“And above all, put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony.” Colossians 3:14

To stand against the forces that seek to extinguish Christ’s love in a world awash with counterfeits, we must first recognize their flawed definitions. There’s a selfish “love” that’s more accurately called pride, fueling the world’s obsession with “bodily autonomy.” People chant, “My body, my choice,” or “love is love,” elevating themselves as their own gods. Meanwhile, those who uphold the sanctity of life or the biblical design for marriage (much less the biblical and biological definition of male and female) are branded as bigoted haters.

We live in a culture that claims to value truth but worships subjectivity — the very antithesis of truth. If everything is subjective, truth ceases to exist, for truth is unchanging and absolute. Yet Scripture proclaims a different reality: Psalm 119:160 declares, “The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous rules endures forever.” Connecting the dots: God is love, and His word declares that He “is the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8). True love is consistent — unwavering in nature and aligned with God’s word.

Consider John 14:15, where Jesus declares, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Here, love moves beyond being defined by God’s character to being demonstrated through obedience to His commands. So, what does it look like to show this love? It looks like pursuing righteousness, sharing the gospel, and standing unyieldingly for biblical truth in every sphere of life. To put on love is to live boldly for Christ, reflecting His heart in a world desperate for the real thing.

To put on love is to be willing to take slander for the sake of Christ, “having good conscience” because “those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16). To put on love means to accept that we will be hated for His namesake, “but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22-24). To put on love is to know that persecution is inevitable for “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12). But “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Do you see the pattern? For every bit of slander, hatred, persecution, or threat we receive for being clothed in Christ, we are rewarded by, in, and for His goodness. This world, dear reader, is not our home. We’re in the world, but we’re not of it (John 17:16). No, this is the land of the prince of darkness (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2). Though Christ reigns supreme, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We have no guarantee of comfort here, nor should we desire it.

Consider John 14:15, where Jesus declares, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” Here, love moves beyond being defined by God’s character to being demonstrated through obedience to His commands. So, what does it look like to show this love? It looks like pursuing righteousness, sharing the gospel, and standing unyieldingly for biblical truth in every sphere of life. To put on love is to live boldly for Christ, reflecting His heart in a world desperate for the real thing.

To put on love is to be willing to take slander for the sake of Christ, “having good conscience” because “those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame” (1 Peter 3:16). To put on love means to accept that we will be hated for His namesake, “but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Matthew 10:22-24). To put on love is to know that persecution is inevitable for “all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12). But “blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:10).

Do you see the pattern? For every bit of slander, hatred, persecution, or threat we receive for being clothed in Christ, we are rewarded by, in, and for His goodness. This world, dear reader, is not our home. We’re in the world, but we’re not of it (John 17:16). No, this is the land of the prince of darkness (John 12:31; Ephesians 2:2). Though Christ reigns supreme, “Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). We have no guarantee of comfort here, nor should we desire it.

Putting on Christ boldly means we long for the day when we are with Him face-to-face. And when that day comes, do you know what it means? No more pain, suffering, slander, persecution — you name it. Do you know what else it means? We will be surrounded not by counterfeit loves that entice us toward destruction, but perfect, complete, holy, heavenly love — not just with Christ, but with all of His people. There’s perfect love found in our Saviour, and in eternity, we’ll finally see it in full — without blemish. It’s a love so pure and complete that it’s hard to fathom this side of heaven.

Yet, while we are still dwelling on this side of heaven, let us clothe ourselves in Christ. Let us put on love — His love — boldly, faithfully, and unapologetically, trusting that every step we take in obedience brings us closer to the day when we will see Him in all His glory, surrounded by the perfect harmony of His eternal love. Let us put on His love, knowing, right now, we’re the closest to hell we’ll ever be, and the farthest from heaven we’ll ever be. Put on His love, even in a world that mocks you for it, because it is the only true love there is.

In one final thought, I want to encourage you not to grow weary in doing good — in loving your neighbour. This world has always been drenched in darkness, but it appears especially bleak right now. Death, hostility, hate, and more are right on our doorsteps, threatening to break in. But we dwell in God’s house, we have the Holy Spirit within us, and God has promised never to abandon those whom He loves.

Stand firm. Pray fervently. Trust God. Love boldly.