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Biblical Love: Is It Necessary for Salvation?

Bill Fix
11/12/17 - Sunday

Biblical Love:  Is It Necessary for Salvation?

  1. What is love?
    1. “When a puppy licks your face… even after you left him alone all day.”
    2. Vine’s:  Agape/Agapao  - “the characteristic word of Christianity” describing “the attitude of God toward His Son; the human race, generally; and to such as believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, particularly.”
    3. But challenging to completely describe in English because “love” means so many different things
  2. Consider 1 Corinthians 13 with other passages to better comprehend Agape LOVE
  3. 1 Cor. 13:  1-3 – THE SUPREMACY OF LOVE
    1. Love > Miraculous works
    2. Love > Faith!
    3. Faith or works without love profits nothing, Jm. 2:14-18
    4. Contrast elements of 1 Cor. 13:1-3 with how man was commanded to love God (Mt. 22:37:  “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”)  This comparison illustrates how multi-dimensional love really is.

Absence of love renders ineffective:

Love the Lord with our…

Tongues

Words (Mt. 7:21-22)

Prophecies, knowledge

Mind

Faith

Soul

Generosity

Heart

    1. God wants our full devotion, and without it, we can’t successfully teach or worship.
      1. Mk. 12:33:  Love > Sacrifice
      2. 1 Sam. 15:22:  Obedience > Sacrifice
  2. 1 Cor. 13:4-7 – WHAT IS LOVE?
    1. These attributes of love are applicable on all levels and in all contexts:  marriage, family, church, community, workplace, neighbor, etc.

Love is:

Love is not:

Patient

Jealous/Envious

Kind

Boastful

Honest

Proud/Arrogant

Forgiving

Rude

Faithful

Selfish

Hopeful

Irritable

Enduring

Resentful/Spiteful

Persevering

 

    1. Jn. 14:15, 23-24:  Obedient; “Keep my commandments”
      1. Jn. 15:12-14:  Love one another as I have loved you.
    2. 1 Jn. 2:4-5:  Obedience = Love of God has reached perfection.
    3. 1 Jn. 3:16-17:  Sacrifice for each other, whether great or minimal.
    4. 1 Jn. 3:18-24:  In truth and action.
  2. 1 Cor. 13:13 – FAITH, HOPE, & LOVE
    1. What is faith or hope without love?  Disobedience (1 Jn. 3:23)
    2. Heb. 10:18-27 – Steps of salvation all present in one passage, intermingled with faith, hope, & love

Faith, Hope, & Love

Steps of Salvation

v. 22 – Let us… faith

v. 22: “true heart in full assurance of faith”

v. 23 – Let us… hope

v. 22: “hearts sprinkled clean from evil conscience” (repentance)

v. 24 – Let us… love

v. 23: “hold fast to the confession of our hope”

 

v. 22: “bodies washed with pure water” (baptism)

 

v. 26: Remain faithful and Love

 

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