What is Grace?

The following discussion resulted from my personal study in Galatians 1:3.

Most anyone you ask in the average evangelical church would respond to the question, “what is grace?” with the reply “God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense.” Others will reply, “Grace is God’s blessings in my life.” In fact, those are the descriptions I would have used myself until a few weeks ago. My complacent understanding was shattered by a rather mundane event. In my personal Bible study, I came across an old note in the margin of my Bible that completely shattered my complacent understanding of that familiar word, “grace.”

The revolution I experienced radically changed my perspective. What I came to realize was that both of these definitions of grace focus on the recipient of grace rather than the One who gives grace. The definitions include the truth that God gives grace, but the real emphasis in the minds of most Christians is on the benefit to the person who receives that grace. In that sense, grace is seen as the blessing of God, and the objective of grace is that God is glorified by showing his love and beneficence to His children. To put that in the common idiom, people would say that “grace is all about me and what makes my life better.”

Consider the foundation of our faith as Paul detailed it in Ephesians 2:8-10. Our Lord extends His grace in two aspects of our faith. We are saved by grace in that salvation is all the gift of God (Ephesians 2:8-9 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast). We are also sanctified by grace which means we are set apart to live for Him by His sovereign work. Notice how the emphasis of grace turns from salvation in verses eight and nine to effective Christian living in verse ten. We are sanctified by grace which means we are set apart to live for Him by His sovereign work (Ephesians 2:10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them). Though we are the recipient of the benefits of God’s grace in both our salvation and our daily living in Christ, we have absolutely no reason to become self-centered and fail to see God’s broader purpose in His grace.

In one of my old Bibles, I have this note written in the margin next to 2 Corinthians 9:8 which effectively gives a true definition of Grace. This note dramatically awakened my understanding of God’s grace. Here is what I had written – Grace is God’s extension of His dynamic for His work.

That statement is so profound and so powerful it demands a close examination. The pivotal concept is in the meaning of the word “dynamic.” In its noun form as used here, dynamic means “a basic or dynamic force, esp. one that motivates, affects development or stability.” In other words, God’s dynamic is His motivation and enablement. Within that understanding, God’s motivation and enablement for His cause is what constitutes grace.

I have been unable to find the source of that note, but I found that my Greek lexicon renders the same idea for the Greek word translated “grace” (χάρις / charis). Consider the following definition of grace from A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament by Joseph Henry Thayer (often simply referred to as Thayer's Lexicon). Grace is “the merciful kindness by which God, exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps, strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.”

God’s grace in both my salvation and sanctification are expressly for the purpose of accomplishing His work and bringing Him the glory He deserves. Though I am the recipient of God’s grace and benefit from it, that grace is not primarily for my own advantage nor is my personal blessing the ultimate purpose of that grace. God’s grace is always to the purpose of His glory and accomplishing His will.

Turning the concept of grace from personal blessing to the fact that grace is to accomplish God’s glory makes the popular notion of grace as a personal blessing ring exceedingly hollow, selfish, and naive. The whole purpose of grace from my salvation by His grace to my ultimate resurrection is that I might be diligent and effective in the work He has given me to do bringing glory to God. The Grace of Jesus Christ is central to my being deliberately Christian.
2 Peter 3:18 (ESV) But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

The clearest evidence of this definition for Grace is in 1 Corinthians 15:10 where Paul declared, "But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all, yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me."

Great Commission Resurgence - some personal thoughts and comments

I have begun to see and hear these words more often - "we need a Great Commission Resurgence." In reading many of the articles on this call, I have come to the conclusion that this is really a call for revival, especially within the Southern Baptist Convention. The fact that growth has stagnated and reaching and retaining young adults has become problematic, church leaders are looking for a solution. With regard to that solution, let me offer the following observations.

1. Talk of the need for a “Great Commission Resurgence” is basically a recognition and admission that the evangelical church in the United States, including the SBC, desperately needs an old-fashioned, Holy Spirit revival.

2. Trying to define and orchestrate a revival of the church under a banner such as the Great Commission Resurgence makes that effort just another program of the organized evangelical church. As a program, it has little hope of being any more successful in reviving the church than any of the other programs have been.

3. As a movement, the evangelical church, especially as it has found a manifestation in the “mega church” phenomenon, is becoming spiritually lifeless. Speculation about the demise of the evangelical movement may be an admission that it has become ineffective in making disciples of Jesus Christ.

4. God is much more interested in redeeming the lost souls of men that any of His disciples are or could be. The fact that many evangelical churches are not effectively reaching the lost is an indication that God is not at work among them or that His work is being hindered in their midst.

5. True revival is totally the work of God that He performs in the hearts of believers by drawing them to spiritual maturity and Christ-likeness. The Christ-likeness of believers – their deliberate Christianity – is then used of God to draw the lost to faith in Christ. The salvation of the lost is the manifestation of the true revival that has already occurred among the believers.

6. The men and women whom God chooses to REVIVE are the ones who are sold out to His will regardless of the personal cost or consequences – even if that eliminates them from any personal recognition. Reluctance to accept this renunciation of personal recognition is what keeps many believers and church leaders from experiencing God’s revival.

7. When revival comes, some of the necessary components will be:

• Revival will be the work of the Holy Spirit in such a way that no man or group of men will be able rightfully to glory in the accomplishment of the work.
• Revival will begin and grow in places and ways that will not be anticipated.
• When it comes, revival will be well established before the institutional church recognized that it has happened. The Holy Spirit comes unseen, but His work is unmistakable (John 3:8).
• The Holy Spirit will use men and women who are concerned about doing the work for which God called them seeking only the glory of Jesus Christ. They will have no thought or concern for personal name recognition since the advancement of the Kingdom is their goal.

Lazy, Useless Christians

2 Peter 1:8
For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

I am writing this entry because I see a great shortcoming in the teaching and preaching in many contemporary evangelical churches. From my reading and experience, the vast majority of what is presented as Bible teaching misses Peter’s emphasis in this passage entirely. The title of this entry – “Lazy, Useless Christians” – is not so much an assessment of the level of commitment among believers as it is an indictment of the pastors and teachers for failing to equip the saints.

To see how I’ve come to that evaluation, look closely at 2 Peter 1:8. You must not miss the underlying reality that Peter is addressing. “Be neither barren nor unfruitful.” Notice that Peter makes this statement in the negative. He does that in order to emphasize a timeless and fundamental problem with Christians. That problem is that Christians of Peter’s day just as well as professing Christians today tend to become barren and fruitless.

Before I examine Peter’s solution to the problem, I need to point out some interesting subtleties of the word Peter uses for “barren.” The Greek word translated “barren” is ἀργός / argos which literally translated means “lazy, shunning the labour which one ought to perform (Strong; Thayer).” According to the lexicographer Thayer, this is a contraction of the word aergon made up of the word for “work,” ergon, with a negative particle prefix, thus it means literally “no work.” In common usage, the word was used to describe a field that was fallow, untilled, and unplanted. When used to refer to people it was referring to their being idle and hence lazy.

Peter’s point is that the way to avoid being useless and fruitless is to have “these things” in abundance in one’s life. What I described in my January 1, 2009, entry details the things Peter refers to in verse 8 (What It Means To Be Deliberately Christian).

Peter makes this statement in the negative because he realized that the negative of being barren and unfruitful is the norm for Christians. Knowing this, Peter establishes this condition as the barometer of vitality and effectiveness in having incorporated the qualities of effective faith he had listed earlier.

So as a teacher, I must impress on you, my reader, the inescapable necessity that you constantly evaluate your diligence in service for the Lord and His work and your fruitfulness in that work. If the Holy Spirit leads you to find any deficiency in your service, the first place you must direct your attention is to insure that you are growing daily in the seven qualities to be added to the faith you profess – your moral virtue, knowledge of Christ, temperance, endurance, piety, brotherly kindness, and godly love.

In conclusion, let me ask you the question I ask myself, does your life and work reflect a full level of Christian service and a measurable spiritual harvest?

Make Sense of Your Troubles: James 1:2-20

More and more these days, people are talking about troubles and difficulties in their lives, especially with reference to the economy and the uncertainty of the future. We are bombarded from every side with bad news and dire predictions. All this bad news is in addition to the normal problems of difficult and failing family relationships, health issues, and the stresses of contemporary life. Often I hear the complaint, “Why did this happen – especially why did it happen to me? Why this? Why now?”

The Bible’s answer to these questions lies in understanding these few verse in the Epistle of James.

I don’t mean to be simplistic, but the core of the answer to questions about troubles lies here. In these verses – James 1:2-20 – there are two basic Greek words used that are translated in some variation of the words “trial,” “tempt,” or “test.” In their connotation, these words are essentially neutral. One of the Greek words is used to describe a trial or experiment as a test of strength or condition, especially a test of loyalty, fidelity, or virtue. The meaning is also extended to the adversity of such a test. The other word that James uses means, “that by which something is tried or proved, a test.” So both words focus on the testing / trial aspect of the problems we encounter.

All of nature is the province and dominion of our Sovereign God. He rules and determines the course of nature and the events that result. I do not have space or time to elaborate on that truth, but everything else I have to say comes from the understanding that God is sovereign in all the affairs of our lives.

For the believer in Jesus Christ, the problems we face come or arise for one of four reasons or a combination of these four reasons.

1. To reward us for righteousness

What I am talking about here is persecution for righteous living not gaining an earthly reward of material blessings, wealth, and physical happiness! Jesus included this truth in the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5:10-12 instructs us that we are blessed when we are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. The disciples understood this and spoke of their joy because they saw persecution as God’s reward for their worthiness (Acts 5:41, 2 Thessalonians 1:5).

2. To direct our service

Sometimes God brings difficult, unpleasant, or painful events into our lives to direct or redirect our course and choices. Paul’s experience at Troas is a classic example (Acts 16:6-10). The Lord often closes opportunities or raises difficulties in order to keep us from a decision we are contemplating and to cause us to do something else as a means of accomplishing His purpose in our lives.

3. To chastise or correct our behavior / the consequence of our choices

The writer of Hebrews specifically stated that believers experience the chastening of the Lord for their misbehavior (Hebrews 12:5-7; see also Proverbs 3:11-12, Numbers 32:23). We should be so sensitive spiritually that when troubles come, we immediately search our hearts to be certain that we have no sin for which the Lord is chastising us. This attitude was the motivation for David’s prayer for God to search his heart to find any wickedness (Psalm 139:23-24).

I would not be so bold as to say that all of our choices which cause problems are therefore sinful choices. In the normal course of living, we all make choices that lead to consequences that turn out bad. So, in this category, we must also include the natural consequences of choices we have made. Many times the troubles in which we find ourselves are the logical result of these bad choices. This can be especially true with our financial decisions and our choices for friendships and relationships.

4. To prove our spiritual endurance

Often the trouble we find ourselves facing seems to come for no particular reason we can see. Some examples of these troubles are natural disasters, or the result of what we call accidents, or even decisions made by someone else over which we have no control. The trial or testing of our faith is the main thrust of the text we are examining in James 1:2-20. As was stated earlier, the words James used for testing or temptation all contain the element of a test to prove our spiritual strength and condition. 1 Corinthians 10:13 states clearly that the Lord already knows our true strength and capacity for the test, and He will not stress us beyond our ability to withstand the situation. The obvious question is, “Who, then, is the proof of the test for?” That question has only one logical answer – my test is for me. The tests I face are to prove to myself my own spiritual endurance (James 1:2-4; see my blog postings for December 22, 2008 and January 1, 2009)

Now, given these four kinds / causes for trials and testing in the believer’s life, I still haven’t answered the question “Why?” In the heart of this discussion in James is verse 5: But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him (NASB). Remember this verse lies entirely within the context of trials in verse 2 and temptation in verses 12 and 13. God does not usually answer the question “Why?” He did not directly answer this question for Job and he probably won’t for you or me, but he does promise an answer to the question, “What should I do now?” That is the essence of wisdom – wisdom is “the ability to make right choices.” Each one of these four kinds of testing demands a response from us in both our attitude and in actions.

When we answer the question, “What now?” with faith and obedience to the Word of God, that is the proof our spiritual growth and endurance, and that the outcome of testing that the Lord desires.

If I am going to be deliberately Christian, I will face my trials and troubles with anticipation, with determination to be obedient to God's Word, with humility, and with joy!

True Faith Puts Trials in Perspective

James 1:2-8
2 My brethren, count it all joy when you fall into various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience. 4 But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing. 5 If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. 6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

In these verses, James addresses four important realities for believers whom he calls “My brethren.”

1. Trials / testing – situations, conditions and events which though difficult and unpleasant force us to make choices of our own actions in response to the situation. These events also force us to either control our attitude by our own deliberate choice or permit whatever attitude arises from the event to control us. This is a constant battle for control of our emotions and will.
2. Patience / endurance – Endurance is the product of trials and the ingredient of the growing Christian’s success in his walk with God. Trials produce evidence of the constancy and endurance of true faith.
3. Wisdom – the ability to make right choices. Trials force us to make choices. Wisdom is the ability to make the right choice in difficult circumstances. The way James speaks of wisdom makes it clear that we all need more wisdom.
4. Faith – πίστις / pistis – “conviction of the truth” (Thayer). James uses the word twice in these verses. In verse 3, he uses the word with the definite article along with a second person plural possessive pronoun – ὑμῶν τῆς πίστεως – which can be translated in this case “your the faith.” In verse 6, he uses no definite article – ἐν πίστει – which is literally “in faith.” The two usages of the same Greek word are substantially different in their meaning.

• It appears that throughout the New Testament, the word faith is used in two ways. The Greek indicates these two ways in a rather specific manner. I may be making an arbitrary assumption here, but it seems to me that when an author of Scripture uses the definite article before the word pistis / faith as in verse 3, he is describing faith as a body of doctrine, specifically doctrine of Jesus Christ. When the writer does not use the definite article as in verse 6, he is referring to faith as the act of believing in that body of doctrine and more particularly believing in the person of Jesus Christ.

There is a fifth word that begins this whole discussion. That is the word “joy.” Joy – χαρά chara – this word speaks of basic joy or gladness that comes from one’s heart by choice rather than from circumstances. Earlier I penned these words regarding joy. “The central issue that James is addressing is the disparity between the appearance of certain circumstances which cause us pain and we see as misfortune and the spiritual reality those same circumstances. This appearance is contrary to the underlying reality that we should know and always consider, and that reality is the sovereign goodness of Almighty God.”

Joy puts “the faith [belonging to] you” into perspective. If our doctrine teaches that God is sovereign and always righteous, good, and just; then living by that fact places the difficulties which might cause us to doubt our beliefs into the proper perspective. That settled confidence in doctrine – the faith – provides the foundation for endurance in the face of difficult situations.

The result of that trial, then, is confident joy base on our knowledge that God is at work whether we see his immediate purpose or not.

Caution - Patience at Work

Caution – Patience at Work

James 1:4 “But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking nothing.”

Let me begin with a look at the grammar of this verse. I have to do that before I can discuss the practical applications.

There seems to me to be a grammatical issue in the Greek that does not come across in most of the English translations. The subject of this sentence is the word “patience.” The verb of the sentence is the Greek word ἔχω – echō, “to have,” and in this usage is a present, active, imperative form of the verb. The use of the word “let” introduces an indication that the reader is the subject of this command, but that is not the way the Greek is written. A literal translation would be, but patience have its perfect work! This the indication of Thayer with this definition of the verb echō; “to have (in itself or as a consequence), comprise, involve: …Jas. i. 4; ii. 17”

The NIV captures this subtlety – “Perseverance must finish its work….”

It is endurance that does the work of God. Given this emphasis of the language, I seem to have no active part in the work endurance does, but God uses the trials so that the endurance He produced can accomplish the work of making me “perfect.” The only impact I can have directly on the process of the trials of faith is negative. I can only get in the way, give up, and cause the endurance God brings to fail to accomplish His purpose in me.

In this sentence, the subject is not the reader (you understood) but patience. Patience / endurance is the energizing force that I am to incorporate into my life in such a way that this endurance accomplishes the work of making me mature and whole in my faith. Along with everyone else I know, I am often tempted to overlook the God’s intentions for the trials of life. I often fail as well to see the accomplishments that God does achieve as I pass through the trials.

That is a life lesson to be learned and relearned and not forgotten.

The word “perfect” is used twice in the English of this verse. It is the Greek word τέλειος – teleios, which means “finished, wanting nothing, complete, mature.” As if to emphasize the complete, lacking nothing aspect of this word teleios, James ends this sentence with the words “complete, lacking nothing.”

The objective God has for the life problems that beset us is that our Christian lives become complete, fully equipped, and no-parts-missing Christians.

What it means to be a deliberate Christian

2 Peter 1:5-8

But also for this very reason, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, to knowledge self-control, to self-control perseverance, to perseverance godliness, to godliness brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness love.

For if these things are yours and abound, you will be neither barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

These verses describe what it means to be deliberately Christian. Being deliberately Christian is the process of purposely adding seven spiritual qualities to what we believe – adding living reality to the body of doctrine we profess to hold.

In order to understand my emphasis here, I need to begin by explaining the precise meaning of the phrase “your faith.” The word “faith” (πίστις pistis) in its noun form is used in two ways in the Bible. The first way that pistis / faith is used is to refer to a body of doctrine or what one believes. When it is used in this way, it is usually preceded in the Greek by a definite article as in “the faith.” The second way that pistis / faith is used is to describe the act of believing. When this is the meaning the writer desired, no definite article was used, and the word simply stands as “faith.”

That brings me to a problem. The English translations of this verse read simply “add to your faith….” Peter, however, used the definite article in the Greek, but it does not appear in the English translations. The literal translation of the phrase is “add to the faith of you virtue….” Peter used the definite article to specifically indicate that the faith he spoke of was the body of doctrine that the Christian professes. Peter’s focus is on making our doctrine - our theology - come alive.

Capturing Peter’s emphasis on being deliberately Christian is critical, but it is a foreign concept in many of our churches. Many, perhaps even most professing believers today live lives of casual Christianity and fail to make what they claim to believe a life-changing reality. The believer’s the faith as what he professes is ineffective without the constant, diligent, and deliberate addition of the seven aspects of Christian living listed in these verses. That is what I term being a deliberate Christian

OK, now let’s look at each of these seven qualities that make our doctrine real.

1. Virtue – (ἀρετή aretē) moral excellence in thought, attitude, and action
   The first step in changing our faith into effective Christianity is the diligent and deliberate pursuit of moral excellence. Two things need to be said about moral excellence in this regard.
   First, this Christian standard of moral excellence governs every moral, sexual, ethical, and personal decision we make. Moral excellence based on the highest standards of God’s Word must be our diligent pursuit, and it should control every aspect of our public and private lives.
   Second, our failure here in the matter of Christian virtue robs us of any effective validity and vitality in the other aspects of a true and growing faith. If we fail in this aspect of our Christian lives, we grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:25-32, especially verse 30) so that nothing else we do or say will have any spiritual power, and our testimony before the church and the world will be false.
   Without the pursuit of virtue, our faith will have no spiritual life no matter how orthodox of Bible-based it may be.
2. Knowledge – (γνῶσις gnōsis) understanding, comprehension
   In the notes for this verse in his Study Bible, Dr. John MacArthur describes knowledge in the following way:
   “This means understanding, correct insight, truth properly comprehended and applied.”
   In this particular context, we must seek to understand how the principles of our faith – what we believe – apply to our pursuit of moral excellence. In that way, knowledge added to our faith supports moral excellence. In other words, we must deliberately and diligently seek to understand how our Christian doctrine and theology apply to every aspect of our lives.
3. Self-control – (ἐγκράτεια egkrateia) mastery of one’s desires and passions
   The central element of the concept of self-control or temperance (KJV) is the issue of self-discipline. Paul often illustrated this idea of self-control by referring to athletics. Just as a runner or a boxer keeps his body disciplined to overcome the pain, fatigue, and opposition of athletic competition; so the Christian must discipline his thoughts and emotions to overcome the rigors of his life of faith (1 Corinthians 9:26-27).
   Self-discipline for the deliberate Christian is a matter of denying some things and taking for himself and consuming other things. The most straightforward application of this principle is in the kinds of things that occupy our leisure time. To be deliberately Christian, we should seek to replace the idle amusements that occupy much of our time and thought with thoughts and projects that seek to fulfill our Savior’s will and bring Him glory.
   Of course, we all need to rest our minds and bodies. That’s not my point. Amusements and recreations have their place, but by their very nature, those same leisure pursuits grow and occupy more and more of our time and attention crowding out the things of God. The function of godly self-discipline is to draw us from the excesses of leisure to the rigors of God’s work.
4. Perseverance – (ὑπομονή hypomonē) steadfastness, endurance in spite of people and circumstances
   In addition to self-control, the deliberate Christian seeks to remain steadfast in the faith he professes. The reality and vitality of the faith we profess is demonstrated in the constancy of our Christian life – especially in our growth and walk with Jesus Christ. Unfortunately, our lives are often influenced and characterized by change rather than steadfastness. The changes in our society, in morality, in ethics, and even in our churches are often beyond our control, but God’s Word and His standards never change.
   In our constant search for “new and better,” however, we adopt the idea that change is not only inevitable but it must be good, and we begin to desire change in our service for the Lord. That acceptance of change also influences our expression and practice of devotion to Him and to His Word. This problem of change makes its presence known in the believer’s – in our – readiness to abandon one avenue of pursuit and service in favor of another even in our Christian lives and walk.
   This desire and acceptance of “change for change’s sake” spills over into our relationship and responsibility to the Lord, to our Service for Him, and to His people. When circumstances of a relationship change, we change our attitude toward that relationship. The deliberate Christian recognizes the influence of change, and the quality of perseverance or endurance carries him through these changes without wavering from his faith, principles, goals, attitudes, and service.
   Paul equated the Christian life to a long-distance race (1 Corinthians 9:24; Philippians 3:14, 2 Timothy 4:7), and the writer of Hebrews used the same illustration (Hebrews 12:1). In this race of the Christian life, we face many obstacles and enemies who seek to divert us from the goal of pleasing Jesus our Savior and accomplishing His will. By deliberately seeking to be steadfast in our faith, we hold steady in our service, growth, and love for the Lord.
5. Godliness – (εὐσέβεια eusebeia) – reverence, respect, devotion, and piety toward God; deliberately seeking to please God in every thought, word, and deed
   Godliness must govern the temperance and perseverance that is required in our responses to the problems and events of our lives. Godliness is not a passive state of mind but an active manager and director of the Christian’s life in all of its aspects.
   One item in the definition of godliness – εὐσέβεια – that stands out is embodied in the word “piety.” This word is rarely used in Christian conversation anymore. In fact, the prideful way in which some Christians display and enforce their legalistic and judgmental morality has given the word a negative connotation, but the dictionary definition of the word piety is this: “reverence for God, devout fulfillment of religious obligations.”
   At the heart of the Greek word translated “godliness” is the root word σέβω / sebō – which means “to revere, to worship.” Godliness is a state of constant reverence and worship of God.
   The additive quality that Peter has in mind is a constant consciousness of God and an unceasing devotion to Him. That devotion manifests itself in constantly seeking to please the Lord in everything all the time.
6. Brotherly kindness – (φιλαδελφία philadelphia) love as brothers; kindness, love, and loyalty as in a family
   The Greek word philadelphia is a compound of two words – philos, friend; and adlephos, brother. Their meaning together is simple and straightforward.
   My understanding of this word and concept is somewhat anecdotal. As children, my brother and I were fairly typical in our “brotherly” relationship. As the older brother, I often resented my brother’s intrusions, and he no doubt saw my “advantages” with some resentment. Actually, we fought as brothers. Having grown older, however, we have become true friends, and the competitions and contentions of our childhood are far behind us. Now we are both brother and friends – philadelphos.
   That relation ship is characterized by strong personal loyalty, mutual defense and accommodation, a willingness to be inconvenienced for the sake of the other, and a true delight in each others company and conversation. This is what all believers should know and cultivate in the family of the true church.
7. Love – (ἀγάπη agapē) love as God loves us; unselfish, giving, sacrificial love
   This quality of the beliver's life as described by the word, agapē / love, is often misunderstood because it is usually thought of as an emotion. Love can be emotional and naturally stirs emotions, but as it is used in the Bible, true love is not an emotion. None of the other elements in this list are emotions, but they each describe a quality of character and behavior that proceeds from the will. All seven of these qualities including love are choices of the will – or more precisely they are reflected in the choices we make.
   In practical terms, love is choosing to do what is best for the one who is loved regardless of the personal cost or consequences of that choice. Love is expressed in selflessness and sacrifice for another’s wellbeing. Love is the truest form of humility.