Living a Life of Love
In the last blog we shared about living our life with Jesus in Holiness. Today we should live a sacred life, wholly consecrated to Him. This holy lifestyle is easier at times than at others. So why should we press on in holiness even when it becomes difficult? What can motivate us to ‘suck it up’ and do what it takes to be holy? What motivated early disciples of Jesus to strive to be holy to the point of death? The answer is love.
In John chapter 21 Jesus confronts the Apostle Peter with the question does Peter love Him. Jesus annoyed Peter by asking Him the same question three times in succession. “Do you love Me?’
“So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’ He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’ He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’” John 21: 44-45
John, the beloved disciple, writes about love more than any other New Testament writer. In his record of the conversation between Jesus and Peter, John emphasizes that love is the motivation for disciples in their service. Jesus uses the Greek word agapaoµ [from agape] for love while Peter uses philos.
agapaoµ; to love have good will, beloved
philos; beloved, dear, friendly
Agape is the type of intimate love Yahweh has for mankind while philos is the type of friendship love men have for each other. Twice Jesus asks Peter if he agaped Him and instructed him to feed and pastor His sheep. Peter’s reply was that Jesus knew that he had philo for Him. The third time Jesus asked His question He changed agape for philo, asking Peter do you love me as a friend. Upon Peter’s affirmative response Jesus instructs him to feed His flock. What Jesus is impressing upon Peter, as well as other disciples, is that if we love Jesus with a God love then we will love and care for other believers. We will disciple them in the ways of the Lord to live a holy life.
There are many facets of this agape, God love, but four main ones stand out. Yahweh loves us because He chooses too. He is not moved by emotion or situations which are not constant. Because His love for us is not based on feelings or situations, Yahweh loves us unconditionally. It does not matter what we do or what we say, He just loves us. Also, since Yahweh’s love is unconditional then it is freely given to us. We can never do enough nor say the right things to gain His love. He loves because He is love and wants to express it toward us. Because Yahweh is love, which never changes since it is part of who He is, He never has nor will He ever withdraw His love from us. If we do not sense and experience His love, then something is wrong on our end, not His.
So, what is our motivation to live a holy life and do good for others? It is His awesome love for us. So let us live today, enjoying His love and telling others of His great love for them.
“We love, because He first loved us.” 1 John 4:19
Because Jesus loves us,
Bro. Hugh Folds
Matthew 6:33
