Fruits of the Spirit: Love

“Love is the more excellent way. However, in talking about the word love, I think we’d better define it, since our world doesn’t have the foggiest idea what it means. The word in the Greek is agape, which is the most grandiose concept of love. Agape is the highest level of love—the love that is associated with God. Agape is the term used in 1Corinthians 13. So, the question is, what does it mean? Well, first let me tell you what it doesn’t mean. Agape is not romantic or sexual love, emotional love, ecumenical love, or charity. So, what in the world is it? What is love? 1 John 4:9-11 says ‘In this way manifested the love of God toward us, that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.’ In other words, God’s love is demonstrated in an act of self sacrifice—and so is ours. Now, when we talk about love, that’s what we’re talking about. It is an act of self-sacrifice. It is humility. It is meeting needs and doing what God wants us to do. There’s no self-seeking, pride, selfishness, self-glory, or vanity in love.” (excerpt from Perfect Love by John MacArthur)

Our sinful nature, our desire to be self seeking and prideful, have been put to death(Gal 5:24). In its’ place comes love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control. When we display these fruits in our lives, it proves to the world that we indeed have been regenerated.

The greatest of all the fruits is love. Of all the fruits of the Spirit, the Bible spends the most time commanding us to love. We are to love our enemies, our brothers and sisters in Christ, our mother and father, and we are to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength.
“And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and to love one another as He commanded us. Those who obey His commands live in Him, and He in them. And this is how we know that He lives in us: We know it by the Spirit He gave you.” (1 John 3:23-24).

We can’t bring about love on our own. “Love comes from God, and everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.” (1 John 4:7-8) Also, “God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16b)

Love really encompasses all of the fruits of the Spirit. Because there is love there is joy. And peace. And patience. And kindness. And goodness. Do you see why love is so important? Not only does God command us to love one another, but these other vital fruits won’t be displayed in our lives unless we have it! Let me explain further. Imagine yourself just getting out of bed and making your way to the bathroom to get ready for the day. And your sister (or brother) is in there already and you know that they take forever to get ready in the mornings. (trust me, this scene happens a lot at our house!). Instead of banging on the door and demanding that they hurry up, in LOVE you remain patient. You LOVE them, so you are patient. You see? I’m sure you can come up with instances in your own life where you displayed love for another by being kind, peaceful or gentle!

In addition, love is not merely words. We can easily say we love a person, but what really counts is our love acted out. The simple deeds we do for people, the patient way we act, the grace we give when wronged.

Love does not come easily. Our sinful nature is battling against the Spirit inside us to do those things which are contrary to God. We must prayerfully go before God each and every day and ask for His strength to show a self-sacrificing love to everyone we come in contact with!



Love in Him,
~Becca~