Topical Bible: Love to Man: Saints should Abound In

◄ Love to Man: Saints should Abound In ►

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The concept of love, particularly love towards fellow human beings, is a central tenet of Christian doctrine and practice. The Bible emphasizes that saints, or believers, are called to abound in love towards others, reflecting the love of Christ in their interactions and relationships.

Biblical Foundation

The call for believers to abound in love is rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the apostles. In the Gospel of John, Jesus commands His disciples, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you" (John 15:12). This directive establishes the standard of love that believers are to emulate—selfless, sacrificial, and unconditional.

The Apostle Paul further elaborates on this in his epistles. In 1 Thessalonians 3:12, Paul prays, "And may the Lord cause you to increase and overflow with love for one another and for everyone else, just as our love for you overflows" . Here, Paul emphasizes the need for love to be abundant and overflowing, not limited or restrained.

Characteristics of Abounding Love

1. Selflessness: Abounding love is characterized by putting others' needs above one's own. Philippians 2:3-4 instructs believers, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or empty pride, but in humility consider others more important than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others" .

2. Forgiveness: Love that abounds is forgiving, as seen in Colossians 3:13, "Bear with each other and forgive any complaint you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you" . This reflects the grace and mercy that believers have received from God.

3. Unity: Abounding love fosters unity within the body of Christ. Ephesians 4:2-3 urges believers to "walk with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, and with diligence to preserve the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace" .

4. Action-Oriented: Love is not merely a feeling but is demonstrated through actions. 1 John 3:18 exhorts, "Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth" . This underscores the importance of tangible expressions of love.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The ability to abound in love is not solely a human endeavor but is empowered by the Holy Spirit. Romans 5:5 states, "And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us" . The Spirit enables believers to love beyond their natural capacity, reflecting the divine love of God.

The Witness of Love

Abounding in love serves as a powerful witness to the world. Jesus declared, "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another" (John 13:35). The love that believers show to one another and to the world is a testament to their faith and the transformative power of the Gospel.

In summary, the call for saints to abound in love is a fundamental aspect of Christian living, deeply rooted in Scripture and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is a love that is selfless, forgiving, unifying, and active, serving as a testament to the world of the believer's faith and the love of Christ.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Philippians 1:9
And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment;
Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 Thessalonians 3:12
And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you:
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Excellence of this virtue.
... hast refused the victims offered thee by man; thou dost ... that the world may know that
I love the Father ... this was the goal upon which the saints constantly fixed ...
/.../de liguori/uniformity with gods will/1 excellence of this virtue.htm

God's Love to Fallen Man
... together with our faith, and love of God ... It is the just observation of a benevolent
man, ". ... such as ministering to the necessities of saints; yea, relieving ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 59 gods love to.htm

Wesley -- God's Love to Fallen Man
... suffering, together with our faith and love of God ... It is the just observation of
a benevolent man,. ... ministering to the necessities of the saints, yea, relieving ...
/.../kleiser/the worlds great sermons volume 3/wesley gods love to.htm

Twenty-Fifth Day. Holy and Blameless.
... There have been such saints, holy but hard, holy but distant, holy but sharp in ... is
love.' 'The end of the commandment is love.' To love God and man is to ...
/.../murray/holy in christ/twenty-fifth day holy and blameless.htm

An Exhortation to Love God
... (2). By the growth of love we imitate the saints in the ... rot lawful for a man to utter"
(2 Corinthians 12:4). Never was any man a loser by his love to God ...
//christianbookshelf.org/watson/a divine cordial/an exhortation to love god.htm

On Account Then of These Either Occupations of the Servants of God ...
... and to prove the exceeding dearness of your love. ... us, ordained by the Churches, a
man of God ... reprehensions, lest, without witness of saints associated with him ...
/.../augustine/of the work of monks /section 17 on account then.htm

The Beauty and Excellency of this World Consists, not Only in the ...
... But God to become a miserable man for man, that is ... make you to increase and abound
in love one towards ... coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, with all his saints.". ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter i the beauty and.htm

The Pastor's Parting Blessing
... might see a church made up wholly of saints who live ... Lord Jesus Christ with you,
you will love each other ... No one will seek his own, but every man his brother's ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the pastors parting blessing.htm

Written from Rome
... be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light ... Beware lest any man spoil
you through philosophy and vain ... iniquity" should "abound," and "the love of many ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 45 written from rome.htm

We Shall not be Curious in the Ranking of the Duties in which ...
... much more ought a Christian, a redeemed man, be the ... our brethren, under a base pretended
notion of love. ... grant they should be tender of offending the saints. ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter iv we shall not.htm