2 that the older men be sober, reverent, temperate, sound in faith, in love, in patience;
in love,
Older men are to be sound in love. This form of love is self-giving. Love always seeks the best for others. These men can love those who do not deserve love. It is possible to have orthodoxy in doctrine but not be sound in love.
PRINCIPLE:
Mature Christians do not hang dirty laundry out for others to see.
APPLICATION:
It is possible to be orthodox in faith but lack love for others. God expects us to produce the love fruit of the Spirit (Ga 5:22). None of us has met anyone who loves too much. All of us are of differing temperaments. Some of us are neat and others sloppy. Some are organized and some are not. We are all different, but we must love one another nevertheless.
John 13: 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
Can you imagine when the disciples heard that? John might have looked at Peter and said, “How can I love that loudmouth?” Peter might have looked at John and said, “How can I get along with that dreamer?”
1 Pe 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,
People who subjectively criticize others have a spiritual disorder. This is not normal Christian living. We can call upon God’s love to work through us (Ro 5:5). True love covers other people’s failings,
1 Pe 4: 8 And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
