Wednesday, August 03, 2016

Peter affirmed those he was writing to in 1st Peter by saying, “You have sincere love for your brothers.” But he immediately continued by calling on them now to “love one another deeply, from the heart.” The sincere love they had for their brothers was phileo love. The deep love from the heart he called them to is agape love. It’s the love Jesus demonstrated toward others. Paul wrote about it in Romans 5:6-8 – “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly…God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Then in verse 5 it says, “God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.” The action of the verb that is translated “poured out” indicates that God has poured out His love into the hearts of all believers and continues to pour it into their hearts so they have an infinite supply. That’s why Peter wrote, “Love one another deeply, from the heart.” Believers don’t have the option of saying, “I can’t love a particular brother.” From the reservoir of God’s love in your heart, which He has filled and keeps on filling with His love, you can love him or her. By faith in the promise and provision of God trust Him to enable you to do what you can’t do on your own. Remember, “It is God who works in you, to will and to act according to his good purpose” (Philippians 2:13). He provides the desire and then the ability to love your brother and sister. Trust and obey.