The Character of Love – From the Fruit of the Spirit

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
(Gal 5:22-23)

Background:
1. There are two Fruits: First is of the Spirit and second is of the flesh.
Can we get durians from coconut trees?

2. Born of the Spirit
Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.
(Joh 3:5-8)

If Christians were than born of the Spirit of God, thus producing Fruit of the Spirit

3. Fruit of the flesh are opposite of the fruit of the Spirit

For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.
(Gal 5:17)

If we are then redeemed freely by the blood of the Lamb (Rom 3:24) then we are to produce the Fruit of the Spirit!

The Character of Love:

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
(Mat 22:37-40)

Extra: Law is divided into:
a) Moral Laws: 10 commandments, God’s moral character (exp: faithful, give life and preserver of life)
b) Civil Laws: Love and honor each other
Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
(Mat 7:12)

c) Ceremonial Laws : All fulfilled in Jesus (exp: the Passover Lamb)

1. Love God first
Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.
(Exo 20:3-7)

Commandment
Application
a) No other Gods






b) No graven images or no idols







c) Don’t bow to idols








2. Love others

For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another.
(Gal 5:13-15)


Application
Serve each other






Don’t bite or devour each other








Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
(Phi 2:3)