Tag: Affection

Marks of a True Christian (3 of 12)

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Love one another with brotherly affection

(Proverbs 17:17) A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity. Brotherly affection involves concern for the well-being of another person. This includes spiritual, physical, emotional… Having brotherly affection involves being more involved than the typical acquaintance. (James 2:15-16) If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? God calls us into community and fellowship. Living the Christian life is more achievable when you are accountable to your community of faithful people. Showing concern for others well-being, especially those outside the faith makes the selfishness of sin fall away and the selflessness of love shine from your spirit filled heart.

Spiritual Maturity (Mutual Affection)

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2 Peter 1:7-9

All of the previous refinement culminates to allow a believer to see through the sinful nature of the world and have a mutual affection for all people. This quality is shown through the person’s ability to forgive and show kindness to people who have hurt them. It’s the way a believer is kind and caring in a way that draws people to them and their way of treating the world around them. God, in His infinite wisdom builds up His faithful with all of the previous qualities to prepare them to represent His on earth just as Jesus did. Each of the step must be taken and a firm stance on each achieved before the next can be ascended toward maturing in spirit. Not taking the time to thoughtfully take each step creates people who tend to fall backward in their walk. Showing God’s affection toward the people He puts in your life is the basic duty of each believer and an amazing way to show people God’s power.

Instead of God’s Kingdom (4)

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Affection/Lust

The fallen world has developed a focus on physical pleasure. They fail to see how seeking that pleasure leads them deeper down a hole that never leads to fulfillment. The only way to find absolute fulfillment is in the assurance of your worth as a child of God. The affection found in human emotion is fickle and dependent on the current mental status of the other party. When the mood of another person waivers, so does the affection they have toward the people in their lives. Being dependent on that sort of attention will inevitably lead to turmoil. The only way to avoid this is to focus on a love and affection that never waivers even in our worst moments. A never-ending and unconditional love from our heavenly father. (Psalm 136:26) Give thanks to the God of heaven, for his steadfast love endures forever.

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As a follower of Jesus there is a decision to be made. Do we seek earthly rewards and pleasure or the abundance that awaits in heaven? This question pertains to many things: 1) possessions, 2) status, 3) recognition, 4) affection, 5) acceptance, 6) control and 7) longevity. This list is limited but should suffice in awakening the senses to the other ways people seek this world over eternity in paradise.