Ephesians 3:14-19, Love (8)

The Source of Love.

What do we mean by “source?”  If we are asking where the love comes from, we cannot get away from the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

·       Romans 5:5: The third member of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, is as much the God of love as the Father and the Son.  Thus, when He enters our lives, with Him comes an infinite supply of that love.  It is poured out in our hearts.  We cannot be a Christian if we don’t have the Holy Spirit (Rom. 8:9).  Likewise, we cannot become a Christian without experiencing the love of God. 

·       1 John 4:7: Everyone who loves has been born of God.  Again, you are not a Christian if you have not been born again (John 3:3).  And again, this is the ministry of the Spirit (John 3:8).  When you become the new creation in Christ you are endowed with the love of God by the Holy Spirit.

·       Gal. 5:22: What have we been studying for the last several weeks?  The fruit of the Spirit.  Thus, when the Holy Spirit fills us, controls us, when we are walking in the Spirit, He is producing the fruit of love.

But if by “source” we are asking what triggers love in our lives, consider this.

·       1 John 4:7: The same verse that says everyone who loves is born of God goes on to say, and knows God.  We increase the evidence of God’s love in our words and actions by increasing in the knowledge of God, day by day.  Remember, those who live in the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit (Rom. 8:5).

·       Ephesians 3:14-19: The “knowledge” of God is an experiential knowledge, not just theoretical knowledge.  This is seen in the prayer in this passage.  The request is for inner strength by the Spirit (it’s always the Spirit’s ministry) so that Christ might truly be at home in your heart, so that you, being rooted and grounded in love, will come to comprehend how much God truly loves you (love in all it’s dimensions), so that you will be truly Godly.  The more you experience His love in a variety of trials, the more you will be fit to share His love in the trials of others.

·       1 John 4:19: Here is the same principle.  We love God because He first loved us.  First we know, by experience, His love; then we respond in love to Him and others.

·       1 John 4:18; Rom. 8:35-39: We are moved to love as love casts out fear, when we realize nothing can separate us from the love of God.  We must be confident in how secure we are in His love.  A basketball player will struggle if he is always worried the coach will yank him off the court with the first mistake.  So God’s love that He put in our hearts is perfected when we rest in His mercy and truth.

·       Philippians 1:9-11: Here’s another of Paul’s great prayers.  He prays their love will abound in knowledge and discernment.  Love must be intelligent.  We must truly meet needs and not make matters worse by false love.  Excellent love will fill us with the fruits of righteousness, the fruit of the Spirit.