Philippians 1:9–10
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, 10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ.
Love in the Bible does not focus upon good feelings. Feelings are a part of a person’s life, but feelings are never the focus of true love.
The focus is knowledge. If we truly love someone, we want to know that person. True love leads us to not only know a person but to learn all we can about the person. We need a love for Christ that is a growing love. Our love for Christ grows the more we come to know Him. As we grow in Christ, we come to know more of what is right. We learn of the difference between what is good and what is excellent or the acceptable and the best. We want to be the best, give God the best of who we are.
Our love for Christ is a growing love. The more we love Christ, the more we will choose the best for Him. The more our love for Christ grows the more our love for each other grows.
Even through the difficulties Paul faced, he found joy in his memories of his friends in Philippi. We go through difficulties in life. But we do not allow the difficulties or hard times take away our love for Christ and others. As our love for Christ grows our love for others grows.
Christ loves the church, the believers. If Christ loved the church so much, He would die for them, we should have the same love.
1 Peter 1:22 “Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart.”
1 John 3:14 “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.
Romans 5:8 “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”