GODLY LOVE: UNDERSTANDING HOW GOD LOVES
Rom 12:3 For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith.
When our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ went to the cross and paid our sin debt for us He displayed the ultimate example of sacrifice, selflessness, and Godly love. This Godly example we are given in our scriptures to show the saints the love of Christ; and not only are we given this unselfish act of Godly love to learn by, but we are also shown the love of the Father, and ‘how’ He loves His creation. In verse 1 of chapter 12 we are reminded of all the “mercies” that He has given us as “sons,” and here in verse 3 we are asked to change the way we view ourselves, and the way we view other saints in the body of Christ. We are asked to “think” differently than we did before concerning ourselves, and the other saints, because as we can see, our Father has given us a selfless example to follow in His word in that He not only given us so much of His grace, but that He “dealt to every man” the same amount of His loving kindness and grace, not preferring one saint over the other. And it is this action of His love that is unique because He equally dispenses His love to each and every member without ‘favoring’ one saint over the other. And if this were the case, this would show not only favoritism towards certain saints, but that would mean that the other saints would not get as much of His love as the other ‘chosen’ saints.
Rom 12:4 For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office:
Rom 12:5 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another.
And so, we are shown here in verses 4 and 5 ‘how’ it is that God views the saints as a whole, and what their roles consists of concerning His plan and purpose. We are given an example of how our bodies function as a whole, with our “members” playing a big part of the process as they all work for one common purpose. This is also what verse 5 says about how God has designed for the saints to work together also, as “members one of another,” in perfect harmony, just as it also works with our body ‘parts’ with no member in particular ‘standing out,’ or ‘above’ other body members. Moreover, this is how our own ‘head’ views our individual body parts; we expect each and every one to do their designed job with ease, hoping that neither one of our “members” cause us any discomfort, or begin to stop functioning all together. And this is how we are viewed by our Father as saints, we are all looked upon equally with the same purpose, even though we each individually play different ‘parts’ in His overall plan, we are shown that we ought to view and respect each other’s “office” with the same equality and love as our Father has shown us as members of His body.
Rom 12:6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Rom 12:7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching;
Rom 12:8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
And it is the Father’s love that teaches us to respect and honor each other’s “office” in the body, and that we value and esteem others over ourselves in the body, and just as we are told to ‘renew’ our way of thinking about ourselves, we are shown that there is great value found within each other’s position in Christ. However, even though we each have different positions in the body, they all serve the Father’s objective, and that is what we need to keep in mind; that His plan and purpose does not center around our individual lives, and our plans and purposes, but His own. We each have different “gifts” as members in “one body,” but these gifts are not the God-given gifts given to the early church, these are the things that ‘we give’ to the body as members in particular. Notice, verse 6 says that we are given “grace,” these “gifts” are things that we can do out of our understanding of godly love and charity as members one of another. And as you can see, these things deal with edifying one another with godly love, and charity, these are some of the things that contribute to the body’s overall function. This is called a “gift” because it is a God given privilege for the son to play a vital role in the plan that the Father has for the “body” of Christ.
Rom 12:9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.
Rom 12:10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;
Paul shows us how that he and the Lord gave up of themselves for the love of others; ICor.9 and Phil. 1; and we are shown that we are to give up of ourselves in Romans 12 from the things that we are “conformed” to having in our lives that brought us pleasure and enjoyment, and learn to “abhor” the things which we “cleave” unto; these are the things that were ‘more pleasing;’ which are the things which are ‘hard to let go’ of. This is how our attitude ought to be concerning this renewing doctrine we are taught. Paul says “let love,” because love needs and wants to grow more and more, and it can do just that; but this can be only accomplished when we ourselves have the desire to learn more and more of our Father’s will and love for, and towards the saint.
Php 1:8 For God is my record, how greatly I long after you all in the bowels of Jesus Christ.
Php 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Php 1:10 That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ;
Php 1:11 Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.
The Philippian saint has learned what God loves, and how He does, and concerning displaying godly love in their daily lives; these saint’s love ‘abounded’ in “knowledge and in all judgment,” but Paul knew that their love could “abound yet more and more.” Paul understood that once these saints fully came to understand and appreciate how to fully utilize excelling love in the course of their lives, these saints would be able to now “approve things that are excellent;” that is they would not only know what is that “good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God;” but they would also fully understand and appreciate the things that will ‘excelled’ other things, this is how Paul desired the Corinthian saints to walk when he said that they should seek after the “more excellent way; which is godly love and “charity” in the details of their lives as “sons.”
1Co 12:31 But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.
1Co 13:2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
1Co 13:3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
1Co 13:4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,
1Co 13:13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
Rod Jones