the Spirit. They draw us away in an opposite direction; and while the Spirit of God would lead us one way, our carnal nature would lead us another, thereby producing the painful controversy which exists in our minds! If we have the Seed of Christ in us, then we should make conscious effort to bear fruit of the Spirit and eschew the works of the flesh.