Love: The Heart of it All

February is a month full of reminders of love—thanks to Valentine's Day. Everywhere we turn, we see messages of romantic love, friendship, and kindness. But as Christians, we’re called to reflect on a deeper, more lasting love—the kind of love that flows from God and shapes every part of our lives. In Galatians 5:22-23, we read about the fruit of the Spirit, and at the heart of that fruit is love. But did you know that when we dig deeper into these verses, we see that love is the root, and all the other virtues flow from it? This month, let’s take a closer look at how love defines the fruit of the Spirit and how it shapes our relationships with God and others.

When reading the Bible, it's important to consider how the text was originally written and how it has been translated over time. In the early stages of the Bible’s history, especially with the scrolls and manuscripts, there were no chapters or verses as we have them today. The Bible was written in continuous scrolls, and later, scholars and translators added chapter and verse numbers, along with punctuation, to help people read and understand it more easily. However, these changes—like punctuation—can sometimes shift how we interpret a passage.

Take Galatians 5:22-23, for example. It says:

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control."

If we read this as "the fruit of the Spirit is love: joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control", with the punctuation breaking it down like this, it reveals something powerful: Love is the central fruit, and the other qualities—joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control—are all different expressions or facets of that one fruit, love.

This interpretation unlocks a deeper understanding: love is the root, and all the other virtues stem from it. It's not that the Spirit produces nine separate fruits, but rather one fruit with many aspects. This interpretation connects with biblical intertextuality, meaning that this passage is linked to other parts of Scripture where love is described and explained in more detail.

For example, 1 John 4:7-8 says:

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love."

This tells us that love is foundational to our relationship with God. It also shows us that God Himself is the source of all love. Love is not just a feeling or an action—it is the essence of God’s nature, and when we live according to the Spirit, we are reflecting that love in the world.

Additionally, 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 provides a well-known description of love:

"Love is patient, love is kind; it does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails."

This passage from 1 Corinthians expands on what love looks like in action. It shows that love is not just a feeling, but a choice and a way of living. It is patient, kind, humble, and forgiving. This list closely mirrors the virtues in Galatians 5:22-23, where we see how love in the form of patience, kindness, gentleness, and self-control is meant to shape how we interact with others.

So, in a broader theological and scholarly context, these passages together teach us that love is the central fruit of the Spirit. It is the defining characteristic of a believer's life. Love is not just one thing among many, but the very source from which all other Christian virtues flow. When we live in the Spirit, we reflect God's love in the world—both in our actions and in our character.

By recognizing this, we understand that the Christian life isn’t just about obeying rules or living with certain traits. It’s about allowing God’s love to fill our hearts and overflow into every part of our lives, making us more like Christ. This idea is not only consistent with the teachings of Paul in Galatians but also aligns with the broader biblical message found in 1 John and 1 Corinthians.

While the chapters, verses, and punctuation were added later to help with reading and understanding, we must always be mindful that these changes can sometimes influence how we interpret the text. Reading Galatians 5:22-23 with the understanding that love is the root and the other virtues are its expressions can enrich our understanding of how the Holy Spirit works in our lives and points us to the deeper biblical truths about love found throughout Scripture.

As we reflect on the true meaning of love this February, let’s challenge ourselves to live out the fruit of the Spirit in our daily lives. Share this post with a friend, or take a moment to meditate on how God’s love is moving in your heart. How can you allow the love of God to shape your actions, your patience, your kindness, and even your self-control? Let’s make this month not just about celebrating love, but about growing in the love that reflects Christ to the world around us.

The Lord is Flexing His Strong Hand!

 God is about to "flex" on His enemies, and when He does, it will be through His full-grown sons—those who have matured in their faith, as outlined in Romans 8. These are not children in the sense of immaturity but individuals who have fully embraced their inheritance as heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ. Through these mature believers, God is going to display His power, sovereignty, and authority in ways that will shake the earth and bring glory to His name. He has given us dominion, delegated authority, and a responsibility to bring His kingdom to earth.

Romans 8:19-21 says, “For the earnest expectation of creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.” This passage shows that creation itself is eagerly waiting for these full-grown sons of God—mature believers—to step into their full authority and manifest God’s power in the world. When God moves, He will do so through His people—those who walk in the dominion He gave all of humanity from the beginning (Genesis 1:28). While God will primarily work through His children, He will also use assets and allies who may not be followers of Christ. We have been given authority over all the works of His hands, and God is about to demonstrate that authority through His sons, assets, and allies in a way that will be undeniable.

God’s “flex” isn’t just about displaying raw power or an outpouring of glory for spectacle’s sake. It is a declaration of His victory over His enemies: the sinful flesh that keeps people bound, the backslidden believers who have strayed, the unbelievers who reject Jesus and His salvation, the corrupt leaders who mislead God’s people, the forces of darkness, and the corrupt systems of this world. God is about to move in such a way that His children will exercise the dominion He has already given us, and as they do, the enemies of God will be dethroned, defamed, and brought to shame.

Let’s start by addressing the flesh—the sinful nature that still holds sway in many believers' lives. Isaiah 53:10-12 speaks of how Jesus bore our sins so that we might be healed. Through His children, God is bringing deliverance, healing, and restoration to His people. When God moves, He will empower His children to overcome sin, break free from addictions, and live in the freedom that Jesus purchased for us on the cross.

Next, God’s "flex" will also deal with the backslidden believer—the one who has strayed from His ways. Psalm 32:10-11 says, “Many sorrows shall be to the wicked; but he who trusts in the Lord, mercy shall surround him.” God desires for His people to return to Him, and He will use His children to call the backslidden to repentance, bringing healing and restoration to those who have wandered. The power of the Holy Spirit will flow through believers, reviving those who have fallen away and calling them back to their first love in Christ.

Now let’s turn to the unbelievers—those who reject Jesus and His salvation. God desires that none should perish but that all should come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). In Isaiah 9:18-21, we see a world in rebellion against God, but God is moving to bring His light to those in darkness. Through His children, God will use the church to preach the gospel, heal the sick, raise the dead, restore the marginalized and disenfranchised, cast out demons, teach, train, and equip people groups, and transform systems, structures, territories, and regions. The victory over sin and unbelief will be made visible as God works through His people, calling all who will receive to repentance and faith in Christ.

God is also about to address the corrupt leaders and false teachers. Ephesians 5:11 tells us to “have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.” God is raising up His children to expose falsehoods and remove leaders who have misled His people. These leaders will be held accountable, and their influence will be dismantled. God’s judgment will remove those who have corrupted His people and misrepresented His kingdom.

Let’s now turn to the forces of darkness—Satan and the demonic powers that have wreaked havoc in the world. Colossians 2:15 says, “Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it.” Through the cross, Jesus already defeated the powers of darkness, and now He is about to put that victory on display through His children. We, as His people, are called to walk in the authority He has delegated to us. When we exercise this authority, the devil and his demons will be publicly exposed as the defeated enemies they are.

Finally, God is about to deal with the corrupt systems of this world—governments, institutions, and structures that oppose His kingdom. Micah 1:3-5 speaks of God’s judgment coming upon the earth to remove these corrupt powers, and in Ephesians 6:12, we are reminded that our battle is not against flesh and blood, but against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. God has given us the power to confront these systems of darkness. As His children, we are called to stand firm in the armor of God (Ephesians 6:10-20) and enforce God’s rule on earth. When God moves, His power will work through His people to dismantle the structures of sin and oppression.

God is about to display His glory in a mighty way, but He’s not doing it alone. He is doing it through His full-grown sons—His witnesses—those who have been entrusted with dominion and authority. As joint heirs with Christ, we share in His victory and are called to manifest His power on earth. Through us, God will defeat His enemies, restore His people, and establish His kingdom. When God moves, His glory will fill the earth, and His children will rise up to demonstrate that He is the true King, the Most High, and the Lord of all.