The Fruit of Love
Did you know that love is mentioned in the Bible 714 times? Did you know that we can express love because GOD first loved us (1 John 4:19)? Did you also know that love is the first fruit of the spirit that is mentioned in Galatians 5:22-23? So why is love the first fruit? When researching this, there really was not one specific answer, but we believe the reason is that love is what helps us to achieve the other fruit of the spirit. Think of it as a domino effect. Without love, it would be hard to have joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. In 1 Corinthians 13:1-13, it informs us how powerful it is to have love. Verse 13 tells us: “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” Verse 3 also states that if we do not have love, then we have nothing. As we kick off our Living the Fruit of the Spirit series, let us jump into how we personally define love.
Jourdan’s Definition:
The dictionary defines love as: an intense feeling of deep affection. However, I would define love as: the unselfish concern for others.
Love is undeniably an important theme of the Bible. I have even heard the gospel described as a love story. After all, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 ESV). John takes this a step further in 1 John 4:7-8 and proclaims that God is love. If that is the case, no wonder the greatest of these is love. What could be greater than the creator Himself?
Some translations of 1 Corinthians 13:13 (e.g., KJV) use the word “charity” in place of “love.” I found this fascinating, and kind of confusing at first. But after giving it more thought, it makes sense. God gave his only Son. That was an act of love, or charity, to people in need (i.e., me and you). Love is a sacrifice. One way to define charity is the “benevolent goodwill toward or love of humanity” (Merriam-Webster). Knowing this, it is helpful to think of love as charity. Love should be given, and given generously.
There are five different words used for love throughout the Bible: one Hebrew word (Ahavah) and four Greek words (Eros, Storge, Philia, Agape). The word used in Galatians 5:22-23 to describe love as a fruit of the Spirit is ἀγάπη or agape, which is considered the highest form of love. It is the love between God and man. It is the love that God commands of us, meaning it is a choice. If it came naturally, then it would not need to be commanded.
If you are interested in learning more about the other words used for love in the Bible, the Bible Connection gives a great explanation. You will see that what all of these words and definitions have in common is that all of them are about loving others. That is what God intends: for love to be shared. We are all in need of love.
Nohemi’s Definition:
When I first sat down to think of my definition of Love, two thoughts came into my mind. First was the Cross. As I reflected on everything that had happened last week (Palm Sunday, Passover, Good Friday and Easter), I knew I wanted to talk about the love GOD has for us and just how unconditional it is. I also wanted to talk about loving people which lead me to my second thought which was when I first said ‘I Love You’ to someone outside of my family. I said those three wonderful words to my husband, who was my boyfriend at the time. I knew when I said those words it was something meaningful, something beautiful and something to not take lightly. As I think of this experience and the Cross it leads me to believe that LOVE is a commitment.
I am truly left astounded by the love/commitment GOD has for us. He expresses love like no other 💕 and He gives us an unconditional kind of love - meaning there are no strings attached. During Easter time it gives us a great opportunity to be reminded of that commitment through the Cross. He was so committed to freeing us from the laws that were separating people from him that He knew exactly what he was going to do in order to keep to the promises and the love he has for us (Romans 5:8). I know it gets me emotional just thinking how wonderful and how endless the commitment/love He has for us and how it continues to this day.
Love is also more than an ‘emotion’. People make it seem like it’s butterflies and sunshine but Love is hard work. When I said ‘I Love You’ to my hubby it was my first time saying it to a boyfriend. Before we ever said it to one another I knew I never wanted to take love for granted and just say those words and never mean it. I saw the effects that it had when someone heard those words and meant it and when someone said it but didn’t mean it. Everyone wants to be loved and everyone wants to give love. That’s why romance books are the leading best sellers. We all have an idea of how we want to be swept off our feet, but do you really know how to love? The word tells us that Love is patient, Love is kind, Love does not envy or boast, Love is not proud, Love does not dishonor others, Love is not self-seeking, Love is not easily angered, Love keeps no record of wrongs, Love does not delight in evil but rejoices in truth, Love always Protects, always Trust, always Hopes, and always Perseveres (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). This is a common verse that is usually shared during wedding vows, but this is how we should Love one another. This can be hard to do when we have to love someone that we don’t like. Imagine someone that you don’t get along with and yet still having to love them in this way. THAT is HARD! That’s why it truly takes commitment/work to keep love and to walk in love (1 John 4:21).
Core Fruit:
While we are called to display all nine fruit of the Spirit, we believe each of us has a fruit that is at the core of our being. It is the fruit that we display most often, the one that defines our personality, or the one that comes easiest. As promised in the introduction of this series, we want to help you identify your “core fruit.” We felt inspired by the idea behind the 5 Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Just like knowing your love language can strengthen your relationships, so can knowing your own “core fruit.” We believe leading with the fruit of the Spirit helps us to relate better to God, and in turn others.
Your “core fruit” might be love if:
-You are extremely empathetic
-You are a Highly Sensitive Person (HSP)
-You are indecisive because every option is a good option
-Valentine’s Day is your favorite holiday
-Your favorite movies are rom-coms
Questions to think about:
How would you define “love”? What person in your life could use more of your love? In what area of your life could you be more loving?
