In Ephesians 6:24 the Apostle Paul concludes his letter to the church at Ephesus with an address.

“Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity” (Eph. 6:24).

Listen, as J.C. Ryle discusses the significance of the word sincerity.

“The Apostle is here sending his good wishes, and declaring his good will to all true Christians. Many of them, no doubt, he had never seen. Many of them in early churches, we may be very sure, were weak in faith, and knowledge, and self-denial. How, then, shall he describe them in sending his message? What words can he use that will not discourage the weaker brethren? He chooses a sweeping expression, which exactly describes all true Christians under one common name. All had not attained to the same degree, whether in doctrine or practice. But all loved Christ in sincerity.”

The word sincere means absent of deceit or hypocrisy.  Pure.  Unadulterated.

When Jesus saw Nathanael in John 1:47, he said, “Behold, an Israelite indeed, in whom there is no deceit!”

Psalms 32:2 says, “Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

Through the cross we have been made One in Christ. However, the church is composed of various members from vastly different backgrounds. Some are farther along while others are just beginning. Yet, no Christian should have any delusions of righteousness apart from Calvary. All that he is, and all that he ever hopes to be is bound in this one truth: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost.” (1 Timothy 1:15b).

May we be counted among those who love Christ in sincerity.

This is a re-post from November 20, 2010.