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

                                                                                                                        1 John 4:7-8 

John leaves little room for us to doubt the importance that love plays in the life of the believer. “The one who does not love does not know God.” And since love is the single word in this passage used to described God, it should come as no surprise that love would be the very first characteristic mentioned as fruit of the Spirit.

But what is love? This word gets defined and redefined and in some sense is very broad in nature. So we need a biblical definition, a description that encompasses what it truly means to love.

The word is agape and it brings with it three indispensable characteristics: affection, goodwill, and benevolence. These three attributes must be present for an action, motive, or attitude to pass as genuine love. We can use the three D’s to assist us in remembering these three characteristics.

1. Affection: a fond attachment or devotion (Disposition)

In order to love someone, we must have affection for that person. We can call this our disposition towards another. We see this demonstrated early in the scriptures. Consider the following:

Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great on the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. The Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. 

           Genesis 6:5-6 

When God saw the wickedness of mankind, He was grieved. Only a heart of love could have such emotion. In other words, someone void of any caring or concern for others would not exhibit such a reaction. God was sorry that he had made mankind. He literally repented regarding the creation of mankind meaning that He had “changed His mind” about the matter (the true definition of repentance). Of course judgment would come because wickedness and holiness are entirely incompatible, but His demonstration of love for mankind was still present in the form of grief.

2. Goodwill: a friendly disposition; benevolence, and kindness (Desire)

The second attribute of authentic love is goodwill. We will call this one’s desire for another. In other words, do we want to see success and goodness in the lives of others? Again, we see this demonstrated in scripture as Jesus explains God’s desire to bless. Consider the following:

If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                     Matthew 7:11 

God is the ultimate Giver. No one can out give Him. And this desire to bless us comes out of a heart of love for mankind. Because God is love, He desires good things for us. The word “good” use in Matthew’s passage describes things that are useful, pleasant, agreeable, joyful, and happy. These “good” things are favorable to or promoting health, and are conducive to some beneficial purpose. A loving heart always wants to bless others.

3. Benevolence: a desire to do good to others, goodwill, and charitableness (Doing)

The last of the characteristics of agape is benevolence through a commitment to action. This is the doing aspect of love. Consider what God has done for us:

By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. 

                                                                                                                     1 John 4:9 

God didn’t just say He loves us, He demonstrated it through His actions. He sent Jesus with the end result being that we would once again live. The word “live” used in this passage means to be full of vigor, to be fresh, strong, efficient, powerful, and efficacious. To live any other way is to live below the means in which God has revealed Himself through Jesus. And not only did He send Jesus so that we can live, He also sent Him to become our propitiation. Consider the following:

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

                                                                                                                     1 John 4:10 

Propitiation is defined as “an appeasing.” It is to bring to a state of peace, quiet, ease, calm, and contentment. It is to pacify, soothe, satisfy, and relieve. The actions of Jesus on the cross should put to rest all fear, doubt, suspicion, and anger. Jesus beings us back into right standing with God and all without works on our part (Romans 3: 28, Romans 4:4-5). This is God’s demonstration of His love for us.

So these three characteristics should be flowing out of our lives if we are going to claim to know Christ and declare that we are experiencing the power of God’s Spirit in our lives. Perhaps we can sum up this responsibility that we have to love in the following:

 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  

                                                                                           1 John 4:11