The Big Picture: love

Showing posts with label love. Show all posts

Instruments of Grace: Why God Chose the Body to Answer Prayer

We often pray for "breakthroughs." We envision the heavens parting, a direct hand reaching down, or a sudden, miraculous windfall. And while God is absolutely capable of the spectacular, I’ve realized that He usually prefers a different method.

He works through the Body.

A Short Walk and a Long Realization

The other morning, I decided to hop out of the car a few blocks away from my office. It was a small sacrifice to help my wife get a head start on her commute. It was only a few hundred meters—nothing I couldn't handle—but as I started walking, a colleague and friend pulled up beside me.

"Jump in," he said.

It was a short ride, and truthfully, I didn't need the lift. But as he dropped me off right at the front door, it hit me: This is how God works. I didn't ask for a ride, but God provided one through the simple, attentive kindness of a friend. In that moment, my colleague wasn’t just a coworker; he was the hands and feet of Jesus.

We Are the Answer to Someone’s Prayer

We often treat the "Body of Christ" as a theological term, but it is a functional reality. When we pray for provision, comfort, or help, God’s primary "delivery system" is us.

“It is finished.” (John 19:30)

When Jesus cried out “It is finished” upon the cross, He was not speaking of defeat, but of victory. The Greek word used here is tetelestai, meaning “paid in full.” In that single declaration, the eternal plan of redemption was sealed. The debt of sin was not partially addressed, nor left incomplete—it was fully satisfied by the blood of Christ.

This statement marks the end of the old covenant sacrifices, for the Lamb of God had offered Himself once for all (Hebrews 10:12). No more offerings are required, no more rituals can add to His work. The shadow gave way to the substance, and the law found its fulfillment in Him. Every prophecy concerning His suffering was accomplished, every demand of divine justice met, and every promise of salvation secured.

The depth of this truth is staggering. “It is finished” means that sin’s penalty has been borne, Satan’s power has been broken, and the way to God has been opened. It means that reconciliation is now possible, that peace with God is offered freely, and that eternal life is available to all who believe. What was impossible through human effort is now accomplished through divine grace.

And this cry still echoes today. Though spoken nearly two thousand years ago, its power remains. Salvation is still available because of this expression. Now, while the season of grace continues, do not harden your heart—hear the gospel and place your trust in Jesus Christ. His finished work is the foundation, and faith in Him secures eternal life.

So let us hear His words not as the closing of a life, but as the opening of a door. “It is finished” is the assurance that nothing more needs to be done, nothing more can be added, and nothing more must be paid. The cross stands as the completed work of God’s love, and the invitation remains: believe, and receive the gift of salvation.

The Quiet Glory of Forbearing: A Lesson from Paul’s Example

In 1 Corinthians 9:4-18, Paul lays out a compelling doctrinal truth: those who labour in the gospel have a God-ordained right to receive material support. “Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel” (v14). Yet Paul, though fully entitled to this provision, chooses to forbear it. Not out of pride. Not to prove a point. But to preserve the purity and power of the gospel’s witness.

This is not a command for all ministers to follow his exact path, but it is a lesson for every believer to consider the heart behind such a choice. Paul’s decision was not driven by fleshly effort or self-glory. He did not boast in his sacrifice, nor did he use it to elevate himself above others. “For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me” (v16). His motive was love. His reward was the privilege of preaching Christ without charge, that no earthly entanglement might hinder the gospel’s reach (v18).

A lesson for laymen

While you may not be called to full-time ministry, you are called to the same spirit of voluntary restraint when it serves the gospel. Whether in finances, relationships, or personal liberties, there may be times when choosing not to exercise a right becomes a quiet act of faith. Not to be seen. Not to be praised. But to protect the testimony of Christ and to walk in love toward others.

Doctrine and Discernment (Part Four): Stewarding Truth and Love in Ministry

There’s a quiet danger in mistaking method for maturity. We often lean on formulas to help us communicate spiritual truths, and rightly so—they offer clarity, structure, and consistency. But the formula is not the substance. It’s a scaffold, not a sanctuary. True spiritual discernment comes not by rigid application, but by yielding to the Spirit’s wisdom. We study, we rightly divide, we prepare—but then we walk.

To help us walk wisely, we’ll explore a five-point framework—people, matter, fruit, motive, and method. This is not a checklist for performance, but a compass for understanding. It’s a way to receive knowledge and begin discerning how to minister God’s Word with balance—avoiding the extremes of Berean rigidity and Romans 14 leniency, and instead walking the Spirit-led middle path of truth and love.

PEOPLE — Who Are You Speaking To?

Not every believer is in the same place spiritually, and the Spirit calls us to discern that difference with care. Some are strong in faith, able to receive correction, digest meatier truths, and engage in doctrinal clarity without stumbling. Others are still growing—needing gentleness, patience, and protection from overload. To minister wisely is to recognise this spectrum and respond accordingly. A hard truth spoken to a soft heart can wound more than it heals. Likewise, withholding clarity from a mature believer can hinder growth. The Spirit leads us to match tone and depth to the hearer’s capacity, not out of compromise, but out of love.

Doctrine and Discernment (Part Three): The Spiritual Summary of Romans 14

In this series, we’ve been tracing the spectrum of how believers steward scripture. Part 1 began with the Bereans—those noble searchers who examined the Word daily with precision and care. They represent the extreme left: doctrinal accuracy, scriptural testing, and intellectual rigour. Part 2 took us to the opposite end—Romans 14, where Paul speaks of accommodation, leniency, and the grace required in disputable matters. Now, in part 3, we remain in Romans 14, but we shift from the practical to the spiritual. This is the summary of the chapter. This is the heart of the matter.

The body of Christ is not a physical institution—it is a spiritual entity. Our walk is not defined by meat or holy days, nor by outward rituals or religious customs. The kingdom of God is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. These are the spiritual markers of a believer. These are the things that matter. Our focus must be heavenward. Our minds are to be set on things above, not on the disputable matters below. True service to God is not found in external observance, but in yielding to His Word and walking in the Spirit. That is what pleases Him.

Yet Paul does not leave us in the clouds. He brings us back to the ground—to our horizontal relationship with our brother. The middle portion of this passage reminds us that liberty must be tempered by love. We are to accommodate the weaker brother, not by diluting truth, but by sacrificing our freedoms for his sake. We do not flaunt our convictions. We do not provoke offence. We seek peace. We pursue edification. We lay down our rights so that he might stand. This is not compromise—it is compassion. It is the quiet strength of spiritual maturity.

How Doctrine Walks, Loves, and Lives Among Us (Part 2)

This is not a traditional teaching laid out in flowing paragraphs—it’s a scriptural mosaic. It brings together verses and quotes that speak directly to the human heart, showing that truth was never meant to be cold or mechanical. This section aims to stir you through the Word itself, proving that sound doctrine is most powerful when carried by affection and rooted in human connection.

Having first seen that sound doctrine is not only taught but walked—modeled in the example of Christ Himself—this second part continues to build that foundation. Paul’s life and ministry show that doctrine operates best when delivered with affection, where truth finds its full reach not in lectures, but in lives intertwined. This section highlights how connection—rooted in love and expressed relationally—is not peripheral to teaching. It’s essential.

Paul Taught with Affection: From information to transformation, truth is carried in love.

Paul’s teaching wasn’t transactional—it was transformational, and that required presence. The affection he modeled reached beyond the pulpit into daily concern and mutual care.

“For I know your forwardness, of which I boast of you to them of Macedonia… And not by his coming only, but by the consolation wherewith he was comforted in you, when he told us your earnest desire, your mourning, your fervent mind toward me; so that I rejoiced the more.” — 2 Corinthians 7:4-7

This shows a ministry relationship that breathes—it feels disappointment, celebrates growth, and receives comfort from one another. Paul wasn’t just teaching them; he was moved by them.

“We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ…” — 1 Thessalonians 1:2-3

True teaching remembers people’s names and seasons. It celebrates their spiritual labor, mourns their losses, and rejoices when Christ shines through them.

How Doctrine Walks, Loves, and Lives Among Us (Part 1)

Jesus Walked the Doctrine: Truth isn’t just taught—it’s traveled.

We often think of doctrine as something printed, preached, or parsed—but before it was proclaimed, it walked. Doctrine was never designed to remain cold in the pages of a scroll or clinical in a pulpit. It moved in sandaled feet, brushed against weary shoulders, lingered near grieving hearts, and burned quietly on unknown roads.

“And they heard the voice of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day…” — Genesis 3:8

Even in Eden, truth did not thunder—it walked. The Word didn’t stand distant; it approached. This is the earliest rhythm of divine engagement: God drawing near, not simply delivering instruction.

Fast-forward to John’s Gospel, and we see the culmination of this rhythm:

“And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” — John 1:14

The Word dwelt—not floated. He didn't host seminars from heaven. He walked. He met people in marketplaces, in leper colonies, at wedding feasts, and along grieving roads. He made truth tangible.

“God’s Word is deeply personal—it chooses to walk, not just instruct.”

Love That Approves is the Heart of Discernment (Part 4)

As we journey through this study, we’ve uncovered a compelling spiritual progression. In Part 1, we introduced the scale of the mind—caught between proving and reprobation. Part 2 explored the Greek roots of dokimazō and adokimos, revealing the tension between approval and rejection. Then in Part 3, we recognised that every believer lives in a season of probation—a time of testing, where the mind is being shaped by its response to truth. Now, we turn to a vital truth that undergirds the entire process: love is the key to approving rightly. Without love, discernment falters. Without love, judgment becomes harsh. But when love abounds in knowledge and judgment, the believer is equipped to prove what pleases God.

Love That Discerns

Paul’s prayer in Philippians 1:9-10 is both profound and practical:

“And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent…”

Here, love is not sentimental—it is intelligent. It is not blind—it is discerning. The Greek word for “judgment” (aisthēsis) speaks of moral insight, the ability to perceive what is spiritually valuable. And “approve” (dokimazō) again calls us to test and affirm what is excellent. But the condition is clear: love must abound first. Without love, knowledge becomes cold. Without love, judgment becomes critical. But when love abounds, the believer sees with clarity and responds with grace.

This is not a love that ignores truth—it is a love that seeks it. It is a love that discerns rightly because it desires what is good for others and what is pleasing to God. Paul does not separate love from doctrine—he binds them together. The more we love, the more we are able to judge rightly (discern wisely, or perceive clearly). And the more we judge rightly, the more we are able to approve what is excellent.

Love That Leads to Obedience

Love for God is not something we force upon ourselves; it is cultivated as we behold Him, know Him, and trust Him. Before obedience can become the natural outflow of love, we must first fall in love with God. It is only when our hearts are captivated by His goodness that obedience ceases to be a burden and instead becomes a joyous response.

Scripture makes it clear that we do not initiate love—God does. “We love him, because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Friends, when we spend time in prayer, Bible study, and fellowship, constantly being reminded of, and reflecting on God's love, which was demonstrated in Christ’s sacrifice and our resulting salvation and adoption, our hearts begin to understand God's great love for us, and we reciprocate. The more we come to know Him—His holiness, kindness, patience—the more our hearts are drawn to Him.

Trust is an essential part of love. A child clings to a loving father because they have confidence in his care. So must we learn to trust God, knowing that His ways are perfect. “And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose” (Romans 8:28). The more we surrender to His wisdom and rest in His promises, the deeper our love grows, producing a delight in Him that surpasses all earthly affections.

Approving What Is Excellent by Walking in Truth

Walking in the light is not merely about avoiding sin—it is about actively discerning truth, judging God's will, and making decisions that reflect a heart devoted to Him. This process of judgment is not cold or mechanical; it is deeply rooted in love for God and His Word. When you love God, you desire to walk in His ways, and that desire compels you to search the Scriptures, seeking what pleases Him. It is in this pursuit that true spiritual maturity is cultivated.

Paul speaks of this transformation in Romans 12:2, urging believers: "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." The renewal of the mind is not a passive experience—it is an intentional, daily engagement with truth. To prove what is acceptable unto God means to test, discern, and judge rightly. This is the essence of walking in the Spirit: a life where every thought, every action, and every decision is weighed against the truth of God's Word.

This is not a burdensome task but a joyful pursuit. Philippians 1:9-10 reveals that our love for God should abound in knowledge and judgment, enabling us to approve things that are excellent. Love is not blind—it is discerning. A believer who truly loves God does not merely follow rules but seeks to understand His heart, to know His will, and to walk accordingly. This is the difference between legalism and a life led by the Spirit. The former obeys out of obligation; the latter obeys out of love and maturity.

The Journey of Faith, Love, and Hope

Upon hearing of the faith and love among the Ephesians, Paul begins to pray for them and writes these profound truths to them. He would not have written the contents of Ephesians to the Corinthians, nor to the Galatians in the state they were in. The Corinthians were babes in Christ, incapable of perceiving and understanding spiritual truths. Paul addresses the Corinthians saying,

"And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ. I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able." 1 Corinthians 3:1-2.

The Galatians had lost their footing—their faith was overthrown, and had returned to the law, striving to establish their own righteousness and salvation rather than placing their faith in Christ. Paul warned them,

"Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing." Galatians 5:2.

Those seeking justification through the law had fallen from grace. Likewise, the Corinthians exhibited signs of immaturity—envy, strife, and division among them.

To truly grasp the deep spiritual truths contained in Ephesians, one must reach a certain level of maturity. Until then, these great depths of God's eternal plan and purpose remain beyond full comprehension. Paul highlights this progression in several of his letters. In the opening of Romans, he declares:

Spiritual Growth is from Heart to Mind to Heart (Part 3)

Paul's 9-church epistles, Romans to 2-Thessalonians, is a curriculum of spiritual growth and transformation for the grace believer. By studying the doctrine progressively, and in the appointed order as presented in our King James bible, it takes one from being a babe in Christ to an adopted and mature son of God, from being carnal, yielding to the flesh, to being spiritual, yielding to the Spirit of life, and from being ignorant of God to having knowledge and wisdom in spiritual things. In addition, there is one more thing the curriculum does when it starts to take effect in one's life. It slowly changes the heart. It starts with a work of faith, renewing the mind to trust in God and trust in the doctrine, but as a believer grows in faith, the curriculum starts to work a labour of love.

What the labour of love is not!

Well, simply put, it is not your own good works. It is not even your love. It is a work of God that comes into operation as you become less, and the Word of God starts to take preeminence. So, forget about earning favour and credits by helping the elderly across the street (for example). The labour of love is not something you do by your own reasoning mind and good will. Doesn't Isaiah bluntly say,

"But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away." Isaiah 64:6.

I'm not saying that kind acts are fruitless, but I am saying that they are not the definition of the 'labour of love' which we are dealing with in this post.

People's imaginations concerning 'receiving the Holy Spirit' (Example #4)

This post is written for the sole purpose of illustrating the ignorance of sound doctrine on social media these days. My aim is to emphasize the absolute necessity of studying the Bible for oneself and seeking answers from the source instead of relying on imaginations or opinions given by people, who may be sincere, but are as ignorant as the one who asked the question to start with.

So, let's begin by stating the question that was asked in the beginning of a social media thread,

QUESTION: "How can Christians catch the Spirit?"

Below is the fourth of a few answers that were supplied to this question on social media. They appear to be sincere but are unfortunately completely false or have parts that are from the imaginations of men who have not sought out the truth in the Word of God. I add comments as to why the answer is wrong and what the Word of God actually says about it.

False Imagination #4

Christians can get the Holy Spirit by letting the love of God shine in their life each day. Love is key. Show love to everyone and the spirit of God will dwell in you!

My comments:

Charity, the labour of love

1Tim.1:3-5 As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine, (4) Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do. (5) Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

The word "charity" in the context of this passage is not you loving with natural affection. This is a supernatural love that comes from God. This charity is brought about by faith. Paul says in 1Thess. 1:3, “remembering without ceasing your work of faith.” What is the work of faith? Godly edifying. What is the end of that godly edifying? Charity. Thus, charity, which is this outward display of a labour of love, is formed in you, and increases in you based on your faithfulness in godly edification.

The growth and perfecting of the saints through Paul's doctrine

1Th.3:12-13 And the Lord make you to increase and abound in love one toward another, and toward all men, even as we do toward you: (13) To the end he may stablish your hearts unblameable in holiness before God, even our Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ with all his saints.

What makes you unblamable and holy before God is for love to increase and abound in you toward each other and toward all men. The greatest thing for you to know is the love of Christ. Now abideth faith, hope, and love, 1Co.13:13. When Paul wrote Romans, he says, "your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world.", Rom.1:8. Then he comes to Ephesians and says: “Since I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and love to all the saints.”, Eph.1:15. And then he comes to Thessalonians and said: “Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, labor of love, and patience of hope.”, 1Th.1:3. Do you see the progression up the curriculum? What you are seeing here is the growth and perfecting of the saint. God is doing a work of faith in us. That work of faith is to teach us the love of Christ, that we may labor outwardly in that love, and then in patience of hope, endure all things in this present world in earnest expectation of the glory that is to come. God gave you our doctrine, Paul's curriculum, to get you ready for that calling" the calling of "us", being the Body of Christ, who is the fulness of him that filleth all in all, Eph 1:20-23.

2Ti.1:9 Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

The Words and the Spirit in the written Word

Rom 2:25-29 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. (26) Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? (27) And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? (28) For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: (29) But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Studying the written Word is more than just reading scripture to learn about the message in the words themselves. Yes, there is important truth in the message delivered by the words, but one should also learn and partake of the spirit of God in the passage, which is found behind the words.

Let’s have a look at the above passage and, as an example, extract a basic learning and understanding from the words in the passage, but also learn something about God’s character and will from the spirit behind the words.

Remember Love

When one first learns about dispensational views and rightly dividing, it quickly becomes deeply rooted in one’s heart and it changes everything about one’s views and interpretation of scripture. I am personally convicted in my heart that rightly dividing the Word between Israel and the Body of Christ, between law and grace, and between prophecy and mystery, is the ONLY way to effectively understand and interpret scripture. It has exponentially changed my understanding of God’s Word and my relationship with Him, and I’ll never turn back to my old understanding of merging or blending all the Bible into a single doctrine that is all about me, or for my needs and cares and wants.

Having said all this, I do want to mention something that is of crucial importance. I’m not sure about you, but this is something that I have experienced and want to bring to your attention.

To be passionate about dispensational truth and rightly dividing is vital in this world where sound biblical knowledge is so scarce. However, for us, who view scripture rightly divided, we should be careful not to get too passionate about the theology and the words, that we forget about love and the human connection.

What do I mean here?

Can living the 'Golden Rule' Save You?

QUESTION:

Assuming Jesus existed and assuming the statement attributed to him in Matthew 22:35-40 has been accurately translated in the Bible, is it not true that the only way for a Christian to have everlasting life is by adhering to the Golden Rule?

ANSWER:

There is not an iota of doubt in my mind that Jesus existed. Furthermore, there is not an iota of doubt in my mind that what he quoted is accurately recorded in my King James Bible. Heaven and earth can pass away, but these two facts will remain eternally true.

Before I answer your question, lets look at the verse you quote,

Mat 22:36-40 Master, which is the great commandment in the law? (37) Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. (38) This is the first and great commandment. (39) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. (40) On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.

Grace Gospel 101 (Part 6): Eternal Security (Continued…)

Start with Part 1 of the series here.

In a previous post, we learned that we can know that we have eternal life. It is vitally important that each of us have this absolute assurance. Thus, I will devote a second post to this critical topic.

Sealed with the Holy Spirit

"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory" (Ephesians 1:13-14).

Notice the progression in verse 13: First you hear the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; Secondly, you believe in Christ and His death for your sins; Thirdly, you are sealed with the Holy Spirit. (1. Hear the gospel; 2. Believe the gospel; 3. Sealed with Holy Spirit) Everyone who hears the gospel and believes it, is sealed with the Holy Spirit.

The paradox in the cross of Christ

In reference to this post:

https://thebigpicturelink.blogspot.com/2023/08/as-simple-as-that.html

Somone asked the following question(s) in response to the above post. I wanted to share the answer I gave into this space for the encouragement and edification of people that peruse here.
God bless. 🙌

QUESTIONS ASKED:

Do you believe in Satan? Do you believe a serpent can talk? Do you believe serpent can be smarter than humans? Do you think that God was so stupid to create Satan who will deceive Eve, and then god will dump curses on Eve, and say nothing to Satan. There are numerous problems in my mind about is in Bible.
Why god kept quite when children were eaten? Why god allowed pagan women to be raped.
Why god changed Lot’s wife to a pillar of salt, but said nothing to Lot who gulped alcohol and did sex with his daughters.
Why god told Moses to kill all women who have seen men, and spare others and Moses gave them to his soldiers. Boys with pubic hair were beheaded.
Why God did not punish David for raping Hittite woman?

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