"Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good
conscience and from sincere faith." 1 Timothy 1:5

We have been looking into the attributes and attitude of the Christian.
Last week we looked at love in relation to Christians.  Let's look into this
a little further using the above Scripture as our stepping off place.

As defined in "Vine's Expository Dictionary" (I will take direct quotes),
let us look once again at Christian love.

   "Love can be known only from the actions it prompts." (Vine's)
It can be seen in God's gift to us of His Son:
"In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His
only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him...not that
we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His son to be a propitiation for
our sins." 1 John 4:9-10

   "But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that
    is it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects." (Vine's)
Remember we were at enmity with God, there was nothing in us worthy of
anything but God's wrath.  BUT GOD (my favorite words)!
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were sinners
Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

   "It was an exercise of the Divine will in deliberate choice, made
    without assignable cause save that which lies in the nature of God
    Himself...Love had its perfect expression among men in the Lord
    Jesus Christ." (Vine's)
"But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He
loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with
Christ..." Ephesians 2:4-5

"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become
the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21

"And to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be
filled up to all the fullness of God." Ephesians 3:19

   "Christian love has God as its primary object, and expresses itself
    first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments." (Vine's)
"If you love Me, you will keep My commandments." John 14:15
"He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he
who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will
disclose Myself to him." Vs. 21
"...If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him,
and We will come to him, and make Our abode with him." Vs. 23

"But whoever keeps His word, in him the love of God has truly been
perfected.  By this we know that we are in Him..." 1 John 2:5

"For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His
commandments are not burdensome." 1 John 5:3

   "Christian love, whether exercised toward the brethren, or toward men
    generally, is not an impulse from feelings...nor does it spend itself
    only upon those for whom some affinity is discovered.  Love seeks the
    welfare of all and works no ill to any." (Vine's)
"Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to his edification."
Romans 15:2
"Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the
law." Romans 13:10

And in 1 Corinthians 13:8a, "Love never fails!"

There is so much more to be said of love, but as God is Love there are not
words enough to express or explain it.  Therefore, let us each allow God to
so work in us that our lives may become the pure expression of Christ who
indwells us.

En agape!