Bible Study
To live victoriously is to always overcome, to always conquer, to always prevail, to always triumph, to win all the time.
As Christians, we are to live a life of perpetual victory because of the finished work of Christ (1 John 5:4, 2 Corinthians 2:14, Romans 8:37).
In Part 1 of this study, we discussed the requirement for living a victorious Christian life- be born of God. First John 5:4 says everyone born of God overcomes the world.
Please read up on ‘The Scope of the ChristianVictory’ in Part 2 and ‘How Christians Became Victorious’ in Part 3.
In Part 4 we considered ‘How Faith, Love and Hope Mix Together for Victorious Christian Living’. A fine mix of faith, love and hope is necessary for winning in life. Faith is central to Victorious Christian Living, however, faith doesn’t work alone. Faith is activated through words powered by love and anchored by hope.
Today, we continue by looking at ‘Victory Through Love’.
Victory Through Love (A)
The 14th of February is celebrated by some persons as St. Valentine’s Day; a Day of love. Is this practice scriptural or biblical? Truly, I do not know :). What I do know however is that Christianity is founded on love.
Love is beautiful when done right and love is worth celebrating. Love is a powerful winning strategy! God thought so….
God won you and I over through love, He saved us from Satan’s claws through love.
From John 3:16, we see what God thought of love; ……’if I could only show just how much I love them’, I will be able to save them’.
”For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16 NKJV
And save us He did!
Love won us, love saved us, love bought us, love redeemed us, love is keeping us.
Love is a powerful force, it is a winning strategy, it is a way to victorious Christian living.
What really is love?
What Is Love?
“Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love. This is how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him, this is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:8-10.
What can we say about love from 1 John 4:8-10?
The God-kind of love (agape) is not dependent on the recipient’s disposition, it is intentional, selfless and sacrificial. It always seeks to benefit the recipient- it can be restorative, redemptive, reassuring. The God-kind of love is benevolent and charitable.
The Nature Of The God-Kind Of Love.
The nature of a thing describes its inherent, basic or intrinsic features. For example, God is by nature loving, merciful, faithful, kind, a covenant keeper.
What is the nature of the God-kind of love?
It Is The Greatest Kind Of Love
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13. NKJV
“…….greater love has no one than this…”
There can be different kinds of love, different levels of love, but the greatest love that exist is the God-kind of love. There is no greater love…
You can express the greatest love there is..
It Is Divine
God’s love is not natural but divine. It is not ignited or sustained by natural or physical things. It is wholly of God.
And here is the good news; we are possessors of this same love nature. It was imputed in us at the new birth. By becoming born of the Spirit of God, we received His exact nature.
Love is a fruit of the spirit. God planted His seed in us, and the fruit of this seed is listed in Galatians 5:22. We are born of love.
“Beloved, let us [unselfishly] love and seek the best for one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves [others] is born of God and knows God [through personal experience]. The one who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love. [He is the originator of love, and it is an enduring attribute of His nature.]”
1 John 4:7-8 AMP
“But the fruit that the Spirit produces in a person’s life is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these kinds of things.“
Galatians 5:22-23 ERV
It Is Pure
It is not adulterated in any form. It has no hidden or ulterior motive. It is not manipulative.
It Is Perfect
God’s love is perfect, complete, lacking nothing, without defect or blemish.
It Is Unconditional
It is not dependent on good works, no works or bad works. Agape is unconditional, it loves the good, the not-so-good and the bad.
Romans 5:8 actually says that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us….
“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”
Romans 5:8 NKJV
It Is Sacrificial
God gave His only begotten Son. Jesus gave His life, He laid it down. The benefits of redemption we now enjoy didn’t come cheap; it cost God His only Son, it cost Jesus His life.
To love as God loves is to love sacrificially. It always costs something to love as God loves; may be your time, talents, tokens, possessions, etc. There is always something to give up, something to forgo.
It Is Selfless
Jesus didn’t die for Himself, no, He died for His friends.
“Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life FOR his friends.”
God didn’t give up His son because we were deserving; no, He did it while we were His enemies, while we didn’t love Him, while we were sinners.
“This is love:not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son“
“But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8 NIV.
There was no personal gain, there was no ulterior motive, except to save us and to have us.
The God-Kind Of Love Is Never Hidden
God demonstrated His love towards us, He showed His love towards us. Jesus laid down His life publicly for His friends. This laying down was obvious, seen, unhidden. This is how God loves.
Can you imagine if all that happened was God just thinking (in His heart) how wonderful and liberating it would be if He sent Jesus to save us but never really expressed it?
How do you show your love for the brethren, your spouse, neighbors, colleagues, unbelievers around you? The love that wins is the love that is demonstrated, shown or expressed
How do you love?
We are born of God, God is love, we are made of love. With the help of the Holy Spirit we can love as God loves.
The God-kind of love is pure, selfless, sacrificial, unconditional, intentional. It is divine, perfect, humble (puts the receiver first) and never hidden. It is available to all. It never fails; it always wins and it endures forever. Love found us, love saved us and love is keeping us.
Halleluyah!!!
Please join me next time as we continue by looking at the characteristics of agape.
Blessings & Love Always
