Paul’s Affection and the Nature of Divine Love
What this church communicated to Paul was love, as we would see in the next verse. John made the point elsewhere that love goes beyond pleasantries to costing you something (1 John 3:16-18), as it cost this church the release of their goods to Paul.
David popularized the notion that he would not give God what would cost him nothing (2 Samuel 24:24), and God is the prime example of one who loved us and gave His only begotten Son, so that if we believe in Him, we would not perish (John 3:16).
Understanding the Nature of Love
- God is love (1 John 4:8), meaning His animating energy/force/essence (whatever you want to call it) is love.
- The fruit of the Spirit is love (Galatians 5:22-23), but we are not love—we need to be trained how to love.
- For example, Paul wrote that the older women should teach the younger ones to love their husbands and their children (Titus 2:3-4). If something has to be taught, it means it is not automatic, not our essence. That is why Jesus made it a prayer point that the love He shared with the Father would be in us (John 17:26).
In the focus verse, Paul says that what flows from his heart is the affection of Christ Jesus. In short, his heart is bursting with positive feelings toward this church that means so much to him. He is also telling them that this is Christ’s affection toward them.
Christ’s Discerning Love
One thing we know from the letters to the churches in Revelation is that Jesus has opinions about different churches (Revelation 2-3). Similarly, He has His opinion about individual Christians. We should not forget that we will all individually stand before the judgment seat of Christ to receive according to what we have done in the flesh (2 Corinthians 5:10).
“Jesus loves me” is not equal to “anything goes.” If the affection of Christ that Paul is referencing in the focus verse is robotic and just there, then “do not grieve the Holy Spirit” (Ephesians 4:30) makes no sense. “Well done, good and faithful servant” (Matthew 25:21) makes no sense if anything goes as long as you become a Christian.
That is why Paul warned against people who say anything goes and then shipwreck their faith because they run forward, ignoring the cautions of conscience (1 Timothy 1:18-19). They run through every red light and wonder why they shipwreck their faith.
Even for ministers, Paul says we should be cautious because the manner in which we do our ministry is also up for judgment, because our ministry can be wood, hay, or gold—burnt up or standing at the end (1 Corinthians 3:10-15). The point is, you are not the standard; God is. Paul said, “Be careful.”
A Balanced View of Jesus
I am talking about the affection of Jesus so that we do not have a cartoonish image of Jesus as a two-dimensional character who is always smiling at you. Sometimes He comes with a stern warning, like He did with the church He said was neither hot nor cold, and He would spew them out (Revelation 3:15-16). To another, He said He would take away their lampstand if they do not repent after losing their first love (Revelation 2:4-5). These are not harmless threats or playful words from the one who described Himself as having the two-edged sword in His mouth (Revelation 2:16).
Paul’s Genuine Longing
“God is my witness” is Paul’s way of communicating the highest form of fidelity to truth, and he said he longs for them.
What flowed from them to him in love was so strong that he could not wait to revel in the atmosphere of their love. Whether he was there or away, the church maintained the connection. When it comes to the level of affection and bond between this church and this apostle, it did not happen by accident—the church took the initiative.
The point is, affectionate longing does not happen by accident. It’s not “Gee, I didn’t know what happened,” particularly regarding enduring affection.
Between Paul and this church, the feeling is mutual. Paul communicated the gospel to them, and they flowed in love to him; they showed him regard through the gift they sent to him.
It was not what you would call love-bombing, where you want to register your presence and then tune out into something else, as if you want to mark something off your checklist so people won’t complain about you.
This is genuine and continuous, and Paul valued that. It was not an “on today, off tomorrow” affair. It was dependable and continuous. It had become a commitment regardless of the different circumstances Paul found himself in. In the positive or the negative, he felt their presence. And it was not only material but also in prayer for Paul, as we see in another verse (Philippians 1:19).
