1. THE FRUIT OF THE SPIRIT IS Lesson 2 for the 9 th of January, 2010

2. HOW CAN I LOVE? With storgé love. It is love within the family; natural affection. With éros love. It is love in the sense of being in love; it includes sexual love. With filía love. It is friendship love; it includes loving things, ideas or animals. It is sentimental love. With agápe love. It is pure and unselfish love, regardless of circumstances; it is Gods love toward us.

3. Which type of love should we show in our lives, as Christians? Agápe. Because it is a divine principle of for thinking and acting. It moulds our character, it rules our impulses, it controls our passions and it ennobles our affection. It is the noblest love, since it motivates us to do right and noble acts, no matter how we feel. HOW CAN I LOVE?

4. INTRINSIC CHARACTERISTICS TO AGÁPE LOVE 1 Corinthians, 13: 4-7 It remains calm and patient when it is oppressed, slandered or pursued. Patient It longs to do good to others; it is kind and polite and it tries to make everybody happy. Kind It takes pleasure in the virtues of others; it takes an interest in the progress of the truth and in mans happiness. It rejoices in truth It hides the faults of others and keeps them to himself. It bears all things It interprets the others behaviour in the best way possible, thinking well of others. It believes all things It has faith in its neighbour; it is ready to fight the ridiculous and the disdain to defend him, knowing that the truth will be ennobled. It hopes all things It endures calmly all the difficulties, the trials, the persecutions and the insults from men. It endures all things

5. It does not show bad or unkind feelings toward others just because they have any advantage over it. It does not envy It does not extol its own virtues; it is humble and doesnt praise itself. It does not boast It does not fill a person with vanity; it does not produce conceit. It is not proud It is never impolite, rude or rough; it never does anything that could offend its neighbours sensibility. It is not rude It is ready to sacrifice its comfort, its time, its peace, its means and its talents in favour of others. It is not self- seeking It never shows sorrow, impatience nor rage, but it is kind and calm It is not easily angered It does not bear in mind the evil, and it does not blame the others. It keeps no record of wrongs It does not rejoice with its neighbours faults. It doesnt take pleasure in listening that someone has made a mistake. It does not delight in evil ALIEN CHARACTERISTICS TO AGÁPE LOVE 1 Corinthians, 13: 4-7

6. HOW DO I SHOW LOVE? 1 Corinthians, 13: 4-7 I bear all things, I believe all things, I hope all things, I endure all things. I am patient, I am kind,I dont envy, I dont boast, Im not proud. Im not rude, Im not self-seeking, Im not easily angered, I dont keep record of wrongs. I dont delight in evil but rejoice in the truth.

7. God above all things. We must love God with our reason, our will, our purposes, our feelings, our affection and our desires. Our love towards God must be unconditional, as He loves us. Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength (Deuteronomy, 6: 5)

8. This love involves respecting, helping and loving everyone who is near us, in an altruistic way. Love your neighbour as yourself (Matthew, 22: 39) My neighbour as myself.

9. My enemies. We are not demanded to love with filía love, because we cannot feel the same affection that we feel towards our family or our friends. We are expected to love with agápe love, because that love is under our control. Loving (agápe) our bitter enemies involves treating them respectfully and courteously, considering them as God does. Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you (Matthew, 5: 44)

10. A certain Samaritan, in his journey, came where the sufferer was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. He did not question whether the stranger was a Jew or a Gentile… He did not consider that he himself might be in danger of violence by tarrying in the place. It was enough that there was before him a human being in need and suffering. He took off his own garment with which to cover him. The oil and wine provided for his own journey he used to heal and refresh the wounded man. He lifted him on his own beast, and moved slowly along with even pace, so that the stranger might not be jarred, and made to suffer increased pain. He brought him to an inn, and cared for him through the night, watching him tenderly. In the morning, as the sick man had improved, the Samaritan ventured to go on his way. But before doing this, he placed him in the care of the innkeeper, paid the charges, and left a deposit for his benefit; and not satisfied even with this, he made provision for any further need, saying to the host, "Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." A certain Samaritan, in his journey, came where the sufferer was, and when he saw him, he had compassion on him. He did not question whether the stranger was a Jew or a Gentile… He did not consider that he himself might be in danger of violence by tarrying in the place. It was enough that there was before him a human being in need and suffering. He took off his own garment with which to cover him. The oil and wine provided for his own journey he used to heal and refresh the wounded man. He lifted him on his own beast, and moved slowly along with even pace, so that the stranger might not be jarred, and made to suffer increased pain. He brought him to an inn, and cared for him through the night, watching him tenderly. In the morning, as the sick man had improved, the Samaritan ventured to go on his way. But before doing this, he placed him in the care of the innkeeper, paid the charges, and left a deposit for his benefit; and not satisfied even with this, he made provision for any further need, saying to the host, "Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee." E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 54, page 503)

11. E.G.W. (The Desire of Ages, cp. 54, pg. 497, 504)