Memory – You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5.6-8).
The primary word for love in the New Testament is agapē. It is used to describe God’s love for his Son, and it is the same word Jesus uses to command how the disciples are to love him and one another. This love finds its highest expression in the relationship between the Father and the Son. There is no theme more powerful or more predominant in Scripture than that of the love (agapē) of God.
Love is the highest of the spiritual virtues because it is rooted in the very nature of God: “God is love.” Scripture makes clear that love does not originate with us but with God himself: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Therefore, “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Though no one has seen God, his presence is made visible in the love his people show; as we love one another, his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:8–12).
The love of God is both unbounded and unexpected. The apostle John writes that God the Father loves his Son — this is to be expected. John also writes that the Father loves the world and sacrificed his Son so that all who believe in him will have eternal life — this is unexpected. John describes the immensity of God’s love for his children in his first epistle: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure (1 John 3.1-3).
There is no greater expression of love than that of Jesus’ love for helpless sinners. Paul writes: You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5.6-8). The apostle John says we ought to be willing to do the same for our brothers (1 John 3.16).
As I have said before, life is very brief: shortly after you step out of the cradle, you step into the grave. During this interlude you will have too few opportunities to express your love for God and man. In that day when the secrets of your heart are revealed the measure of your life will be how well did you love God and others. Maturing in Christ is, in part, learning to love indiscriminately.
Exemplifying the love of God is something more than loving the brethren, as important as that is. Jesus requires something more; he commanded his disciples to love their enemies: You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven … If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (Matthew 5.43-46; cp. Luke 6.27-36). This is an unnatural love; it is a love that bears witness to the Divine life within you.
It is the ability to love that gives life its deepest meaning. Most people are confused about what love is. There is a general confusion between eros (physical love) and phileō (brotherly love) and there is no general understanding of agape (godly love). Many individuals feel they are adrift in a sea of people without any means of permanently connecting to another person. The world does not care as much about truth and politics as it does about love. True love is attractive to everyone! This love is found in Jesus Christ. It is the limitless and unmerited love of God that truly transforms people’s lives. This is the love that has invaded your heart, and it is the source of being a means of grace for all those you meet.
Love is the highest of the spiritual virtues because it is rooted in the very nature of God: “God is love.” Scripture makes clear that love does not originate with us but with God himself: “In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” Therefore, “if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.” Though no one has seen God, his presence is made visible in the love his people show; as we love one another, his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:8–12).
The love of God is both unbounded and unexpected. The apostle John writes that God the Father loves his Son — this is to be expected. John also writes that the Father loves the world and sacrificed his Son so that all who believe in him will have eternal life — this is unexpected. John describes the immensity of God’s love for his children in his first epistle: How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when he appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. Everyone who has this hope in him purifies himself, just as he is pure (1 John 3.1-3).
There is no greater expression of love than that of Jesus’ love for helpless sinners. Paul writes: You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5.6-8). The apostle John says we ought to be willing to do the same for our brothers (1 John 3.16).
As I have said before, life is very brief: shortly after you step out of the cradle, you step into the grave. During this interlude you will have too few opportunities to express your love for God and man. In that day when the secrets of your heart are revealed the measure of your life will be how well did you love God and others. Maturing in Christ is, in part, learning to love indiscriminately.
Exemplifying the love of God is something more than loving the brethren, as important as that is. Jesus requires something more; he commanded his disciples to love their enemies: You have heard it said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven … If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? (Matthew 5.43-46; cp. Luke 6.27-36). This is an unnatural love; it is a love that bears witness to the Divine life within you.
It is the ability to love that gives life its deepest meaning. Most people are confused about what love is. There is a general confusion between eros (physical love) and phileō (brotherly love) and there is no general understanding of agape (godly love). Many individuals feel they are adrift in a sea of people without any means of permanently connecting to another person. The world does not care as much about truth and politics as it does about love. True love is attractive to everyone! This love is found in Jesus Christ. It is the limitless and unmerited love of God that truly transforms people’s lives. This is the love that has invaded your heart, and it is the source of being a means of grace for all those you meet.
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