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Wednesday: The Fruit of the Spirit — 6 Comments

  1. If everything we do, think or say, passed through the ultimate love test – “does it reflect my love to God and others?” If the answer tends to be yes, then the less it would lead to selfishness and more to selflessness. I commented on Tuesday’s lesson about ‘love covering a multitude of sins’& 'how love begats love'– Christ’s love offers forgiveness to cover all our sins [demands of the flesh]. His gift of love which is the Holy Spirit will guide us live a Christ like life to love God & to love others as He does. Bearing the fruits of the Spirit. As freely as we have received His love, freely let’s give back to Him and others.

    (34)
  2. The lesson states

    "The Ten Commandments are not an alternative to love" well that's because The Ten commandments are the principle of Love, specifically God's love.

    What about

    “The idea that love for God and love for our neighbor void the Ten Commandments makes about as much sense as saying that love for nature voids the law of gravity.”

    What is the problem with their assertion? They are comparing a codified written description of a design law with an actual design law. This occurs because they fail to understand the difference between design law and imposed law, and fail to understand the purpose of the 10 Commandments.

    The lesson is correct that love does not void the 10 Commandments, but what does the law of love do in regard to the commandments?

    It puts the commandments in their proper place, which is what? A diagnostic instrument and protective hedge that was added because of our need. The law was not given as a remedy to sin, or a list of behaviors to which we are to conform. The 10 Commandments are not the law upon which life is built, but a codified description of that law specifically written for fallen human beings.

    (9)
    • Very perceptive. Thank you.

      Since English is the second language for many of our readers, I shall attempt an explanation. Please feel free to supplement or correct where necessary.

      An "imposed law" is a law decreed by a superior authority. It may be an arbitrary law that has nothing to do with the actual life needs of the population.

      A "design law" would be the principles according to which something is built. For instance, the law of gravity is a design law. Things don't fall to earth because God said so but because the earth has mass which generates a specific attractional force and affects many aspects of our planet that make it habitable, such as earth's atmosphere and its placement in our galaxy.

      In the same way, God's law of love is the principle upon which all of His creation is built. Wherever that law is violated, there are natural negative consequences with the ultimate consequence being self-destruction. God's Law of Love is a reflection of His character and can no more be changed or done away with than can God Himself.

      And now I'm wishing I had included that concept explicitly in my post on "God’s Law: The One, the Two, the Ten and the Many." As it is, I believe my post reflects the relationship of God's "codified written description(s)" of His Law to God's Law of Self-renouncing Love, which is a reflection of His character.

      (12)
  3. If God Himself is all love, and if we walk with Him, we should definitely be developing such a gift. Christ is God's best presentation of this love! With love, everything else makes sense! Practical love may be more of Christ and less of me.

    (5)
  4. I noticed in 1 Corinthians 13 which some call "The Love Chapter," that there are about 16 attributes to "Love." Eight of them are things that LOVE does not do. and of the other eight "four," of them are attributes of the "Fruit of the Spirit," being: Joy, Faith, Patience, and Kindness. So of the "Nine," of the list of virtues of The Fruit of The Spirit in Galatians 5:22,23 Love Encompasses Four of them there. And as I said before that there are MORE than NINE because I believe that "Loyalty, Honesty, Integrity, Purity and Dependability," are also fruit or "attributes," of The Spirit and are not in the list of the Nine in Galatians 5

    (3)
  5. As Christians, we have to have LOVE in us to able to Love others, because GOD IS LOVE, and that is GOD'S Character.
    In Galatians 5:22-23 talks about the Fruits of the Spirit.
    We must have the Fruits of the Spirit in us to be able to walk in the Spirit. By having a continuous daily relationships with GOD, then we will understand his character which is the Fruits of the Spirits. And because he is the Alpha and the Omega.

    (3)

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