Christlikeness: Love each other as I have loved you.

Valentine’s Day is one day in a year dedicated to showing love to one another. The day is also called Saint Valentine’s Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine. It originated as a Catholic feast honoring Saint Valentine. Now, it has become a commercial celebration of romance and love in many countries. I celebrated an early Valentine’s Day this year with my family. Whether you celebrate Valentine’s Day or not, loving one another is not just an event that is meant for only February 14th. In fact, Jesus has commanded us to love one another as He has loved us. Loving one another is Christlike.

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.(John 15:12)

Paul summarized the attributes of love:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.”
(1 Corinthians 13:4‭-‬8)
The value of love we have for one another is not based on emotions and feelings but on the basis that Christ demonstrated to us and commanded us to love one another.

Until we come to the level of demonstrating real love irrespective of what we might have been through in the past, we are not fully obeying the word of God. Loving one another is a new commandment from Jesus. “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” (John 13:34‭-‬35). Love covers a multitude of wrongs. In Christ, each day is a Love Day. As we celebrate today, remember that Jesus has demonstrated by His life that it is possible to love one another.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:13)

Happy Valentine’s Day to you.

Christianity is a way of life! February 10 Christlikeness: Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ If we want to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, then we must learn to be like Him now!

Christianity is a way of life! February 10 Christlikeness: Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ If we want to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, then we must learn to be like Him now!

Christlikeness: Attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ

The church has been endowed with different ministries by Jesus. “So Christ himself gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11‭-‬13). The purpose of the different ministries as seen above is to equip or prepare the church for service and build up the church to attain unity and knowledge of Christ. These processes are ultimately to raise up a church that is mature and Christlike.

until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:13).

Thus, the reason we have different ministries in the church is for Christlikeness. The apostle plants or establishes the church. The prophet gives the mind of God to the church. The evangelist preaches the message that wins souls for the church. The pastor shepherds the church by leading the way. The teacher teaches the truth of God’s word to the church. In most churches, it is possible to find a minister who demonstrates all these ministries. Important to note is that different churches use different names for the ministries. Most importantly, every child of God has a ministry.

You don’t need a position to be fully operational in your ministry. From your home, you can be the apostle, the prophet, the evangelist, the pastor or the teacher. You don’t need a pulpit to operate. Imagine if every Christian home provides the nurturing environment for Christlikeness, the world would be a better place. If Christians outnumber the members of other religious groups, why then can’t we influence the world positively? As Paul stated, these ministries are to equip the church for works of service. This begins at the homes.

Your home is your first ministry ground. No wonder Paul noted that an overseer/bishop/elder/church leader etc. “must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect. If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church? (1 Timothy 3:4‭-‬5).
Remember, the reason for the ministries in the church is not to buy better properties, or make the church popular. The ministries are to work together to equip the church into Christlikeness.

If we want to spend eternity with Jesus Christ, then we must learn to be like Him now!