by Pastor Patrick Cho

At our last staff meeting, I shared a devotional with the Singles staff from Ephesians 5:2. The simple command that Paul gives in that verse is to “walk in love.” I suppose the command is simple enough, but the application is not as easy. I love how Paul doesn’t move on without first explaining what he means by that. He adds, “as Christ loved us and gave Himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.” In other words, walking in love is all about sacrificially giving of myself to others. This of course has many applications, but for our staff it at least means that we need to be keeping a watchful eye out for the various opportunities given to us to serve and love others. When we show up on Friday nights or Sunday mornings, we shouldn’t just be thinking of ourselves.

This means that love is sometimes inconvenient and uncomfortable. It requires dying to self, looking to others’ interests, and considering others more important that ourselves. Jesus did this for those who hated Him. How much more should we seek to love those we call brothers and sisters in Christ. This application, Paul says, rises up to God as a fragrant offering of praise. God is pleased when we become imitators of Christ (Eph. 5:1).

In contrast, in Eph. 5:3, Paul also instructs the church that there is an ungodly way of “loving.” He writes that “sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints.” These are self-centered expressions of “love.” These sins do not serve others but rather use, abuse, and take advantage of others. This sort of thing is not supposed to be associated with Christ’s followers.

In summary, Paul calls believers to do as Christ did. The love we show others must not be self-centered, but others-centered. We should seek to be a blessing to others – to love them even if it costs us. This is a huge challenge to sinners who are accustomed to thinking primarily of themselves. It is a call to put on a complete change in mindset. Paul instructs his followers to put off selfish love and put on sacrificial love. As a staff, this is what we are going to continue to strive to do each week as service to our brothers and sisters and as worship to our Lord.