How We Can Live with Love
By Stephen Powell
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19–21 ESV)
Advent season is a time when we are reminded of the amazing, faithful love the Lord has for His people. The miraculous gift given on Christmas Day, our Savior, Christ the Lord, is the tremendous display of God’s love for us. The love that he shows is deep and rich, far beyond our understanding.
1 John chapter 4 is a beautiful explanation of what exactly the Lord has done for us in displaying His love and the Scriptures there call us to walk in love toward others that is both inspired and empowered by the love shown to us.
We love because he has first loved us. (1 John 4:19) We are incapable of loving another on our own, at least in a true sacrificial way, apart from the grace of God. Before the Lord brings life to our soul, we are dead to good works that reflect the Gospel. Sure, there may be actions that we see in the world that are loving, but they can’t be done with the motivation of reflecting the love of Christ apart from a changed, reborn heart. Those of us who have received the gift of faith and have repented of our sin, we have power to obey and walk in love.
Not only have we been given the ability, but we have been given a motive. Much like the child on Christmas day that unwraps the most amazing gift he could have imagined and wants to tell everyone about it, we love others because we have been redeemed, purchased with amazing love, and everyone needs to know! And, they will know by our love. (John 13:35) They will know we are his by our love for one another and for those around us.
Therefore, may we live lives of humble, sacrificial, generous, patient, faithful love that display the amazing grace of our Lord.
We love because he first loved us. If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. (1 John 4:19–21 ESV)
Advent season is a time when we are reminded of the amazing, faithful love the Lord has for His people. The miraculous gift given on Christmas Day, our Savior, Christ the Lord, is the tremendous display of God’s love for us. The love that he shows is deep and rich, far beyond our understanding.
1 John chapter 4 is a beautiful explanation of what exactly the Lord has done for us in displaying His love and the Scriptures there call us to walk in love toward others that is both inspired and empowered by the love shown to us.
We love because he has first loved us. (1 John 4:19) We are incapable of loving another on our own, at least in a true sacrificial way, apart from the grace of God. Before the Lord brings life to our soul, we are dead to good works that reflect the Gospel. Sure, there may be actions that we see in the world that are loving, but they can’t be done with the motivation of reflecting the love of Christ apart from a changed, reborn heart. Those of us who have received the gift of faith and have repented of our sin, we have power to obey and walk in love.
Not only have we been given the ability, but we have been given a motive. Much like the child on Christmas day that unwraps the most amazing gift he could have imagined and wants to tell everyone about it, we love others because we have been redeemed, purchased with amazing love, and everyone needs to know! And, they will know by our love. (John 13:35) They will know we are his by our love for one another and for those around us.
Therefore, may we live lives of humble, sacrificial, generous, patient, faithful love that display the amazing grace of our Lord.