LOVE IN ACTION
Agape Love – 1 John 3:18
“Actions speak louder than words.”
These are very familiar words you can hear from people who are in a relationship or from people who expect other people’s affection and love. These are the very words we will hear in our surroundings and the very thought preached in movies, books and fairytales.
Good news is, it is not only preached in the movies we see or the books we read, but God also wants us to do this. In our verse today, He is telling us to love not just in thoughts and words but with actions and in truth.
The Bible is talking about so many types of love and this time God is referring to the love He gave to us— His agape love. Jesus Christ laid His own life for His friends and enemies. He sacrificed His life for us all so we don’t have to receive God’s wrath. Therefore, it is just right for us to do the same. We are directed to lay down our lives to our brothers and sisters and sacrifice for them. However, God does not want us to literally die for them but He wants us to serve one another to the highest level.
It is just very easy to say “I love you” to many people and to the people we hold most dear. It is easy to love in thoughts and in words but the true test of genuine love is expressed through our actions and in truth. Loving doesn’t mean only expressing it through our feelings or words but through giving up ourselves in complete service for others, no matter what the cost is, may it be money, time, reputation, and everything we can offer.
An act of true love should be like the love of Jesus. It is all about “dying to self” and “living in Christ”. The love of Jesus is the complete example of loving in deeds and in truth and as we receive this love, this will manifest in our lives and we will be able to show it to others too.
To love in words and in thoughts means expressing how much we love that specific person but it should be accompanied with actions and truth. It can never be true if it is without action. For our true love can only be found in Jesus, now, we can also give this love to others through Him. As the Bible said, this saving faith we have can produce good deeds. We are saved through faith and with this it can produce good works.
Through this good work that is produced by our faith in Jesus Christ, it will mirror His love and we will be able to shine it onto others too. For in the book of Romans said that we are living sacrifices and this is our true act of worship.Therefore, as we worship the Lord, let us also become people who mirrored God’s love unto the people who haven’t known yet.
However, let us always remember that we can never do this no matter how hard we try. We can never give what we don’t have and we can never give this through our own strength. So first, we must be able to recognize where this unconditional love came from and submit everything to Jesus and through this, we will be able to love the people around us not just in words but in actions and truth.
Loving in spirit, in truth, in deed is a manifestation of someone who died from self-preservation nature has become made new in Christ. It is an evidence of someone who lives in Christ and abides with Him.
Let us therefore always remember to love in action and truth, not only just through words. May we remember to show everyone the love we have firstly received from Jesus and be in complete service to the people who need us. As Christians, who are already clothed in Jesus’ righteousness, may we understand the degree of importance of this commandment and always seek out to follow this.
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