For Love And Honor Series

Chico Alliance Church

Pastor David Welch

“For Love and Honor”

Review

I. Receive the gift of righteousness

II. Apply the Gift of Righteousness

III. Place of Israel in the God’s Plan of Salvation

IV. Live the Gift of Righteousness

A. Dedicate fully your body and soul to God’s service

B. Think fittingly and serve faithfully in the body. 12:3-8

C. Love genuinely

1. The evil – continually be abhorring

2. The good -- continually being glued to

Be firmly glued to the good not like a Post Its note. Verse ten begins a strings of phrases with a similar pattern that begins with an “in the…” followed by a present tense (continuous action) participle (“ing” word). The “in the” phrase could be translated “in regard to the…” or “concerning the…” In this pattern, each phrase highlights a certain characteristic followed by a recommended action. The first adds to our list of genuine love’s characteristics.

3. In regard to the friendship(brotherly) love – warmly embracing as a dear family member

Remember the pyramid of love from a couple weeks ago?

Verse 9 used one of the Greek words for love, this verse utilizes two more. Paul instructs us to genuinely love (agape) with a friendship love (philia), that warmly relates with a sense of family loyalty (philia/storge). Here is the picture! As we choose to love others with the love (agape) which flooded our hearts at salvation and still floods it through the continual presence of the Holy Spirit, we will find ourselves actually developing a warm fondness (philia), a desire to associate with one another as members of a committed family of believers who serve the same Father.(philia/storge).

Paul directs us to develop a meaningful friendship with others that centers in the fact that we are part of a family and as such increasingly desire and actually enjoy one another’s company. We are connected by blood - the blood of Christ. Today’s English Version captures the essence of the original text well.

“Love one another warmly as Christian brothers and sisters.”

Whereas foundational love may or may not engage the emotions due to it’s rooting in the mind and will, Paul urges the development of a friendship love that adds an emotional dimension to the relationship and a family love which further adds a sense of loyalty and blood connection. One translation states, “love the brothers in faith as if they were brothers in blood.”

Paul urges us to have the same kind of love that naturally binds blood relations together.

Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and whoever loves the Father loves the child born of Him. 1 John 5:1

This aspect of love indicates a warm affection, a friendship, satisfying companionship, camaraderie between brothers and sisters. A literal look!

“In regard to friendship love, warmly love with the loyalty of a loving family.”

Genuine love does not stop with a decision to pursue connection with others; it branches out into a full-blown pursuit and development of meaningful connection through friendship and a sense of loyalty to one another as family members. Rather than fight one another, Christians should as much as possible seek to protect one another and find ways to enjoy one another’s company. True love covers a multitude of sins.

Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. 1 Peter 4:8

The problem with moving closer to one another often tends to disturb too many of our own little pockets of self-centeredness. The New Testament appeals often to the concept of family and loyalty.

Earlier, Paul reminded the Romans to keep their thinking straight and not to think more highly of themselves on the basis that we are vitally connected to one another as members of the same body. Here, he urges us to deepen relationships on the basis that we are connected to one another as members of the same family. Develop comradeship and family loyalty. Don’t just choose to tolerate one another but find was to actually enjoy relationship as friends. How do we do that? It seems like a difficult task.

I think it begins as a work in the heart and an eternal perspective of people as God sees them. Beyond that, we must spend time together. We must spend time learning to enjoy one another’s company. We must be committed to developing meaningful connection. We must be willing to overlook certain things for the sake of relationship.

Genuine love is evident by abhorring the evil, being glued to the good and in regard to friendship, genuine love warmly embraces others as a dear member of the family

4. In regard to the honor of one another – outdoing one another

“Honor”

The Verb (i.e. Honor the Lord) = to pay homage to, to hold in high regard, revere or reverence, reward, value, prize, set a price or estimate a value, appraise, treasure, esteem, appreciate, cherish