Walk in love (5:2).
1. Our love is central to imitating God (5:1).
2. Our love is to reflect Christ’s love (5:2).
3. Our love is self-giving (5:2).
As God’s people, we are to be loving: we genuinely seek the good of others and give ourselves for their good.
4. Our love is our fragrant offering to God (5:2).
5. Our love enables our life together (5:2)
- Humility (4:2)
- Gentleness (4:2)
- Patience (4:2)
- Forbearance (4:2)
- Unity (4:3-6)
- “Differences are not the end of love; they are the occasion for love.” Francis Schaeffer
- Mutual growth (4:11-16)
- Repentance (4:17-24)
- Truthfulness (4:25)
- Self-control (4:26-27)
- Work (4:28)
- Giving (4:28)
- Words (4:29)
- Kindness (4:30-32)
- Tenderheartedness (4:32)
- Forgiveness (4:32)
- Holiness (5:3-14)
The graces of Christianity are all connected together, and are mutually dependent on each other….
They so go together that where there is one, there are all…. Where there is faith, there are love, hope, and humility; and where there is love, there is trust; and where there is a holy trust in God, there is love for God…. Where there is love for God, there is a gracious love for man; and where there is a Christian love for man, there is love for God….
The graces of Christianity depend on one another…. There is also a mutual dependence between them, so that one cannot be without the other…. Faith promotes love…. Then again, love enlarges and promotes faith…. So love promotes humility…. Humility promotes love…. Love tends to repentance…. And repentance tends to humility…. A true love for God tends to love for men who bear the image of God. Jonathan Edwards