5 - Christian Love: Real & Counterfeit, Pt 1

Long ago, some unknown evangelist first asked the question, "If being a Christian were a crime, would there be enough evidence to convict you?" The point is made even more directly in First John 3:10: Is there enough evidence of your agape love for the brethren, to demonstrate that you are a child of God and not a child of the devil?

In Colossians 2:1-3, Paul cites agape love as one of the pillars of Christian unity. The hearts of believers, he says, are to be knitted together in agape love. What is the nature of this love? What are its key characteristics? How are we to demonstrate it within the body of Christ? How can we tell the real from the counterfeit?

This week we present part one of a message focusing on these questions as we continue our series, Christ Above All: Studies in Colossians.