When most believers think of the fruit of love, they usually think automatically in terms of cultivating and developing love relationships toward their brothers and sisters in Christ.
Although this is necessary in that God commands it of His children, it is not all that is involved in love.
There is yet another, more important aspect of the fruit of love. To truly be perfect even as his Father in heaven is perfect, each child of God must diligently cultivate and develop an individual love relationship with his heavenly Father.
Many Christians today do not seem to realize that the Great Commandment is not, "Love one another." According to Jesus in Matthew 22:37-39, a believer can love the brethren in proper perspective only after first loving God:
"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."
Actually, some Christians express more love to others in the Body of Christ than they express to God. The reason they do this is simply because they are just not comfortable in expressing the love in their hearts directly to the Father.
There really is no single reasonable explanation for some of God's beloved children finding it easier to express more love to one another than to their Father Who loves them to the extent that He gave His only begotten Son to die on their behalf (John 3:16).
Unfortunately, however, this is the case with many in the family of God today.
Most believers would feel quite comfortable in sitting down, conversing with, and expressing love to other members of the Body of Christ. How would they act, however, if Jesus Christ in the flesh were to walk into the room for the purpose of sitting down with them and conversing with them personally?
Would they be as relaxed and comfortable expressing love to Him as they would to another Christian? Aside from the sensationalism that the thought of such a miraculous happening would cause, in all honesty, would not most believers be ill at ease in such a one-on-one encounter with Jesus?
Why? Is it, perhaps, because to them He is merely an acquaintance and not a close, intimate friend?
In biblical times, many called God "Father," but few personally ministered love to Jesus (Who was, after all, Emmanuel-God with us) through such acts as washing and kissing His feet (Luke 7:38) or anointing His head (Mark 14:3) or taking the time to return and say, "Thank You" (Luke 17:15-16).
Come to Know the Father
God desires that His children know Him to the extent that they are as comfortable in expressing love to Him as they are in their closest, most intimate relationship on earth. Only then will the children of God come to know the Father in the Spirit as well as they know the people dearest to them in the flesh.
Knowing the Father to this extent on earth will be the source of our confidence when we stand before the Son of God on that day that is yet to come (John 14:8-9). If many people today totally rely on expressing their love to the Father indirectly through doing good works, then in that day - when they stand before Him - they will be rejected by Him.
Jesus said in Matthew 7:22: "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? And in thy name have cast out devils? And in thy name done many wonderful works?" According to Jesus, one basis of His rejection of such people in that day will be expressed in the words, …I never knew you…(v. 23).
This Greek word for knew is ginosko (ghin-oce'-ko) which means "to know by experience or effort; knowledge as the result of prolonged practice; knowledge grounded in personal experience; to get to know."
In essence, Jesus will be saying: "I never got to know you, for you did not cultivate that fruit of love and develop an intimate, loving relationship with the Father by cultivating this all-important fruit of love today."
No Fear in Love
In addition to future blessings, there are two present benefits for those who develop the fruit of love toward the Father. The first of these two benefits is found in 1 John 4:18: "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love."
There is a part that cultivating the presence of love for the Father plays concerning walking in total absence of fear. Of course, there is also an important part that binding, rebuking, and casting out the spirit of fear plays in walking in peace.
But when believers faithfully cast out the spirit without permanent relief from fear, then perhaps they should seriously consider whether or not what they really need to do is simply cultivate love for the Father.
People can cast out the spirit of fear in their lives until they are "blue in the face," but if their lives are devoid of that perfect love for the Father, then their houses will be empty of the one quality that will prevent this particular spirit from returning to take up residence.
He that feareth is not made perfect in love. Wanting the best for his children, the Father is pleading for them to realize the benefits of developing a close personal relationship with Him. He is encouraging them to begin cultivating that perfect love by offering them total absence of fear.
It will be a growth process, but the more we believers increase our love for the Father, the more fear will decrease in our lives. Is not the Father's offer of total absence of fear sufficient incentive for us as His children to begin the process of the cultivation of love?
The Father knew of the abundant, increasing danger of this cancerous fear in today's society. In Luke 21:26, Jesus Himself forewarned of the fear which was yet to come in our day: "Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken."
It is more than an added benefit of living without fear that we cultivate the fruit of love with the Father; in today's society especially, it is vital to our very health and well-being.
Excerpt permission granted by Harrison House Publishers
Greg Zoschak's lifelong ambition was to become a professional football player, and became born again through the influence of his high school coach. Years later, Greg began to feel a call to the ministry, but football kept tugging at him as well. A motorcycle accident later on forced him to discontinue his pursuit of football; at that time, his ambitions began to change and pull him toward God.
