4. Love
This is the unselfish benevolent
concern one exhibits towards God the Father, Jesus Christ, and others. Love
towards God the Father and Jesus Christ is, manifested in the act of obedience
as alluded to by Jesus Christ who said, “If you love Me keep My commandments’.
‘He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who
loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to
him.’ And, ‘If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love
him and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John
14:15, 21, 23).
This act of obedience or love is a
demonstration of true faith in God. Such love constrains us from committing
evil, and propels us to love one another as we love ourselves. The remarkable
thing about this love is that it is patient, kind, not envious, not boastful,
is not proud, it is not rude, it is not self-seeking, is not easily angered,
keeps no record of wrong doings, takes no delight in evil, but rejoices with
the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres,
and never fails.
The true expression of this love is
by loving God with all our heart, with all our understanding, and with all our
strength, and to love our neighbor as ourselves. This is more important than
all burnt offerings and sacrifices.
The application of such love gives
boldness; because whoever lives in love lives in God and God in him. In this
way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the Day
of Judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in
love, but perfect love casts out fear.
5. Patience
This is the ability to bear trials
without grumbling. This attribute is produced from a good and noble heart who
hears the word of God, retain it, and by persevering produce a crop. This is
figurative to the seed which fell on good soil and produced a crop. Patience is
the product of suffering, tribulation, and the testing of our faith, which in
turn produces character. Hence, we are to do everything without complaining or
arguing, so that we may become blameless and pure, children of God without
fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which we shine like stars in the
universe as we hold on to the word of life’ (Philippians 2:14-16).
To be continued
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With brotherly love
Lucius Joseph
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