Together in Christ: 'We Love Because God Loved Us in Christ!' — 1 Peter 1:21-23

Sunday, December 29, 2024

Merry Christmas!

We pray the Lord blesses you with the grace of Jesus' presence this Christmas!

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Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory.

You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

— 1 Peter 1:21-23 NLT

Key Thought

We know God through our study of Scripture, beauty in nature, experiences in life, and our love for Jesus. Jesus demonstrated Who God is, what God is like, and how God loves people. God also affirmed Jesus' testimony about God and His example of God's love by raising Jesus from the dead. All we know and have experienced about God should lead us to love our brothers and sisters in Christ. We are part of a born again forever family.

We love because God loves us. [1] We love because Jesus commanded us to love each other. [2] We love because that is how we reveal that we are Jesus' loyal followers. [3] If our faith is in God because we have seen His love for us in Jesus, then our love for each other will be genuine because the Spirit is pouring God's love into our hearts [4] to transform us to be evermore like our Savior. [5]

[1] 1 John 4:10.
[2] John 13:34.
[3] John 13:35.
[4] Romans 5:5. Some of the biblical description of how we must show God's love is given in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7; Colossians 3:12-14; Ephesians 4:29-32; Philippians 2:1-4; Galatians 5:22-23.
[5] 2 Corinthians 3:18.

Today's Prayer

Father, thank You for the Holy Spirit making me a part of Your family and giving me new life in Your family when I was born again. I praise You that Jesus paid the adoption price for me to be included in Your family. While I find some of my brothers and sisters hard to love at times — just as I am sure some of them find me hard to love at times — I commit to love them in Christ as You loved me. Thank You, dear Father, for placing me in Your family and giving me a forever family with whom I will share eternity with You! I thank and praise You in Jesus' name. Amen.

Related Scripture Readings

  • 1 Corinthians 13:1-13
  • John 13:34-35; 1 John 3:16-18, 4:7-12

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Illustration

Illustration of 1 Peter 1:21-23 NLT — Through Christ you have come to trust in God. And you have placed your faith and hope in God because he raised Christ from the dead and gave him great glory. You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart. For you have been born again, but not to a life that will quickly end. Your new life will last forever because it comes from the eternal, living word of God.

About This Devotional

Together in Christ is a daily devotional that focuses on what Scripture teaches about godly living in relationships.

'Together in Christ' is written by Phil Ware.

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2007, 2013, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

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