Experiential Oneness with Christ: God is Love
Love for your neighbours and your enemies is the true evidence that you love God because everyone including all that is seen and unseen are all created by God and if by anyway you are found not living in love among them, then it means you have not known God.
How was the Love of God manifested?
1 John 4:9 This is how God showed his love for us: God sent his only Son into the world so we might live through him.
1 John 4:10 This is the kind of love we are talking about - not that we once upon a time loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins and the damage they've done to our relationship with God.
Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not. Bible KJV - 1 John - Chapter 3:1
These passages are very clear, the love of God was manifested through His only Son Jesus Christ and one thing I want us to take note of is that love entails giving.
Love is an action word as far as Christ and His Kingdom Advancement upon Earth is concern; love is more practical than in theory. Let's see how st. John put it. Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.
My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth. Bible KJV - 1 John - Chapter 3:1,18. Yes love goes beyond saying "I love you" but must flow from our actions. We can see from Cain and his brother Abel, if Cain truly loved his brother he won't have killed him, I know how painful it is to love especially those who offends us but if you truly love God you won't find it difficult to love others.
As believers the world will turn against us, everything will seems to be working against us but let us be dead to our flesh through the saving word of Jesus Christ from whom we have passed from death to life because of his price for love paid once and for all on the cross.
1 John 3:16 This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves.
We are saved through the love of Christ and it's by the love of Christ in us that will save others around us, remember; 1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
1 John 4:12 No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us - perfect love!
Anglican Hyminal: A&M Revised 197
1. The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his,
and he is mine for ever.
2. Where streams of living water flow,
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
3. Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love He sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
4. In death's dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide
5. Thou spread'st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
6. And so through all the length of days
thy goodness faileth never:
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house for ever.
Prayers
Almighty and Everlasting Father, thank you for your love expressed through your dear Son Jesus Christ. It is through Him that we live and have our being. Lord give us the grace to live in love with one another. Help us to love your church and those who did not know you that through charity and gospel of truth, they will come to the saving knowledge of who you are through Jesus Christ our Lord! Amen
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