What’s the meaning of love my friend, my brother and sister in Jesus? Have you abdicated from the original meaning? Have you muddied its value?
“Just love them!” “We all just need to love one another.” “Just be yourself!” “Just make them ‘feel’ loved.” Okay… So elaborate… how are you conveying this love? Are you going to reflect Jesus? I mean really reflect Him.
Are you copping out on the gospel for a gospel that is no gospel at all?
“…but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Galatians 1:7-9
Love is not turning your head the other way. There’s a thin line that’s thickening. Love is an action.
“And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.” 1 John 4:16
Jesus is the epitome of love. He is the Author.
Love… “God’s love” is being cheapened and reshaped in cultural shifts.
Abundantly clear, on a daily basis, is that we are not really loving, but cementing a person’s fate in themselves by failing to reflect and represent Jesus. I hear people say.. “Oh God will do what He needs to do… I just need to love them.” So… are you checking out? How are you conveying love? It’s worthy of evaluating.
“Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God.” 2 Corinthians 5:20
Are you representing God by hiding Him and how He responds to sin? By not speaking of our personal value to Him. By failing to relay the “Great Controversy” now playing out on earth’s final battlefield? Keep in mind that when we sin, it crucifies Christ again. It stabs His side with a dagger. He turns His head in grief and is shamed.
What’s your testimony? Do you have one? Do you share it?
Please don’t jump tracks on me. We’ve experienced a history of being petty and pushing our views on targeted people, lauding our wealth of knowledge over them and using that to hide our own shortcomings. I’m not talking about this kind of approach. No one is beat to the foot of the cross.
When we recognize moral failure in another’s life, do we let go? Do we send them to the edge, distancing ourselves? Do we shun them? Embarrass them before others? Is this love? Does Jesus abandon someone who stumbles? Don’t misunderstand me. Sin has consequences. Every sinner is likely aware of that. At the same time… we are developing, (as a denomination) approaches toward LGBT+ identifying people that exclude any conversation of Jesus … and we’re calling it “love.”
Being met with opposition to Jesus is already having its effect on so-called “Christians.” We are turning and burying Jesus in hopes of making someone feel comfortable.
Churches are splitting over the acceptance of sin. Not same-sex attraction. Not temptation. But all-out acceptance of same-sex intimate relations. Turning their heads and “just loving them.”
In a very dark and humble place, I’ve discovered that we shame Jesus by clinging to the habits and sins that dishonor God. Rather than study out God’s will and plan and demonstrating His incredible love that can only bring about conversion, we become silent, or perhaps and turn our heads. Some say…”This doesn’t’ involve me.” It does! We’ then become assistants in the normalization of sin. We’ve actually done a pretty good job at that with other sins. Instead of hearing sermons that challenge us to surrender our sin, we want “itchy ear” sermons. A call to confess… is uncomfortable. Imagine that.
Every day should be about our reconciliation with Jesus. Drawing nearer… letting go of the world, clinging to Jesus and developing intimacy with Him. Shame on us for not sharing the life-changing love of Jesus Christ. Love that endured our sins, killing our Savior. Romans 5:8
Shouldn’t we be just a little bit ashamed right here?
It’s no wonder that Jesus has delayed His coming at least a couple times. We are drowning in the sea of unrepented sin and self-gratification.
Instead of helping one who has fallen, some sit and think… “I was sure you would eventually fall.” Or …”No one is perfect.” Both leave you in the ditch waiting to be rescued.
Proverbs 24:16 tells us that a righteous man falls seven times. That’s symbolic. It could be seven, seventy or seven thousand. The point is that he wouldn’t fall if he didn’t keep getting back up. And God has provided grace and mercy to those who seek Him, getting back up and clinging to Him.
If they didn’t get up… Satan would have won. When we insist on clinging to our sin, eventually God has no choice but to concede to our will instead of His. We have made our choice. Those fates are being decided now. The more we distance ourselves from Jesus, the smaller the window of conversion. Once saved, always saved, doesn’t work. Not if I’m choosing Jesus instead of what He desires for me. He is not a God of force. I have a decision to make. He gives me the power to choose.
Love is life-sustaining. It is personified in 1 Corinthians 13. Love points to Jesus…not to self.
This idea that we’re fine just the way we are with whatever sin keeps us in bondage… and we just need to love one another and do nothing, is a seal of death. If you and I are fine just the way were are… what is Jesus waiting for? Why hasn’t He come already?
We need to put our faces in His Word.
He’s calling us to take Him at His Word. To reflect Him… to model our lives after Him. To love Him more than sin.
God is not a negotiator for the LGBT+ community or any other sin-insisting community. He already paid the ransom and He is asking you and me to choose Him and live our lives in agreement with Him. There’s no alteration on the plan.
What kind of love are you loving with? Is it a love that leaves me in the ditch of confusion and habitual self-glorification? Or are you pointing me to Jesus by how you live your life and how you convey Jesus to those you encounter each day?
We are in the final chapter of “The Great Controversy.”
It’s definitely about “love.” But is it His “love” or a self-love? His love refines me and prepares me for His Kingdom. Beware of counterfeits. They’re life-threatening.
When we apply hermeneutics… “we” change God’s intent.
There’s only one gospel. The safety of Heaven will prevent another “Lucifer-like” occurrence from ever happing again. Are you and I safe for Heaven?
Lucifer is VERY wise and manipulative. He is at work inside and outside the church. Remember… a third of the angels believed Lucifer’s claims of unfairness about God. Aren’t we subject to the same lies? Is that what’s happening right now? Satan took BILLIONS with him. Do you “feel” safe? Or do you have a sudden urge to develop intimacy with Jesus and live in His safety of “love in truth?”
“It is a masterpiece of Satan’s deceptions to keep the minds of men searching and conjecturing in regard to that which God has not made known and which He does not intend that we shall understand. It was thus that Lucifer lost his place in heaven. He became dissatisfied because all the secrets of God’s purposes were not confided to him, and he entirely disregarded that which was revealed concerning his own work in the lofty position assigned him. By arousing the same discontent in the angels under his command, he caused their fall. Now he seeks to imbue the minds of men with the same spirit and to lead them also to disregard the direct commands of God.” {GC 523.1}
You and I are to be “Watchmen on the wall.” Many are saying… Oh God will do this and that. Remember… God is a God of invitation, not force. And you and I are commissioned with His love to disciple people to Jesus.
Love… Love.. Love… with all your heart and mind! But be VERY sure that it is the love of Jesus and not a fake. His love is redemptive. I discovered five “R”s.
Revelation
Repentance
Reconciliation
Redemption
Restoration
You and I are called to love others the way they are. But certainly not to leave them the way we found them. We are vessels with gems of hope and encouragement.
Many people are anchored to their sin and think there’s no way out. Are you trapped? Jesus provides a way out. He purchased victory for us with His blood. Claim it! Choose Jesus over anything that separates you from Him. He is our only hope.
It’s possible!
Think about King David, Mary Magdalene, Moses, Rahab … and others. Great sinners! Just like you and me. But He drew them out of their sin.
Love with His love, because He is love.
You’ll need tools to walk in victory. I’ll share some in a future article.