Mon., 4/6/15 Devotion (1 Thess. 3:12-13a)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Thessalonians 3:12 & 13a, where we read these words:

"And may the Lord make you increase and abound in love to one another and to all, just as we do to you, so that He may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God . . . "

It is intriguing that Paul teaches here (above) that holiness is established on the basis of love for other human beings. As we love the church ("one anoth-er"), and those outside the church ("all"), we are in a position for God to do works of assurance in our souls that comfort us in Christ's blamelessness and holiness.

False holiness puts on a dour face and deprives the body of good things God provides (this is asceticism). True holiness flows from love. Of course, we will not be able to love people unless we love Christ first. And we will not love Jesus unless we are, by grace, bound to Him in gospel faith.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Are we not to enjoy the blessings of God purely? And do not these things require a great deal of strength of grace?” —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]