Encouragement

DEARLY BELOVED

by Tolubori Ayo-Alabi
07/29/20
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Dearly Beloved

In the New Testament, the apostles used the word “Agapaho” extensively in their letters declaring the state of the new creation with God, and how the brethren ought to love one another. The word was used 142 times in the New Testament. It means to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of a person, to love someone so dearly. Agapaho is the root word of “Agape” which is a Noun Feminine. Agapaho is a verb, which makes it an action word. It is used in the Epistle as a call to action for the brethren to love one another, husband to love their wives, brethren admonished not to love the world; it is also used as an active demonstration of God’s love for the brethren, and brethren loving one another.

When you look at the theme of God’s love for the new creation, it goes way back to God’s election by grace, and His predestination in Christ Jesus.
“Just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved.” Eph. 1:3-6

The new creation is dearly loved by God; he has been chosen in Christ Jesus, and there is nothing the devil can do about it. He is the delight of the Father, and the center of His attraction, simply because he said ‘YES’ to the Father’s plan in Christ Jesus, the moment he became a member of God’s family through putting his faith in Jesus Christ at new birth.

“For this reason I bow my knees to the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, from whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named.” Eph. 3:14-15

Awesome Father! What did we ever do to be called His beloved? Nothing, absolutely nothing! Except that we said yes to Jesus. Way before we were born we were highly honored and favored of Him. He saw us in Christ, and of His own good pleasure He predetermined us to be perfect, holy, blameless and complete in Him, through adoption as sons by Jesus’ resurrection from the dead.

Remember I said earlier that the word “Beloved” means to welcome, to entertain, to be fond of a person, to love someone so dearly? The reality of the Father’s love for us is already a done deal. He has welcomed us into His everlasting love in Christ Jesus. The Father is so mindful of us,
God’s love for you is never because you did something to earn it. His love for you was established right before you were born. The fact that God elected you and chose you in Christ Jesus for the revelation of His glory is an undeniable proof that He loves you. You were predestined by Him to be accepted in the beloved, before you did any right or wrong. This is deep, what a love!

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:10

“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

Do you know the amazing part of the story? As much as the love was from the beginning, God has purposed in Christ Jesus that this same love with which He loved you from the beginning and chose you in Christ will keep you in Him to the very end through faith. Praise God!

“But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2Thess. 2:13

You see, in the New Testament, God has brought us into His glory, and has made us partakers of the riches of His immeasurable grace, by giving us a better covenant established on the blood of Jesus Christ. God is still the same, yesterday, today and forever, He has not changed. His standard is high, because He is God! But He has brought us into union with Himself, through Jesus Christ. Glory to Jesus!

Jesus was the missing link between the Old Testament folks, and the New creation. He is the everlasting kindness of the Father toward us who believe. The word that was preached to us came with the conviction of the power of God through the Spirit, made evident in the instant forgiveness of sins, and sonship by grace through Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. The folks in the Old Testament didn’t hear this, so what they heard wasn’t mixed with faith. It was of no weighty substance, it was in types and shadows!

“For indeed the gospel was preached to us as well as to them; but the word which they heard did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in those who heard it. For we who have believed do enter that rest, as He has said: "So I swore in My wrath, ' They shall not enter My rest,' "although the works were finished from the foundation of the world.” Heb. 4:2-3

“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Eph. 2:4-6

Therefore beloved, no circumstance or challenging situation should persuade you away from the everlasting love of the Father. God’s purpose concerning you is eternal in Christ Jesus. Don’t for a moment think you are not in God’s will just because things are not working in your favor. The Bible says “…we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities and powers…” (Eph. 6:12, paraphrased by me). Know this, the Father is 100% for you, and has your good will at heart. God is never the resistor, it is the devil, and you must stand against him in the faith, and keep him where he belongs – under your feet!

“For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Rom. 8:38-39

God loves you, and He cannot love you more than He already did. His love for you made Him give you His best – His Son. Now, through faith in the Son we comprehend, and enjoy the love of the Father which passes all understanding.

I call you blessed!