True Love is Easily Seen

I Peter 1:22–25
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

William Gladstone, in announcing the death of Princess Alice to the House of Commons, told a touching story. The little daughter of the Princess was seriously ill with diphtheria. The doctors told the princess not to kiss her little daughter and endanger her life by breat … More

Love

Our love for God is demonstrated by our loving the brethren (v.22). An example of this is found in I John 4:20-21. Love toward  God is hard to measure, however love toward the brethren is easily seen. This love is to be a “fervent” love which is real and not a pretense love.

Why should the Christian manifest this kind of love? The answer is because the believer has experienced the new birth through the Word of God which is an incorruptible seed that abides forever (v. 23). God has demonstrated His love and  His children are to love as He does. The Word of God is eternal (vv. 23-25). It will last forever but the things of this life are temporal and they will pass away. The eternal Word shows the love of God and that expression of love is part of the believer’s life.  See Mark 12:30,31.

Men’s hopes are dead hopes which are like cut flowers that bloom awhile and then they fade and die. The Christian’s hope is fresh and fruitful because it is a “living hope” (v. 3), purchased by “the living Christ” (v. 3) and promised in “the living Word” (v. 23). When Jesus comes again He will be the completion of this hope as we will be with Him throughout all eternity. This is what under stress and the circumstances of life helps us to set our hope fully on the grace of God, rather than on our self.

Application

 

Is God’s love being shown in my life? To believers? To unbelievers? What examples can I give as proof of this fact?

 

I Peter 1:22-25 (English Standard Version)


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