Walk in Love
Read the Text: 2 John
Memorize the Text:
Grace, mercy, and peace will be with us from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.
(2 John 3, CSB)
Consider the Text: 1 John 5:18-20
The apostle John understood that believers received a call from the Lord to walk in love. He understood that a walk in love illuminated the love of the Lord and journeyed through life controlled by the love of the Lord. When a believer lives controlled by love, they love the Lord with every ounce of their being and love others in the love of Christ. As we consider our life with Christ, we must assess our walk with the Lord. Does our walk reflect a walk that occurs controlled by love?
TEST YOUR LOVE FOR THE LORD
The apostle John knew that believers must love the Lord wholeheartedly. In the New and Old Testaments, the Bible declares that our love for the Lord must be with all the heart, mind, soul, and strength. When these areas of love combine, the individual lives out a complete love for the Lord. Thus, the individual places the Lord as number one in life. When the Lord takes a prominent place in one’s life, then the believer seeks to follow the leading and guidance of the Lord.
Obedience to the Word of God and the leading of the Lord reveal one’s love for the Lord. When we seek to excuse ourselves from the Lord’s leading, we set the self above the Lord in life and live in rebellion. The test of love for the Lord occurs by analyzing what we love and desire compared to our desire for the Lord. The examination of obedience to the Lord reveals our heart's intent and provides a measure of our love for the Lord.
TEST YOUR LOVE FOR OTHERS
The Lord declared that believers needed to demonstrate their love for the Lord through their love for others. The ability to love others includes thinking of them as more important than the self. Thus, believers approach others with a sacrificial willfulness to show love. This sacrificial willfulness does not include the sacrificing of truth but centers on the offering of the desires of the flesh. When believers live out love, they reflect the love of Christ so that others can see the available gift of life.
We must examine our love for others. We must assess if our love for others exists on a conditional basis or if we love others unconditionally. This test means we assess if we expect certain activities or responses from people and if we will love them instead of loving them despite their weaknesses. When we love unconditionally and sacrificially, we present the love of Christ to others and open the door to having gospel conversations with others. This examination tests horizontal love for others that flows from our vertical love for the Lord.
TEST YOUR LIFE FOR THE PRESENCE OF LOVE
The apostle John called believers to walk in love. However, the ability to walk in love faithfully depends on the constant focus on living for the Lord. The inability to love others reflects a weakened or distracted love for the Lord. When we do not love the Lord fully, we cannot truly love others. The lack of love means we build relationships on secondary truths and lack the foundation to love others and the Lord. The lack of love also reflects a lack of faith or an infant level. As a result, the testing of life for the presence of true love is a platform to find affirmation of your relationship with the Lord.
This blog is part of the Coffee and Quiet Time with Jesus Devotional Series found at equippingfaith.com. Join the journey of reading through the New Testament this year. More information can be found at equippingfaith.com.
