What should Christians do while we wait for the end? Part two (1 Peter 4:8)

In my previous devotion I raised this question: What should Christians do while we wait for the end?

I said pray. Intentionally carve out time and really speak to God. Why? So that you may resist the temptation to sin and other things may not pull you away from prayer.  

This was the first virtue.

The second virtue, in light of Jesus’ return, is love others by forgiving them.

8 Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, why should we love one another? since love covers a multitude of sins.

This virtue is very important. For Peter says, “above all, keep loving one another.”

It is important because this type of love forgives those who do wrong and have wronged us.

So, what is this love? The Greeks described love in 4 ways:  

Phileo is love between friends. 

Eros is romantic love between husband and wife. 

Storge is instinctual love, like the love of a parent towards offspring and vice versa. 

Finally, agape, which is associated with Divine, God's love towards people.

The definition of agape is found in the Bible, the word of God. Let me read it for you from two pieces of scripture because it is so clear.

1 John 4:10-11 

“10 This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

Romans 5: 6 - 8

“6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

We sinned against God, the most perfect person in the entire universe, yet he forgave us by sending his Son, Jesus Christ to die for us.

We rebelled against him, refused to follow his ways and lived out the desires of our flesh like sexual misconduct, greed, desiring to have what others have and treating others like dirt. But God said, it is ok, I WILL FORGIVE YOU!

We chose to remove God from our lives and replace him with the gods of this age, such as, money, possessions, idols, fame, and work. However, he forgave us through his son's death on the cross.

Here is the bottom line, we did wrong and wronged God, yet he forgave us.

This is what we call agape love, God's love for humanity. And this is how we, as Christians, should love other Christians, no matter their skin colour, sense of style and denomination. When a brother or sister in Christ slips up and sins, be it drunkenness, lust, anger because of peer pressure or temptation from our enemy the devil, instead of judging them, we should forgive them. When brothers and sisters in Christ sin against you. Perhaps say a nasty word, speak abruptly and tease you. You must express agape love.

And stay away from worldly love. What do I mean by worldly love? 

Worldly love is love expressed in a conditional way. You love me, then I love you. When you are kind to me, then I will be kind to you. It is like a cell phone contract. We pay the service provider, and the service provider gives us regular data, airtime and the cell phone. 

Stay away from this type of love, do not let it creep into your heart or the church. 

For we are called to love Christians who do not show love to us. We are called to forgive those who have wronged us.

Go beyond Will Smith's definition of love. 

Will Smith, I'm sure most of you know him, but if you don’t, he is a famous Hollywood actor, he made many movies, earned many awards and is a self-proclaimed motivational speaker. 

This is his definition of love: not only does he define love, but respells it. 

He says Love - L - O - V - E is spelt L - U - V and each letter has a meaning. 

L - is LISTEN to the other person. Really hear the person out, do not let it go through one ear and come out the other.

U - is UNDERSTAND what they are saying. Really figure out what they are saying and where they are coming from.

V - is VALIDATE them. If you listened and understood the person, and if what they said is true, then validate them.

Relationally these are good qualities but for us, as Christians, very limited. 

Because it does not tell us what to do when someone hurts us, or sins against us. So we need to go beyond Will Smith’s definition and put on, take on board, practice, and express agape love, God's love.

Jesus is coming, what will he catch you doing? Loving other Christians conditionally like the world, or loving them like God, unconditionally, forgiving them when they do wrong and have wronged you?

God Bless,

Steven Gounder.