The Fruit of the Holy Spirit – What is Love?
Love is the first fruit of the Holy Spirit mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23. The Bible has a lot to say about love, as it is the greatest commandment and sums up the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:37-40). Here is an in-depth look at what the Bible teaches about the fruit of love:
Love Comes From God
The Bible teaches that God is the source of love. 1 John 4:7-8 says “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.” This tells us that real love comes from knowing God, not from ourselves. If we want to love like God loves, we need to develop a close relationship with Him.
God Demonstrated His Love For Us
God did not just tell us about love – He demonstrated it to us. Romans 5:8 says “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Even when we were living in open rebellion against Him, God loved us so much He sent Jesus to die for our sins. He did not wait for us to clean up our lives first. This kind of unconditional love is impossible for us to manufacture on our own – it comes from God.
We Are Called to Love Others
If we have experienced God’s love, we are called to share it with others. 1 John 4:11 says “Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Loving others is not optional for believers – it is a command. And it is more than just a feeling – it is an action. 1 John 3:18 says “Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” We show love through compassion, generosity, forgiveness and sacrifice.
Love Fulfills the Law
In Romans 13:8-10, Paul explains that love fulfills the law: “Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” Loving others encompasses all of God’s moral commands.
Attributes of Love
1 Corinthians 13 is the famous “love chapter” which describes what true godly love looks like. Here are some key attributes:
– Patient and kind (v.4)
– Not envious, boastful, proud or rude (v.4)
– Not self-seeking (v.5)
– Not easily angered and keeps no record of wrongs (v.5)
– Does not delight in evil but rejoices in the truth (v.6)
– Protects, trusts, hopes and perseveres (v.7)
– Never fails (v.8)
This kind of love is impossible without God’s help. We can only love like this when we walk by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16).
Love Seeks the Good of Others
Romans 12:9-10 says “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good. Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” True biblical love seeks the absolute best for others. This kind of love prefers others above ourselves and sees them as more important (Philippians 2:3).
Love Requires Action
Talk is cheap – love must be backed up with action. 1 John 3:16-18 states: “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.” Love is an action word. If we are not actively loving, we may not have real love at all.
Love Must Be Sincere
In Romans 12:9, Paul encourages us to have sincere love: “Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.” The Greek word for genuine is “anypokritos” which means “without hypocrisy.” Our love should be the real deal, not fake or phony. God looks at our motives and intentions, not just outward actions (1 Samuel 16:7).
Love Involves Sacrifice
Giving sacrificially is a key component of walking in love. Ephesians 5:1-2 says: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” Jesus gave up His very life for us. While most of us will not be called to die for someone else, we may need to sacrifice our time, abilities, comfort or resources to meet their needs.
Love Your Enemies
Loving other believers is hard enough at times. But Jesus takes it even further – He commands us to love our enemies! Luke 6:27 says “But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” And in Matthew 5:44 He says we must “Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” We express God’s supernatural love when we forgive those who do not deserve it and when we serve those who hate us.
Love Keeps God’s Commands
Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Our obedience shows whether our love is genuine or not. It is easy to say we love God, but talk is cheap. 1 John 5:3 says “For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome.” If we truly love, obedience will not feel like a burden but a joy.
Love Is a Mark of True Faith
The Bible makes it clear that those who have been born again will exhibit love. 1 John 4:7 states, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God.” Love is a defining mark of those who are truly saved. In fact, the two greatest commandments are to love God and love others (Matthew 22:37-40). Faith without love is dead (Galatians 5:6).
Love Brings Joy
Romans 14:17 tells us “For the kingdom of God is not a matter of eating and drinking but of righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.” When we walk in love, it brings a joy that is supernatural. Love moves us from focusing on ourselves to caring for others. This brings tremendous joy and satisfaction that cannot be found any other way.
The Greatest Love
The greatest example of love that exists is God sending His only Son to the cross to die for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus said in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” The love of God through Christ is unmatched and so immense that we cannot fully comprehend it in this lifetime.
Love Never Fails
In the end, love will be what remains. The Apostle Paul made it crystal clear that love is greater and outlasts all spiritual gifts (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). And he concluded 1 Corinthians 13:8 by saying “Love never ends.” All that we do for Christ will one day pass away except our acts of love. In heaven, faith and hope will no longer be needed because we will see God face to face. But love will endure forever.
How to Increase in Love
If you desire to grow and become more loving, here are some tips:
– Spend time reading and meditating on the passages above.
– Pray and ask God to fill you with His supernatural love.
– Examine your life and ask God to show you any areas lacking love. Repent as needed.
– Look for practical ways to demonstrate love to others on a daily basis.
– Do acts of service for those who cannot repay you.
– Share the gospel – there is no greater act of love than helping someone find eternal life in Christ!
In summary, love is not just an emotion but a way of life for believers. The key is walking in step with the Holy Spirit and allowing Him to love others through us. As we abide in Christ, the fruit of love will naturally grow in our lives. God is love and the source of all true love. When we tap into His endless supply, we will have more than enough love to cover every relationship and situation.