Love, God is Love

1 John 4:16-21   

 

When the world declares that “God loves everybody” what they mean is, I don’t have to change (repent). If God loves me, then how I live my life is acceptable to Him. Their interpretation of “love” is to give me whatever I want. It is not about discipline, or responsibility, or love for others. It is about self-centered desire. To the world, “love” comes with the idea of physical pleasure and satisfaction. “If you love me, you will let me do ... , or go ..., or be ....”

 

However,“Love” is the disciplined will to seek the best welfare for others. When a parent cries “No” to a child who is about to hurt himself, that is love. Too often a temper tantrum, “I don’t like rules, I want to do what I want to do,” is said just before a trip to the emergency room. A song I remember from my youth said “should’ve read that detour sign.” And like the song, “I did it my way,” the Bible declares “every man did that which was right in his own eyes.” See (Judges 17:6; 21:25 and Prov. 12:15; 16:25). “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” (Prov. 14:12; 16:25). “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the Lord pondereth the hearts” (Prov. 21:2).

 

Because God, in His foreknowledge, already knows the end result of every choice one can make, He sets up guidelines, for our protection, because of His love for us. Keeping the commandments of God is an evidence of our love for Him. We can only see “the now.” We must guess at the future. But God can see the future---what every choice and action will led to and what it will cost us in pain, frustration and hopelessness. His love has set up warnings and guidelines for our best good. That is love.

 

That God is love is demonstrated in His sending Christ to the cross, to be our Savior and life. Needing a Savior to die for our sins on the cross (1 John 4:9-10) verifies how hopeless and desperately sinful we were. That is why salvation is by grace (a gift from God’s great love). We could never earn it nor deserve it. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:23), and “the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23).

 

“For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). Notice carefully! All who reject Him will perish (3:16), is already condemned (3:18), and loves darkness because their deeds are evil (3:19).

 

The love of God can not be separated from the wrath of God. Love rejected arouses wrath.

“Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience” (Eph. 5:6).

 

“But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Rev. 21:8).

 

Jesus gave the radical command to love one’s enemies and to pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you (Matt. 5:43-48).