“He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love.”
1 John 4:8
John, in this concise declaration, reduces the apprehension of God to love. The love of which he speaks is agape, the divine love. His love is sacrificial and redemptive in nature, pure in all of its workings.
There is nothing more profound, more humbling, more majestic or more convicting than the Love of God. Its embrace of the human soul is incomprehensible, and its depths are unfathomable. In His Holy presence, all things bow under the weight of His Glory.
The Power of Love and Unity
While many declare that the unity for which Jesus prayed is unattainable in this life, those who have touched the wonder of God’s Love know there is nothing impossible where His love reigns. Unity is simply the atmosphere of His presence.
“so that no flesh might glory in His presence.”
1 Corinthians 1:29 (LITV)
His Presence eviscerates the passions, egos, and pride of men. Only by pride does the Body of Christ suffer from the strife and schisms of men.
“Only by pride cometh contention…”
Proverbs 13:10
Those affected by the love of God cannot isolate themselves from His people. They cannot withhold from others the same fellowship and interaction with those whom Christ Himself has purchased.
To hold His Love within our earthly vessels is to love others as HE does. It is the Christ within from which this love is poured forth. Love is the evidence of God. Love is a verb that expresses motion toward the object of its affection.
“This is My commandment,
That ye love one another, AS I have loved you.”
John 15:2
It requires little discernment to feel with anguish the current temperature of His Body in our land. Jesus prophesied of our day:
“And because iniquity shall abound,
the love of many shall wax cold.”
Matthew 24:12
Paul pleads with the people of God to invest themselves in each other, unto the participation of the Love He has for us. Fellowship is simply each of His people sharing the faith, the hope, and the love of Him with each other, free from seeking personal advantage.
“So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation (fellowship KJV) in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind.”
Philippians 2:1-2
The key to understanding the above scripture is the word “IF.” Where there is an absence of these essential graces, there is also an absence of His love.
IF there is any encouragement…
IF any (abiding) comfort of love…
IF there is a desire for fellowship (participation) in one another’s life in the Spirit…
IF there be any AFFECTION and sympathy
Complete my joy, by being of the same mind….”
This imploring cry that resonated in Paul was the fire, the breath, and the passion of God. The expression of such a prayer gives evidence of the unifying love of God!
If there is a lack in our hearts of the necessity to encourage others to this wonder of fellowship, we must turn our hearts again unto the ONE who can renew us in His love.
If there is no abiding comfort of love… we will not feel the desire for fellowship and participation with our brothers and sisters.
If there is an absence of the divine affection for our brothers and sisters…we are incapable of touching this unity or its abounding joy.
Fellowship is the outflow
of a life that is in an active relationship
with God
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”
1 John 1:3-4
The estimation of God concerning each of us, though simple, lays before us the touchstone of truth.
“He that loveth not knoweth not God;
for God is love.”
1 John 4:8
Related Post: Love the Brotherhood
“It is when we unbosom ourselves to Him, and confide to Him all our cares and sorrows and temptations, that He walks with us, and abides with us, and opens to us the Scriptures concerning Himself — His dignity, His suitableness. His loveliness. His truth, His tenderness. His faithfulness, revealing Himself in us; causing our hearts to burn within us — to burn with love, gratitude, devotion, courage, joy — to burn with a celestial fire, which consumes all selfishness and sin, and glows, a pure, perennial flame, upon pure, living altars.”
— Richard Fuller
Brian Troxel
And the greatest of these is LOVE. Thanks for this powerful post.
Thank you for stopping by…
His richest blessings to you!
BT
Thank you!
Nice👍
Amen 🙏
Faith is activated, manifested, and demonstrated through love (Galatians 5:6).
God Himself Is Love (1 John 4:8,16), both the Sole Source and the sufficient, splendorous, superscendent Supply.
The weight of the riches of our worshipful love for the One Beautiful Triune God, the acuity of our awareness of the Holy Trinity of lavishly, limitlessly loving, living Infinity for us and our fellow man, is our receptivity of and responsiveness to His mightily merciful, munificently graced love for us, as intimately experienced by us in vital-most conscious union and mutually abiding engaged Spirit/spirit communion.
The Greatest of These Is Love
1 Corinthians 13:13 AMP
And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.
God Is Hope
Romans 5:1-5 AMP
5 Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). 2 Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our [a]hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power]. 3 And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; 4 and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]. 5 Such hope [in God’s promises] never disappoints us, because God’s love has been abundantly poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
God Is Love
I John 4:7-21 AMP
7 Beloved, let us [unselfishly] [a]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]. 8 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.] 9 By this the love of God was displayed in us, in that God has sent His [One and] only begotten Son [the One who is truly unique, the only One of His kind] into the world so that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation [that is, the atoning sacrifice, and the satisfying offering] for our sins [fulfilling God’s requirement for justice against sin and placating His wrath]. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us [in this incredible way], we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. But if we love one another [with unselfish concern], God abides in us, and His love [the love that is His essence abides in us and] is completed and perfected in us. 13 By this we know [with confident assurance] that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given to us His [Holy] Spirit. 14 We [who were with Him in person] have seen and testify [as eye-witnesses] that the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world.
15 Whoever confesses and acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 We have come to know [by personal observation and experience], and have believed [with deep, consistent faith] the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides continually in him. 17 In this [union and fellowship with Him], love is completed and perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment [with assurance and boldness to face Him]; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love [dread does not exist]. But perfect (complete, full-grown) love drives out fear, because fear involves [the expectation of divine] punishment, so the one who is afraid [of God’s judgment] is not perfected in love [has not grown into a sufficient understanding of God’s love]. 19 We love, because [b]He first loved us. 20 If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates (works against) his [Christian] brother he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should also [unselfishly] love his brother and seek the best for him.
Glad to hear from you – was wondering how you were doing.
BT
For your blog and response, beloved brother Brian, thank you!
I thank our God of wonders that I am pain-free and enjoying immensely walking through the village or countryside daily, seeing and savoring His very Self shown forth over all His creation.
Concerning insomnia, I would appreciate prayer; I strongly suspect prescription medication is insidiously interfering.
Oh, to the Three-Personed God, Who omnisciently is presciently the Truth and Justice of Love Almighty, so very much temporarily and especially eternally, such as His ceaseless compassion and constant companionship, we, in all actuality and supernality, harbor to be ecstatically glad and awe-saturated, wondrously grateful for. Most certainly, He, Himself no less, is our heavenly Inheritance, our exceeding and eternal great Reward. Alleluia!!!
Mercy, grace, and peace multiplied to you, your family, and your readers in the ravishing revelation of the preeminent perfection and prepotent power of the One Beautiful God’s beautifying, peerless Presence as the Author, Architect, and Artist of our lives. Amen to Amen, the Almighty
https://youtu.be/hWshhpUMGtw?si=dp0Qd6yviyR58F4S
“…“Only by pride cometh contention…”
Proverbs 13:10…”
The natural man doesn’t know how to yield. It is why we have wars, why we need courts and protection.
We, who believe should look at our own character with honesty about this thing called “pride”
Pride likes to fight, what do we lean to?
Blessings Brian.
Personal pride is never petty nor pretty.
We are to lean the entirety of our being ever and always into the Spirit of Grace and Truth, Who Is Christ, our Consecration and Completeness.
Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP
5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
As those saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy saved, He shall never forget us, fail us nor forsake us, as He, the Supremacy and Splendor of both our salvation and our sanctification, ever lives to ceaselessly continue calling to and chasing down our hearts through all of our perversion, pride and pain, as our intimately involved Intercessor at the royally righteous hand of and ardently affectionate Advocate before His and our Selfsame Abba, the Almighty, until that Perfect Day.
Hebrews 4:14-16 AMP
14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].
Indeed, graciously greater are His prescient promises to us than our promises or purport are or ever could be to Him.
Sin ought not to be our focus, and thus further our folly. The subsequence of such is that which we focus on is what we become similar to and are subjected to. Sin is not the solution; surrender of stubbornness and submission of self to our Savior and Sanctifier is the Solution.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 AMP
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
Burning blessings of Jesus’ boundless beauty in your being and intimate blessings of loving affection from His holy heart as Lord of history and King of heaven.
We are to lean the entirety of our being ever and always into the Spirit of Grace and Truth, Who Is Christ, our Consecration and Completeness.
Proverbs 3:5-6 AMP
5 Trust in and rely confidently on the Lord with all your heart
And do not rely on your own insight or understanding.
6 In all your ways know and acknowledge and recognize Him,
And He will make your paths straight and smooth [removing obstacles that block your way].
As those saved by grace through faith and that not of ourselves, not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to His mercy saved, He shall never forget us, fail us nor forsake us, as He, the Supremacy and Splendor of both our salvation and our sanctification, ever lives to ceaselessly continue calling to and chasing down our hearts through all of our perversion, pride and pain, as our intimately involved Intercessor at the royally righteous hand of and ardently affectionate Advocate before His and our Selfsame Abba, the Almighty, until that Perfect Day.
Hebrews 4:14-16 AMP
14 Inasmuch then as we [believers] have a great High Priest who has [already ascended and] passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession [of faith and cling tenaciously to our absolute trust in Him as Savior]. 15 For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16 Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].
Romans 8:28-30
28 And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose. 29 For those whom He foreknew [and loved and chose beforehand], He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son [and ultimately share in His complete sanctification], so that He would be the firstborn [the most beloved and honored] among many believers. 30 And those whom He predestined, He also called; and those whom He called, He also justified [declared free of the guilt of sin]; and those whom He justified, He also glorified [raising them to a heavenly dignity].
Indeed, graciously greater are His prescient promises to us than our promises or purport are or ever could be to Him.
Sin ought not to be our focus, and thus further our folly. The subsequence of such is that which we focus on is what we become similar to and are subjected to. Sin is not the solution; surrender of stubbornness and submission of self to our Savior and Sanctifier is the Solution.
2 Corinthians 3:17-18 AMP
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty [emancipation from bondage, true freedom]. 18 And we all, with unveiled face, continually seeing as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are progressively being transformed into His image from [one degree of] glory to [even more] glory, which comes from the Lord, [who is] the Spirit.
Burning blessings of Jesus’ boundless beauty in your being and intimate blessings of loving affection from His holy heart as Lord of history and King of heaven.