Tape Gems on Love

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By Oscar M. Baker

[The following excerpts are from Mr. Baker’s Tues. class and radio tapes.]

CHRIST’S LOVE

There’s an awful lack of love among men today, and many of them profess the name of Christ. We should pray, and we should so live that His love might be revealed to them. Let us walk in love ourselves. Now Christ loved us. He came and was obedient unto death. He was obedient unto the Father. He performed that for which He was preordained to perform. But you must remember also, when He went to Calvary and laid down His life, it was because He also loved us, as did the Father. (From T.F.T. Ephesians Radio Series Lesson #8, “Love”.)

GROUNDED IN LOVE

Now Paul is praying in Ephesians that they might be, “strengthened with might by His Spirit in the inner man”, for this purpose, “that Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye being rooted and grounded (= founded) in love…”. Rooted like a tree! Grounded like a temple! And these Ephesians would understand what that was when it comes to a foundation, because in Ephesus they had one of the 7 wonders of the world --- the Temple of Diana. And that Temple had a foundation. The skilled workers of that time were scientist, and they built that Temple in such a way that the earthquakes, which were so frequent through that part of the country, would not destroy it. So then you’d say, “Well then they built it on a rock”. No they didn’t! In an earthquake a rock is one of the first things to shake. They went down and built in a marsh, of all places, but you know that’s like a cushion. But in order to keep the Temple straight, and from sinking, and so on, they laid down layers of animal hides and charcoal. The hides would be preserved airtight here in this marsh with the charcoal absorbing the moisture, and so forth. And they built up layers of that, and then laid the foundation of the Temple on top of that. And it would take a pretty stiff earthquake to shake it to pieces. Now these Ephesians would understand right away when Paul would speak about a foundation. If you are grounded in love, there is nothing that canshake you! (From T.F.T. tape 1-13-81, “Balance of Doctrine and Practice in Ephesians”.)

IN LOVE

“But speaking the truth in love may grow up unto Him…”(Eph. ). This parallels the expression in the doctrinal section in Eph. & 18, “…that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend…”. So the growth is dependent on being rooted in love. And so in love we should grow up unto Him. No love –no growth! (From T.F.T. Eph. Radio Series Tape, Lesson #85.)