Put On Love

“But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.”

Love is the eighth, final and ultimate grace of the Christian life.

"But above all these things"

God’s first priority for us is to put on love. Besides the other virtues, put on love which is the last and best virtue. “Love” is the garment that is to be “above all.” This means over all. This is the most important characteristic quality for the Christian. Let this be the mark of distinction for the believer. This is the final garment the believer is to put on. It binds all other garments together.

"put on love"

The translators supply “put on” from the previous verse. The emphasis is placed on the word “love.” Literally it reads, “And above all these things, love.” Love is the priority of all the graces in this list. Love ties all other virtues together and is therefore the most important grace (I Cor 13:13).

Principle:

Love is the outstanding mark of the Christian (John 13:34,35).

Application:

If we do not love one another no one will know that we belong to Jesus. An outstanding shortcoming of the saints is lack of love. Do you have lack of love for fellow Christians? Why are you so critical of others?

God does not ask us to agree with every other Christian but he does as us to love them. We must learn to lovingly disagree. We can disagree without becoming disagreeable. If we disagree without love then we project ourselves out of the will of God. The price is too high. God will not use us.

Is love the priority grace of your life?

Psalm 27:1

"The Lord is my light and my salvation." (Psalm 27:1)

 Here is personal interest, "my light," "my salvation;" the soul is assured of it, and therefore, declaring it boldly. "My light;" -- into the soul at the new birth divine light is poured as the precursor of salvation; where there is not enough light to see our own darkness and to long for the Lord Jesus, there is no evidence of salvation. Salvation finds us in the dark, but it does not leave us there; it gives light to those who sit in the valley of the shadow of death.

 After conversion our God is our joy, comfort, guide, teacher, and in every sense our light; he is light within, light around, light reflected from us, and light to be revealed to us. Note, it is not said merely that the Lord gives light, but that he "is" light; nor that he gives salvation, but that he is salvation; he, then, who by faith has laid hold upon God has all covenant blessings in his possession.

 Every light is not the sun, but the sun is the father of all lights. This being made sure as a fact, the argument drawn from it is put in the form of a question, Whom shall I fear? A question which is its own answer. The powers of darkness are not to be feared, for the Lord, our light, destroys them; and the damnation of hell is not to be dreaded by us, for the Lord is our salvation.

This is a very different challenge from that of boastful Goliath, for it is based upon a very different foundation; it rests not upon the conceited vigour of an arm of flesh, but upon the real power of the omnipotent I AM. The Lord is the strength of my life. Here is a third glowing epithet, to show that the writer's hope was fastened with a threefold cord which could not be broken. We may well accumulate terms of praise where the Lord lavishes deeds of grace. Our life derives all its strength from him who is the author if it; and if he deigns to make us strong we cannot be weakened by all the machinations of the adversary. Of whom shall I be afraid? The bold question looks into the future as well as the present. "If God be for us," who can be against us, either now or in time to come?

Living Sacrifices

"I urge you brothers....to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God." (Romans 12:1)

This is a powerful appeal. We receive from the Lord every day the fruits of his mercy. Let us render ourselves; all we are, all we have, all we can do: and after all, what return is it for such very rich receivings? It is acceptable to God: a reasonable service, which we are able and ready to give a reason for, and which we understand. Conversion and sanctification are the renewing of the mind; a change, not of the substance, but of the qualities of the soul. The progress of sanctification, dying to sin more and more, and living to righteousness more and more, is the carrying on this renewing work, till it is perfected in glory. The great enemy to this renewal is, conformity to this world. Take heed of forming plans for happiness, as though it lay in the things of this world, which soon pass away. Do not fall in with the customs of those who walk in the lusts of the flesh, and mind earthly things. The work of the Holy Ghost first begins in the understanding, and is carried on to the will, affections, and conversation, till there is a change of the whole man into the likeness of God, in knowledge, righteousness, and true holiness. Thus, to be godly, is to give up ourselves to God.

"They that deny themselves for Christ shall enjoy themselves in Christ" (John Mason)