The Love of God Poured Out in the Human Heart

Today we’ll begin with Romains 8:3-4.

“For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” (Rom. 8:3-4)

The law failed to achieve God’s standard of righteousness, not because of any fault in the law, but because of the weakness of man’s fleshly nature. Under grace the Spirit of God changes man’s fleshly nature and replaces it with a new nature, one capable of receiving and manifesting God’s love.

We may sum up the basic difference between the operation of law and the operation of grace in this way: law depends upon man’s own ability and works from without; grace depends upon the miraculous operation of the Holy Spirit and works from within.

The New Testament tells us the human heart can only come under this law of divine and perfect love through the operation of God’s Holy Spirit.

“Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” (Rom. 5:5)

Notice that it is not mere human love in any form or degree, but it is the love of God – God’s own love – which the Spirit of God is able to pour out in our hearts.

This love of God poured out in the human heart by God’s Spirit produces, in its perfection, the nine-fold fruit of the Spirit. This fruit of the Spirit is the love of God manifested in every aspect of human character and conduct. It is described by Paul:

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.” (Gal. 5:22-23)

Once again Paul emphasises that the life in which divine love is perfectly manifested in this nine-fold spiritual fruit does not need to be controlled by any other law. Therefore, he says: “Against such there is no law.”

This law of love is thus the end of all other laws and commandments. It is the perfect law, the royal law, the law of liberty.