#1365. In love (15/10/25)

Welcome to this Come to Jesus Daily Devotional (posted, at present, every weekday) as we continue our Ephesians series: Ephesians - To the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

In our last study, we saw how God has made us holy and blameless in His sight; today, let’s see that a crucial part of being holy and blameless is that we grow in love - for God and others. 

You can listen to this devotional below

i. Chosen to be holy and blameless

So far, we’ve seen that God’s purpose in choosing us in Christ is that we would be holy and blameless in His sight. This includes our justification - being counted righteous through faith in Christ - our ongoing sanctification in this life, and our final glorification when we will be fully restored in the new heavens and new earth.

Now we come to the beautiful closing phrase of this verse: ‘in love.’ Scholars debate whether these words belong with verse 4 or the beginning of verse 5. Either way, they are theologically rich. For this devotional, we’ll take them as the conclusion of verse 4 - meaning that God not only chose us to be holy and blameless but also to live in love.

ii. Chosen to Love - love is holiness

To love God is the essence of what it means to be a Christian. If we are united to Christ by the Spirit, it follows that we will grow in the kind of love Jesus had for the Father. Love is the heart of true holiness.

It’s possible to pursue outward holiness and yet lack love. Sadly, some Christians appear devout but are cold, critical, or isolated from others. Some who see themselves as ‘serious Christians’ consider themselves too spiritual for any local church. Rather than imitating Jesus - who loved sinners and welcomed the broken - they distance themselves from the messiness of real community.

But true holiness is not sterile or superior - it’s loving. It reflects Christ. To be holy and blameless is, ultimately, to be filled with love for God and others.

Let’s recall that Jesus, when asked to describe the greatest commands, taught:

Love (Agápē ) is best exemplified in Jesus. He perfectly lived before the Father in love. It was His love for the Father and for us that  led Him to take on flesh and die for sinners. When we receive Jesus by faith, we begin to grow in that same kind of love.

Response

• Do you love God? Is your love for Him being expressed in worship, obedience, and love for others?

• Let’s ask the Holy Spirit to fill us with this most important fruit of the Spirit, so that we may truly live ‘rooted and established in love’ (Ephesians 3:17).

Community Group Notes

Community Group Notes

1. Notices

It might be a good idea to start with notices. Please share from this week’s Church News. 

Important - please ensure you are aware of the plans regarding New Ground Sunday this coming Sunday.

2. Icebreaker

How has God been speaking to you from His Word this week, and how has this helped you? 

3. Worship together

Let’s begin our time together by lifting our eyes and hearts to worship our great God. Perhaps you have readings and songs that you would like to use together. Let’s be open to the gifts that the Spirit wants to give in order to encourage one another.

4. Study and pray together

Balanced Time Allocation - Please ensure a balanced focus on discussion, SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite), and prayer so that each section is meaningful and fruitful.

On Sunday, we continued our series entitled: Ephesians: to the praise, for the purpose, in the power of God. 

Please read Ephesians 1:4-6 and discuss:

1. Personal Reflection – What did God speak to you about through Sunday’s message?

2. What do these verses say about God’s involvement in our becoming Christians?

3. What are we chosen for, and how are we to actively pursue these things? 

SIV (Serve, Invest, and Invite)

• From Ephesians 1:4-6, How does knowing that salvation is according to God’s call meant to inspire confidence to witness? 

• Share Stories – Have you had any recent opportunities to Serve, Invest in, or Invite someone toward Jesus? Let’s encourage one another by sharing testimonies of God at work through us.

• Practical Next Steps – Who is God putting on your heart to reach? Are there any ‘people of peace’ (*see note) in your life—those who are receptive to you and spiritual conversation?

Let’s pray together: 

• Let’s pray for one another based on our study, and bring before God any other needs or requests for prayer.

• Pray for one another's SIV opportunities and boldness in following the Spirit's promptings.

• Pray specifically for the “people of peace” in our lives—asking God to open hearts and provide opportunities to speak life and truth.