L-O-V-E

Hello Bride of Christ,

I remember learning during my freshman year at university while taking a psychology course about the effect of love on a child’s development. The study proved that a child who is loved is shown attention and demonstrates healthier development within their brain, and emotional, physical, and mental being. The studies demonstrate each human is born with a deep desire to be loved. Love.

The English language uses this one word, love, but it has so many facets. According to the Greek language, there are in fact four different types of love. Philia describes a deep love for a friend. Eros describes the love found in romantic relationships. Storge describes the empathetic love found in a family. Agape describes unconditional love. The Word of God speaks of all these aspects of love. However, the one we are called to walk in on a daily moment-by-moment basis is this AGAPE form of love.

Paul pens to his friends in Galatia, “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.” (Galatians 5:22) Notice the first fruit of the Spirit Paul mentions is love. The love mentioned here is the Greek form agape. Unconditional love is the first fruit of the Spirit. The very same form of love that God Himself defines as Himself. “God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” (1 John 4:16)

This type of love, agape, unconditional love is not one we can attain out of our own ability, for it is a fruit. Fruits are the end result, product, of a seed that has germinated and run its course of being watered, fed, and given the proper nutrients and care to then blossom in its due season. The blossom results in fruit. A fruit tree abiding in the laws of nature is a physical representation of what occurs in the spirit of a Christ-follower abiding in the law of Christ.

According to the letter of Galatians and throughout scripture the gospel, Jesus Christ giving Himself for our sins (Galatians 1:4), is the seed planted. “For God so loved (agape) the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) The watering and nourishment are found in the Word of God. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love (agape), just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love (agape)” (John 15:10) As Paul notes to the Galatians the fulfillment of the gospel germinating, being watered and nourished by the Word of God, fulfills the law. “For all the law if fulfilled in one word, even in this “You shall love (agape) your neighbor as yourself.” (Galatians 5:14) Agape.

Bride of Christ, just like an infant child who is fully dependent on their caretakers to love on them, so are we. The child cannot create love in and of themselves from which they grow but are fully dependent and vulnerable to their caretaker to do just that care. The good news is that we are fully dependent on a God who by definition is L-O-V-E. So we can rest easy, as a tree. For it was love that motivated God to offer the gospel. It is love that He speaks over us and to us through His word. It is love that completes His law. All to produce more love. Not just any type of love, but specifically unconditional love. Love that cannot be earned. Love that is not bound by the recipient. Are you ready to be loved? Let God be who He is in your life and you will discover as you abide with Him love will appear in you, around you, and through you, so fulfilling the law of Christ.