Walking in Love

“Be you therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling fragrance”-Ephesians 5:1-2

From the above scripture, the Lord instructs us to walk in love as Christ also has loved us. Hence, when we talk of love here, we are talking about God’s love (Agape)…

This divine order of love can only be experienced and expressed in our lives by the help of the Holy Ghost in us. This kind of love is different from other kinds of natural affection mankind are used to.

It is different from the love between spouses. It is different from the love between brothers and sisters. It is also far different from the love between best of friends. Apart from the God’s kind of love we are considering here, every other kind of affection is at best self-centered…

God’s love can be best understood from what the word of God says in Romans 5:5-8;

“And hope makes not ashamed; because the love of God is shared abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who is given unto us. For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die. Yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commends his love towards us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”.

The above scripture reveals God’s love to us in very clear terms. It clearly contrasts the love of God with the self-centered, natural human love we have on earth. The scripture tells us that in due time Christ died for the ungodly, not the godly.

It went further to say that hardly can someone even die for a just man—no matter how much affection we claim for the person along natural lines. But on the other hand, concerning God’s love; God demonstrated his perfect and impeccable love towards us…

In that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Christ died for us even while we were still living in offence to him and his father. You definitely won’t find this kind of love in any human relationship. Along natural lines people love only those who please them and hate those who offend them.

But the Lord commands that we love our neighbors in exactly the same manner he has loved us. The word of God from our opening scripture says we should walk in love as Christ also loved us. In other words, the Lord demands we walk exactly in his order or kind of love. Hence, in this article we want to scripturally see what constitutes walking in love.

How to Walk In Love

We have seen from our opening text that the Lord commands that we walk in love. But the question is what constitutes walking in love according to God’s standard? And how do we actually walk in love?

The list below constitutes what is meant to be walking in love; and how to walk in love scripturally:

1. Forgiveness and Forbearance: “Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you”—Colossians 3:13.

The greatest love God showed and still shows to mankind is forgiveness and forbearance of sin. As a matter of fact, forgiveness of sins is a major tenet of God’s new covenant (Hebrews 8:12). Hence, the Lord seriously demands that we forbear and forgive one another even as he forgave (and still) forgives us in love.

As a matter of fact, the Lord says if we do not forgive others their trespasses against us, he won’t also forgive us our trespasses against him ( ). Thus, to be walking in forgiveness and forbearance with people, is a major way to walk in love.

2 Obedience to God’s Commandments: “He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me. And he that loves me shall be loved of my father, and I will love him and will manifest myself to him”- John 14:21.

From the above scripture, the Lord clearly defines love for him to mean having his commandments or word and doing or practicing them. The love of God is not just hearing and speaking the word of God; but rather, it is hearing and doing. The Lord says anyone who does not keep or practice his sayings does not love him (John14:24).

So to be practicing the word of God in our daily lives is to be walking in love as the Lord commands.

3 Sacrifice: Our opening text tells us to walk in love as Christ also has loved us and has given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God. Hence, God’s love is a sacrificial love. Christ loved us so much, he had to sacrifice himself for us.

The Lord also tells us, greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends (John15:13). And the most remarkable thing about Christ’s sacrificial love is that, he did not just sacrifice his life for only his friends and godly…

But much more, for the ungodly and his offenders. Thus, to walk in love as Christ did, we also have to follow this sacrificial example. To walk in Christ’s order of love, we must sacrifice for God and our neighbors. We must bear the burden of God’s work, especially soul winning.

We must also bear our fellow believers burden. Then to be perfect in love, we must also bear the burden of the ungodly as well.

We must sacrificially pray for the ungodly, including those that offend and despise us. We must cunningly use our words and attitude to draw them from their damnation. Hence, sacrificial lifestyle is a major way to walk in divine order of love.

4 Zealousness: Christ’s love, that the Lord instructs us to walk in, is a zealous love. In John 2, we see the Lord’s love for the father, expressed in his indignation towards those that bought and sold in the temple of God…

In verse seventeen of that book of John chapter 2, the word of God says; “And his disciples remembered that it was written, the zeal of your house has consumed me”. Just as the Lord’s love is a zealous one, the same way we are also to be zealous or heated up in our love for God. To walk in divine love, is to be zealous for God and the things of God.

The Lord does not want a lukewarm attitude towards him and his work. Instead, he requires a fervid or passionate love from us. We are to be consumed by the zeal of his house and everything concerning him. We are to be zealous in godliness. We are to be zealous in soul winning. We are to be zealous in our exercise of faith.

Passivity is not acceptable in God’s order of love. Hence, to the lukewarm, the lord says;
“Be zealous therefore, and repent”—Revelations 3:19.

5 Chastisement: In Revelation 3:19 the Lord says; “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten…”
God’s love is a rebuking and chastening love. And to walk in his love, we must also rebuke and chasten people in love. If someone is in error or offence towards you or others or God, it is your responsibility to rebuke him. And as the scriptures says, as you rebuke the person and he repents you should forgive him (Luke 17:3).

But if you rebuke someone and he is recalcitrant, if you can find a subtle way to discipline the person in love, do so. Then if the person remains unrepentant in spite of your rebukes and disciplinary measures, still forgive the person for your own good.

So the above list is the major ways to walk in divine love as the Lord commands us.

Remain Blessed!

Emeke Odili

Hey Emeke... PTL!
Great stuff, but point #5 though... Ouch! Brother... That seems like a good way to start a fight. Gal 5:18 "But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be not consumed one of another." I would say that the best way to handle a brother in the church who is misbehaving according to: Mt 18:15-17 "Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." In fact, its better to suffer wrong than it is to go before the civil authorities, if no one in the church isn't counted worthy to decide between brethren.(1 Cor 6:5)
Maranatha!

Great post EM..

But my only point of disagreement would be point 5..

Yes God as our Heavenly Father does chastise and rebuke His Children on earth out of love for us.. It is to our good that God disciplines us.. But for us on earth when we are dealing with our siblings in the flesh, we are not their fathers we are their fellow Children in Jesus..

So i would change the wording to give Warning of Gods judgement to these people.. I don't think it is our place to chastise fellow Christians but to warn of Gods chastisement and judgement..

So while the other person might see it as a chastisement or a rebuke it really should be coming from God through you rather then coming from you..

Actually, I said disciplining adults has to be with subtlety. For instance, if I have an adult younger brother or sister that I am responsible to financially, and he is going astray despite several rebukes and corrections, well, with a motive of discipline, I can decide to cut down on my financial support, just to make him or her see reasons...

What do you think about this?

I would agree great stuff. God is Love personified .

God's name is Jealous because He alone own all things. But His love towards us is not jealous, it is unfailing . Not as some say unconditional, but with His conditions .I am reminded of those conditions in the love chapter .

God's perfect love working in us as the first works, is patient, (the hardest work for us) . In the fulness of time waiting patiently he demonstrated his love for us . What I would call the second working of his love in us is; His love is kind . If it was not patient as the first work it could not perform the second as kind, moving towards the next aspect of God's love working in us. Because his love is kind His love does not envy and therefore it does not boast as having to do with pride but humbles itself .As His love works in us it provides the golden rule love; as we have been loved we can love another. It does not dishonor others needing to be first . and therefore is not self seeking but has a tendacy to build up others . His love which is patent is not easily angered. it keeps no record of wrongs suffered towards Him but cast away our sin as far as East is from West . His love does not rejoice in wrong doing but rejoice when rebuked in love . His love that works in us protects us like a flaming sword as the armor of God .His love preserves' and does not corrupt .

Only God can and does love perfectly . The fruit of His Spirit is self control not the fruit of our unredeemed spirit the fruit of chaos and confusion.

Here O Israel The Lord our God is one God. And you shall love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, mind, and strength. And you shall love thy neighbor as you love your self. Duetoronomy 6:4-5.
When you talk about love we are talking about Agape which is the God kind of love. The way the world loves is superficial(fake love).
To God be the glory, and may you be blessed by the words i speak to you.
Demonkilla (Evangelist to the streets Street Ministry)

Well each particular situation requires a different way.. Your example is more then just a brother or sister fellow Christians situation.. Being financially responsible / a provider for another person makes the situation more of a dad to child / family situation so of course in that situation you do have the right to take a level of limited authority over the other person.. Because you have the right to prevent your money being used in a way that you consider to be against the will of God.. We all have the right to withdraw financial support from a person or an organization that is using our money in an un-Godly way..

Then even in the church, we are also admonished to take disciplinary measure against a brother or sister that is going astray without remorse.

Well from reading scripture we are to give them warning by telling them what they are doing against the will of God.. And if they continue to rebel against the will of God trying to justify their un-Godly behavour then we should shun them.. which is withdrawing from them and no longer fellowshipping with them as if they where brothers and sisters in Christ..

And that's a kind of discipline right?

Well walking away from someone is not like beating someone up.. I guess it is discipline if they want to have that fellowship but if they truly don't care about being part of our community then they will not care if we walk away from them..

So i guess for some it is discipline,, for others it's not..

Interesting discussion emekrus..

Thanks for sharing, Emeke. It’s a wonderful reminder to have an idea and understand about God’s love for us and walk in His love. Blessings to you!

Thanks as well for taking the time to read. God bless.

Thanks I am glad you find it interesting. So we can subtly discipline people we love for their own good (in love). And that includes our spouses.