Love that can’t help it

I Pet 1:22 "Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,"

Now Peter is writing to the persecuted church…the one that had been driven from their homes and made to disperse all over the place…to Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia and Bithynia. As you think about it, this was a way that the Gospel spread throughout these areas. Peter was reassuring these people of their inheritance. He was telling them that they possessed things that the Prophets and angels only wished they had…so be holy. Not only that, but in their holiness, in their purity love each other fervently.

It is kind of interesting how our souls are purified. It isn't something that we can manufacture. It is something that God does in us. As the Spirit works in us we become obedient to the truth. As we become obedient to the truth we love each other. This obedience is something that leads into something. The actual translation should be "…you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit into sincere love of the brethren." This obedience impacts relationships. This obedience leads to service. This obedience brings about right attitudes. (I Cor 13) This obedience results in a sincere love, a genuine love, a deep heartfelt love of other Christians. And this love must be fervent, earnest, intense…from a pure heart. Peter starts this verse with a pure soul and he ends it with a pure heart.

I don't know why this is, but this is where my battles are won and lost…on the inside…in my soul…in my heart. I really want a clean inside. I really want purity. I really want my deep motivations to be sincere. I don't want to be obedient out of duty. I don't want to do things because I have to. I want my actions and my attitudes to stem from an inner man that truly is motivated by love. A deep love. A fervent love. This has to be a work of the Spirit because I know that I am incapable of manufacturing this in me. I know what I am like, and much too often it is duty not love. God help me.

God help us all. May we come to a point where we serve others because we can't help it.