5:22 fruit of the Spirit. Paul uses the metaphor of fruit to describe the conduct of the believer in Rom. 6:22; Eph. 5:9; and Phil. 1:11. John the Baptist likewise claimed that true repentance would produce the “fruit” of concrete ethical behavior (Matt. 3:8; Luke 3:8). The love produced by the Spirit is like the love of Christ. It goes far beyond the performance of legalistic self-righteousness (Luke 10:25–37).