LOVE
Patrick J van Rensburg
Part 2 – How to reflect God’s Love?
Understanding the fruit of the Spirit
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)
A different way of punctuating this verse:
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love: joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (NIV)
If we punctuate this text like this, it reads “The fruit of the Spirit is love:” Following the colon, we find eight different expressions of love. In short there aren’t nine different fruits, one of which is love.
Gifts and Fruit
It is important to distinguish carefully between the “gifts of the Spirit” and the “fruit of the Spirit”
Love is not a spiritual gift. It is the fruit of the Spirit. Different people have different gifts. We don’t all have the same gifts. With the fruit of the Spirit it is different. Every Christian is responsible for growing in love.
You have to understand your area of weakness when it comes to the fruit of the spirit and Focus especially on your weakest area.
This is not the same when it comes to gifts. Here you must focus on your strengths and use that to the advantage of the Kingdom of God.
Understanding the Fruit of the Spirit
1 Corinthians 13 and the Fruit of the Spirit
Paul is very clear that even the most committed life is worth nothing without the fruit of the spirit.
You can give all your possessions to the poor (the dimension of justice), can have all the knowledge (the dimension of the truth) and give your life away (the dimension of grace) – but without love all of this would be in vain
1 Kor 13:1 Al sou ek die tale van mense en engele spreek, en ek het nie die liefde nie, dan het ek ‘n klinkende metaal of ‘n luidende simbaal geword. 1 Kor 13:2 En al sou ek die gawe van profesie hê en al die geheimenisse weet en al die kennis, en al sou ek al die geloof hê, sodat ek berge kon versit, en ek het nie die liefde nie, dan sou ek niks wees nie. 1 Kor 13:3 En al sou ek al my goed uitdeel, en al sou ek my liggaam oorgee om verbrand te word, en ek het nie die liefde nie, dan sou dit my niks baat nie. 1 Kor 13:4 Die liefde is lankmoedig en vriendelik; die liefde is nie jaloers nie; die liefde praat nie groot nie, is nie opgeblase nie, 1 Kor 13:5 handel nie onwelvoeglik nie, soek nie sy eie belang nie, word nie verbitterd nie, reken die kwaad nie toe nie, 1 Kor 13:6 is nie bly oor die ongeregtigheid nie, maar is bly saam met die waarheid. 1 Kor 13:7 Dit bedek alles, glo alles, hoop alles, verdra alles. 1 Kor 13:8 Die liefde vergaan nimmermeer; maar profesieë—hulle sal tot niet gaan; of tale—hulle sal ophou; of kennis—dit sal tot niet gaan.
1 Cor 13: 3 – 8
1 Cor 13: 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonour others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13 and the Gal 5:22-23
In conclusion love, hope and faith work together
I Corinthians 13:7 (Love) bears all things, (Love) believes all things, (Love) hopes all things, (Love) endures all things. (8) Love never fails
I Kor 13:7 Dit (Liefde) bedek alles, (Liefde) glo alles, (Liefde) hoop alles, (Liefde) verdra alles.
God’s love in our hearts does the believing.
Romans 5:5 ..hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us
1 Cor. 13:13 “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
Faith
Hebrews 11:6 says, “without faith it is impossible to please God.”
Hope
Psalm 33:22 May your unfailing love be with us, LORD, even as we put our hope in you.
Love
Romans 5:5 “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.”
Encountering God’s love creates the possibility for hope. Hope then creates a “scent” that attracts faith. Faith then believes all things are possible and aggressively goes into the heavenly realm with assurance that God can do what He has promised.
Love, hope and faith work together
Love: Put yourself before the Lord, with thanksgiving, and allow Him to minister to your heart. Love is the result.
Hope: In you uncertainty and doubt find the verse, the promise, the prophetic word and realize what can be as I continue to put my trust in God. Hope is strengthened.
Faith: Faith follows as you meditate on both who He is and, on the promises,/words He has spoken to you. We find confidence and a “believing” that leads to bold asking and declaring.