A Christian Life Well Lived

Introduction: Love, the Theme of the Christian Life

Avoiding the disconnect: Knowing the theology of what makes us Christians, and knowing that we are then to walk in the Spirit in love, what does this practically look like in how we live our lives?

There is little logical progression in this text. Instead, the focus is on the theme of a Christian life that is characterized by endurance and love.

Love for God (vs 9; 11-12)

The first category we see Paul expound upon is love for God. Although not ordered in a logical pattern, we see this theme specifically mentioned in verse 9 with the phrase, “abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.”

This is based on the command given in Rom 12:2

Romans 12:2 ESV

Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

So here the command is put together. The Christian is to carefully and honestly testing all things to discern whether they are of God or of the evil one. Using the revelation of God given to us in God’s Word and the only infallible rule, we are to put everything to the test. As we saw a few weeks ago, this testing must be based on a knowledge of God’s will founded upon the Scriptures and rooted in our hearts through deep prayer and experience in walking with Christ. We examine our own hearts for the sinful bias of our flesh, and we carefully stick to God’s character in judging every thing. This is the essence of the greatest command to “Love the Lord your God will all your heart…soul…mind…and strength.”

1 John 3:5–6 ESV

You know that he appeared in order to take away sins, and in him there is no sin. No one who abides in him keeps on sinning; no one who keeps on sinning has either seen him or known him.

1 John 3:10 ESV

By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.

We cannot pretend to love God if we are not doing this. As we grow closer to God through faith in Jesus Christ, we become more discerning and more obedient to the will of our heavenly Father we will be. The Christian life, in practice, means hating what is evil and holding to what is good. This is not from a place of legalism, but because it is in accord to walking in the Spirit of Him to whom we belong. We know God through Christ, and as such we now belong to what is good and are set free from what is evil, as Paul explained in chapters 6-8. That being the case, in order to endure to the end and grow in the grace given to us, this is our lifelong task. Also, this is not in order to judge others, but to grow ourselves in the spirit of all that is good and holy and pleasing to God. If we claim to love God, we will walk in faith by discerning what is pleasing to God and walk into it and what is abhorrent to God and reject it.

Not only reject it, but hate it. Loving God does not only mean living according to his will, but also conforming our minds to it. We are not to live as slaves to what is good, but as children of God with a character and with values just like his.

In verses 11-12 we have further instructions, specifically about the attitude in which we are to live according to God’s will.

Encourage eagerness for doing good in your life. Sometimes lovelessness towards God presents itself, not in sins of commission but in a lack of desire for the good what are made in Christ Jesus to do.

Patiently endure the trials God puts before you.

Pray always, spending time in communion with God.

Love for God’s People (vs 9-10; 13; 15-16)

The second command that Paul tackles in this passage is love for God’s people.

1 John 3:23 ESV

And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.

The manner in which this love presents itself is drawn out for us here.

(vs 9) this love must be genuine, that is, it is not love in outward appearance only, but a genuine expression of the heart. Not only are we to act in a loving way, but our loving actions are to come from a heart that is devoted to love.

This is not necessarily a feeling, but rather a conscious decision to devote yourself to the good of your brothers and sisters.

Paul fills this picture out more with brotherly affection. That is, leading our hearts to feel the love for others that we would have for our closest family members.

Outdo…in showing honour. This does not suggest us adopting a competitive spirit that calls attention to itself, but rather heaping honour upon each other in order to show them the love of Christ more and more.

Verse 13:

Be willing to physically assist with the worldly needs of your brethren.

James 2:15–17 ESV

If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.

Show hospitality. This specifically refers to opening your home to welcome the saints. It’s not good enough that we give money; a true expression of brotherly love is to welcome them into your life as your family.

“Rejoice and weep.” This is another way of saying, “have compassion.” Dive into the joys and sorrows of others as a way to show your genuine care for them.

“Harmony”. Seek peace with other Christians, even if that means sacrificing yourself and your desires. This also includes submission to bring order to the church.

“Lowly”. There is to be no class distinction in the church. This is avoided by intentionally associating with those you may not, in your worldly life, associate with.

These are all ways in which this single truth of loving each other is expressed. Love is not merely an idea or a feeling, but rather genuine devotion fueled by the desire to have Christ at work in you.

Love for the Hostile World (vs 14; 17-21)

The final group we are called to love is our enemies and persecutors. Since we see our trials as ultimately in the Lord’s hands, we are not moved with vengence or bitterness, but rather we retaliate with kindness. This is based in the faith that the God of all goodness will have victory over all evil.

Treat enemies honourably, not as they treat you. There is no room for revenge, but rather giving love in turn for hate. This is to act as Christ did when he came. This doesn’t mean being a doormat or passive, but actively decide to retaliate evil with good, knowing that good will always win because God is good.

Do what is possible to live at peace with the world. There are lines we cannot cross, but as far as we can, harmony must be sought. We are not here to offend the world, and if they must be offended let it be our gospel and good behaviour that offends them.

Paul quotes Proverbs to demonstrate the wisdom of this way of dealing with hostile people. This is nothing new.

Proverbs 25:21–22 ESV

If your enemy is hungry, give him bread to eat, and if he is thirsty, give him water to drink, for you will heap burning coals on his head, and the Lord will reward you.

Verse 21 sums up this idea: good is stronger than evil. So if we are to defeat our enemies, let us defeat them with good and not with the weapons they wage war with.

Conclusion: Good is Stronger than Evil

So we see, at the heart of this string of commands is the heart of Christian living: which is love. Walking by the Spirit means to love as God does, to show his kindness, his mercy, his patience, for his glory. If we live in such a way in faith, we will surely endure in Christian living.

Such a life is lived in a hope of what will soon be, and who we will soon be.

1 John 3:2 ESV

Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is.

This is how we walk by faith. Faith has us hold onto Christ for our justification, which breeds love in our hearts by the work of the Holy Spirit. This love is manifested in a loving obedience to God, sacrificial affection for the Saints, and a bold kindness towards the world. This is the only way for a Christian to live, so let us pursue it with all our might so that we might obtain the end to which we are striving.

2 Peter 1:5–8 ESV

For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.