April 19th, 2024
by Robert Presson
by Robert Presson
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” — 1 John 3:16, NKJV
When we hear the phrase “laying down your life for someone,” we might immediately picture certain brave people who have risked or given up their lives for the benefit of others. But according to 1 John 3:16, true love is not just a one-time action. True love is the readiness to give our lives up for our brothers and sisters, just as Jesus Christ did for us. Jesus gave up His life for us, and thank God for that! But He also lived for us and we should live to love others.
The three virtues that Paul listed in 1 Corinthians 13:13—faith, hope, and love—are the basis for this book. This particular section is about love.
You might be wondering why these devotions on love have been focused on God’s love for us rather than loving others, when loving others is what Paul was really getting at in 1 Corinthians 13:13. But today, 1 John 3:16 is being used as a hinge of sorts. The Bible makes it clear: in order to love other people, we must first receive God's love for us and be infused with His loving nature. Then, we will love others effortlessly. Christ's supreme act of love—his death on the cross—shows us what it means to give our lives in service of others. In our place, He lived a perfect life before dying a perfect death, and He now ever lives to make inter- cession for us (Hebrews 7:25).
And thank God Jesus gave His life for us! We would have no salvation, no eternal life, no hope, no indwelling of the Holy Spirit, no conformity to Christ, no sanctification, and none of the things that come with receiving Christ apart from His sacrifice. But we would also have no example of what it means to truly love. It involves prioritizing their needs and welfare over our own. It involves giving up our convenience, free time, and resources for the benefit of others. It involves treating them with the same sacrificial love that Christ showed toward us. How can we give our lives in service to other people? Let's pray that God will give us His love and the ability to love sacrificially, just as He did for us in sending His Son.
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This blog is taken from Robert Presson's book, "30 Days of Faith, Hope and Love." To order this book, go to cityrevival.tv/fhl
When we hear the phrase “laying down your life for someone,” we might immediately picture certain brave people who have risked or given up their lives for the benefit of others. But according to 1 John 3:16, true love is not just a one-time action. True love is the readiness to give our lives up for our brothers and sisters, just as Jesus Christ did for us. Jesus gave up His life for us, and thank God for that! But He also lived for us and we should live to love others.
The three virtues that Paul listed in 1 Corinthians 13:13—faith, hope, and love—are the basis for this book. This particular section is about love.
You might be wondering why these devotions on love have been focused on God’s love for us rather than loving others, when loving others is what Paul was really getting at in 1 Corinthians 13:13. But today, 1 John 3:16 is being used as a hinge of sorts. The Bible makes it clear: in order to love other people, we must first receive God's love for us and be infused with His loving nature. Then, we will love others effortlessly. Christ's supreme act of love—his death on the cross—shows us what it means to give our lives in service of others. In our place, He lived a perfect life before dying a perfect death, and He now ever lives to make inter- cession for us (Hebrews 7:25).
And thank God Jesus gave His life for us! We would have no salvation, no eternal life, no hope, no indwelling of the Holy Spirit, no conformity to Christ, no sanctification, and none of the things that come with receiving Christ apart from His sacrifice. But we would also have no example of what it means to truly love. It involves prioritizing their needs and welfare over our own. It involves giving up our convenience, free time, and resources for the benefit of others. It involves treating them with the same sacrificial love that Christ showed toward us. How can we give our lives in service to other people? Let's pray that God will give us His love and the ability to love sacrificially, just as He did for us in sending His Son.
---
This blog is taken from Robert Presson's book, "30 Days of Faith, Hope and Love." To order this book, go to cityrevival.tv/fhl
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