Jason, Just for thought:
Who renews their mind? . . . Who has to put off the old and put on the new? Who has to control thoughts and cast down vain imaginations? We do . . . it is not automatically done once we are born again . . . . it is a process. Let's say I'm walking along, everything's fine but all of a sudden I am outside the "boundaries" - I cross the line and it takes me a while to get back toward the "center" . . . If I die before I get back to the "center" . . . What happens to me? Does God remove that spirit that He created in me that was given by "birth" by His incorruptible seed?
Good fruit = fruit of the Spirit - Correct?
If I didn't know any better, I would think you were a Works Salvationist by such statements. But I know that is not the case. You are on the opposite wrong extreme side of the spectrum of that belief. You said before you can be out of fellowship with God and still be saved. Being out of fellowship implies one is out of fellowship because of sin. Which basically means you believe a person can sin and still be saved (Which is Antinomianism or the opposite wrong side of the spectrum in Soteriology).
Anyways, yes, we as believers do need to yield to the Spirit of God. But we are yielding to the work God (Christ) wants to do within us. Paul said he labored more than all his brethren, yet he said he did not labor, but it was the grace of God within him (1 Corinthians 15:10). Meaning, Paul was giving credit to God for the work done in him. For it's why the elders cast down their crowns before Jesus. For Christ deserves all the glory, honor, and power because Jesus is the author and finisher of our faith. For we can do all things thru Christ which strengthens us. Strengthens us how? Why are we strengthened? By our own power and might? No. By Christ working in us. Think about it.
The Scriptures at times are written from two different perspectives in regards to works. But ultimately it is God doing the work in you because He is convicting and moving a believer to do His will.