Fruit of the Spirit

Love

Love is unselfish, and loyal, and has the concern for the well-being of other’s as in 1 Cor 13 Paul describes “love a more excellent way then tongues, even preaching a sermon becomes God's word to us only as God's servant.

THE DEFINITION OF ‘’LOVE” IN GREEK

Eros – carnal, sexual love

Phalli – the love of a close friendship

Storage – the love of family relationships

Agape – that love which seeks only the highest good of others

Love is vitally connected with faith which is Steadfast, dedicated, dependable, and worthy of trust the response of love is also connected with hope. First Corinthians 13:4-7 characterizes love:

Love is patient and kind, not jealous or boastful, not arrogant or rude. Love is not selfish, irritable, or resentful. Love does not rejoice at wrong but in the right. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:8-13 the contrasts of love with preaching seems to be foolishness to people of worldly wisdom. For knowledge is a gift from God and God’s Love is more important than knowledge. God's knowledge is said to be omniscient. He knows all things as in Job 21:22 “Can anyone teach God knowledge; since He judges those on high

His understanding is beyond measure as in Ps. 147:5 He knows the thoughts of our minds and the secrets of our hearts Ps. 44:21 He knows our past events Gen. 30:22 All of these (with love) are important aspects of our lives here and now. Love in contrast to these, however, is not only for the here and now; it is forever. Love, therefore, is "the greatest" of the most significant realities we experience "And so we know and rely on the love of God” in our lives love is not simply an emotion which arises because of the character of the one loved. It is not due to the loving quality of the lover. It is a relationship of self-giving which results from God's activity in Christ. And so the Christian character is not mere moral or legal correctness, but the possession and manifestation of nine graces: love, joy, peace--character as an inward state; longsuffering, gentleness, goodness--character in expression toward man; faith, meekness, temperance--character in expression toward God. Taken together they present a moral portrait of Christ, and may be taken as the apostle's explanation of Gal 2:20 "Not I, but Christ," and as a definition of "fruit" in Jn 15:1-8 This character is possible because of the believer's vital union to Christ Jn 15:5 1Cor 12:12,13 and is wholly the fruit of the Spirit in those believers who are yielded to Him. Gal 5:22,23.