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The Fruit Of Love

Text: Colossians 1:8

One of the most significant fruit that the Colossians bore that stood out was the love of the Spirit.

“Who also declared to us your love in the Spirit.”

Colossians 1:8

1. “Declared”

a) Epaphras was obviously keeping in touch with the apostle Paul.

b) He must have been keeping Paul abreast of his ministry in Colosse.

c) The meaning of the word “declared” (“delo-o”).

i) To reveal

ii) To explain

iii) To make clear

d) This gives us a glimpse of how the early church operated.

i) The apostles were in touch with other leaders (non-apostles).

ii) They kept an overview of the ministries that developed.

iii) They could then respond through personal visits or through writing epistles.

2. “Your love in the Spirit”

a) The fruit of love is correctly associated with the Spirit of God.

b) He is the One who enables a person to bear this special fruit.

c) It is not incorrect to compare this phrase “love in the Spirit” with Paul’s description of “the fruit of the Spirit” in Galatians 5:22.

3. A cluster of fruit

a) It is wise to read this phrase “love in the Spirit” in the light of Galatians 5:22-23.

b) The work of the Spirit is never to produce a single fruit.

c) His ministry is to produce a whole cluster of fruit rather than just one fruit.

4. The work of the Spirit of God

a) He worked through Epaphras.

b) He blessed the ministry of the Word of truth that Epaphras preached.

c) The Colossians bore fruit as they responded to the Word of God taught.

d) In due time they produced a beautiful cluster of fruit, of which love was heralded above all.