Daily Devotional (February 20, 2024) AGAPE LOVE: THE PRIMARY PROOF OF AUTHENTIC DISCIPLESHIP.
Scripture Reference: "Your Strong Love for each other will prove to the world that you are My Disciples.” John 13:35 (The Living Bible)
The fact has been established from our previous devotional that Authentic Disciples of Jesus Christ are essentially disciplined followers of His who deliberately observe His Life and Teachings. At the beginning of his discourse in the Acts of the Apostles, Luke, the physician, made a basic yet profound statement: "The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began BOTH TO DO AND TEACH..." Acts 1:1(NKJV). Simply put, the Lord Jesus never preached anything to people that He Himself failed to practice in the first place, and Agape Love was His Primary Motive and Major Driving Force during His Incarnation. The onus lies upon us as His Disciples to always consciously walk in Love, which is the Acid Test of our Christian Faith.
The Holy Bible reveals to us that the Entire Creation eagerly awaits the manifestation or unveiling of the sons of God (Rom. 8:19). Whatever we choose to unveil as sons of God would either underline or undermine the Testimony of Jesus, which has been committed to our trust (1Tim. 1:11). It is neither the thundering of our Tongues nor the depth of our knowledge of the Holy Scriptures that shows men that we are His disciples indeed. Walking in Agape Love is so critical because many so-called Christian believers pervert the Image of the Loving God before unbelievers by misrepresenting the Lord Jesus.
In his first Epistle, Apostle John, the beloved reminded his disciples of this remarkable Truth: "He who does not know Love does not know God, for God is Love" 1Jn. 4:8(NKJV). Herein lies the Core of the Whole matter: The Primary Evidence or Number One Proof that a person is a bonafide Disciple of Christ Jesus is his inbuilt Love Capacity. In other words, walking in Love just as He did is Sufficient Proof to the whole world that our Discipleship isn't counterfeit. The Lord enables us to continue loving more and more like Him that men may be drawn to Him.
PRAYER: Heavenly Father, we magnify You for Who You are and for all You do in our lives. O Lord, please enable us to become selfless Dispensers of Agape Love in Jesus' Mighty Name. Amen.
