JESUS ADDS HIS LOVE TO MY FAITH

"For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith virtue; and to virtue, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love."2 Peter 1:5-7

As Jesus completes His godliness with brotherly kindness, He changes my view of others by helping me see them as people who need love and grace. When Jesus adds His love to His brotherly kindness, He changes my understanding of grace so I can truly experience abundant living.

Jesus wants me to live in the grace of God in every situation and with every person.

What Is Love?

Defining love isn't as easy as I might think because I usually think about love in terms of human love.  Human love often has boundaries created by my emotions. If someone makes me angry, my love may diminish. If someone disappoints me, my love may suffer. If someone hurts me, I may find it difficult to trust that person again.

But God's love is different. God's love is not determined by how lovable I am. God's love is determined by who He is.

1 Peter 4:8 tells me that love "covers a multitude of sins."

In John 15, Jesus tells me that when I abide in His love, His joy will be in me and my joy will be full. Then Jesus says: "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends." John 15:13.

This is more than an explanation of love. This is a picture of Jesus.

God Shows Me What Love Looks Like

1 John 4:7-11 helps me see love from God's perspective:

"Love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love... In this is love, not that we have loved God but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins... if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."

God did not simply tell me that He loves me. He showed me. He sent Jesus Christ, His one and only Son, so that I might live through Him.

This is love: not that I loved God, but that He loved me first.

Jesus went to the cross for me. Jesus paid the price for my sin. Jesus gave His life so that I could have life. The more I understand His love for me, the more I understand His grace.

Love Looks Like Jesus

1 Corinthians 13:4-7 gives me another picture of God's love:

"Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant... it is not irritable or resentful... Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things."

When I read those words, I realize there is only One who walked this earth who perfectly lived this kind of love: Jesus Christ.

Jesus is patient. Jesus is kind. Jesus is not selfish. Jesus does not keep a record of my wrongs after He has forgiven me. Jesus rejoices in truth. Jesus protects. Jesus gives hope. Jesus perseveres.

Jesus is God's love revealed to me. And now He wants that same love to flow through me.

Love Changes How I Respond to Sin

2 Corinthians 2:4-8 teaches me something difficult about love. When someone causes grief, my natural response may be anger, resentment, or separation. But Paul teaches me to forgive, comfort, and reaffirm my love for that person. That is grace.

I have to remember that I live in a world filled with sinful people, and I am one of them. Others will fail me. Others will disappoint me. Others may sin against me.

But I should not be surprised when sinners sin. Instead of responding with anger or hate, Jesus teaches me to respond with the same patience and grace He has shown me.

This does not mean that sin doesn't matter. It means that grace changes how I respond to the sinner.

Jesus has been patient with me. Jesus has forgiven me. Jesus has comforted me. Jesus has continued loving me. Now He asks me to allow His love to flow through me to others.

His Love Changes My Understanding of Grace

My kindness and concern for the people around me should become so great that I understand I am here to serve them for God, without an agenda of my own.

I don't love someone because of what that person can do for me. I don't serve someone so that I will be recognized. I don't extend grace because someone deserves it. I love because Jesus first loved me.

When Jesus takes His brotherly kindness and adds His abiding love, I begin to understand the grace that has given me abundant life. Grace means I received what I could never earn. Grace means Jesus loved me when I did not deserve His love. Grace means He forgave me when I could never pay the debt of my sin. And now His grace changes the way I love others.

This Divine patience shows itself through God's love shining through me to the people around me. I don't need to be boastful. I don't need to be filled with pride. I don't need to receive glory. The glory belongs to God.

Love Leads Me to Abundant Living

Everything Jesus has been adding to my faith has been leading me here. He has been changing me from the inside out.

His virtue changed my outlook.

His knowledge changed my identity.

His self-control changed my understanding of Him as Lord and Master.

His perseverance changed my attitude.

His godliness changed my goal.

His brotherly kindness changed my view of others.

And now His love changes my understanding of grace.

I begin to understand that abundant living is not about how much I have. It is not about everything going my way. It is not even about living without difficulty.

Abundant living is Jesus Christ living His life through me. His virtue. His knowledge.

His self-control. His perseverance. His godliness. His brotherly kindness. His love.

These are not qualities I have manufactured. They are the character of Jesus being formed in me. And as His love flows through me, I begin to experience the abundant life He has given me.

What Have I Learned?

Faith gives me confidence and trust in God.

Virtue changes my outlook to an eternal perspective.

Knowledge changes my identity by helping me understand that I am a child of God.

Self-control changes my understanding of Jesus as my Lord and Master.

Perseverance changes my attitude to one of hope and expectancy.

Godliness changes my goal from living for today to living for eternity.

Brotherly kindness changes my view of others by helping me see people who need love and grace.

Love changes my understanding of grace so that I can experience abundant living.

I don't have to love others according to how they treat me. I don't have to wait until someone deserves grace before I give it. I don't have to manufacture God's love within myself. I can abide in Jesus and allow His love to flow through me. I can give grace because I have received grace. I can love because He first loved me. 

That is abundant living.

Reflect

• Is my love for others determined by how they treat me, or by how Jesus has loved me?

• Is there someone I need to forgive, comfort, or reassure of my love?

• Where is Jesus asking me to extend grace instead of anger or resentment?

• Do others see the love of Jesus flowing through my life?

Prayer

Father, thank You for loving me first. Thank You for sending Your Son, Jesus Christ, so that I could be forgiven and receive the gift of eternal and abundant life. Teach me to abide in the love of Jesus so that His love flows through me to others. When someone hurts or disappoints me, remind me of the patience, forgiveness, and grace You have shown me. Help me love without an agenda, serve without seeking recognition, forgive as I have been forgiven, and give all the glory to You. May the love of Jesus shine through my life so that others can see Him living in me. In Jesus' name, Amen.

May you be blessed,

Chaplain Wayne Ruckman