In the previous post I shared my opinion about truth and a little about the relationship between truth and love. Today we dig a little deeper into Love.
Love
As human beings we have a natural tendency to seek love and affection. Some would argue that love is purely part of our instinctive makeup to ensure procreation and survival. Those that have experienced love that lasts a lifetime, will be quick to object that the fullness of love extends far beyond the simplicity of ”preserving the species”
Love is a bond that elevates us to a place that is sacred, powerful and enduring. The pursuit of love that fills the unique void that connects our soul with our spirit and that of another has driven many to give up their lives for the cause.
Love breaches the boundaries of the fabric of our natural DNA , soul and spirit. It continues to live on and perpetuate in the hearts and souls of those whom have been connected in such an intimate way.
Because love is not of a natural birth and not limited by our wants and needs it allows us to reach out, create, enable and support those around us; to help each other reach fulfillment in this life and prepare for the next.
What the world offers as a definition of love is often short-sighted, shallow, lazy and ultimately destructive. One cannot expect it to be any other way. Without the acknowledgement of the eternal, love cannot be discovered in its fullness. The determined refusal to even consider eternal significance does not help. This frustration often turns to hate, albeit it is called love.
Love is of high importance to the Father. In fact it defines Him. Love and relationship is what flames the all-consuming fire. It is only sensible to investigate what God says about love.
Jesus summarized God’s commandments in two sentences. You may ask how it is possible to wrap many laws into such a short statement. The answer is simple – Jesus addressed the condition of the heart from which all actions stem (natural) and the relationship between God and man (eternal). The biggest battle is to acknowledge the state of the heart, because it reveals our true intentions regardless of the actions that we perform. .
And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.” – Luke 10:27
The statement sets a clear hierarchy for love:
- Love God with your whole being
- Love fellow human beings as much as you love yourself
- Love God first, more than your fellow man or yourself (Also see Deuteronomy 6)
Why love God first ? He created us, He suffered greatly and died to save us and allows us to spend eternity with Him in His holy presence. No human being can ever offer that.
Why love your fellow man or woman as yourself ? The Bible teaches that God offers His love equally to all.
What does loving God mean?
- Acknowledge that without God’s grace we are lost and strive to live according to God’s holy standards as it was intended from the beginning. Yes – God’s commandments (Deuteronomy 5 ) still stand; otherwise we would not need a savior. Jesus confirmed this when He said that He did not come to abolish the law but to confirm it. Although we can never fully comply on this earth we can transform our hearts and minds to be sincere in striving and grow every day. —-“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth.” – John 14:15-17, —–“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished. . – Mathew 15: 17-19
- Jesus showed us what is possible as He was obedient to the end.
- God promises us the same Holy Spirit that filled Jesus to help us in our pursuit. Under the new covenant God enables us to overcome sin through the power of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit when we accept Jesus as our Lord and savior. When we believe with our hearts and confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and ask God to fill us with the Holy Spirit, He does . This is His promise in keeping with the new covenant of dependence on God to set us free from sin.
What does loving your neighbor mean ?
- Follow Jesus’ example of serving and acting according to His words. Be more concerned about the well-being of others than your own. This relates to the natural, but critically also the eternal. It does not mean that you should not love yourself, but to share that love.—“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” –John 15:12-13
- Love your enemies. One’s “image”, avoiding confrontation and being loved by others is not as important as reaching out and giving another the opportunity to avoid eternal separation from God. —“But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven.” – Mathew 5:44
Even when we love others we often short-change them by losing sight of loving God first, honoring truth and keeping eternity in mind. When we disobey God to “love” another it does not stem from the truth and does not help but hurts the recipient by condoning sin. Temporary gratification may have eternal consequences.
A common example of this is giving our spouse, children or a friend everything they desire even if some of those “wants” stem from a spirit of coveting (Exodus 20:17)
We are meant to keep others from falling off the cliff by inspiring them through our example and making the hard yards ourselves.
Love can only be understood in light of eternity and only successfully applied in obedience to God.
God’s love always has the long term best interest of the recipient in mind. God’s love does the hard yards.
Have a blessed week.