Christian Love
30 Days in Philippians - day 4
Philippians 1:7-8
Just as it is right for me to think this of you all, because I have you in my heart, inasmuch as both in my chains and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel, you all are partakers with me of grace. For God is my witness, how greatly I long for you with the affection of Jesus Christ.
Theology is crucial to Christianity. What we believe matters. But there is always the danger that we lose the relational side of our faith and become mere academics.
We do not have to choose one over the other. We can be both intellectually robust and relationally vibrant. These are not competing parts of the Christian life. In fact, they belong together.
Paul is a great example of this. At first glance, we might not think of him as a man with a tender heart and deep affections. But the more we read his letters, the clearer it becomes: he thought deeply about his faith and loved fervently those he called brothers and sisters.
Philippians contains some of the richest passages about Christ in all of Scripture. Yet it is also filled with the warmth of genuine human love.
And like fellowship, Christian love is not a natural gifting. Thank God for that. If it depended on personality or temperament, many of us would spend our lives struggling to be something we are not.
While we cannot say it with absolute certainty, it seems likely that Paul was not naturally a loving man. Before his conversion, he approved of Stephen’s execution and helped imprison believers. But something happened on the road to Damascus.
He did not just come to believe that Jesus is the Christ. He was given a new heart.
We hear that in Philippians 1:8:
“I long for you all with the affection of Jesus Christ.”
That is a remarkable statement. Paul is not simply saying that he loves them deeply. He is saying that the very affection of Christ is at work in him. This is not just natural love—it is supernatural love. It is Christ loving others through him.
If you are not a naturally affectionate or loving person, do not be discouraged. As a Christian, the Spirit of Jesus Christ lives in you.
Have faith that He can and will love others through you.
We are commanded to love—but we are not commanded to love on our own.
The same grace that saved us in now working in us to make us into a people who can love like Jesus loved.
