GOD’S LOVE IN CHRIST JESUS: GOD’S LOVE ENHANCES EARTHLY USEFULNESS AND HEAVENLY MINDEDNESS!
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because THE LOVE of God is SHED [LAVISHED] abroad in our HEARTS [SPIRIT-BEING] by the Holy Ghost which is GIVEN unto us . . . 8 But God commendeth His LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:5, 8.
Talking about GOD’S LOVE! Here is a didactic sense of measure, such that we don’t just say we just have love, but we can go onward to LIVE in LOVE and to WALK in LOVE, with the knowing that LOVE is of God; and LOVE is the lubricant for our New Creation life in Christ Jesus, and for human relationships to all of mankind. Upon this knowledge and understanding, we can OCCUPY in the grace as Christ Ambassador in God, until He returns, by “BEING EARTHLY USEFUL and HEAVENLY MINDED”.
“So that Christ may dwell in your hearts through your faith. And may you, having been [deeply] ROOTED and [securely] GROUNDED in love, 18 be fully capable of comprehending with all the saints (God’s people) the WIDTH and LENGTH and HEIGHT and DEPTH of His LOVE [fully experiencing that amazing, endless love]; 19 and [that you may come] to know [practically, through personal experience] the LOVE of Christ which far SURPASSES [MERE] KNOWLEDGE [without experience], that you may be filled up [throughout your being] to all the FULLNESS of God [so that you may have the richest experience of God’s presence in your lives, completely filled and flooded with God Himself]” Ephesians 3:17-19/Amplified.
Love in scriptural perspective is an ATTITUDE, a deliberate and intentional choice, an exercise of the will, a choice of life, and it’s not just a mere feeling, it is an expression of the nature and personality of God. It is spiritual, divinely inspired and embedded in the very hearts of all God’s human creation, and more importantly in the very nature of the redeemed child of God. Hence, it’s not a doctrine, creed, or dogmas or tradition or sectarianism. It outlived generation because it’s timeless and it’s of God and God’s. For God is love as written:
“Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; FOR GOD IS LOVE. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins . . . 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. GOD IS LOVE; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: BECAUSE AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD. 18 There is NO FEAR IN LOVE; but PERFECT LOVE casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made PERFECT IN LOVE” 1 John 4:7–10, 16-18.
And LOVE is the given blessedness of Father God by the Holy Spirit to the Believing one in Christ Jesus, and it’s a FRUIT and not a GIFT. FRUITS are GROWN while GIFTS are IMPARTED. Genuine Bible love – Agape – is born and it’s a product of the Holy Spirit that indwells in us in the grace – [Romans 5:5, 8; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9].
Let’s consider the love in diversity for a clearer understanding of the kind of love being implied in this context.
DEFINING THE THREE KINDS OF LOVE:
- PHILEO: Grk [of the soul] – Love relationship in family – between parent and child. The Family kind of love. It also embodied love relationship towards friends and colleagues. It means to be fond of; it is based on FEELINGS and not on PRINCIPLE. It’s never used of man’s love to or for God. This is a human or natural kind of love. [Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Genesis 8:19; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21]. This kind of love is, however, essential and crucial for a family bonding and wellbeing.
- EROS: Grk [of the Physical body] – Sexual love; purely reserved for the married – within the bond of marriage. It’s based on PHYSICAL ATTRACTION. It’s neither for fornication nor adultery. Lust and immoral desires have gotten some into it, hence there’s a great act of PERVERSION in our societies today – and we are paying hugely for the consequences across the board. [Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20].
- AGAPE: Grk [of the spirit] – God kind of love; unconditional, limitless, divine, spiritual. It transcends race, gender, generation, culture, family, physical, personal [self] etc. 1 Corinthians 13. It’s built on PRINCIPLE. Agape love even helps to ensure, STRENGTHEN and MAINTAIN the Phileo and Eros kind of love in all life endeavours. Agape love is based on PRINCIPLE – be it towards things or people.
Notably, the PHILEO OR EROS kinds of Love need to be controlled by AGAPE kind of love or else it will hinder our fellowship with God and lead to SIN acts. [E.g. EROS – 1 Corinthians 13:5; PHILEO – 1 Samuel 2:22-36].
Let’s not just say we have love, let’s LIVE and WALK IN LOVE, for love is of the Spirit – Romans 5:5.
IT’S TIME TO LIVE AND WALK IN LOVE. LET’S MAKE IT HAPPEN. FOR THE CHARGE IS TO OCCUPY IN GOD’S LOVE TILL HE COMES – FOR LOVE ENHANCES EARTHLY USEFULNESS AND HEAVENLY MINDEDNESS.
Be blessed in life and grace in Christ Jesus stead. Amen.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“If we LIVE in the Spirit, let us also WALK in the Spirit” Galatians 5:25.
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 and WALK IN LOVE, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” Ephesians 5:1-2.
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being ROOTED and GROUNDED IN LOVE, 18 may be able to COMPREHEND with all saints what is the BREADTH, and LENGTH, and DEPTH, and HEIGHT; 19 and to KNOW THE LOVE OF Christ, which PASSETH (TRANSCENDS, SURPASSED) KNOWLEDGE (SENSE), that ye might be FILLED with all the FULNESS of God” Ephesians 3:17-19.
“But the FRUIT of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23/NKJV
“For the FRUIT of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” Ephesians 5:9/NKJV.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI