Sanctification II: Love
Now about your love for one another, we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more
1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
v9. Now about your love for one another, we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other.
Be devoted to one another in love. Honor (Deliberate respect; to hold in high esteem) one another above yourselves.
Verses to Consider
Psalm 133:1, Hebrews 13:1, 1 Peter 1:22
Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit (Excessive pride in oneself). Rather, in humility value others above yourselves.
“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.
This leads us to the bulk of our discussion today.
“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.”
Matthew 22:36-40
Why is Love so important?
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
John 13:34-35
And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.
Colossians 3:14
What is Love
1 John 4:16 says that God is Love.
In other words, God just said… I am (He is) love! Think about this for a moment. We are quick to identify as a particular race. We are quick to identify with a title we have earned. We are quick to identify with our accolades and accomplishments. A location, a country. When we are slaves to our sin we say things like we are addicts. You’ll hear people say I am depressed. I am anxious. God said, “I am LOVE”!
Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
1 John 4:8
Love is an action! Not a feeling!
Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.
1 John 3:18
I think we get the point by now. Love is the answer. Now that we have sufficiently established and can see this, it’s time to answer the number one question on most people’s minds… How?!
How are we supposed to love God’s way?
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8a
Love is Patient
Ephesians 4:2
Romans 12:12
Galatians 6:9
Romans 8:25
Love is Kind
Proverbs 11:17
Proverbs 31:26
Ephesians 4:29
1 John 3:17
Matthew 5:42
Love does not Envy
Overcoming Envy with Wisdom and Guidance | Biblical Perspective
Love doesn’t boast/is not Proud
Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things, I delight, declares the Lord.”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
More Verses to Consider
Psalm 34:2, 1 Corinthians 1:31, 2 Corinthians 10:17
God is talking about pride. Boasting in your strength. Think about when you listen to people speak. They go on and on about their titles, accomplishments, their hopes, and dreams. Can you hear Jesus as head over their titles, accomplishments, hopes, and dreams?
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.
James 4:6-7
Love does not dishonor anyone.
You can dishonor a person through contempt.
Making a person feel like they are beneath you. Like you have it all together but they got more work to do. They need to rise to your level. By making a person feel worthless or deserving of scorn (the feeling that they are despicable).
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus
Romans 8:1
For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.
John 3:17
You can dishonor a person through guilt.
Treating a person as though their actions will lead to condemnation. As if their sin is unforgivable.
If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.
1 John 1:9
But if you do not forgive others their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.
Matthew 6:15
You can dishonor a person through shame.
Treating a person as if they embody the sin.
They are the problem.
They will never get right.
They always do such and such.
There’s no hope for this person.
Why do they always have to…
Why can’t they just use their head?
How many times do I have to tell you…
What’s wrong with you…
A very excellent and highly recommended resource on the power of shame is called Breaking The Shackles of Shame by Dinah Monahan. I encourage you to click the link and view the free videos that explain this topic in great detail. Personally this series open my eyes to a huge problem in our modern day age. I hope you catch what God is saying as well.
Love is not self-seeking (NIV)
Does not insist on it’s own way (ESV)
Does not demand it’s own way (NLT)
Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3
Love is not easily angered
Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty, and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.
Proverbs 16:32
Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly (folly is a lack of good sense; foolishness).
Proverbs 14:29
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
Proverbs 10:12
Love keeps no record of wrongs
Love doesn’t hold the past over a person’s head. Love forgives and moves forward.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.
This is the truth about love…
Back to 1 Thessalonians 4:9-10
v10. And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more.
We can all learn to love more than we did before. Ask the question…
How can I love you more today than I did yesterday?
May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.
[…] shape or form. Just know your not alone. Sanctification takes time. We have to learn to live and abide in love, and we must learn to let go of the sugar of this world to experience the power of the Holy Spirit […]