HOW TO REMAIN IN THE LOVE OF CHRIST - PART 7

FRIDAY 26 JANUARY 2024

As I end this very topic with today's Article, I want you to understand that there is no sufficient reason why we should not remain in the love of Christ, as speaking of the very unmerited love and favour He made manifest on the cross on our behalf and His finished work which displays His grace and goodness, as well as His wisdom, power and dominion, made known to the whole universe. More below!

Reference: John 15:10 Amplified Bible (AMP)

"If you keep My commandments and obey My teaching, you will remain in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and remain in His love."

Psalm 63:3 (NIV) reads, "Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you." Indeed, this is the vertex of the exaltation: Christ's love is better than life, which means that it is superior to the existence of any creature.

You can't compare anything that found an expression in creation to this love. It is an infinite love that vested supreme authority within the vastness of the untold mystery, namely Christ Jesus, who is the representative or mediative figure of the reconciliation of God and humankind. Psalm 36:5 (NLT) reads, "Your unfailing love, O Lord, is as vast as the heavens; your faithfulness reaches beyond the clouds." Think about it: It's been over 2000 years since Jesus died for us, yet till this very moment, the love of the Father echoes to mankind through Christ, which implies that it does not die or fade away.

Zero wonder, apostle Paul, having considered deeply that God did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up for us all, concluded with ardent conviction by saying: "Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?...No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 8:35 (as well as verses 37-39 NIV).

Beloved, you can only make declarations like this when you are heavily grounded and rooted in Christ's love. As long as you are fully committed to this love, you are spiritually "in shape." And it does not matter that you have the good things of the present world in abundance, nothing will ever separate you from the love of Christ, if you're deeply rooted and grounded in it. This love is a powerful indicator of God's abounding grace, and definitely, it will keep you far from desiring unlawful things and ungodly pleasures, as well as inspire you to hate the evil works of darkness and the appearances of worldliness - with all the earnestness of your inward being.

The love of Christ will keep you far from everything that is utterly inconsistent with spiritual and heavenly-minded life. Why? For the love controls us (2 Corinthians 5:14 ESV). The love prompts us to shun all manner of ungodliness and keeps us far from the negatively inclined company of all who are unbelieving and disobedient. In a nutshell, if you are rooted and grounded in this love, you'll be conditioned to refrain from godless association or from those who promote sinful pleasures and corrupting influences, and thereby, function in this evil world with wisdom, in righteousness, and in solemn devotion to God.

In summary, children of God, apostle Jude gave us a strategy for a qualitative sustainability in Christ's love, which is, "But you, dear friends: build each other up on the foundation of your most holy faith, pray in the Holy Spirit, keep each other in the love of God, wait for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will give you eternal life" (Jude 1:20-21 CEB).

Beloved, through God's unwavering love, we can function in the realities of eternal life, as we keep our faith alive and continue to encourage each other in the realm of Christ's love. Shalom!

Scripture Reading - 1 Corinthians 13:13; 1 John 3:1; Romans 5:5; 1 John 4:9.

Exuberant Declaration:

I remarkably acknowledge that the love of Christ in me prompts the communication of the newness of life, which I live in Christ, and this unfailing love is the central gift of the glorious Gospel. Praise God!