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Equipping Christians to think, speak, and act

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July 17 – Love exemplified

“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us.  And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” – 1 John 3:16 

Scripture reading: 1 John 3:16-18; Romans 9:1-3

John moves from the negative example of Cain and sets before us the example of none other than Jesus Himself.  Jesus is the perfect reflection of love.  As we think of Christ and His work on the cross for His people we see that love is selfless, self-sacrificial and enduring.  Jesus laid aside all His comforts, turned His back on His privileges, endured the cross and bore the judgement of a holy God for the sins of a lost and sinful people.  Amazingly, this is the pattern that John calls us to follow.  As we think about the love Christ showed for sinners, John says, “Go and do the same for your brother and sister.”  We certainly cannot save them, but we are called to mimic Christ’s love in our actions towards them.

John does not leave us guessing as to what this love should look like.  He tells us that talk is cheap in this regard and that true love is shown in action.  He encourages us to take all that God has commanded us to do in regard to our neighbour (the summary of the second table of the law) and actually DO it.  We are to live out the truth of God in the context of the lives of those around us.  Our lives need to be poured out in the service of others.  John tells us that just as Jesus laid down His life for us, we should lay down our lives for the brethren.

Suggestions for prayer

Pray specifically that the Lord would give you opportunity to serve.  Thank Him that in so doing He is giving you the opportunity to be a witness of His grace.

Rev. Brian Murray is the associate pastor at Grace ARP Church and the Director of Gillespie Academy in Woodstock, Ontario. He has been ordained in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church since 2003 and he and his wife Melissa have four children. Get this devotional delivered directly to your phone each day via our RP App. This devotional is made available by the Nearer To God Devotional team, who also make available in print, for purchase, at NTGDevotional.com.

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