22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.
The application of the cross to our lives and our submission to its discipline means that we are set free - to love. Love belongs totally to the new order into which we are brought by grace. It is not something that the unregenerate heart can show forth at all, but is planted by the finger of God. Only thus can the demands of the law of God be met. Only grace can enable us to love, thus fulfilling the just requirement of the law. But to many this is a difficult idea. Is it possible to turn on love like a tap? Ah, love is not to be confused with natural generosity. It is a poor man that does not give way occasionally to generous impulse towards his fellowmen. But this is not what the New Testament means by Christian love. We are not asked to have certain feelings towards people, but to adopt a certain attitude towards them - in fact, God's attitude towards them. This, then, is the difference: we cannot have nice feelings towards an obnoxious person, but we can, and must act towards him as Christ would. This is love. And only grace can produce such an attitude of will in us. And when we will to let the death of Christ do its appointed work in us - i.e. when we will to be crucified with Him in practical experience, His love breaks out through us to men.