But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.
Galatians 5:22-23 ESV
http://bible.com/59/gal.5.22-23.ESV
Love does not replace the law. Love does not break the law. Love fulfills the law.
Love is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. God is Love.
But love is not just a feeling. Love is not just good intentions. Love is not just words, nor is it just actions.
Love is godly love, it is what Christ demonstrated in His life. We can recognize godly love by its characteristics – joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control.
Love is alive and bringing life to us as it nourishes that which is inside us and eternal. It is a nourishing fruit.
If we are walking in godly love, if we are seeking first the Kingdom of God, we are walking in the Spirit and not walking in the flesh.
How can we continue to participate in darkness if we are walking in light? We cannot. The light shines forth and overcomes the darkness. Love shines forth and overcomes pride and selfishness and all of those other weeds that are evident in a sinful and rebellious life.
So there is no law against love because love fulfills the law. In fact, all of the law and all of the words of the prophets hang on the two commands to Love God and to Love one another.
So He tells us to go forth and love.
He tells us to pick up our cross and carry it like Him in love.
You see, that is a healed life alive with Christ – one who is surrendered to the Lord and who walks in love.
Because there are warnings and consequences for those who live by the law of Moses, because they cannot live up to its requirements. But if we live by the law of Christ, in true godly love, we will not participate in those things that aren’t bearing fruit, and love will fulfill the law.
When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God.
Galatians 5:19-21 NLT
http://bible.com/116/gal.5.19-21.NLT
Walk in love. Grow tall and deep in the Word of God. Bear fruit. Go and sin no more.
Harold J. Ballinger 