Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the spirit is love...
Paul starts out the portion of his letter to the Galatian Christians on the fruit of the spirit by stating that love is one of the quality traits we should bear as followers of Christ. One should think there is no coincidence in the fact that this is the first trait listed in the fruit of the spirit. Love is a major theme in God's Word.
Why is it that love is so important in the life of a Christ follower? Why would love be so important to be listed first among the fruit of the spirit, mentioned so many times throughout the scriptures, and spoken of so often by Jesus Himself? Because without love, everything else is worthless.
Many wedding ceremonies include a reading from I Corintians 13. We call it "the love chapter". A wonderful chapter it is, but we often hear it quoted starting in verse 4. This is where the characterisitics of love are given. Look just before that verse to find what Paul says on the importance of love. "...if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned; but have not love, I gain nothing."(2b-3)
Did you catch that? If we have the faith to move mountains, but don't have love in our hearts, it's worthless faith! All too often we place more importance on faith and works than on love. The fact is, that those works and that faith ought to be based in love. When we perform kind acts, it should be out of love, not duty. When we sing songs of praise to the Lord, it must be out of love for Him, not obligation.
When Jesus Christ was questioned as to the greatest of the commandments, He listed near the top "love your neighbor as yourself"(Matthew 22:39). If we can keep this commandment, almost everything else we're instructed to do will come as a natural biproduct.
They will know we are Christians by our love. Let it show.
Why is it that love is so important in the life of a Christ follower? Why would love be so important to be listed first among the fruit of the spirit, mentioned so many times throughout the scriptures, and spoken of so often by Jesus Himself? Because without love, everything else is worthless.
Many wedding ceremonies include a reading from I Corintians 13. We call it "the love chapter". A wonderful chapter it is, but we often hear it quoted starting in verse 4. This is where the characterisitics of love are given. Look just before that verse to find what Paul says on the importance of love. "...if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver my body to be burned; but have not love, I gain nothing."(2b-3)
Did you catch that? If we have the faith to move mountains, but don't have love in our hearts, it's worthless faith! All too often we place more importance on faith and works than on love. The fact is, that those works and that faith ought to be based in love. When we perform kind acts, it should be out of love, not duty. When we sing songs of praise to the Lord, it must be out of love for Him, not obligation.
When Jesus Christ was questioned as to the greatest of the commandments, He listed near the top "love your neighbor as yourself"(Matthew 22:39). If we can keep this commandment, almost everything else we're instructed to do will come as a natural biproduct.
They will know we are Christians by our love. Let it show.
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