Increasing in love and compassion

Key verse: 1 John 4:7: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that lovethis born of God, and knoweth God,” (KJV).

Love is the nature of God and it is one of the major characteristics of believers. Our lives as children of God should radiate love and compassion towards one another. One of the distinguishing marks of a true child of God is love because God is love (1 John 4:8). To love one another is a command from God, which every true child of God should obey. When you don’t love, you are disobeying God and every act of disobedience is a sin. We cannot say that we know God without loving one another.

Love is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:10); love is the only debt a child of God is permitted to owe (Romans 13:8); love is the new commandment (John 13:34); love is the Christian badge, the identifying feature of Christ’s disciples (John 13:35); love is the first in the list of the fruits of the spirit-filled life (Galatians 5:22); love is one of the commandments in the Old Testament that got express support and expanded application in the New Testament through the life, ministry and death of Jesus Christ (Leviticus 25:35-37) and love is the greatest (1 Corinthians 13:13).

Apostle Paul praying for the Christians in Philippians prayed that their love will increase the more (Philippians 1:9). In other words, it should grow. It is one thing to possess love; it is another thing to progress in love.

Our love for fellow Christians, neighbours, family members and others should not decrease, rather it should always increase. Paul makes the point that love must be purposeful and directed. Love must have moral discernment and not love in the worldly way. Love for others must be based on the love of God. So, Paul want our love to abound, grow and overflow, but we should do so with knowledge and wisdom. Why does love need to grow with knowledge and discernment? Paul gave three reasons in Philippians 1:10-11 which are: (i) that we may know and judge what is excellent and morally right; (ii) that we may grow in righteousness and (iii) that glory and praise are given to God.

• Today’s nugget: Jesus had a heart of compassion and love. Prayer: Increase my love for one another. Prayer lines: 08033299824.E-mail: [email protected]. Rev. Abel UkachiAmadi, General Superintendent, Assemblies of God Nigeria