Grace and Love

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 NIV

There is a theme which occurs constantly through the New Testament, and it is one of Love and Grace. Our verse shows the trinity of the Godhead linked directly with Grace, Love, and Fellowship. In my book that makes this theme pretty important in the mind of God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. As if to emphasise their importance, the apostle Paul uses them often, so we should not shy away from them either.

I never tire of hearing sermons, or even talking with friends about these real, God driven, passionate thoughts, feelings and emotions. Since we are told directly in 1 John 4:8 that “God IS love”, then the more we love in His Spirit, the more Christlike we become. In fact the verse also says, if we don’t love, then we are not like God. It’s really quite simple. Well I think so anyway.

So, I am disheartened when I hear some folks outside the church play down any or all of these Godlike characteristics. I suppose in a way, I can understand the unchurched and unsaved wanting to play down or discredit the love of God, but not a fellow believer! How can that be possible I hear you ask, and you are echoing my own thinking. Mind you, I am very thankful that I have met very few who fall into that ‘love-less’ (less-loving, not unloving!) mindset and category. But they exist, and the truth is that saddens me.

If we ever needed more proof, John, the apostle of love says it this way: Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Father’s Son, will be with us in truth and love. 2 John 1:3 NIV