Galatians 5:22, 23
January 16th, 2006
“For the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self control, against such there is no law.”
First you will note that “fruit” is singular. There are not nine Fruits of the Spirit. There is one fruit with nine flavors. These nine flavors are the constituent elements of one fruit. Let’s look at each one.
LOVE
There is a sense in which everything else in this verse flows out of love.
• Love is greater than faith and hope
(I Corinthians 13:13)
• Love is the great commandment (I John 3:23)
• Love fulfills the law (Romans 13:8-10)
• Love serves an evangelical purpose
(John 13:34, 35)
I Corinthians 13 is the most complete commentary we have on love. Love is seen in 15 movements or expressions in verses 4-7 - all self explanatory.
Love -
suffers long
is kind
does not envy
is not puffed up
does not parade itself
does not behave rudely
does not seek its own
is not provoked
does not keep a record of a wrong suffered
does not rejoice in iniquity
rejoices in the truth
bears all things
believes all things (puts the best possible construction upon everything)
hopes all things
endures all things.
Paul wrote to the Colossians that he prayed for them when he “heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus and their love for all the saints (Colossians 1:4).”
So love is our badge. Let’s wear it!
Love to all.
--Pastor Charles Covington 1933-2006
2 comments:
"Love to All" ...I love that. Here is something written by Baha'u'llah:
O SON OF MAN!
Veiled in My immemorial being and in the ancient eternity of My essence, I knew My love for thee; therefore I created thee, have engraved on thee Mine image and revealed to thee My beauty.
Baha'u'llah, The Arabic Hidden Words
So true, our love should be so obvious that it should be evident to any we meet. ec
Post a Comment