The Distinguishing Mark
Dearly beloved of God, what does God expect out of us after all that He has done for us in Christ? He expects us to live; to live with the love of God as we renew our minds to do the good pleasure of His will.
Living love distinguishes us as the children of God.
God our Father wants us to be our true self, and love without hypocrisy as a child of God that imitates the Father Who is in heaven. We are God’s love child. We live love because that is who we are.
The Father wants us to grow spiritually and mature so that we act as He does towards people.
The Father wants us to be merciful, as He is merciful. He does not want us to just feel sorry for people, He wants us to be actively compassionate towards them as He is towards us.
He tells us to love our enemies, and do good, and give hoping for nothing again. Our Father is kind unto the unthankful and to the evil. Look what He did for us while we were yet dead in sin and ungodly and His enemies. Surely we can warm others as we live love as He warmed us with His love.
On the evening of his arrest the Lord Jesus Christ washed his disciples feet, which is a task usually carried out by the lowest servant in a household. At times the host would carry out this lowly task to honor his guest.
Jesus then told his disciples that he was their Lord and Master. “If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.
He said, “The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him.” He gave his life for us, surely we can live to serve out of love. We should have the same care for one another, dearly beloved.
The Lord said, “A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this shall all men know that you are my disciples, if you have love one toward another.”
God’s love has been poured out in our hearts by means of holy spirit which has been given to us. He enabled us to live love.
Dearly beloved, we ought to walk worthy of the calling to which we were called as God’s dearly beloved children.
Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving each other, even as God also forgave you in Christ, and be imitators of God as beloved children, and walk in love as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us.
That’s what God our Father wants out of us; He wants us to live love.
We ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
Whoever has the resources of this earthly life and sees his brother having a need and withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of god abide in him?
“My little children, let us not love simply in word and tongue, but in action and truth.”
God poured out His love to us by giving us the gift of holy spirit. He forgave us, and gave us eternal life. Dearly beloved, He freely gives us all things with His Son. After all He did for us in Christ how can we reject His simple command to live love?
Living love is the distinguishing characteristic of a child of God.