Fruits of the Spirit: Love

Now, before you think that I'm about to get all mushy and lovey-dovey on you, let me assure you that is not my intention at all. The goal of this post is to examine the first fruit of the spirit listed in Galatians 5.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. {Galatians 5:22-23}

Many people have tried to define love, both in secular and spiritual terms. One of my favorites:

Love is not love

Which alters when it alteration finds,

Or bends with the remover to remove:

O no! it is an ever-fixed mark 

That looks on tempests and is never shaken; 

                      Sonnet 116, William Shakespeare 

For the purposes of this post, I believe C.S. Lewis defines it better than anyone else.

"Love is not affectionate feeling, but a steady wish for the loved person's ultimate good as far as it can be obtained."

We can glean from these two quotes that true love is consistent and steady, no matter what may come its way.


What does the Bible have to say about love? Some examples from Scripture:

We are to love God completely.

And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. {Deuteronomy 6:5}

 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. {Matthew 22:37}

 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. {Mark 12:30}

 We are to love the foreigner/stranger.

Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt. {Deuteronomy 10:19}

 We are to love God's law.

O how love I thy law! it is my meditation all the day. {Psalm 119:97}

Love covers sin.

Love covereth all sins. {Proverbs 10:12b}

Charity shall cover the multitude of sins. {I Peter 4:8b}

We are to love our enemies.

But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; {Matthew 5:44} 

But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, {Luke 6:27} 

 We are to love our neighbor.

Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. {Matthew 22:39, Mark 12:31}

 Christ's love for us is a reflection of the love of God the Father.

As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. {John 15:9}

Christ's showed His love for us through His sacrifice.

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. {John 3:16}

 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.  {Romans 5:8} 

Another word used in Scripture to describe this concept of love is "charity." I Corinthians 13 is the to-go passage to understand what biblical love ("charity") looks like.

(1) Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

(2) And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

(3) And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

(4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 

(5) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 

(6) Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 

(7) Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 

(8) Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

(9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 

(10) But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

(11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

(12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. 

(13) And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

What can we learn about love ("charity") from I Corinthians 13?

1. Anything done without love is meaningless (vs. 1-3). 

"Without [love], the most glorious gifts are of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. A clear head and a deep understanding, are of no value without a benevolent and charitable heart. There may be an open and lavish hand, where there is not a liberal and charitable heart. Doing good to others will do none to us, if it be not done from love to God, and good-will to men. If we give away all we have, while we withhold the heart from God, it will not profit." {Matthew Henry}

2. Love is long-suffering, kind and humble. It is not envious (v. 4).

3. Love always behaves appropriately. It is not self-seeking, easily provoked, or quick to think ill of others (v. 5).

4. Love delights in truth (v. 6).

5. Love patiently endures everything. It always hopes for and believes the best (v. 7).

6. Love never fails (v.8).

7. Love is the greatest virtue a Christian can possess (v.13).

"How excellent would Christianity appear to the world, if those who profess it were more under this Divine principle, and paid due regard to the command on which its blessed Author laid the chief stress! Let us ask whether this Divine love dwells in our hearts. Has this principle guided us into becoming behaviour to all men? Are we willing to lay aside selfish objects and aims? Here is a call to watchfulness, diligence, and prayer ... Where God is to be seen as he is, and face to face, there charity is in its greatest height; there only will it be perfected."                                                                                  Matthew Henry

Do you have any thoughts you would like to add to this? Are there any verses or principles you know of that describe love or give instruction on how we can exhibit love in our lives?