Snapshots
Biblical Truth
OF
The Pure Love of Christ
BIBLE REFERENCES:
Romans 5:8 (NIV) “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV) “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, and it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, and always perseveres. Love never fails”.
1 Corinthians 13:13 (NIV) “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
James 3:17 (NIV) “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness.”
1 John 2:9-11 (NIV) “Anyone who claims to be in the light but hates his brother is still in the darkness. Whoever loves his brother lives in the light, and there is nothing in him to make him stumble. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks around in the darkness; he does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded him.”
APPLICATION:
Our society uses the term “love” quite loosely. We say, “I love chocolate” or “I love my work” or “I love my dog”; we may even get so personal as to say “I love you”. But true love, as defined in the Bible, goes way beyond the superficial and shallow. True love cannot be worked up, it is not a petty or temperamental feeling that comes over us, and it is certainly not a fad that will soon fade away due to boredom.
If we all had this God given love, our world would be drastically different today. There would be no wars, conflicts or family feuds. There would be no “forgotten people” on our streets. People would be looking out for each other and giving a hand of fellowship to those who are lonely and need a friend. People would be there to help those who have fallen on hard times - with no judgment. It would be heaven here on earth!
We Christians are suppose to be representatives of Jesus Christ. If this is true then God’s love should be flowing through us into our society. We should be the ones taking the initiative to pass the love of Christ onto others around us.
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A PRAYER:
“God, give me more of your perfect love, the love that the apostle Paul talks about, love that is freely offered without judgment or criticism. The love demonstrated by your Son, Jesus Christ.”
SNAPSHOT:
True love comes from God. God alone is the source of all true love because God is love. God’s love acting through us will shed our self absorbed ambitions, attitudes and ideas and will reject pride, selfishness and rudeness toward others. It will subdue anger, arrogance and the slightest hint of evil. And, it will hold no grudges. Obviously, this is not the love we see every day in our society.
