WorshipCentral

Hmmm love is a fruit of the spirit. While tongues is described as a gift of the spirit. The difference? I'm not entirely sure. Certainly fruit of the spirit develop in our character over time, the more spirit filled we become, the more these attributes should be displayed through our character.

Gifts of the spirit seem more personal. We all produce fruits of the spirit but we don't all have the same gifts of the spirit. It's said that tongues is your spirit crying out to God where words fall short. Therefore i think it's pretty safe to say when speaking in tongues you are probably saying something along the lines of: "I love you God you are amazing".

I suppose what I'm trying to say I think it would be unusual for someone to have the gift of tongues (which requires the spirit), without having love (which is a fruit of the spirit and from my understanding seems to flow from us somehow).

Anyway those are just my thoughts. Sorry if it doesn't make sense but it's late and my eyes are going all blurry so it's hard to read the screen. I think they are saying "we need sleep". So I will leave my ramblings here :)

Yeah i get what you mean Jords, a gift is given, whereas a fruit is grown.

Love develops and grows, and yes you can grow into and develop giftings, but at the same time, you can't do that unless they are given to you.

We are all made to Love and love is the most important out of faith, hope and love.

Another difference to make is God's gift of love (grace, mercy, forgiveness etc.) and the fruit of love, which is our love for God and others.

I think i'm suffering from the same symptoms as Jords, so my attempt to make sense of his ramblings have become my ramblings.

But not everyone is given all the gifts of the spirit, we are all however called to grow and show the fruits of the spirit!

I think they sound like pretty reasonable ramblings.
I would add that in my experience (including listening to others), is that speaking in tongues is edifying (note that this is not the reason for doing it, of course), but that it can definitely help you grow your spirit fruit. For example, praying in tongues when thing are going badly should help your self-control. Am I simplifying it too much? I'm just trying to keep it short!

PS BUGBEAR - plural of fruit is fruit (i.e. no "S" on the end), the words "fruits" doesn't exists. After all, we talk about fruit more than most other people on the planet aside from green grocers!!

BobbyVee - The Levite

I believe that as we produce the fruit of the Spirit in our lives, so God allows the gifts to operate and mostly for the benefit of others ... or so I've experienced in my own life. For instance when the fruit is evident one may be used to prophecy into someones life, or be used mightily in Spiritual Warfare that goes beyond just praying, while the gift of discernment is operating.
I have on occasion spent up to an hour praying only in tongues, not knowing what I was praying, but I shortly afterwards receive confirmation from people that I then testify to, that at the time I was praying God had touched their lives dramatically.
This is not necessarily tha case for everyone and some feel that they won't speak or pray in tongues, but in Mark 16 it says: " ... these signs shall follow them that believe they shall cast out demons, they shall speak in new tongues, they shall stand on serpents, poison will not harm them, they shall lay hands on the sick and they shall recover ...", of course all of this not necessarily in those exact words, but definitely in Jesus' Name.
I pray that this will help you and be a blessing to you.