Integrity- People of God

Perfect love is a spiritual attribute of God and is established in His righteousness through the power of the Holy Spirit which lives in every true believer of Christ. The perfect love of God is seen in His compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace, which are kingdom principles that are developed by the Holy Spirit. These kingdom traits are not of the world but are cultivated and matured through a close personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  

Psalms 86:15           But You, O Lord, are a God full of compassion, and gracious, Longsuffering and abundant in mercy and truth. NKJ

Luke 17:20 The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, see here or see there! For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. NKJ

God showed His compassion, concern, care and kindness for us in that while we were still sinners and enemies of God in our own mind, He provided a way for redemption, forgiveness and reconciliation.  Perfect love has compassion on others even their enemies and in perfect love we are willing to help and pray for those who are against them. 

Colossians 1:21      And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your own mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled. NKJ

God was merciful in His willingness to pardon our sins, while we were still in sin. In His mercyHe had sympathy, leniency and forbearance toward us and was shown by Him not destroying us while we were in the very act of our rebellion against Him.  Perfect love has sympathy and forbearance even for the ungodly and we can pray for God to be merciful and that they will not see eternal destruction. 

Psalms 103:8 The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in mercy. NKJ

In forgiveness of our sins God provided pardon and clemency from the mutiny and insurrection against Him through the atoning blood of Christ in His life, death and resurrection. Perfect love forgives even without a request for pardon because we can walk in perfect love because we too have been forgiven of our sinful rebellion. 

Psalms 78: 38 But He, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and did not destroy them. Yes, many a time He turned His anger away, And did not stir up all His wrath; NKJ

In God’s grace He provided reconciliation and benevolence in providing what we could never have obtained for ourselves, which is salvation and eternal life.  In grace God has not only provided payment of our sins but an abundant life and eternal communion for those who receive His Son Jesus as the propitiation for sin. Perfect love freely gives without looking for something in return. We by the Holy Spirit can give generously to those who are in need without excepting to receive any benefit or gain from them.

Psalms 145:8-9 The LORD is gracious and full of compassion, slow to anger and great in mercy. The LORD is good to all, And His tender mercies are over all His works. NKJ

1 John 2:2 And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for the whole world. NKJ

God’s perfect love is so profound, thoughtful and overwhelming that in our limited natural understanding we are unable to comprehend the depth of His love. God’s expression of perfect love is unidentifiable and is a mystery to the natural mind. God’s love is unmerited, underserved and unearned and yet it is freely given, which is difficult for people in a natural mindset to understand. Perfect love is shown and understood only through the power of the Holy Spirit and as we grow in communion and knowledge of God the more we are able to display His perfect love to others. 

Psalms 86:5 For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You. NKJ

A person of good moral character, who has integrity and is noble in character can obtain in their natural state acts of true love, which gives. They can even obtain great love and be willing to sacrifice for its beloved.  The Holy Spirit, God living in us, is what gives believers in Christ the ability to perform in perfect love through our close relationship and knowledge of God. It in our fellowship with Christ that we are able to remotely understand the profound deepness of God’s perfect love for us and to show this love to others.

Ephesians 3:17- 18 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, length and depth and height- NKJ

Perfect love can be expressed toward another though it may never be acknowledged and though their acts of kindness may be refused.  God gives rain and sun to the righteous and the unrighteous just as He sent Jesus to redeem all humanity. Some people will reject His redemption, will not acknowledge Him as their God and will discard and decline His gift of love and life which is in Christ. We too, as His children can show His perfect love to those who love us, as well as to those who wish to do us harm. 

Matthew 5:45        That you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. NKJ

Perfect love is empowered by the Holy Spirit and can stand unrequited without ever being reciprocated, acknowledged or may even be misunderstood by its beloved. God has given us His unconditional love and has displayed His great love for us through the life of His Son Jesus died for us all that we may have eternal life.  As ambassadors of Christ and His kingdom, we too can love unconditionally those who are without hope. 

Ezekiel 36:26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues and you will keep My judgement and do them. NKJ

God has placed us in families and communities with people who may not like us, look like us and may even despise us, but this is where God has entrusted us to be, to show His love and His light.  Through the Holy Spirit we can show His perfect love in deed, in truth and in our actions.  

Proverbs 19:21 Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the LORD’s purpose that prevails. NIV

It only takes one person to choose to live in the love of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. One person can choose to give themselves to God that they may be a witness of His perfect love to those who are called unloving and unlovable that others may see light God’s love on the earth.  It took one person to sail around the world to prove it could be done and after that many were able to make that journey. So, it can be with one person who will trust God and walk in love, though it may be a hard journey, it is possible to be the pattern others will follow. 

1 Timothy 1:15 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. NKJ 

1. True Love gives of its self to its beloved, while love perverted takes. 
2. Great love sacrifices without any expectation of reciprocation to receive love in return.  Great love is given and can be unrequited.  
3. Perfect love is an attribute of God, a supernatural gift endowed by God and is given in the power of the Holy Spirit. It is displayed in the character traits of compassion, mercy, forgiveness and grace, which is the unconditional love of God.