Thursday Devo
Scripture Reading:
Luke 6:32-35
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great...
32 “If you love only those who love you, why should you get credit for that? Even sinners love those who love them! 33 And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you get credit? Even sinners do that much! 34 And if you lend money only to those who can repay you, why should you get credit? Even sinners will lend to other sinners for a full return.
35 “Love your enemies! Do good to them. Lend to them without expecting to be repaid. Then your reward from heaven will be very great...
Commentary from the ESV Study Bible:
6:32–33 In vv. 32–35, Jesus gives three examples of the Golden Rule (v. 31). Reciprocity is insufficient (cf. 14:12–14), because even sinners practice reciprocity. The first two examples (If you love and if you do good) correspond to the first two commands in 6:27 (“Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you”).
6:35 love your enemies. God hates evil, but he still brings many blessings in this life even to his enemies by means of “common grace” (the favor that he gives to all people and not just to believers). These blessings are intended to lead unbelievers to repentance (Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4). Of course there is a sense in which God hates those who are resolutely and impenitently wicked (cf. Ps. 5:5; 11:5; Eph. 2:3), but God’s blessings of common grace constitute his primary providential action toward mankind here and now. Keeping the commands of 6:35a results in your reward being great (cf. v. 23). You
6:35 love your enemies. God hates evil, but he still brings many blessings in this life even to his enemies by means of “common grace” (the favor that he gives to all people and not just to believers). These blessings are intended to lead unbelievers to repentance (Acts 14:17; Rom. 2:4). Of course there is a sense in which God hates those who are resolutely and impenitently wicked (cf. Ps. 5:5; 11:5; Eph. 2:3), but God’s blessings of common grace constitute his primary providential action toward mankind here and now. Keeping the commands of 6:35a results in your reward being great (cf. v. 23). You
Study Questions:
- Clayton said on Sunday, "Real love is rooted in the reward of God." This is how we love those who don't deserve it. It's not a feeling that comes and goes. It's not an emotional response. It's a choice to sacrifice yourself for the benefit of others. This is grace-based love. We don't think, "What's in it for me?" Real believers know that if we live lives filled with radical love we will be rewarded by God. We will live in freedom and peace, have healthy relationships with people, a great spiritual blessing. What if you loved people in your life with unconditional, sacrificial, no strings attached love? How would those relationships improve?
- This kind of love is a totally upside down kind of love. It really makes no sense! And it is definitely counter-cultural. Culture's idea of love is contractural and conditional. God's love is covenantal and unconditional. The difference is HUGE. The truth is, the only way we are even capable of loving someone in these ways is through God's love working in us. We love because he loved first. Jesus himself commanded that we love others the way that HE LOVED US. And then he put on the most spectacular display of love that the world has ever seen. Do you need to take a step forward in this area? Who do you need to love better? Where have you been selfish with your love?
Pray:
- That God would teach us what true love is.
- That we would love everyone, even enemies, with the same love he has shown us.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit it to memory!
4. Can a person be good enough to go to heaven? No. Because Jesus rose from the dead proving He is God, I believe a person is saved by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
(John 1:12, 14:6; Acts 4:12; Romans 4:1-25, 5:1-2, 6-11, 6:23, 10:1-4, 10:9; Galatians 3:26; Ephesians 2:1-9; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; Titus 3:4-7)
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