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1 Peter 4:8
8 And [de] above [pro] all things [pas] have [echo] fervent [ektenes] charity [agape] among [eis] yourselves [heautou]: for [hoti] charity [agape] shall cover [kalupto] the multitude [plethos] of sins [hamartia]. KJV-Interlinear
8 Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins. NASB
The activities of the sin nature stir up nothing but trouble. All of your life, when lived under the power of the sin nature (out of fellowship), is a source of trouble, and results in trouble, regardless of the activities of your life.
The activities of the spiritual life, serve nothing but good. By definition, the spiritual life is a life, which functions sin free, within the will of God.
The content of the Word of God is truth. The principles of truth, the sum total of the content of the Bible, make up the concept of love. Review our study of 1, 2, and 3rd John.
There are generally three terms used for love, 'phileo', 'agapao', and 'eros.'
The first refers to the emotional responses or reactions of ones life. The second, ‘agapao,’ refers to the principles of life, the rights and wrongs, the knowledge of good verses evil, the discernment of what one should or should not do. The third word is used in reference to intimate relationships between husband and wife, for example.
Fervent, is a word used for urgency, for something of huge importance, for something, right now, that takes precedence over all else. For example, when a person falls or is hurt severely with a life threatening injury, then the only thing that matters is medical attention, right now. That is what urgent means.
Peter calls the use and application of Bible doctrine in ones life, with respect to all things, with respect to relationships between people, with respect to ones relationship with God, as urgent. The love used here includes the concepts, the content, of the Bible.
You can only utilize that which you have learned, and learning requires the priority of, and being consistent in, ones daily study.
In other words, your spiritual life needs to be your highest priority in life. The urgency of your spiritual life means that each time you ignore your spiritual life, you are placing yourself at risk. Why?
Because time is short.
Time is short for your own personal life, because you do not know the details of tomorrow, nor do you know the details of the future of humanity.
And what is the significance of this urgency? Because you are going to be evaluated by Christ one day.
Everything you do in this life is irrelevant and meaningless if you ignore and do not advance in your spiritual life.
Therefore, your daily study, learning, obedience, prayer, etc, should all be high on your daily to-do list.
