Live a life of love. Love others just as Christ loved us. He gave himself for us—a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:2 ERV
The greatest commandment for every believer is love; encapsulated in this way: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Deuteronomy 6:5) and “Love your neighbour as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18). Let us now consider what it means to live a life of love.
This is the attitude that we must manifest daily. Paul, in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 also summarizes it this way:
If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don’t love, I’m nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God’s Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, “Jump,” and it jumps, but I don’t love, I’m nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don’t love, I’ve gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I’m bankrupt without love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3 MSG
Walking in love goes beyond the mere verbal profession. In fact, this kind of love is not the kind that loves only those that love you. This level of walking in love is only attained through the help of the Holy Spirit. Imagine Stephen, even at the point of death still prayed that God would forgive those stoning him. What a great practice of love!
Another important truth I would like us to consider is that love is our identity of being a disciple. Jesus Himself testified to this in John 13:35
For when you demonstrate the same love I have for you by loving one another, everyone will know that you’re my true followers.
John 13:35 TPT
Jesus’ Life: Our Model of A Life of Love
Meanwhile, it is important to note that the kind of love that God is expecting from us has a ‘blueprint’. We are to love just as Christ loved us. The Lord Jesus demonstrated His love to us by giving Himself for as a sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God. He offered Himself for our sins. He could have loved us and not die on the cross, but He knew that would not bring God’s best plan for us to fulfilment. God wanted everyone to be reconciled to Him, but the wall of partition had to be first broken down. Therefore, Jesus, unselfishly sought the best for us; He paid the debt He did not owe.
Likewise, you have been called to love, value one another, practice empathy and compassion, unselfishly seek the best for others, just as Christ loved you. But unless you have embraced this love, it would be impossible for you to love in this way. You cannot give what you don’t have. Without the love of Christ in your heart, you cannot love in this way. And without this life of love, no matter what you say, what you believe, and what you do, you’re bankrupt.