What is Love?

A Devotion by Joe G.

July 26, 2024

What is Love?

Galatians 5:22-23

We’ve all spoken the word love. And we’ve all said the word to mean different things. I copied out several definitions of love from the dictionary.

An intense feeling of deep affection.

“babies fill parents with feelings of love.”

Like or enjoy very much.

“I just love dancing.”

Feel deep affection for (someone).

“he loved his sister dearly.”

Of course, many “love,” songs have been written over the years.

“Who Wrote the Book of Love,” as well as the Beatles, “All You Need Is Love,” and an oldy but Goody by Dean Martin, “Everybody Loves Somebody.”

All of the above definitions and songs are excellent definitions of the word love.

*****************************The Point************************

 ^“But the Fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things, there is no law.”

Galatians 5:22-23

As I said earlier, we usually define love as a feeling or when we are referring to romance. But Paul is saying something totally different

Let’s take some time to look at what the Apostle Paul means when he says:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love,”

Galatians 5:22a

When Paul references the word love as one of the Fruit(s) of the Spirit, he’s talking about the love the disciple Matthew describes in chapter 25:35-40.

“One Pharisee, who was an expert on the law of Moses, asked Jesus this question to test him: “Teacher, which command in the law is the most important?”

Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind.’ This is the first and most important command. And the second command is like the first: ‘Love your neighbor as you love yourself.’ All the law and the writings of the prophets depend on these two commands.”

Jesus is referring to what is known as Agape love. Agape love, as opposed to romantic love, is God’s love for us. It is a pure and self-sacrificing love.

So, if Agape love is the love Paul is speaking of when he describes The Fruit(s) of the Spirit, then it is the kind of love Jesus has for us. And it is the kind of love He expects us to have for others.

This is not a romantic love. It is a love so strong that Jesus was willing to sacrifice Himself for our salvation.

‘For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. ‘

John 3:16