We also need to be an example to others by showing love and concern for the well-being of other believers and unbelievers. The word "charity," or "love," in this verse does not speak of affection or friendship, but rather of an unselfish, sacrificial love for another. This agape love (agape is the Greek word from which our English word "charity" [or "love"] is translated in this text) means that we love our fellow Christians to the extent that we sacrifice our own time, comfort or popularity in order to build them up in the faith.

 

When we truly love others as we should, we will sometimes need to reprove and correct them when they begin to move in the wrong direction, even though doing so might cause them to feel resentful toward us. We must understand that this agape love is not shown by doing what the one we love desires, but what is needful for them. This is the same love Christ had for us when He died on the cross for our sins. As ungodly "enemies" of God (see Rom. 5:8-10), we did not want Him to die for us. But because He loved us so much, He died for us anyway because He knew that was best for us; He knew we needed a Savior, a Substitute to pay the price of our sin on Calvary's cross. First John 4:10, 11 says, "Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation [the wrath-removing sacrifice] for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another."