The Love of Christ: Strength for Believers in Trying Times

https://is1-ssl.mzstatic.com/image/thumb/Podcasts211/v4/5f/09/9f/5f099fb3-a561-c4c3-dbea-792fa4fe5c28/mza_6298342087530810563.jpg/600x600bb.jpg

The Gospel Saves Podcast

Wade Stanley

59 episodes

5 days ago

The Gospel Saves Podcast explores various aspects of the Christian faith. Whether you're interested in theological discussions, learning more about the Holy Spirit, or seeking a deeper connection with Christian teachings, this podcast offers a Bible-based perspective relevant to believers and those curious about the faith.

Christianity

Religion & Spirituality

RSS

All content for The Gospel Saves Podcast is the property of Wade Stanley and is served directly from their servers with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.

Christianity

Religion & Spirituality

https://d3t3ozftmdmh3i.cloudfront.net/staging/podcast_uploaded_episode/42329830/42329830-1742318124945-179c828478198.jpg

The Love of Christ: Strength for Believers in Trying Times

The Gospel Saves Podcast

13 minutes 5 seconds

7 months ago

The Love of Christ: Strength for Believers in Trying Times

The love of Christ stands at the heart of Paul’s prayer for the church in Ephesians 3. This prayer asks God to strengthen believers, helping them become rooted and grounded in love. Paul encourages faith in Christ to remain unshaken amid challenges. The imagery of being rooted like a tree and grounded in a strong foundation illustrates spiritual stability. Paul’s plea for Christians is to live in a love deeply anchored in their faith, as seen in Ephesians 3:17-19.

Love, defined by the Greek word agape, prioritizes others’ needs, regardless of personal cost. Paul demonstrates how God, through Christ, built salvation on love. Ephesians 2:4-5 reminds us that while mercy and grace allow salvation, it flows out of God’s perfect love. Christ’s sacrifice was compelled by love, forming the very foundation of Christian life. Romans 5:8 further highlights this truth: while we were sinners, Christ died for us. This shows how the love of Christ surpasses human knowledge.

Paul prays for divine help for believers to understand the unknowable depths of Christ’s love. Knowing and living in this love requires God’s intervention through the Holy Spirit. Paul reminds us in Romans 5:5 that God’s love is poured into our hearts by the Spirit. Additionally, Galatians 5:22 emphasizes that love is the Spirit’s first fruit. This divine influence shapes our ability to embrace and live out Christ’s love. This level of love, while impossible alone, demonstrates Christ’s transformative power in action.

Paul concludes with praise, declaring that God can do far beyond all we ask or imagine. He inspires believers to trust God’s great power, which has already worked throughout scripture and continues to work in the lives of ordinary people. From the strength shown by Daniel or Hezekiah to the power holding Christians today, God’s extraordinary ability is demonstrated.

This lesson urges believers to trust God, walk in love, and live lives worthy of their calling, a theme Paul explores in Ephesians 4. Christians made alive through Christ’s sacrifice, are empowered to build a new life rooted in His love.