Rose Publishing - Fruit of the Spirit

How would you define the term love ? Love is something we all talk about, a lot of the time! But it isnt often that anyone can give a clear definition of it. Movies and novels featuring love as the centerpiece are everywhere. But some give utterly misguided definitions, such as the old movie tagline: Love means never having to say youre sorry. (What on earth does that even mean?)

Websters Dictionary has described love as a feeling of strong personal attachment induced by that which delights or commands admiration, by sympathetic understanding, or by ties of kinship; ardent affection. Thats good, but 1 John 3:16 gives an even better definition: This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. Love is not only ardent feeling but the choice (or a series of choices) to sacrifice for another, to put anothers needs ahead of our own, to lay down our lives; that means our timetables, our agendas, our expectations of that person, and more.

Love is the first thing that comes to Pauls mind as he writes out a list to the Galatians of what flows from a Spirit-empowered life: But the fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22).

Read It

Galatians 5:1326

1 Corinthians 13:113

1 John 3:1118

Ephesians 5:12

1 John 3:13

Know It

1. Look at Pauls description of love in 1 Corinthians 13:48. List those qualities down the left side of this space. (You can use alternate words if they have more meaning for you, such as humble for is not proud.) On the right side, list Pauls fruit of the Spirit from Galatians 5:2223. What similarities do you notice?

1. According to 1 John 3:1118, what does authentic, practical love look like?

Explore It

Pauls letter was written to the churches in the region of Galatia (now part of Turkey). Earlier, Paul had traveled through Galatia, proclaiming the good news of salvation through Jesus death and resurrectionthe gift of God, entirely of his grace and not anyones own doing. But a group, called the Judaizers, had come along behind Paul. The story they proclaimed was that without becoming converts to Judaism (obeying the Old Testament law and being circumcised) people couldnt really be saved. Pauls other letters (such as his letter to the Romans) make it clear that he was not in any way going to put up with this. He would not water down the astonishing grace of God to please this group who was out to discredit him and add their rules to the great message of Gods grace.