What role does love play in preparing for "the coming of our Lord"? The Heart of the Passage “so that He may establish your hearts in blamelessness and holiness before our God and Father at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints.” (1 Thessalonians 3:13) Paul links Jesus’ return with two clear goals for believers: established hearts and blameless holiness. Verse 12 tells us the means: “may the Lord cause you to increase and abound in love.” Love is the pathway God chooses to ready His people for that great day. Love as the Foundation of Readiness • Love roots the believer in Christ’s own character (1 John 4:8). • It fulfills the two greatest commandments—loving God and neighbor (Matthew 22:37-40). • Without love, even the noblest works lose eternal value (1 Corinthians 13:1-3). When love is flourishing, hearts become stable, immovable, established—exactly what Paul prays for in 1 Thessalonians 3:13. Love that Builds Holiness • Holiness is not mere rule-keeping; it is Christ-like love expressed in action (John 15:12). • “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins” (1 Peter 4:8). Love pushes sin out and draws holiness in. • The Spirit’s first fruit is love (Galatians 5:22). As love grows, every other fruit matures, producing a life that is “blameless.” Love that Sustains Faith and Hope • The trio of faith, hope, and love stands at the core of Christian endurance (1 Thessalonians 1:3). • Love keeps faith from becoming cold intellectualism and hope from turning into mere wishful thinking. • Perfect love drives out fear, so we can have confidence “on the day of judgment” (1 John 4:17-18). Love that Drives Active Anticipation • Genuine love expresses itself in service: “Through love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13). • It spurs evangelism—desiring others to be ready when He appears (2 Corinthians 5:14-15). • It unites the body, so the Church welcomes Christ as one (John 17:23). Growing in Love Until He Appears Practical ways to “abound in love” (1 Thessalonians 3:12): • Daily ask the Lord to enlarge your heart for fellow believers and the lost. • Actively forgive; bitterness stunts love and hinders holiness (Ephesians 4:32). • Invest time and resources in others—love is tangible (1 John 3:17-18). • Stay in the Word; Scripture not only commands love but fuels it (Psalm 119:97). • Keep eternity in view: “Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be?” (2 Peter 3:11-14). Answer: people abounding in holy love. As we await “the coming of our Lord Jesus with all His saints,” love is not optional decoration; it is God’s chosen instrument to prepare hearts, purify lives, and display the reality of the gospel to a watching world. |
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