OCCUPY TILL I COME – IN LOVE: LOVE ENHANCES EARTHLY USEFULNESS AND HEAVENLY MINDEDNESS!
“And hope maketh not ashamed; because THE LOVE of God is SHED (LAVISHED) abroad in our HEARTS (SPIRIT-BEING) by the Holy Ghost which is GIVEN unto us . . . 8 But God commendeth His LOVE toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” Romans 5:5, 8.
Talking about LOVE!
Here is a didactic measure, so that we don’t just say we “have love”, but that we go onward to LIVE IN LOVE and WALK IN LOVE.
We must know that LOVE IS OF GOD. Love is the lubricant for our New Creation life in Christ Jesus, and for all human relationships. Upon this knowledge, we can OCCUPY IN CHRIST UNTIL HE COMES by BEING EARTHLY USEFUL AND HEAVENLY MINDED.
Love is an ATTITUDE.
It is a deliberate and intentional choice, an exercise of the will, a choice of life. It is not just a feeling. It is an expression of the nature of God. It is spiritual, divinely inspired and embedded in the very hearts of all God’s human creation, and more importantly in the very nature of the redeemed child of God. Hence it is not a doctrine, creed or dogma. It has outlived generations because it is timeless and of God. For GOD IS LOVE.
“Beloved, let us LOVE one another: for LOVE is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; FOR GOD IS LOVE. 9 In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. 10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins… 16 And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. GOD IS LOVE; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. 17 Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: BECAUSE AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love” 1 John 4:7–10, 16-18
Love is a FRUIT and not a GIFT.
FRUITS are GROWN while GIFTS are IMPARTED. Genuine Bible love — AGAPE — is born and is a product of the Holy Spirit who indwells us — Romans 5:5, 8; Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9.
DEFINING THE THREE KINDS OF LOVE:
- PHILEO: Grk — of the soul
Family love — between parent and child. Also love toward friends and colleagues.
It means to be fond of. It is based on FEELINGS and not on PRINCIPLE. It is never used of man’s love to or for God. This is human or natural love. Deuteronomy 6:4-9; Genesis 18:19; Ephesians 6:4; Colossians 3:21. It is however essential and crucial for family bonding and wellbeing. - EROS: Grk — of the physical body
Sexual love, purely reserved for marriage — within the bond of marriage.
It is based on PHYSICAL ATTRACTION. It is neither fornication nor adultery. Lust and immoral desires have perverted it, hence we see great PERVERSION in our societies today — and we are paying heavily for the consequences. Hebrews 13:4; 1 Corinthians 7:1-9; 1 Corinthians 6:15-20 - AGAPE: Grk — of the spirit
God’s kind of love — unconditional, limitless, divine, spiritual.
It transcends race, gender, generation, culture, family and self. 1 Corinthians 13. It is built on PRINCIPLE. Agape love strengthens and maintains both Phileo and Eros in all life endeavours. Notably, Phileo and Eros must be governed by Agape, or they will hinder our fellowship with God and lead to SIN. Example: EROS — 1 Corinthians 13:5, PHILEO — 1 Samuel 2:22-36
Let us not just say we have love. LET US LIVE AND WALK IN LOVE, for love is of the Spirit —Romans 5:5. IT IS TIME TO LIVE AND WALK IN LOVE. LET US MAKE IT HAPPEN.
For the charge — OCCUPY TILL I COME — in LOVE enhances EARTHLY USEFULNESS and HEAVENLY MINDEDNESS.
SELAH – PAUSE AND THINK.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“If we LIVE in the Spirit, let us also WALK in the Spirit” Galatians 5:25.
“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; 2 and WALK IN LOVE, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” Ephesians 5:1-2.
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being ROOTED and GROUNDED IN LOVE, 18 may be able to COMPREHEND with all saints what is the BREADTH, and LENGTH, and DEPTH, and HEIGHT; 19 and to KNOW THE LOVE OF christ, which PASSETH (TRANSCENDS, SURPASSED) KNOWLEDGE (SENSE), that ye might be FILLED with all the FULNESS of God” Ephesians 3:17-19.
“But the FRUIT of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law” Galatians 5:22-23/NKJV
“For the FRUIT of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth” Ephesians 5:9/NKJV.
SUMMARY:
The message is a didactic charge to LIVE IN LOVE and WALK IN LOVE as the defining mark of the New Creation, because love is of God and it is what makes us EARTHLY USEFUL and HEAVENLY MINDED until Christ comes.
KEY POINTS
- The Foundation: LOVE IS OF GOD
“The LOVE of God is SHED abroad in our HEARTS by the Holy Ghost” — Romans 5:5
“GOD IS LOVE” — 1 John 4:8, 16
Love is not a doctrine or feeling. It is the nature of God deposited in the redeemed. God demonstrated it by sending Christ while we were yet sinners — Romans 5:8. - Love Is A FRUIT, Not A GIFT
FRUITS are GROWN, GIFTS are IMPARTED.
Agape love is the FRUIT of the Spirit — Galatians 5:22-23; Ephesians 5:9.
It is cultivated by walking in the Spirit and it grows in us. - We Are Commanded To LIVE AND WALK IN LOVE
“WALK IN LOVE, as Christ also hath loved us” — Ephesians 5:1-2
“If we LIVE in the Spirit, let us also WALK in the Spirit” — Galatians 5:25
Love is an ATTITUDE, a deliberate choice of the will, not just an emotion. To walk in love is to walk in the Spirit. - The Three Kinds Of Love Defined
PHILEO — of the soul: Family and friendship love. Based on FEELINGS. Essential for bonding — Deut 6:4-9; Eph 6:4
EROS — of the physical body: Marital, sexual love. Based on PHYSICAL ATTRACTION. Reserved for marriage — Heb 13:4; 1 Cor 7:1-9
AGAPE — of the spirit: God’s unconditional, divine love. Built on PRINCIPLE. It transcends all and governs the other two. Without Agape, Phileo and Eros will lead to sin — 1 Cor 13; 1 Sam 2:22-36 - The Effect of Walking in Love
Earthly Usefulness: Love makes us responsible, sacrificial and beneficial to mankind.
Heavenly Mindedness: Love roots and grounds us in Christ so we comprehend the breadth, length, depth and height of His love — Eph 3:17-19
Boldness: “AS HE IS, SO ARE WE IN THIS WORLD” — 1 John 4:17. Perfect love casts out fear — 1 John 4:18 - The Occupation Mandate
OCCUPY TILL I COME — IN LOVE — Luke 19:13
Our assignment on earth is carried out through love. This is how we remain useful here and minded toward heaven.
CALL TO ACTION
- CHOOSE LOVE DAILY.
Make love an intentional ATTITUDE and exercise of the will. Don’t just profess it — LIVE IT and WALK IT — Romans 5:5. - GROW THE FRUIT.
Yield to the Holy Spirit. Water Agape love so it matures. Remember: fruit is grown, not just received. - GOVERN PHILEO AND EROS WITH AGAPE.
Let God’s principle-based love regulate your family affections and marital relationships so they do not become sin — 1 Corinthians 13. - BE ROOTED AND GROUNDED IN LOVE.
Study and meditate on Ephesians 3:17-19, 1 John 4, 1 Corinthians 13, Galatians 5:22-23 until you know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge. - OCCUPY IN LOVE.
Be EARTHLY USEFUL through acts of love to people, and HEAVENLY MINDED by reflecting God’s nature. Love is how we fulfil “Occupy till I come.”
REV. CHUKIE MORSI
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