“But the goal of our instruction is love, from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.”  1 Timothy 1:5
 
We are 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.
 
Concerning Christian love, I will take some quotes from “Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words”
 
    (Vine’s): “Love can be known only from the actions it prompts.”
1 John 4:9-10 tells us,
“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 send His son to be a propitiation for 
our sins.”  
 
    (Vine’s): “But obviously this is not the love of complacency, or affection, that is, it was not drawn out by any excellency in its objects.”
Remember we were at enmity with God, there was nothing  in us worthy of anything but God’s wrath.  BUT GOD!
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us.”  Romans 5:8
 
    (Vine’s): “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.”
Ephesians 2:4-5,
“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 s alive together with Christ…”
 
“For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, 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
 
    (Vine’s):  “Christian love has God as its primary object, and expresses itself first of all in implicit obedience to His commandments.”
“If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  John 14:15
Vs. 21,
“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 disclose Myself to him.”
Vs. 23
“…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.”  
 
    (Vine’s): “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.”
Romans 15:2 says,
“Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification” 
 
“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 God’s love (agape), but as God is Love there are no words enough to express it or explain it or ever to comprehend it!  Therefore, let us allow God to so work in us that our lives may be an expression of it.  Christian love is the fruit of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23.
 
Thank you Most Holy Loving God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for Your great love that is beyond comprehension.  Amen