Of all the things that we are to "put on" or "clothe ourselves with," love is the most most important and the most difficult. If we were to examine every conflict on a personal level right up to a national and international level, by the definition provided for us in the Bible, we will see that the lack of love was at the root of it all. Standing back and trying to be an objective observer in this moment, it is clear that if love is the greatest, between faith and hope, and if loving God and people are the two greatest commandments upon which all of the law of God is based, then it is easy to see why love is so attacked by Satan and his minions. Not fully comprehending the meaning of love as the Lord's defines love is also a method of deceit used by the enemy. How many songs do we know or hear or continue to be written that speak of all you need is love? In today's society, love has come to mean tolerance for everyone's beliefs, Godless or not. Afterall, this is America and we are free to believe or choose anything that makes us happy. This is the democratic way. It is a matter of human rights. Yet, God is not a Democrat or Republican, nor is He even an American (or any other nationality or ideology.) He is the Supreme Author of all creation with definitions that He will judge all mankind upon, whether we believe in Him or not.
Now, when one hears the word judge, immediately a negative connotation arises in the mind but this is not necessarily so, when one considers all the situations that required a judgment of some kind. Competitions come to mind. Those who followed the rules and excelled in their efforts were judged to be winners. Putting a more positive spin on the word, this is more of what the judgments of God can be compared to. If He is the Creator and He makes the rules, then those who follow those rules win the prize. Similar words have been used in the Bible to make this very point. Judgments are only negative when the rules have not been followed and there is a penalty or disqualification. (I know it's very simplistic but why must it be complicated?) So the meaning and correct application of love comes under the rules of the Supreme Authority and His judgments, to reward or to punish (not a favorite word of those who don't understand God's ways.)
Back to love and the way of love, the Word of God describes God as love itself. He is all-loving and devoted to all of creation but shows Himself to those who obey His precepts (2 Chronicles 16:9). So without full obedience to God's way, love and its demonstration is incomplete and without truth in its application. It is no wonder that when we began to discuss what it means to put on love, the conversations were filled with all the difficulties we experience in fulfilling God's plan for love. Let's start with the very commandment to love God : Mark 12:30-31, "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’There is no commandment greater than these.” Jesus was quoting from the Law of Moses given in Deuteronomy, Chapter 6. He was teaching that the heart of pleasing God is loving God through obedience to His Word. Jesus is the living example of ultimate obedience through His death on the cross. It is important to point out that the love of God preceeds the love of people. How we love people stems from how God says we are to love people. If the second commandment is placed in first order than, loving people will stem from how we think people should be loved. Not that this is bad or will not be a benefit to others but it will be imperfect and, as can be seen in our society, will leave God's will and plan out of the equation altogether. There are many popular causes today that do good to others but do not carry with it the first order of pleasing God.
All this I've said to establish that love is from God, about God and for God and is the foundation upon which our conversation at our February meeting was based. The scriptures to which the instruction to put on love were given are Colossians 3 and 1 Thessalonians 5 and of course, the classic chapter of 1 Corinthians 13. So to what love is 1 Corinthians 13 referring? (Of course, reading it is necessary and it takes but a minute!) All agreed that it was a higher love than we all had, but to which each aspired. It was a standard to achieve and so even by the definition of the Greek word, agape, it was the love that is God's standard to which we compare all actions. Does our love resemble this standard? Why do we make excuses for not loving and why is love (agape) so hard? These were the questions which fueled our conversation and the realities of our human failures to love came into great debate. Stories were shared about painful circumstances, on-going family issues, personality clashes, domestic issues and more.
After everyone shared as she felt necessary (some sat quietly and listened since no one is required to share anything at all if they do not care to), the most important question was asked so that we could understand after all was said and done, what is God's way for love. The question is, "WHY MUST WE LOVE (AGAPE)? Remembering the command to love God first, He sets the standard for the answer: Because Christ who IS GOD IN THE FLESH, loved us while we were sinners and died for us. He sacrificed ALL OF WHO HE WAS to redeem humanity. He forgave us ALL of our sins and He says WE MUST DO THE SAME FOR EACH OTHER. Because He forgave us and how He forgives us is what we are to offer others and nothing less. (Matthew 6:14 and Matthew 18:21-35) The ability to do this or anything that God says is a must is based soley upon agreeing with God's Word and believing that God sent His Savior for us since we could not save ourselves. Believing on the Lord Jesus Christ brings new birth which makes us children of God and gives us the ability to call God our Father and begin to understand spiritual truth, which includes how to love God and others.
It took us most of the evening's alotted meeting time to get to the place where we were ready to discuss HOW to put on love. Without a foundation of why, how is not possible. How do we get what we know to be right and true into our hearts and outward expressions? The first way to begin is to examine the inner conversation that is going on within yourself. Are you angry, fearful, defensive, discouraged or possess any other negative thoughts toward yourself and others? It is always a good thing to start to realize what's driving our lives and if it's negative. Begin to ask God to forgive you as you have not aligned yourself with His Word and begin to do so. Let the Word of Christ dwell richly in you. Fill yourself daily with God's thoughts. When you do, you will begin to have a new inner conversation with yourself. His Words take up residence in your heart, mind and soul life. Then your choices to behave in a loving manner toward people will be seen outwardly.
Many times we have to make a choice to behave differently than what we are feeling on the inside. This is another aspect of putting on love. Our decision is then motivated by our desire to please God above all, even above ourselves, and sometimes, it is a decision that is humbling to our flesh. Given the choice, avoid the emotional response of self-preservation due to hurt feelngs and choose kindness and mercy and forgiveness. It is better to be humble than to be right. God exalts the humble and avoids the proud. Once again, we are confronted with certain definitions that we do not always apply to our actions. Sometimes it is better to avoid an argument than to defend our opinion, because many times the defense of that opinion stems from pride which can take deeper root into our hearts. This, again, challenges the American way of thinking which allows us all to express whatever opinion, even at the expense of another or that which is contrary to the love of God. Jesus was the ultimate example of humility when they hurled false accusations against Him just prior to His crucifixion. He did not defend Himself but forgave all of His accusors and executioners.
How much we will agree to put on love will depend upon the revelation of how much we have been forgiven! We cannot begin the on going process of love until we really begin to understand that sin separates us from God. He has a standard of absolutes that are rejected by society so sin is not acknowledged today as sin, but that in no way changes what it is. (If you really don't know what sin is, I suggest that you read a list of what God calls sin in Galatians 5, Ephesians 4 and Colossians 3 and the Bible is filled with instructions about what pleases and displeases God.) When I know what displeases God is what I am feeling, I have the choice to respond to what God has made new in my life by His forgiveness. When I choose what pleases Him because of how much it cost Him to give me this ability to choose, I do so because I don't want to fail Him. My heart wants to bring Him joy and so love becomes my decision rather than my feeling, but miraculously, the more I choose to love, the more genuine love I begin to feel for others. The more I extend forgiveness, the more I am able to forgive in any circumstance, however difficult. When I personalize what Jesus took to the cross with Him, my sins, and those sins caused the Father to totally look away from Him while He hung there, then I gain the revelation of His great love and how much we've been forgiven. Had not Christ been rejected for my sins then I would have to bear them and be rejected by the Father, except for me and you, it would mean eternal separation, which is hell.
Loving God first is what fuels our ability to put on His character. Pride will re-define love to mean good deeds and outward behaviors which can also be spiritual without reflecting the character of God in our lives. Putting on love is what we do as an act of worship to God because of who He is and what He has done for us.
NEXT MEETING: Thursday, March 10, 2011, 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. at my home. Email me if you wish to attend: nancy@gatewaycitychurch.net Part II of Putting on Love: Falling in Love with Jesus/The Fire of His Love
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