The word love is used nineteen times in the book of Ephesians. Though 1 Corinthians 13 is the standard for understanding true godly love it is the book of Ephesians which gives a deep understanding of the scope of love. First let us look at the love of God towards us as expressed in the book of Ephesians.

Eph.2: [1] And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins;

[2] Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience:

[3] Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.

[4] But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

[5] Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

[6] And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

[7] In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;

We were all no good worthless hell bound sinners. Through God’s mercy, we who have trusted Christ as Savior have been placed in Christ and made alive. We are now Heaven bound and have experienced the love of God when it was totally undeserved. Not only Heaven bound but in Christ already present in Heaven. We having all of our sins forgiven.

 

Eph 3: [14] For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,

[15] Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named,

[16] That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man;

[17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

[18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

 [19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge,

The love not only of the Father but the love of Christ also. We can never understand why Jesus loves us so but we can comprehend that He does. He experienced all of the humiliation, all of the suffering, the rejection, the agony for the driving force of His love towards us.

 

Eph.5:[2] And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

The sacrifice which gives a sweet-smelling savour is that of the burnt sacrifice. Jesus not only having suffered on the cross, but literally spending time in Hell for us. Him not only being an offering but a sacrifice.

 

Eph. 5:[25] ……. even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

[26] That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

[27] That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish

Christ having manifested His love for us for the express purpose of receiving us to Himself as His bride.

His love not only purchasing us but performs a continuous cleansing of us.

 

Let us look at our love. The expectation of God after manifesting His love to us is for us as Christians to manifest our love.

Eph. 1: [13] 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,

[14] Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.

[15] Wherefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the saints,

After being born again the love of God manifests itself through His children. It extends outward from us to our brothers and sister in Christ. It is natural. In fact, the Spirit through John wrote if we do not have love for our brothers then we are not the love of the Father in us. Jesus by our love for each other the world may know we belong to Him. It is the Christian love which has no boundaries of race or social status. Rich, poor, black, white, servant, and boss we are to love one another.

 

Eph.3:[17] That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love,

[18] May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height;

[19] And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

We are to stand on this foundation of love. We being rooted in love draw nourishment, stability and strength from our love. It is this indwelling love which manifests God to those around us.

 

Eph.4: [1] I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called,

[2] With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;

[3] Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.

 

The knowledge of God’s love is humbling for a wretched sinner and enables us to walk towards other Christians with a greater tolerance. We realize we being so unworthy of the love which God has shed on us may with meekness understand the frailties of others. It is this love which allows us to walk together with our brothers and sisters in harmony we having all experienced the mercy and grace of God.

 

Eph.4: [11] And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;

[12] For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:

[13] Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

[14] That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;

[15] But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:

[16] From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

 

God has given the body ministers who teach and preach the word of God so that we each as individuals may learn of Him and manifest Him to the world. When we speak it is to be to help not to injure. Because we love, when we speak it is truth which we speak. It is love which produces growth. Hate can be a great unifier among the lost but it is our love which unties the brethren together. It is the glue which binds us together.

 

Eph.5:[1] Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;

 [2] And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

We being followers of God who has shown His love to us should walk in love. We are to have a love that is expressed in our willingness to give. It should be a sacrificial love.

 

Eph.6:[23] Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

[24] Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen.

We love with the assurance of our beliefs. God has promised many things to His children and we having experienced this love in ourselves have the belief that what God has promised He will do. Our love is to be a sincere love. Not put on or conditional but one of true and abiding affection for Christ.