“Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ.” ~ Eph 4:15

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. ~ Gal. 5:22-23

There is doctrine and there is the Fruit of the Spirit.

If doctrine is the sword, then the Fruit of the Spirit is the hilt. 

“Instead, speaking the truth in love, . . .”

Truth is the blade and the Fruit – love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc., (Gal 5:22) – is the hilt. Both are needed in order to be effective. Using a blade without a hilt just amounts to reckless swinging and a hilt without a blade is just decoration. Now, it may be fancy decoration, but at the end of the day its still just decoration.  

“Instead . . . “ Grasp the Sword by the Hilt. The Fruit of the Spirit is how we grasp doctrine and administer doctrine. Maturity in Christ means learning to wield both the hilt and the blade well. 

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15).

“Let your gentleness be known to everyone. The Lord is near” (Phil. 4:5).