Bible Reading: 1 Kings 8; Ephesians 5; Ezekiel 38; Psalm 89
Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
The Christian life is a life of walking in love. It is a life of living as Christ lived. The Bible says:
1 John 2:6 He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.
Jesus lived a life of love and he has given us the example of what the God-kind of love looks like. First, the life of love is a voluntary life. It is not imposed upon someone. You must bring your love as a free will offering. Christ did not have his life taken from him. No he freely offered his life on our behalf to the Father.
John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Second, the life of love is a sacrificial life. It must me lived with others in mind. Christ did not die for himself. He had no sin to die for nor did he gain anything by his death for himself – he is God. No he gave his life as a sacrifice. Love is always sacrificial. God loves, so he gives:
John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
Throughout the Bible, God calls people to love as Christ loved by giving sacrificially. One instance is that of calling husbands to sacrifice for their wives:
Ephesians 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it.
A willing sacrifice lays down its life on the altar for the sake of someone else.
1 John 3:16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Thirdly, we see that the life of love is pleasing to the Father. The Bible tells us that God receives the sacrificial life of love as a sweetsmelling savour. He received Christ’s sacrifice and he will be pleased with your sacrificial love as well. God loves the smell of the Christ-life!
In Christ,
Rody
