Let All That You Do be Done in Love {1 Corinthians 16}

 Today’s Passage: 1 Corinthians 16

Here, in the last paragraphs of Paul’s letter to the church in Corinth, is where the Christian life gets… well…tricky. Paul, in some of his final words exhorts his readers to, "Be on guard... stand firm... be men of courage... be strong!"

He sounds like a military commander, or football coach giving a pep talk to his team before the big game. But then he says something that seems to contradict all he’s just encouraged his readers to, "Do everything in love."

How can we be on guard, stand firm, be courageous and strong, and at the same time be loving? The truth is I don’t think we can do all that on our own! This type of love can only happen as Jesus lives out His life through us each day.

Too many Christians are attempting to demonstrate this love in their own strength and emotion. It seems easier to stand firm and be on guard in our own strength, but demonstrating God’s love to others requires God to work through us, otherwise we may come across as a “clanging cymbal”(1 Cor.13:1).

John told us as much in 1 John 4:7, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God."

God’s love goes beyond just words or intense feelings of affection that we may have toward a particular person.

Jesus commanded us to love each other in the same manner that He has loved us according to (John 15:12).Love is defined as a profoundly tender, passionate affection for another person, and should be the very thing that binds us together as believers.

Paul also knew that God wants everything that we do for Him in this life is to be done in love, and that we all need to learn how to walk with His love at work in our lives. Notice, 1 Timothy 1:5: "The goal of this command is love, which comes from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith."

Therefore our greatest needs, before going off to do anything for anyone else should be to search our hearts to make sure our love is sincere and from a pure and surrendered heart towards God, so that He is free to minister to others through us.

Blessings,

sue