The Love of Christ (Pt 4) "Rooted and Grounded"

The Scripture that I have been watching here with prayer is in Ephesians 3:14-21

"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, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen." -nkjv-

I have come to what I see as one of the most beautiful metaphors in the Bible for what it refers to, and that is of course "the Love of Christ".

"being rooted and grounded in love"

What does every tree need more than anything else? Water and sunshine. The woman at the well with Jesus came for physical water and left with what she needed infinitely more than that. She came to know the "Living Water" Who gave her life everlasting. Her soul no longer thirsted for anything else, for she found the "fountain of life" which Christ promised she could come drink all she wanted forever. Who needs a fountain of youth when we have the fountain of Christ’s Love that never runs dry.

But there is one other vital thing a tree needs also to grow and be strong, fruitful, and healthy. Water, Sunshine and Nutrients from the soil. The Son of Righteousness arises with His healing brightness of Love which makes the Water of Life flow throughout your soul and spirit with nutrients from God’s good soil pulled up from within the roots found in His Love as He saturates your ground with this Water of Life. As we are rooted and grounded in the Love of Christ, we need, as Jesus spoke against Satan, "EVERY WORD that proceeded from the mouth of God". Where are you placing your roots to grow deep for nourishment? Just as one can become diseased or unhealthy physically from not receiving all the nutrients our bodies were designed to live by, so also our spirit and soul will become vulnerable to Satans deceptions through the false doctrines if we don't acknowledge and accept "EVERY WORD that proceeds from the mouth of God".

1 Peter 1 :22-23 tells us:
"Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever,.."

Some people TRY HARD to obey what they believe they see in the New Testament Scriptures to "love one another fervently with a pure heart". They live "by the letter" in their mind or as told from the "natually" intelligent mind of someone they trust and rely on for teaching them how to do it "to a T", all the while believing God's blessing is in this. But if the Truth were known and their eyes were really open to God’s Grace, they would accept that they CAN NOT do it, even with the zeal they think they possess for the Father's house! Their zeal is misdirected as it was with Saul before he became Paul. Legalistic groups claiming they live out God’s Love but are centered around a teaching that Paul warns us of:

"They zealously court you, but for no good; yes, they want to exclude you, that you may be zealous for them." (Gal 4:17)

They are so zealous for the NT way of life that they will cruelly "exclude you" (or their family members, spouses, friends) if you don’t give in to them. But Paul warned us of this as well when he said as he wrote to the Galatians:

"And this occurred (a legalistic enforcement) because of false brethren secretly brought in (who came in by stealth to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage), to whom we did not yield submission even for an hour (certainly should never be 5 week or more for those who know what I mean), that the truth of the gospel (saved, continually cleaned up, and KEPT clean and increasingly fruitful by grace alone) might continue with you. Praise God!

What did Jesus say His Father’s command was?

"And I know that His command is everlasting life."

As God commanded your election of Salvation, He will carry it with you into Everlasting Life! THIS IS THE LOVE OF CHRIST! He planted you in His good soil, located on Holy ground, purchased by His vicarious sacrificial death and resurrection, at Salvation. And, He waters and nourishes you until the Day of your death or His glorious return, where your Lord Himself will take you to the house He has built for you on that same Holy ground lot that has your name written on it, as revealed through the deed located in the Book of Life. Let EVERY WORD of God dwell in you richly. Let your roots grow deep through prayer and the Living Word! For unless you join that living "Word of God (that first saved you) which lives and abides forever" with "EVERY (living) WORD which proceeds from the mouth of God", you will not fully experience while dwelling in this mortal tent His AWESOME AND FOREVER-FREE SALVATION as He has intended. Love Him in prayer and praise and worship this way because He first Loved you.

What on earth does avoiding legalism (seeing only some of EVERY WORD) as described here have to do with the Love of Christ?

Everything!

For it is as Peter said above, "obeying the truth" is only done "through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren". YOU CAN"T DO IT AND NEITHER CAN I! Christ accomplishes this love "through the Spirit" which was primarily and foundationally done "through prayer" in the example He gave to us . Not of works unless you choose to boast as other legalistic people who already have their reward. I know of cults who think "your alone time can't be trusted because your heart is sinful and may lead you astray, you must have other brothers there to help you see your sin". Even natuaral logic, let alone the Word of God, would tell you that if you can't trust your own "alone time" with God how on earth could you trust another sinner like yourself. Absolute FOOLISHNESS! THE GALATIANS ERROR! We were "born again, not of corruptible seed (our own works are as filthy rags) but incorruptible, through the WORD OF GOD which lives and abides forever... For those to whom this shoe fits: " HE DID IT! NOT YOU OR I OR YOUR FELLOW BROTHER, WHO IS ALSO PRONE TO POTENTIAL SIN AS WELL IN SPITE OF THEIR ANTI-SCRIPTURAL CLAIMS OTHERWISE!... THEY "SAY" THAT THEY SIT IN THE SEAT OF MOSES THROUGH THEIR CLAIM OF APOSTLESHIP, DID YOU LOOK THOROUGHLY THROUGH ALL OF GOD'S WORDS FOR YOURSELF TO SEE IF THESE THINGS ARE SO? IF NOT YOU ARE GAMBLING YOUR SOUL ON ANOTHER SINNER LIKE YOU! PLEASE THINK THIS THROUGH!

CHRIST JESUS IS THE ONLY PERFECTLY PURE HIGH PRIEST YOU "CAN" TRUST TO SAVE YOU FROM SIN! He gets all the glory for saving me because "He first loved me". And, "He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ;" Take His yoke upon you and learn of Him for He is meek and lowly in heart and you will find His "rest" in your soul and a "peace of mind" that passes all understanding.

Next time I hope to see how far these roots can grow in the Soil of Christ’s Love for His own.

I agree with Paul and pray that we "may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge;."

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