How to Be a Fruity Christian (Part 5)

In the mid 1990's, on Monday Night Football, the game would begin by each starting players saying their name and the college they attended.  As the players listed their colleges, it so happened that a player from Ohio State University said something like, "My name is ____________and I'm from THE Ohio State University."  And even today, every player from Ohio St makes sure to add the word "The" before their school's name, in order to clearly distinguish Ohio State University as the only school that matters in the whole state of Ohio.  When we talk about the "fruit of the Spirit", many believe that their are nine different fruit.  Yet look closely at Galatians 5:22 - "But the fruit of the Spirit is love..."  The word fruit is singular.  We can say that "LOVE"  is "The Fruit" of the Spirit, from which the other eight flow.  Without the love of God coursing through the veins of a believer, there is no possible way to have real joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control.

To be a "Fruity Christian" really means to be a person who has the love of God in their lives.  The Bible is clear that this love (agape) is a love that is supernatural in origin.  This love is God's gift to humanity through the death and resurrection of His Son Jesus.  Jesus told His disciples that the world would know that they were His children by their love (agape) for one another (John 15).  Jesus went on to teach that the all ten commandments can be summed up in two points:  Love (agape) God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and love (agape) your neighbor has yourself."  The fruit of love is the supreme virtue of Christian living.  The Apostle Paul states that love is the perfect bond of unity; the perfect glue for any relationship (Col. 3:14).  Ultimately, this fruit is the sole characteristic that describes God - "God is love." (1 John 4:16).  So you see, when you accept Christ as Savior, the Holy Spirit comes to live within you and begins to cultivate the love of God in your life; and it is from this foundation of love in which we begin to grow in every area of our Christian walk.  Until next time, keep walking close to Christ.