This is the center of your ministry. And it is all too often forgotten.
Our essential purpose on earth is to bring each person to know Christ and to bring glory to God.
Yet this mission is pursued in only one way acceptable to God: through love.
If you can't do it with love, don't do it.
Every apostle and leader who wrote the letters in the NT agreed on the centrality of love. Each one is quoted below. Above all, it was Jesus who said: "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:34-35
"And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." 1 Cor. 13:2
"The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and
a good conscience and a sincere faith." 1 Tim. 1:5
"We put no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we commend ourselves in every way: by great endurance, in afflictions ...the Holy Spirit, genuine love; by truthful speech and the power of God[.]" 2 Corinthians 6:3-7
"And above all these put on love, which binds
everything together in perfect harmony." Col. 3:14
"Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth."
1 John 3:18
"If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar;
for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen
cannot love God whom he has not seen." 1 John 4:20
"For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom
as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another."
Gal. 5:13
"Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way
into him who is the head, into Christ[.]" Eph. 4:15
"And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us,
a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God." Eph. 5:2
"By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to
lay down our lives for the brothers." 1 John 3:16
"Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins." 1 Peter 4:8
"for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of
power and love and self-control." 2 Tim. 1:7
"Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one
who loves another has fulfilled the law." Rom. 13:8
"For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor;
therefore love is the fulfilling of the law." Rom. 13:9-10
"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever
loves has been born of God and knows God." 1 John 4:7
"And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works[.]"
Hebrews 10:24
"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall
love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well." James 2:8
"But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and for a helmet the hope of salvation." 1 Thes. 5:8
"Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me,
in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus." 2 Tim. 1:13
"If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned,
but have not love, I gain nothing." 1 Cor. 13:3
"For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts
for anything, but only faith working through love." Gal. 5:6
"Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example
in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity." 1 Tim. 4:12
"keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our
Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life." Jude 1:21
"and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love
for one another and for all, as we do for you[.]" 1 Thes. 3:12
"We love because he first loved us." 1 John 4:19
"Let
all that you do be done in love." 1 Cor. 16:14
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