“Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart, for you have been born again not of seed which is perishable but imperishable, that is, through the living and enduing Word of God.” -{1 Peter 1;22-25}.

In this passage we read of The New Birth, New Obedience, New Love...This New Life through which God causes us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of the LORD Jesus from the dead is ours.- {1 Peter 1:3} This He brings about through the imperishable seed of the living and enduring Word of God. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of Christ. With this new birth comes a new life, new standing in Divine eternal favor with God,- {Read Rom 5;2}. We have been gifted New power to live this life, and precious and magnificent promises to be appropriated on the journey-{2 Peter 1:3-4}.

 

 This New Love is characterized by Three Things…

1. It is SINCERE.

{anupokritos} The word speaks of that which is not hypocritical, unfeigned without pretense, play acting. That which is genuine free from deceit. Authentic free from pretense. As Paul says in Romans 12;9, “Let Love be without hypocrisy {sincere}…”

It isn’t two-faced, one way to a person’s face and the opposite behind their back. Neither is it manipulative, using a person  for one’s own selfish gain. Nor does it try to use people in order to make a connection in order to get access to another. It does not play the hypocrite, in order to get what it wants, devoid of self sacrificing care for another! It is genuine, authentic, sincere, God imparted, defined love, demonstrated by His people who have the power to love in such a way, consistently and obediently, in sincerity. Not two faced but deliberate, divinely inspired and empowered. The real deal! -{Read Rom. 12:92 Cor. 6:61 John 3:18 } The word for “love” used here is “Philadelphia,” which speaks of a maternal love, fraternal love, kindness. A mutual loves used between family members. In the NT philadelphia is used to describe the supernaturally initiated and energized love which believers possess and share with one another. Even though not physically related are related in the family of God, through their common union with the LORD Jesus Christ.

We are to grow in our friendships, affections for one another Peter writes of it in 2 Peter 1:5-7,” Now for this very reason also, applying all diligence, in your faith supply …godliness,  and in your godliness, brotherly kindness, and in your brotherly kindness, love.” So there is growth in brotherly affection, kindness…and in sacrificial love!

In Romans 12:10 speaks of a warm love, a love of affection. It is not passive but active deeds of kindness! Affectionate love. The world wears a mask. The believer manifest a love that is provide by God and manifests it in deeds of kindness, motivated “…For Jesus sake.”-{ 2 Cor 4:5}

2. It is PURE.

{Hagnos}. The word describes a purity which affects not only a person’s motives but also their conduct. Not tainted by sin, be it sexual impurity, nor impure motives of what you do or don’t do. It has to do with the motives of the heart and the character, conduct produced. It is not impurity of heart, nor one of un-forgiveness, bitterness’s, resentment, anger. But pure. Pure in motives and in character. Clean. A result of obedience to the truth!

“Three of the NT uses of hagnizo refer not to literal (ritual/ceremonial) purification, but to ethical/moral or internal/heart purification (Jas 4:8hagnizo1Pe 1:221Jn 3:3note), where the emphasis is not on external cleansing but on internal cleansing so that one’s heart is fully devoted to the Lord and His will and way.”-{preceptaustin commentaries}. In 1 Peter 1;22 it is speaking of an internal cleansing that took place at the new birth, when they received and obeyed the living and enduring Word and were caused by God to be born again {Read 1 Peter 1:3}

3. It is FERVENT-

{Ektenos}. This word is used of a horse or person, both running extending every sinew, muscle in stretching out to the full extent of all that is within them. Like a runner crossing the finishing line leaning forward, stretching his head and neck with everything he or she has trying to beat the opposing runner as they go “neck and neck” towards the finish line! It speaks of the taut muscle of strenuous  and sustained effort of an athlete, a runner.

The idea is earnestness, strenuousness, straining as it were to do it.

” {Ektenos}…and was used to describe a runner who was moving at maximum output with taut muscles straining and stretching to the limit. This meaning presents the clear picture that love is not something that will just happen, but is something we have to work at like an Olympic athlete who strives to master his area of expertise with all his energy. We must make the choice and be earnest, resolute, even intense in our practice of agape love, always in complete dependence of God’s indwelling Spirit and His living and abiding Word.” -{preceptaustin commentraies}

It is to stretch to the full capacity in selfless and sacrificially loving others!

The word speaks of intensely. It is not lukewarm, cold, apathetic but It is a love of commitment using all you have reaching out in the self sacrificing love of denying one self and spending your self on preferring others. Like the Good Samaritan. The other two men upon seeing the wounded man laying there chose to walk by. They had knowledge about God but not the love of God in reaching out to compassionately help the one in need. Jesus says we are to love like this, strangers or anyone in need. Love them sacrificially, consistently, compassionately, whole heartedly. It was not about convenience but self-denying, sacrificial love for others in action! Whoever is in need, is your opportunity to do all you can to love them completely in meeting their need, as much as it is within your ability.

Literally pictures of stretching out in love to others. An intense strain, a perseverance of unceasing activity.  It’s been suggested it is like the string of a violin that is stretched to a tighter pitch, to hit a slightly higher note.

His love includes these aspects of Sincerity, Purity, Fervency. And when we choose to exhibit them we reflect something of Him and testify to Him and that we are His. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” -{John 13:34-35}

“Fervently Love”-agapao } speaks of selfless sacrificial love for others. Desiring their highest good whether they deserve it or…not. It is not a matter of feelings, whether you feel like loving them but of choosing to do it and deny yourself, in order to prefer the other person. This love is a gift of God and a work by the Spirit of God in the believer to produce a supernatural work as by nature outside of Christ we are self centered, and selfish to the core, and this love is a total reversal of our nature outside of Christ. It is a love that is to be given by the believer whether it is returned or not. It is selfless. Paul said, “I will gladly spend myself and all I have for you, even though it seems that the more I love you, the less you love me.” – { 2 Cor 12;15 NLT }. It is to spend one’s life on others seeking their highest good, meeting needs where they exist as much as within you and as Paul found out the love is not always returned or guaranteed. But love chooses to love whether others return love or not. It is not conditional.

It is a command to love immediately each person we meet and even when we do not ‘feel’ like it. In difficult circumstances and with difficult people it is to acknowledge and submit to the Holy Spirit and choose to go forward by faith knowing you can love others! Act based on the truth of God and react accordingly.

“The aorist tense and imperative mood commands the believer to carry out this act of love now and do it effectively. The active voice indicates that each believer must decide in his or her mind to carry out this love. It is decision of your will. Imperative mood (a command which conveys the sense of urgency). ”

We are to grow in our love -{ Read 2 Peter 1;5,7}. “ And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment,…”-{Phil 1;9}

We love others when we treat others the way He treats us. We have to work at it as the runner does in straining every sinew stretching out to the furtherest in extension. God forgives us so we forgive others, God is kind to us so we are kind to others. God is loyal to us so we are loyal to others. God meets our needs so we meet the needs of others. How can we do this?As we “let the Word of Christ richly dwell within you…”-{ Col 3:16}.. and as we practice the truth{ Phil 4;9} we will grow in loving others whether we feel like it or not. As we submit to the Holy Spirit He produces this fruit in our lives…-{Gal 5:22}.

 There are two loves in the verse, it is not only a love of the affections for other Christians but a love of self denial, sacrificially committed to the welfare of others, expecting, seeking or demanding nothing in return, only their highest good. And this love is possible and visible through submission to and empowered by the Holy Spirit who lives within us. -{Galatians 5:22; Eph 5:18}

 A Genuine, Sincere, Pure, Fervent love is evidence of The New Birth, and is seen in a New Love, sacrificially, consistently, whole-heartedly in denying oneself in order to prefer others for their highest good and this by way of a  New Motivation…” …ourselves your servants for Jesus sake!”-{Read 2 Cor 4;5}

It is a love of Sincerity, purity, fervency.

Love is always upwards towards God and outwards towards …others! Others orientated. Occupied with others for their benefit, they are the recipients of such love. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves;  do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,“-{Phil 2;3-5}.

” This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters. If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.

{ 1 John 3;16-18}