Online Bible Audio/Readings Links (ESV)
3/1 Reading Portions: Exodus 12:22-51; Luke 15; Job 30; 1 Corinthians 16
Listen to the audio devotional above, and/or read the written devotional below.
Let all that you do be done in love. 1 Corinthians 16:14
DO
If we’ve been saved by God’s grace through faith in Christ, and that, because of the love and forgiveness of God, this command would seem to be a foregone conclusion. In fact, why must we be encouraged, even commanded to ensure all our deeds are accomplished, performed, executed, or even attempted in love? The reason: our flesh lusts against the Spirit (Gal 5:17); that is, our flesh hates Christ, despises God’s grace, and opposes the gospel. The flesh must be crucified (Col 3:5) or we will be confounded and bound to a religious system of rules and regulations from human, not heavenly, precepts and teachings (Col 3:20-21); and although they would seem to make sense in human terms,
they are of no value in stopping the indulgence of the flesh. Colossians 3:23
Love “binds everything together in perfect harmony” (Col 3:14). In other words, everything in the Christian’s new life in Christ begins with love and ends in love. It must; for the origin of love is God because “God is love” (1 Jn 4:8). Our ultimate goal is to glorify God the Father (1 Cor 10:31) through the exaltation of Jesus Christ (Phil 2:9-11), who is very God (John 10:30), and is therefore, also love (1 Jn 4:8). Thus, when we put into practice those holy precepts for Christ’s exaltation so that the Father is glorified, we are actually clothing ourselves with Christ— by putting on…
compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness and patience… Colossians 3:12
We are not harvesting these attributes from the corruptions of our flesh. It comes from surrender to the overruling peace of Christ purchased for us by His gospel sacrifice, resurrection, and ascended glory (Col 3:15). The only way love may become a “choice” to make a determined decision, or an “action” or “verb” as evidence of Christian love, is when love is sourced from the Father and empowered by the Spirit for Christ’s exaltation.
Good works accomplished with a heart
Not centered in Christ’s cross
Is void of love and has no part
In truth, and suffers loss.
