Incorruptible Love

Ephesians 6:23-24 ESV

“Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.”

1. What kind of peace is this?

2. What kind of love is this?

3. What kind of faith is this?

4. What kind of grace is this?

5. What is “incorruptible love”?

“Brothers” is another word for “brethren” which is another word for the family of God, the body of Christ, his church. And these were Paul’s closing remarks to the church, the body of Christ, God’s holy people in Ephesus. And, although “peace” was a common Jewish farewell, he was also saying, in closing, “quietness, rest, health and wholeness” to the body of Christ. And “wholeness” is when the body of Christ is joined together into a whole. So this has to do with unity, when all essential parts are joined together.

But this unity, this oneness in Christ, is to be in Christ first and foremost. We individually must be one with Christ in mind and heart and faith and action so that we can be one in heart and faith and mind and action with those within the body of Christ who are also united with Christ as one. But please be aware that the “unity” that is often spoken of within the institutional market-driven “churches” of today is unity with humankind and with their marketing schemes, and it is not unity with Christ and with his Word.

And he was saying “love” to the body of Christ. And what is this “love”? Well God is love and love comes from God, and this is a love which thus centers in moral preference and which prefers what God prefers. And what God prefers is all that is holy, righteous, godly, morally pure, upright, honest, faithful, surrendered to Christ and obedient to his commands under the New Covenant. And there are many of them, too. So if we love with this kind of love, we are going to walk in holiness and in obedience to our Lord.

And if we are walking in obedience to our Lord, and if we are living holy, godly, morally pure, upright, honest and faithful lives in Christ Jesus, to the glory and praise of God, then we are going to treat one another in the right kinds of ways, as God would have us treat one another. And we will not be those who are living in sin who are premeditatedly, deliberately, and habitually sinning against God and against other humans to do them willful harm. So we will not lie to them, cheat them, nor mistreat them.

And he was saying “faith” to the body of Christ. And what is this faith? Well, Jesus Christ is the author and the perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:1-2), so this faith comes from God, and it is gifted to us by God, and it is not of our own doing (Ephesians 2:8-10; John 1:12-13). So God determines what this faith looks like, not us. For it comes from God, it is gifted to us by God, and it is not of our own doing, but it is persuaded of God (John 6:44), which is the meaning of this word “faith.” So it will submit to Christ as Lord.

So, according to God’s word, what does God/Christ persuade us to or to do? This is the persuasion of who God is, and of his righteousness and holiness, and of his divine will and purpose for our lives (Romans 1:18-32). But it is also the persuasion of our own sinfulness and of our need to turn from darkness (sin) to the light (Jesus Christ, righteousness, truth, the gospel), and from the power of Satan to God, so that we can receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those sanctified by faith in Jesus Christ.

[Acts 26:18; Luke 9:23-26; Matthew 7:21-23; John 6:1-65; John 15:1-11]

And all of this – this peace, love, and faith – comes from God and not from ourselves and is not of our own doing. And that is why we don’t get to define what these words mean or how they are to be put into practice. And this is why it is critical that we are students of the Scriptures who study the Word of God in context, so that we know what the Scriptures teach, so that we can follow our Lord in obedience to his word. And we should be those who are testing everything we hear against the Word of God, in context!

And God’s grace to us is God’s gift to us, but it is not what many are teaching today as his grace. For God’s grace is not freedom to keep on in deliberate and habitual sin once you profess faith in Jesus Christ. For Jesus Christ died on that cross to deliver us from our slavery to sin so that we will now be slaves of God and of his righteousness. For he died that we might die to sin and live to righteousness and live for him and no longer for ourselves. And he shed his blood to buy us back for God (to redeem us) out of our lives of sin so that we will now honor God with our lives (with our bodies).

[Romans 6:1-23; 1 Peter 2:24; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20]

Also, God’s grace, which is bringing us salvation, trains us to renounce (say “No” to) ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives while we wait for our Lord’s return. For Jesus Christ gave himself up for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works (see Titus 2:11-14; cf. Ephesians 2:10). So we are not to sin that grace may abound, for how can we who died to sin still live in it? (Romans 6:1-23).

So, please pay close attention to these next few words. Paul said, in closing, “Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.” So, what he was saying, in essence is: “freedom from the control of sin over your lives, and empowerment of God to live holy and godly lives to all of you who love our Lord with this incorruptible love.” And to love God is to prefer what he prefers and it is to obey him and his commands. 

And “incorruptible” means, “not susceptible to corruption.” And “corruption” is what is dishonest, fraudulent, erroneous, altered, manipulated and falsified. It is what is in an invalid state, and spoiled. It is also the abuse of entrusted power for private gain. So the grace of God will be with those who love the Lord Jesus with this incorruptible love, which is pure to what the Scriptures teach and define as (agape) love, which is a love which prefers what God prefers and submits to his will and obeys him in his power.

[Lu 9:23-26; Jn 8:51; Jn 14:15-24; Jn 15:10; Matt 7:21-23; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10,24; 1 Jn 5:2-3; 2 Jn 1:6; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 5:9; 1 Pet 1:1-2; Jas 1:21-25; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Php 2:12-13; Jn 10:27-30; Acts 5:32]

Jesus Only  

Hymn lyrics by Albert B. Simpson 

Music by J. H. Burke

Jesus only is our message,

Jesus all our theme shall be;

We will lift up Jesus ever,

Jesus only will we see.

Jesus only is our Savior,

All our guilt He bore away,

All our righteousness He gives us,

All our strength from day to day.

Jesus is our Sanctifier,

Cleansing us from self and sin,

And with all His Spirit’s fullness,

Filling all our hearts within.

Jesus only is our Healer,

All our sicknesses He bear,

And His risen life and fullness,

All His members still may share.

Jesus only is our Power,

He the Gift of Pentecost,

Jesus, breathe Thy power upon us,

Fill us with the Holy Ghost.

And for Jesus we are waiting,

Listening for the advent call;

But ’twill still be Jesus only,

Jesus ever, all in all.

Jesus only, Jesus ever,

Jesus all in all we sing,

Savior, Sanctifier, and Healer,

Glorious Lord and coming King.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XJmunqm5fsw

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