Eph 5:1-7, 2 And walk in love, as Christ also has loved us and given Himself for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling aroma.
As growth is required in many areas, there is growth in love. Read Paul’s addressing the aspect of growth in love, 1Cor 13:11-13, “11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things… 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” He follows in the next chapter, 1Cor 14:1, “ Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, …”. In these verses, there is a change from childhood in the faith to manhood in the faith. From the pursuit of spiritual gifts and desire for love, to the pursuit of love and desire of spiritual gifts (reversed pursuits).
Paul pursued that which was eternal (God is love) and desired that which was temporal, (spiritual gifts). The greatest is love, it glorifies both faith and hope. Faith is towards God. Hope is on behalf of ourselves. Charity is love to God creating in us love towards our neighbor, and our closest neighbor is our spouses. It is the very moving impulse of the gospel and is the one quality that is divine. Marriage is motivated by love, for “God is love.”
To strengthen this love vs. 3-7 advises us to put off immorality/adultery (lust), greed, filthiness, foolish talks or coarse joking, and deception and give place to thanksgiving which brings about contentment.