The Fruit of the Spirit Day #1: Love
Freedom from versus Freedom in
Paul continues a theme in Galatians 5 that he began to develop in the previous chapter of his letter. He focuses on freedom from the law and the new life found in the Spirit for the believers in Galatia. As he develops what it looks like for a believer to live free in the Spirit, he takes time to speak to how that freedom of every believer is an expression of love.
“For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ But if you bite and devour one another, watch out that you are not consumed by one another” (Galatians 5:13 – 15).
Paul states here that “Those who are free from the Law . . . and are empowered by the Spirit are empowered by love.”1 Wow, what a statement by Paul! He is saying that love does not circumvent the moral norms of the law, and does not violate them, but it transcends them.
In Galatians 5:16 – 24, Paul begins to explain the contrast between living in the Spirit and living in the flesh. In the middle of this section, Paul provides a laundry list of behaviors that describe the actions of those who live in the flesh, and ends this list with the sobering reality that those who do “these things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (5:19 – 21). Then, Paul pivots to the fruit that is developed in every believer filled with the Spirit. This list provides a picture of behavioral characteristics seen in those who walk in the Spirit — heart attitudes, if you will. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22 – 23).
The first fruit of the Spirit in Paul’s list is love. Why? “ . . . Because love is what enables us to develop the other fruits of the Spirit in our lives, paving the way for what God wants to do in our hearts.”2 As the fruit of love develops in us, it leads to growth in all the others. Growing in love leads to extending the grace given to us in our relationships with others. Love has eternal and present implications: “Love is a grace which has to do with eternity; for we shall never cease to love Him who first loved us. But love has also to do with this present world, for it is at home in feeding the hungry, clothing the naked, nursing the sick, and liberating the slave.”3 We are surrounded by so many stories of people who reflect the fruit of love in their life. These are Spirit-led people who generously love, and meet the needs of those around them unselfishly and joyfully. It’s amazing to see God at work in the church as we love each other, which is proof of our authentic relationship with Jesus (John 13:35).
As we journey through the fruit of the Spirit in the next few days, I want to challenge you to take some time to reflect on each fruit of the Spirit and how it impacts your life and the lives of the people you interact with every day. Today, focus on the fruit of love. Is your love for people powered by the Holy Spirit living within you or is it driven by your own will? The foundation of our love must be grounded in our relationship with God and the power of His love. He has provided us with the Spirit so we can supernaturally love those around us. So, lean into Him and watch God grow your capacity to love. There you will find freedom.
Pastor Chuck
1 Todd A. Wilson, The Curse of the Law and the Crisis in Galatia, 110.
2 Jessica Fick, “The Fruit of the Spirit: Love” (accessed at https://intervarsity.org/blog/fruit-spirit-
love on October 15, 2020).
3 Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The First Fruit of the Spirit,” May 25, 1884. From: Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit Volume 30 (accessed at https://www.spurgeon.org/resource-library/sermons/ the-first-fruit-of-the-spirit/#flipbook/ on October 15, 2020).