Dr Greg Bahnsen - The Fruit of the Spirit: Love (Part 2)

This recording has been released into the public domain by the Bonson Institute, where we aim to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ. Okay, this is going to be part two. On one word and one verse in Galatians 5, we're looking at the fruit of the Spirit. We've begun study of each one of the items Paul mentions and we've been talking about love. But let's put this in context and I'll begin our reading tonight in Galatians 5 at verse 16. This is God's word, and let's hear it as that. So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other. So you do not do what you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. The acts of the sinful nature are obvious. Sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery, idolatry and witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Thus far, our reading from God's Word the fruit of the Spirit is love. Last week we began a study of love. I think that it's significant. Paul puts it at the head of the list because what the Spirit does is produce in us love. And out of that love the following characteristics are seen in our lives. We rejoice. We are peacemakers and peaceful. We are patient, kind, good, faithful, gentle and show self control. Love is at the head of the list. And of course, love is very prominent throughout the Bible as well. Last week I pointed out that love is prominent in the Shema, the confession of faith of Israel. Deuteronomy 6. Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God is one, and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind. In 1st Corinthians 13 we see that love is the primary motive in Christian ethics. The greatest of these is love. And in that chapter all other gifts, Paul says, are worthless without love. Love is the mark of a disciple. Love is the mark of knowing God. Love is the mark of regeneration. And throughout the New Testament, we saw love emphasized in the moral instruction that is given by the various writers of the New Testament. Jesus said that the greatest commandment is love, and the second life unto it is to love our neighbor as ourselves. The love commandment requires us to obey the entire law. If you love me, keep my commandments, God says. First, John tells us that if we don't keep the commandments of God, we don't really love Him. Then at the end of last week's lesson, we surveyed very quickly some concrete examples of what love is according to the Bible. Because in the Bible, love is not just some kind of vague, warm, fuzzy, you know, it's not just a word that we throw out there for anything we happen to feel good about. But there are specific illustrations of what love does in Leviticus 19, from which Jesus quotes when he says, the second of the great commandments is to love your neighbor as yourself. In Leviticus 19, Moses gives us examples of love. Concern for the poor, business integrity, sanctifying God's name, prompt payment of wages, care for the less privileged, not showing partiality, demonstrating integrity in our speech, open criticism, not carrying a grudge, and a disposition to bless those who are not good to us. And then I said we get further concrete illustrations of what love is from a biblical perspective in First Corinthians 13. Why don't we review that tonight? Let's turn to First Corinthians 13, and we see how extensive the demands of love really are. Paul says, if I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding dong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains but have not love, I am nothing. I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames. But have not love. I gain nothing. What is love like? Love is patient, kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud, it is not rude, 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. I don't know when you hear these concrete illustrations from Leviticus or this characterization, concrete playing out of what love would require as Paul gives it in First Corinthians 13. It's awfully hard to feel like we stand right before God. We're miserable people, aren't we? I mean, do we act like this? That's the greatest commandment. That's the mark of being a disciple of Christ and of regeneration. We really need to ask God to increase in us the fruit of the Spirit so that we be more loving people. Let me go on with the lesson I didn't finish last week. Along with the fruit of the Spirit that we study, love, joy, peace, etc. I think it's a good idea for us to look at the weed that is the opposite of the fruit God wants to see developed in our lives. Often Christians, I think, have weeds growing instead of the fruit of the Spirit. And using a figure of speech that John Sanderson does in his book the Fruit of the Spirit, I'd like to talk about the artificial fruit that people sometimes get as well. You know, artificial fruit that's put out in a bowl on a table can sometimes look very much like the real thing, but you take a bite into a wax apple or a plastic banana and it's obviously not going to be very nourishing or pleasant and all that. And Sanderson suggests that Christians sometimes know better than to follow the weeds which are counterpart to the fruit. But then they don't often know better than to accept artificial fruit instead of the real thing. So what would be the weed corresponding to love? If the Spirit brings forth love, what's the opposite of love? What's the weed that gets in our lives that shows that which is contrary to the fruit of the Spirit? What's the opposite of love? Hatred. That's right. And so if we hate, then we don't show the Spirit's work in our lives. But before I can move on from that point, we have to recognize that many of us have an artificially restricted notion of what hatred is. So if you think of hatred, it's just this kind of like you're plotting to get by a gun and murder somebody. That's hatred. If that's all hatred is to you, then of course, when you talk about the opposite love, it too is going to be very restrictive. We have to see how broad hatred is to understand the corresponding fruit of the Spirit, which is love. Now, what does hatred include? Just to illustrate how broad it is, turn to Matthew, chapter 5. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus talks about how the Pharisees have narrowed the demand of God's law, and they don't really Understand the fullness of God's righteous demand. In verse 20 of Matthew 5, Jesus says, For I tell you, unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven. They have not given you the full picture. First illustration. You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, do not murder. And anyone who murders will be subject to judgment. Okay, you're not supposed to hate. You're not supposed to murder people. Jesus says, but I tell you, you know how the Pharisees understand that. But let me give you the full scoop here. I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Anyone who says to his brother Raca is answerable to the Sanhedrin. Anyone who says, you fool, be in danger of the fire of hell. And therefore, if you're offering your gift at the altar, and remember there that your brother has something against you, leave your gift in front of the altar first. Go and be reconciled to your brother. Then come and offer your gift. In connection with this, John Sanderson says, our churches are too full. This is. Most pastors wouldn't want you to think that way, since we have too many people at church. Because the Bible says you shouldn't come to church if you're not reconciled with your brother. Christians carry grudges. They use contemptuous speech and they illustrate in doing that hatred the opposite of the fruit of the spirit. They don't show a loving spirit. Matthew 5:23 talks about bearing grudges in particular, or knowing that someone is bearing a grudge against you and being unwilling to try to deal with it. In Leviticus 19, which Jesus quotes that you should love your neighbor as yourself. That very verse, Leviticus 19:18, says, you shall not bear a grudge against the people of God, against your brother. Bearing a grudge is a form of hatred. Now, I think all of us have questions that come up and say, well, what if you've tried to take care of this matter and you don't get satisfaction? Well, then Jesus says, well, the church is there to help things out. Well, what if the church is so morally weak and wimpish that it doesn't take care of things? Well, then we really are in an awkward situation. But if we love, we are willing to do what it takes to get rid of the grudge. We try to do that. We don't just say, no, I'm going to harbor this. I really do like being down on this person or having something to say about them behind their back. We must be willing to give up our grudges and that means you have to go to the person, etc. Etc. So that's why Jesus says, don't come to church, leave your gift at the altar, go be reconciled, then come back. Well, of course in this case that has to do with your brother having a grudge against you. So anyway, hatred is very broad, includes contemptuous speech, it includes bearing grudges. It's a murderer hateful attitude that we ever get rid of if we would show the fruit of the spirit rather than the weeds. Somebody was going to say something. Yeah, Chris, somebody speaks about I hate those who hate you. Don't I hate them who hate you. I hate them with a perfect hatred. He says in Psalm 139, yes, we are to hate those who display hatred toward God, but we aren't to hate people because they are our enemies. Jesus says, love your enemies, pray for those who persecute you. So it's one thing to have somebody who's kind of, well, he's become my enemy because of what he said about me or done to me. And it's another thing to hate those who defy God and rail upon God. Let's take an obvious illustration, a person who runs an abortion clinic and says, I don't care about God, there's no God, and so forth. While hatred directed toward that individual as they are an enemy of God is appropriate. But let's say that guy has also stepped on my toes or has said something mean about me hating him because he has offended me is not appropriate. Does that distinction help at all? I'm supposed to hate God's enemies, but my enemies I'm supposed to love and I'm supposed to pray that God's enemies are converted too. Yeah, I was trying to get that balance because the paradigm in Christ has that hatred toward God. Right. So that's all God's enemies. Yet we're missionary endeavor also to give that. So you've got this double thing. That's right. We have two things working and that reflects the ambiguity of the age in which we live. The day of judgment hasn't arrived and so we shouldn't have the ethics of judgment that says, okay, you've defied God and I hope you go to hell and I hate you and it's done. We have to say I hate you as someone who defies God and yet I love you as a brother who like me and not a brother, but a fellow human being that is a sinner. I'm a sinner, and I know that. But from the grace of God, I could be just like you, and I want you to have the Gospel. So we have both of those things during this age. But then, of course, the day of judgment is coming where the wheat and the tares will be separated, the sheep and the goats, and that ambiguity will be taken away. What is the artificial fruit of love? What is the wax or plastic apple that looks like real love? And why is there artificial fruit out there? Who produces the artificial fruit? Satan? Yeah, why does Satan. Why is he interested in producing artificial fruit? Because if you have something that looks like love, then you won't ever get the real thing because you'll be satisfied that you've got it. Of course, what you have is just a plastic apple rather than a real apple. But you don't think you have to go shopping for apples at the store. I'll get an apple here, but it's not the real thing. Sanderson suggests that artificial love involves having a restricted view of who your neighbor is and thus limiting who you will love. Look at Matthew 5:43. You have heard that it was said, love your neighbor and hate your enemy. But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? And if you greet only your brothers, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that. Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect. And every time I come to this, I have to tell people, I have to be honest with you. This is the hardest to me, the hardest command in the Bible. I'm supposed to pray for those who persecute me just to love my enemies, wish them well, hope that they are converted and everything goes. I mean, it would be very easy to have a judgmental attitude that says, God, I hate them because they hate you, and I hope you get them. And I hope they aren't converted, and I hope they go to hell forever. But, you know, the minute you say that, I think if you're a child of God, then you start saying, oh, man, that's really a rotten attitude to have. Say, I hope they go to hell forever. Well, Jesus says, though, instead of hatred, we're supposed to show love, which means praying for them. Now, it will be helpful, I think, if you remember that Praying that God will show love to people doesn't exclude that God will bring them through the process of discipline that they need. If a father loves his child, does he discipline his child? We mustn't think that having hard things happen to people is necessarily motivated by hatred. It's appropriate to pray that people will be disciplined and come to true repentance and therefore not go to hell forever. In real difficult cases in my own life, that's the only way I've been able to pray for people is to say, God, you know what they need. Give them what they deserve in the process of restoration. Save them from everlasting perdition. Bring them to repentance. Now, bringing people to repentance often means humbling them, giving them a tough time, making people miserable, even that they'll recognize they have to turn from their force. We're supposed to love our enemies. Jesus said so. And you know, though the Pharisees taught you're to love your neighbor and hate your enemy, that isn't what the Old Testament law said. Let's look at an illustration real quick. Exodus 23:4 5. If you come across your enemy's ox or donkey wandering off, be sure to take it back to him. If you see the donkey of someone who hates you falling down under its load, do not leave it there. Be sure you help him with it. Not uncommon when people give the impression the Old Testament had this harsh ethic. The law which said, you can hate your enemies, and then the New Testament says, no, now love your enemies. No. What Jesus says about loving your enemies is just an expansion on what the law itself said. We are not right to wish our enemies ill. You say, you know, I hope everything goes rotten in their lives. Chose to pray for that. Pray for the good. Yeah, we don't want that to be in the Bible, but that just shows how much more we need to work with the Spirit in our lives if we're going to really grow up as Christians. Okay. Now, I think it would be appropriate. Well, not so much appropriate. It would certainly be sufficient to leave the lesson at this point. If you remember all that I taught you in the last lesson and what we've said tonight, the demand of love is just incredibly high. We really need to be changed, people. We really need to be regenerated and renewed and led by the Spirit if we're going to come anywhere close to loving in the way that the Bible talks about loving. So everything I've said up to this point I think would be enough to make us feel guilty and see how high the demand is. But I haven't touched the heart of the matter yet. That's the interesting thing. If you systematically study the biblical concept of love, where is the pattern of love found? We haven't mentioned this yet. We've seen illustrations of it. We've seen guidelines and calls to love, and so forth. But the ultimate pattern of love is found in Christ sacrifice of himself. Look at John 13:34. A new command I give you. Love one another. As I loved you, so you must love one another. He says, I'm giving you a new command. Well, we know already that the Old Testament talks about love. In fact, when Jesus summarizes the two great commandments, he goes to the Old Testament, Love God, Love your neighbor as yourself. So what does he mean, a new command I give you? I think the key is found in what he goes on to say. You're to love as I have loved you. And how has Christ loved? How is he demonstrating his love toward us, by the way, to show that the pattern of our loving is to be what Christ Himself has done, look also at 1st John 4, verses 9, 10 and 11, 1st John 4 at the 9th verse. This is how God showed His love among us. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through Him. This is love. Not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice of propitiation for our sins. Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. So again you see how the Bible says Christ's love is the pattern that we as followers of Christ are to emulate. Jesus says in John 15:13 that the greatest expression of love is dying for others. John 15:13. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. That's the greatest expression of love is when you are willing to die that others may live. In Romans 5:8 we are reminded that Jesus died for the unworthy. Romans 5:8. But God demonstrates His own love for us in while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Look also at Ephesians 2:4:7, Ephesians 2:4: 7. But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions. It is by grace you have been saved. And God raised us up with Christ, conceited us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. So again God demonstrates his love and the grace and mercy that is ours in Christ. One more example would be Revelation 1:5. You can look that up as you review this lesson. The Bible tells us that we know love from Christ's self sacrificial giving of Himself. First John 3:16. First John 3:16 says, this is how we know what love is. Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. Or look at 1 John 4, 9, 10. This is how God showed his love among us. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him. This is love. Not that we love God, but that he loved us and sent His Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. So you see over and over again, then what Jesus says is those who follow me have an even greater pattern, a higher standard of love than what you would have thought otherwise. And the pattern of love that you see in me is dying for the unworthy, dying for those who are sinners, those who are my enemies. He says that's how you know love, and that's the love you should show toward one another. Because of the coming of Christ and the example of his self sacrifice, love virtually becomes a new commandment for God's people. First John 2, verses 7 to 11. First John 2:7 Dear friends, I'm not writing you a new command, but an old one which you have had since the beginning. This old command is the message you have heard. Yet I am writing a new command. Its truth is seen in him and you because the darkness is passing and the true light is already shining. So John says it's an old command and yet it's a new command. Verse 9 Anyone who claims to be in the light and hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness. He does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded him. And then turn to the Gospel of John 13:34 Again, John 13:34 Jesus says a new command I give you love one another as I loved you, so you must love one another. Or chapter 15, verses 12 and 13 John 15:12 My command is, love each other as I loved you. Greater love is no one than this that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. And so the New Testament teaches us that love, especially as it's been seen in the example of Christ's sacrifice, love is a self renouncing spirit which lays down one's life in the interest of your brothers. But it's simply love places the interest of others above your own interest. It bears the burdens of others without any thought of repayment. Love says I'm willing to pay the price for you. I'll bear your burden and I don't expect anything in return. It's pretty hard because I think often we're encouraged parents will do this to their children. They'll encourage them to love and be kind to people because then people will love and be kind to you. But Jesus example is one of being loving without any thought of repayment. What could we possibly do to repay Jesus? This reminds me, it took me a lot of years to realize that when the golden rule due to other things she was having in view, I always thought that meant if I do that, I'll get it back. I finally realized it doesn't say that. Yeah, it doesn't treat other people that way. Right. It doesn't say do unto others so they'll do it back to you. It says do unto others what you wish they would do to you. Last year I finally realized that it didn't work. It didn't work. Well, I don't want you to feel too badly about that. My guess is most Christians have that in the back of their mind that we do this so that we'll be paid off someday. People will be nice to us too. And that's nice if people do. But that isn't why we do it. Jesus expresses his love without thought of repayment. And so we must as well. And that's why in the New Testament, love is willing to cover sin and is hospitable. Notice the example Peter gives in 1 Peter 4 verses 8 and 9. First Peter 4, 8, 9. Above all, love each other deeply. Because notice this, love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Without grumbling. Be hospitable. You see, love doesn't think about what you're going to get back. And love is willing to forgive. It covers a multitude of sins. Now I want to take our lesson just a step further and then we'll be done. Tonight, what I've been teaching you tonight is that Christ's love is a model. It's like external. It's out there as an illustration. It's something that we should emulate. But the Bible talks about the love of Christ not simply as a pattern for us, but Christ's love is also an inward principle that motivates us. That is, Christ's love does something that gets us up and moving. It causes us to behave a certain way. Up to this point, I've been talking about Christ's love bringing about a certain kind of behavior because we're following his example. But the Bible says more. It says that Christ's love lives within us and motivates us to live in that way. Notice John 17:26. John 17:26. God's love becomes not just an external illustration or model. God's love becomes an inward place quality of our lives I have made known to them and will continue to make known in order that the love you have for me may be in them, and that I myself may be in them in order that the love you have for me may be in them. Isn't that a marvelous verse? Jesus prays that the love the Father has for him, that that love would be inside us would be an internal principle in us. In 2nd Corinthians 5:14 notice what Paul says about the love of God. 2nd Corinthians 5:14. For Christ's love constrains us because we are convinced that one died for all and therefore all died. The love of Christ doesn't simply stand out there as a model. It works inside to constrain our behavior. It compels us to live in a certain way. Another example, Romans 5, verse 5. And hope does not disappoint us because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit whom He has given us. So the love of God works through us to bring about the kind of behavior that we've been talking about. Ephesians 3:17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power together with all saints to grasp, etc. Christ lives in us so that, as Paul goes on to say, we are rooted and established in love. Two more verses. 1 John 3:17 and 4:12 First John 3:17. If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need, but has no pity on him, listen to this. How can the love of God be in him? It doesn't just say, how can the love of God be his pattern of behavior? John says, how can God's love be indwell you if you ignore somebody who is in need? And then first John 4:12, no one has ever seen God. But if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us. It's really marvelous. Then the love of God guides us. But the love of God also goads us. It is what's inside to motivate us. Because God's love is in me, then I'm able to love my enemies. Then I'm able to do the Christlike thing and to be sacrificial and to show hospitality and so forth. Closing Remark I think this shows us that the biblical picture of love is not simply a negative matter. Sometimes even in reconstruction of circles, sadly you'll have people who say, well, to love your neighbor means you don't violate the commandments toward it. So you've loved your neighbor if he didn't steal his car or commit adultery with his wife or murder him or what have you. As long as you follow the prohibitions of God's law regarding your neighbor's life and property and his wife, then you've been loving. But what we've seen tonight is that love is a very positive principle. Love is not simply abstaining from doing bad things. Love goes out of its way to do good things to people. Love is active. Love seeks out ways to help your enemy when his donkey is overburdened to give a cup of cold water in Jesus name. Love seeks out other people in the same way that Jesus seeks or sought us out. It looks for opportunities to serve people, and it doesn't do so with any hope of reward. When we are loving, then we seek to joyfully fulfill our responsibilities toward people and to act in a Christlike way toward them. We don't simply say, well, I've been loving because I've been a good neighbor. I didn't beat that guy up. John 14:21 we'll end with this tonight. John 14:21 Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to Him. Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. If we love Christ, we don't simply stand back and abstain from doing bad things, but we seek to obey Christ and to live in a way that emulates not only his pattern of behavior, but is motivated by his own love working through us. Obviously, if you love them, given the depravity of man, man's fault, you know, the way people act in this world, it's a pretty selfish place, pretty mean spirited. When you see someone who truly loves, you're seeing an illustration of how the Spirit changes lives. The fruit of the Spirit is love. Now, do you have any questions or comments you'd like to make. If not, we have a lot to think about. The sad thing about going through a lesson as quickly as I have, even though it's two evenings together, the Bible says so much about love. Each one of those passages ought to be reflected on and prayed through. Maybe take a day and say, what am I going to do today to be a more loving person? To show that the Holy Spirit has changed my life and not to do it because, well, the people will like me, but to do it because the love of Christ constrains me, whether anybody reciprocates or not that I should be a loving person. When we come back together, we'll continue the Fruit of the Spirit. You've seen what love is. We'll start talking about joy, rejoicing and peace. How to become peacemakers and to have peace in our hearts. This recording has been released into the public domain by the Bonson Institute. Duplication, sharing and distribution is encouraged. For more information about the life and Ministry of Dr. Greg L. Bonson, visit our bonsoninstitute.com where we aim to bring into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ.