The Passion Of The Church Is Love

"By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:35)

At GLCC we believe that the single most important virtue is love. The Scripture makes it clear that without love every word that we speak, every work that we perform is both meaningless and worthless. In I Corinthians 13:1-3, we are told that it is more important than splendid speech, more valuable than scriptural scholarship, and more impacting than a supreme sacrifice is love. Paul concluded by saying, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three but the greatest of these is love"  (I Corinthians 13:13).

Love is the evidence that we are filled with the Spirit. Galatians 5:22, says, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love..." the little word 'is' indicates that there is only one fruit of the Spirit. If there were nine fruits of the Spirit the verse would read, "the fruits of the Spirit are..." But there is only one fruit of the Spirit the other eight words simply describe love.

This love that is produced by the Spirit is to influence every area of the life. It is to influence our attitudes. Did you know that it is more important to have the right attitude than to have the right answer? If our answers are wrong, God can change them in a moment by the revelation of His truth. But if often takes a lifetime to change our attitudes. Better that we have the right attitude and the wrong answers than have the right answers and have the wrong attitude.

We are also to be loving in our actions. Paul said to young Timothy, "be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity" (I Timothy 4:12). Nothing will make a greater impact in the lives of both the saved and unsaved than the love of God moving through the life of a child of God. That is why Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another as I have loved you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:34-35).

It is not our chic high tech services or our cleverly crafted words and well delivered sermons alone that will move the hearts and meet the needs of men and women instead it is the love of God moving through the words and works of the child of God. It is for this reason we must "pursue love" (I Corinthians 14:1).
 

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