the queen of christian graces

LOVE is rightly called "the Queen of Christian graces." "The goal of this command," says Paul, "is love" (1 Timothy 1:5). It is a grace which all people profess to admire. It seems a plain practical thing which everybody can understand. It is none of "those troublesome doctrinal points" about which Christians disagree. Thousands, I suspect, would not be ashamed to tell you that they know nothing about justification, or regeneration, or about the work of Christ, or of the Holy Spirit. But nobody, I believe, would like to say that he knows nothing about love! If men possess nothing else in religion, they always flatter themselves that they possess "love." - J.C. Ryle

We all disagree on a lot of things but one thing we all claim, we all claim to possess love. But is it true? Even the world claims to embrace love. What is the truth about our love and do we really show it? According to Paul, this is what we are to do. We are to walk in love but that love is as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us. This my friends is a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Are you giving yourself up? Does your conversation and behavior reflect one who is giving himself as a sacrifice for others? This is more than mere good advice. Be imitators of God, as beloved children. Eph 5.1-2

We are to walk in love because He is love (1 Jn 4.8). His purpose in salvation is to conform us to Himself (Ro 8.29). All we do is to be done in love (1 Co 16.14).

John MacArthur writes, "The noblest divine characteristic we can imitate is sacrificial love. ... Jesus gave Himself up for us. That was the height of agape love - not simply good feelings about someone else, but unconditionally giving oneself for the welfare of another."

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. - John 13.1-17

In these verses Jesus is saying, among other things, that there is a time when all believers are washed completely clean but as we walk through the world, we become dirtied by the dirt of a sinful society. We need to keep our feet clean. I believe this happens through confession, repentance, etc..

But note this, Jesus later says in John 13:34-35, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” If we combine this with the model He just provided, while each of us ultimately own keeping our feet clean, what was Jesus' behavior when He saw the dirty feet of those He loved? He knelt down and washed them.

When you see dirt on your brother, what does the world see you do? Do you expose it and show it to others? Or do you demonstrate Christ-like humility and sacrifice by bending down to help your brother cleanse himself?

Who do you lift up when someone around you falls? Yourself or your brother? When you lift-up your brother, you are really raising up Christ for all the world to see. All praise, glory and honor belong to Him.

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