WALKING WITH GOD

June 15, 2025 — jwwealand

Walk in Love, as Christ Loved Us… Ephesians 5:2

The “walk” in Eph. 5:2 refers to our behavior and how we act. When we behave like Jesus, we are walking in love. Just as children like to imitate their parents, we are to mimic God in the same way Jesus copied His Father’s behavior. The Greek word translated as “love” in Ephesians 5:2 is agape. Agape is sacrificial, unselfish, unconditional love that proves itself through actions. It perfectly describes God’s love for us, Jn. 3:16 and Christ’s love for us, 1st Jn. 3:16. When the Bible says, “God is love” in 1st Jn. 4:8-9, the word “love” is a translation of agape. God’s nature, His essence, is selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love. Peter included affection in this sacrificial type of love, see 1st Peter 1:22-23 & 2nd Peter 1:5-8. 

There really should be an affection known or experienced when we listen for Christ’s voice, (John 10:27) There is a sense in which all Christians should hear his voice, see Revelation 3:20. This experience is what moved C. Austin Miles to write his song, “I Come To The Garden Alone” after having a dream about the Garden experience of Mary hearing Christ’s voice, as she called him “Rabboni” (John 20:16).

The apostle John stressed that, since God loves us sacrificially and unconditionally, we ought to love others in the same way: “Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another”, 1st Jn. 4:11. Jesus taught the same principle when He said, “There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”, Jn. 15:13.

The apostle Paul gives a detailed description of how to walk in love, 1st Cor. 13:4-7. The greatest virtue we can nurture in our Christian walk is agape love , 1st Cor. 13:13.

In Eph. 5:2, Paul said that Jesus “gave himself up for us.” Giving ourselves up means offering our lives to God in sacrifice. When we behave like this, our lives become “a fragrant offering” that is pleasing to God and everyone who encounters the scent, Leviticus 1:17 & 3:16. Paul urged believers to offer themselves “as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship” Romans 12:1.

As God’s children and members of His family, we are called to deny our own selfish desires and interests for the sake of God and others. Peter said, “You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart”, 1st Peter 1:22. This wholehearted, sacrificial demonstration of God’s divine agape is what it means to walk in love.

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The Virtues of Christ – Patience

December 17, 2024 — jwwealand

One of the best examples of the patience of Jesus is seen in his reply to Peter, after healing the ear in which Peter had cut off from Malchus’ head, (Matthew 26:53) Mercy in action was powerful as the fact of Christ’s angels were being withheld from delivering Jesus, but Malchus got deliverance from Jesus. In-turn, Malchus and the soldiers would send Jesus off to be condemned & crucified. But Jesus was patient with the impetus Peter and all of the false-accusers that would torture him to death.

In light of God’s patience, we are to live out the virtue of patience toward others. In the New Testament, the virtue of patience is called a “fruit of the Spirit”, as the evidence of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives (Galatians 3:23). We are to pursue and pray for growth, by the power of the Spirit, to become more patient with ourselves, with God, and with others. In fact, Paul addresses this in Romans 2:4. Speaking to those who would judge others, yet live the same way, Paul says, “Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?”.  

Paul continued his teaching of patience to Timothy in this manner, “This saying is trustworthy and deserves full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—and I am the worst of them! But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life.” 1st Timothy 1:15-16

In fact, throughout the New Testament, believers are commanded to be patient. In Colossians 3:12-13, Paul says, “Therefore, as God’s chosen ones, holy and dearly loved, put on compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience, bearing with one another and forgiving one another if anyone has a grievance against another. Just as the Lord has forgiven you, so you are also to forgive”. In Romans 12:12, we are called to “Rejoice in hope; be patient in affliction; be persistent in prayer”. In Ephesians 4:1-3, Paul entreats us, “Therefore I, the prisoner in the Lord, urge you to walk worthy of the calling you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, making every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace”. The bottom line, we are to practice the art of patience. 

Love is PATIENT , love is kind, it is not envious, love does not brag, it is not puffed up (1st Corinthians 13:4) Let’s start here.

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