The Fruit of the Spirit is Love
In the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us that he has given us a new commandment and that that commandment is for us to “Love One Another.” I found it more than coincidental that the Fruit of the Spirit is Love. I like how “The Passion Translation” translated Galatians 5:22-23, focusing the reader on Love as the Fruit. Just as I like the way that Jesus, Paul, James, Peter, John, and the writer of Hebrews gave us 59 “One Another” instructions in the New Testament.
In looking at the context of Jesus’ new commandment to love one another and Paul’s exploration of love in 1 Corinthians 13, we see that Love never fails. So many times in our churches today, we see proof of this failure. But if we abide in Love and let it have its perfect work in us, we will begin to experience what it means to have the perfect community that Jesus prayed for in John 17. A community where love never fails.
Conclusion:
When we focus on Jesus and his perfect love for us shown through his death on the cross, we can’t help but be transformed by his love. As we are transformed by his love, we can then share that love with others and reflect his love back to him. Abiding in love means living a life characterized by love for God and others. It’s a life lived out of a heart overflow, and it’s a life that always points others back to Jesus. When our lives are filled with Christ’s perfect love, failure is no longer an option because Christ’s perfect love never fails.
