The List In Priority

When the Bible lists things, the list is almost assuredly in order of priority and importance. See if you agree with me in the following passage. Also notice the cyclical nature of love.

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.” (Galatians 5:22-23).

With love, does not joy and peace follow? Love cannot exist in turmoil and bitterness, only in joy and peace.

Are not longsuffering, gentleness, and goodness the prerequisites for peace and the product of it as well?

Does not faith in God require us to be meek and to temper the emotions? We must bend to God’s will, not the other way around. Faith in God requires meekness and temperance of our will.

All of these attributes from the Holy Spirit are the result of love. And as Paul said, “against such there is no law”.

Wait, what? No law?

“Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.” (Romans 13:10) and “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” (Galatians 5:14)

There is no law against any of these attributes of the Holy Spirit because they all come from love. And as such, the law need not grace us with its presence for it has no power over us or reason to be. 

Where there is God’s love there is no sin.

Bill Hitchcock