Love in the ecclesia

All over the world there are believers who set themselves up as brothers and sisters for each other. They have submitted to each other and to Christ Jesus. It is also important for them to come together regularly to share the love of Christ.

We who come together in Anderlecht have also decided to help each other grow up in the faith. By reading and studying the Bible together, we can grow in our knowledge of the word of God. By seriously studying that word of God, everyone can see how God has continued to show His love throughout the ages. That love comes to us too.

As we immerse ourselves in the word of God, we come to know him better and we also come to see more how His love is continuously revealed. The Divine Word shows not only the miraculous works of God, which prove that « God’s Way Is Love. »

They show us how man regularly faced God in a less pleasant way, and how we look at God better as God-loving people and address Him with love and affection. In this way we also open the way for God to approach us. Through this you will see what blessings God‘s arrangement has in store for faithful humanity. Only Jehovah God, is the true Source of life and disposition. He is the One who can rekindle or cultivate pure love in the heart of man. He himself shows us by his example what love is, so that those who have now devoted themselves to Him can rightly say:

« We love him because he first loved us » (1 Jn. 4:19).

He does not expect us to be surprisingly wise; he does not expect us to be physically strong and powerful; he does not expect us in our imperfection to accurately meet the requirements of justice and never sin. Therefore, we should not demand such things from others in our community.

We must accept everyone as he or she is. We must recognise that everyone can contribute to the community. Each link is important to form a good ecclesia. God expects us to love with a pure heart and to be open to those around us. This is of the utmost importance if we are to prove ourselves fit for eternal life in his righteous new world.

When we speak of love in the ecclesia We speak of the « perfect expression of unselfishness« . Love must certainly be unselfish and, furthermore, it must contain something positive. In the community of brothers and sisters, that love must be expressed. We must not put our own gain first, but reach out to all who want to be part of our community.

Although love selflessly seeks nothing for itself, it must still actively seek the glorification of God, The Creator, and the eternal well-being of his other creatures.
So let us open our hearts to the love of God so that it may flow out of us again to inspire and grow others. Let us also show others outside our community that we want to live up to Jesus ‘ call to show love to the world.

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Preceding

1. Opening Remarks at the Service for Unity in Our Faith Community
2. What are the obligations for a Christian?
3. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #4 Speaking the truth
4. Colossians – An Exhortation for Unity in Love #6 Care of the saints

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Additional reading

1. Christ’s ethical teaching
2. Experiencing God
3. The Spirit of God brings love, hope and freedom
4. The Spirit of God imparts love,inspires hope, and gives liberty
5. God demonstrates his own love
6. No good thing will he withhold
7. Do not forget the important sign of belief
8. John’s letter filled with instruction about “Love One Another”
9. The Law of Christ: Law of Love
10. We love because he first loved us
11. He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.
12. No person has greater love than this one who surrendered his soul in behalf of his friends
13. The redemption of man by Christ Jesus
14. Taught by God to love one another
15. How should we worship God? #8 Love one another
16. Today’s Thought (August 04): Rules for Christ’s followers
17. Today’s thought “Darker days, presents and Love for others” (December 13)
18. Biblical Basis for Outreach
19. Walking in love by faith, not by sight
20. Relying on the Love of God
21. How Can You Tell It’s God’s Voice?
22. We Are Loved
23. No fear in love
24. Love is like playing the piano
25. When we love we do not need laws
26. Today’s thought June 19: This is love, that we walk …
27. If we love one another, God lives in us
28. For a close relationship with God
29. Love and cultivate that which is pure
30. Unarmed truth and unconditional love
31. Love been perfected with us
32. The first on the list of the concerns of the saint
33. To be chained by love for another one
34. Loving each other with deeds and in sincerity
35. When feeling alone, afraid to connect with others in order to grow in faith
36. Love envieth not
37. Lying in the senses in matters of love
38. A man who cannot forgive others
39. Love will cure more sins than condemnation
40. God let my compassionate affection be tolerant and kind
41. Mitzvah an action performed according to our understanding of the Torah
42. Not to tell people that God loves them