“. . . that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” (Ephesians 3:17b-19, ESV)
In Ephesians 2 Paul had revealed to his audience that Christ has made all men one by His sacrifice. Thus, all those who are in Him by faith are members of His church, His Kingdom. In the light of this revelation, Paul urged them, and us as well, that since we are members of this heavenly kingdom we are to behave as such, to consider its interests and directives to be of paramount importance, superior to our own interest and desires as well as the dictates of our national government. And so we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit who enables us to live in the unity of Christ with all our fellow believers. He wants them to experience the full love of Christ, to be rooted and grounded in it.
I have spent many years in both the Charismatic and evangelical elements of the church. There was much emphasis on being filled with the Spirit in the former and being grounded in the truth of God’s word in the latter. While obviously we believers need both the Spirit and the Word, there was disagreement as to how these were achieved and for what purpose (a disagreement which still exists). Paul indicates that the fullness of Christ and the Spirit are rooted in love. This love is not the emotional, romantic, or physical feelings so emphasized in our culture. The love which Paul speaks about is the love of Christ who sacrificed Himself for all mankind to atone for our sins, to reconcile us to God.
If we want to be filled with the Spirit, if we want to know and proclaim the truth of God’s Word, we do not need to do anything esoteric or speak in tongues or dance around like whirling dervishes. As we are carried by the power of the Holy Spirit we will act with words and deeds of love directed both to fellow believers as well as the lost, the unrepentant sinners. We will love not only our brethren in the Lord, but also those outside the Church. Our love is demonstrated with deeds that spring forth from the love and compassion Jesus imparts to us. A love through which he calls sinners to repent of their sin, self-centeredness, and rebellion.