I don’t own a diamond. But I’ve admired them on other fingers, and beyond their enchanting sparkle, their facets are fascinating. Look from a different angle, move toward or away from the light, and new patterns and depths emerge. All well and good in a diamond, but if you’re attempting to write a semi-brief article on just one fruit of the Spirit, then facets, patterns and depths become a daunting challenge. I keep telling myself the name of this site is Bible Basics. I should keep it simple. Ha! Nevertheless, I’ll jump in with both feet!
The first fruit of the Spirit that Paul lists for us in Galatians 5 is love. In Greek that’s agape, Strong’s word 26. The Galatians passage is one of 106 places in the New Testament where we find it as a noun, in addition to 109 uses of agapao, the verb form. I'm thinking it's an important concept.
So what does this agape love fruit look like? A good Bible study rule is to let Scripture interpret Scripture, so reading how agape is used throughout the NT should give us a multi-faceted picture of what love looks like in our lives when we have the Holy Spirit dwelling in us.
Jesus describes a radical new law of love in Matthew 5 and Luke 6. If I bear the fruit of agape, I will love my enemies and bless them, do good to them and pray for them. Naturally, we love those who love us. Supernaturally, we love those who hate us.
Jesus exhorts us also to love our neighbors and God (Matt. 22 and Mark 12). We are to love God with all our heart, soul, strength, and mind. In other words, with everything we are and everything we have. Let’s make up our minds to do that every moment starting now, and we might begin to understand what it means by the time He takes us home. Jesus does give us some ideas, in John 14:15, about how to start: “if you love Me, keep My commandments.” Read the rest of John 14 and 15 for lots on love—-ours for Jesus, His for us, God’s love for us and for Jesus. It’s a love fest through there.
He also says we’re to love our neighbors as ourselves. That’s a little more practical. I have pretty clear ideas about how I want to be loved (just ask my husband!), so I have at least a starting place for how to love my neighbors. And just in case any of us are not sure who counts as a neighbor, Jesus lines that out for us in His parable of the good Samaritan in Luke 10.
Jesus tells us in John 13:34 how to love each other: as He loved us (He stepped down from His glory and gave up His life for us, His enemies). He tells us the result of loving each other: all will know that we are His disciples.
Jesus focuses on “love as a verb.” Paul also writes plenty of instruction on how to love, and includes lots of short little descriptions of what love looks like for our reference. Here are some of his bits:
- Romans 12:9 Let love be without hypocrisy.
- Romans 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor.
- In 2 Corinthians 8 Paul says our love for others will be evidenced by generous giving to meet needs. I John 3:17 echoes that, and says if you shut up your heart from those in need, the love of God doesn’t abide in you.
- Galatians 5:13 says “through love serve one another.”
- Ephesians 4:2 Bear with (hold up, sustain) one another in love.
- Ephesians 4:15 Speak the truth in love. This has to include both parts. If you don’t speak the truth, you’re not showing love. But you must be loving, gentle, humble as you speak the truth, so as not to do harm. Sometimes it might be better to be silent. It’s never better to lie or to be cruel.
- Ephesians 5: 25-33 When husbands bear the fruit of love, they love their wives sacrificially.
- Philippians 2:2 associates love with being of one mind, and Colossians 2:2 speaks of hearts being “knit together in love.” Unity of purpose and thought and affection are good things to strive for.
More tidbits about love are sprinkled throughout the epistles. And then, like the grand finale in a fireworks display, I John chapter four is peppered all over with showers of love, love, love. Read it and celebrate this choice fruit of the Spirit. God is love, and His Spirit dwelling in us will surely manifest Himself as a beautiful abundance of love in our lives.
