Scientists have discovered that a grove of Live Oak trees is much stronger than a single tree because the deep roots are intertwined with neighboring trees. This strength doesn’t depend on the trees because the strength is in the roots. The Bible says Christians are stronger when they have deep roots of love that are knit together with brothers and sisters. This strength doesn’t depend on the people because the strength is in the love.
That their hearts might be comforted,
being knit together in love,
and unto all riches of the full assurance of understanding,
to the acknowledgement of the mystery of God,
and of the Father, and of Christ; (Colossians 2:2 KJV)
in order that their hearts may be cheered, they themselves being welded together in love and enjoying all the advantages of a reasonable certainty, till at last they attain the full knowledge of God’s truth, which is Christ Himself. (Colossians 2:2 WEY)
I want you woven into a tapestry of love, in touch with everything there is to know of God. Then you will have minds confident and at rest, focused on Christ, God’s great mystery. All the richest treasures of wisdom and knowledge are embedded in that mystery and nowhere else. And we’ve been shown the mystery! I’m telling you this because I don’t want anyone leading you off on some wild-goose chase, after other so-called mysteries, or “the Secret.” (Colossians 2:2 MSG)
- sumbibazó (verb) —
- (a) unite or knit together, (b) put together in reasoning, and so: conclude, prove, (c) teach, instruct.
- From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work. (Eph. 4:16)
- They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow. (Col. 2:19)
- en (preposition, dative of sphere, or locative dative) —
- in the sphere of, in the realm of
- The churches grew in faith (Acts 16:5)
- Blessed are the pure in heart (Matt 5:8)
- agapé (noun) —
- divine love (= what God prefers)
- For God so agapé the world… (John 3:16)
- God is agapé (1 John 4:8; 1 John 4:16)
- We agapé him because he first agapé us. (1 John 4:19)
- eis (preposition) –
- properly, into (unto) – literally, “motion into which” implying penetration (“unto,” “union”) to a particular purpose or result
Most Christians know salvation is by grace. God loves every sinner exactly as they are. They can’t be saved by works. They can’t be saved by doctrine. They can’t be saved by truth. They are saved by the grace of God when they quit trying to establish their own righteousness, when they quit trying to pull themselves up by their bootstraps, when they quit trying to work their way to God, when they accept the free gift of salvation. Nobody deserves salvation; that’s why it’s called grace.
This means the most awful sinner, dead in trespasses and sins, a stranger and alien from God, is just as eligible for salvation as anyone else.
Many Christians don’t understand living is by grace. God loves every Christian exactly as they are. They can’t be loved more by doing good works. They can’t be loved more by learning more doctrine. They can’t be loved more by walking in more truth. They are loved by God because they are his children. He won’t leave them as they are. He will change them, but it won’t help for them to do anything by themselves, that’s why it’s called grace.
This means the most awful carnal Christian, angry, stubborn, hypocritical, judgmental, living in sin, is just as loved by God as anyone else.
If God loves that terrible person,
I should love them too
Now to him who is able to establish you in accordance with my gospel, the message I proclaim about Jesus Christ, in keeping with the revelation of the mystery hidden for long ages past, (Romans 16:25)
Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? (Romans 2:4)
Consider how Paul addressed carnal Christians…
For in him you have been enriched in every way–with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge– (1 Corinthians 1:5)
I myself am convinced, my brothers and sisters, that you yourselves are full of goodness, filled with knowledge and competent to instruct one another. (Romans 15:14)
But since you excel in everything–in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you –see that you also excel in this grace of giving. (2 Corinthians 8:7)
You will be enriched in every way so that you can be generous on every occasion, and through us your generosity will result in thanksgiving to God. (2 Corinthians 9:11)
And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. (Colossians 3:14)