RECIPROCATING THE LOVE OF GOD
March 2020
The Love of God demands that those who are recipient and have benefited from it should respond accordingly.
God’s love is not for show. Christ’s death, which is the Grace of God’s love, was for the sole purposed of adoptions of sons and reconciliation. All humanity has in one way or the other become partakers of the divine love of God. The love of God is for the whole world not for some set of people. Those who think God loves only the saints are void of proper biblical understanding. As a matter of fact God loves both the saints and the sinners. God’s love has no specific measurement for your moral ways. We have discussed that in the previous chapters, that God’s love is unconditional and independent of any man’s merit or qualification. So, we all need to come to this reality, God loves all of us equally. Have you forgotten how Jesus puts it? He said “For God so love the world” he never said, “For God so love the righteous in the world”
It is very unskilled to interpret the Old Testament judgments of God in the same line as the New Testament. Yes! This is because it has been noticed that some unskilled teachers of the word claim that although God is love, he seldom kills or punishes mercilessly. This is not a way of interpreting the scriptures. Covenants are an important principle in a good bible interpretation. Under the Old covenant, one should understand that The Love of God was still 100% active and potent but that Grace had not yet come. Jesus Christ came with Grace, so when Christ died, Love and grace became powerful into overriding every other dimension of God. I do not in anyone mean that God is not a righteous Judge as some have claimed. God is a righteous judge. But the judgment of the whole world was taken care of by Jesus Christ and in turn released Grace unto men. So God’s dimension of Judgment has been put on hold till the final day. God does not judge anyone now, except that those who have received eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus have been judged together with Him on the cross. It is done deal! It is a past tense thing! God loves the world, he is not judging anyone yet, and those who will face God’s judgment are those who reject Grace and Love.
So now that we are lucky recipients and beneficiaries, how do we respond to God’s love?
1. Love God: Loving God seem to be the most impossible task for many believers. This is because the methodology involved is not specifically stated in the bible.
Everyone knows, that when you claim to love someone, you care for such, relate with such in kindness, you become acquainted with such person that they become part of you. Even inanimate things, when loved, has the tendency to still away a great portion of one’s heart. However, loving God is the simplest thing everyone can do. Since God is not seen or visible to us, he gave us another alternative in loving him. To love God, you must love people around you. Simply put, loving God is loving man. Therefore if anyone wishes to respond to God’s love, he or she should respond by loving those who are in God’s Image and likeness. The idea is that, God cannot be loved because your love cannot satisfy him. Also that, you cannot see him, and this barrier would affect your love strength.
Therefore, since Jesus Christ (man-God) bought God’s love and Grace for humanity, therefore, when you love man, you love God. This is as simple as abc.
2. Love your Neighbours: Neighbours are a fraction of the people that you ought to show love too according to the point one above. Nevertheless, neighbours are closer than any human being to us all. Our neighbours are almost like our families. The love of neighbours is demanded because it is the best way one can demonstrate one’s love. If you claim you love God, you ought to first show that by loving your neighbours. Amen.
3. Love your Enemies: Loving enemies is like kissing a snake to some people. But only few people have ever thought of it, that there are really no enemies anywhere. Those whom we call enemies are actually innocent human beings under the influence of some evil force or spirit. No one was created or born into this world as an enemy. Therefore, it is demanded that believers love their enemies; those who mock, abuse or despise them. This is the way we can know that we have love. This is the only type of love among these three that is cannot be found among the unbelievers. If one claims to be a believer and does not love his or a he enemy, then such person is has a poor understanding of God’s love for humanity. This is why we are considered that first in the previous chapters. The idea in loving enemies; came from the fact that; we were once God’s enemies when he showed us love. He didn’t love us when we turned to his will; he loved us while we were far away from his will.
If you ask me, how do I live a kingdom lifestyle? I will ask you to begin with these three. Reciprocating God’s love is equal to living a lifestyle of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God was founded upon God’s love, Christ’ Grace and the Spirit’s Fellowship.
Interestingly, Jesus Christ, once taught these three points and repeatedly informed his disciples to lover God – which the greatest commandment. Also he added, that the only way people can know that they are his disciples is when they live a practical life of love. From records, they did well.
What about you?
THE END.
March 2020
The Love of God demands that those who are recipient and have benefited from it should respond accordingly.
God’s love is not for show. Christ’s death, which is the Grace of God’s love, was for the sole purposed of adoptions of sons and reconciliation. All humanity has in one way or the other become partakers of the divine love of God. The love of God is for the whole world not for some set of people. Those who think God loves only the saints are void of proper biblical understanding. As a matter of fact God loves both the saints and the sinners. God’s love has no specific measurement for your moral ways. We have discussed that in the previous chapters, that God’s love is unconditional and independent of any man’s merit or qualification. So, we all need to come to this reality, God loves all of us equally. Have you forgotten how Jesus puts it? He said “For God so love the world” he never said, “For God so love the righteous in the world”
It is very unskilled to interpret the Old Testament judgments of God in the same line as the New Testament. Yes! This is because it has been noticed that some unskilled teachers of the word claim that although God is love, he seldom kills or punishes mercilessly. This is not a way of interpreting the scriptures. Covenants are an important principle in a good bible interpretation. Under the Old covenant, one should understand that The Love of God was still 100% active and potent but that Grace had not yet come. Jesus Christ came with Grace, so when Christ died, Love and grace became powerful into overriding every other dimension of God. I do not in anyone mean that God is not a righteous Judge as some have claimed. God is a righteous judge. But the judgment of the whole world was taken care of by Jesus Christ and in turn released Grace unto men. So God’s dimension of Judgment has been put on hold till the final day. God does not judge anyone now, except that those who have received eternal life through faith in Christ Jesus have been judged together with Him on the cross. It is done deal! It is a past tense thing! God loves the world, he is not judging anyone yet, and those who will face God’s judgment are those who reject Grace and Love.
So now that we are lucky recipients and beneficiaries, how do we respond to God’s love?
1. Love God: Loving God seem to be the most impossible task for many believers. This is because the methodology involved is not specifically stated in the bible.
Everyone knows, that when you claim to love someone, you care for such, relate with such in kindness, you become acquainted with such person that they become part of you. Even inanimate things, when loved, has the tendency to still away a great portion of one’s heart. However, loving God is the simplest thing everyone can do. Since God is not seen or visible to us, he gave us another alternative in loving him. To love God, you must love people around you. Simply put, loving God is loving man. Therefore if anyone wishes to respond to God’s love, he or she should respond by loving those who are in God’s Image and likeness. The idea is that, God cannot be loved because your love cannot satisfy him. Also that, you cannot see him, and this barrier would affect your love strength.
Therefore, since Jesus Christ (man-God) bought God’s love and Grace for humanity, therefore, when you love man, you love God. This is as simple as abc.
2. Love your Neighbours: Neighbours are a fraction of the people that you ought to show love too according to the point one above. Nevertheless, neighbours are closer than any human being to us all. Our neighbours are almost like our families. The love of neighbours is demanded because it is the best way one can demonstrate one’s love. If you claim you love God, you ought to first show that by loving your neighbours. Amen.
3. Love your Enemies: Loving enemies is like kissing a snake to some people. But only few people have ever thought of it, that there are really no enemies anywhere. Those whom we call enemies are actually innocent human beings under the influence of some evil force or spirit. No one was created or born into this world as an enemy. Therefore, it is demanded that believers love their enemies; those who mock, abuse or despise them. This is the way we can know that we have love. This is the only type of love among these three that is cannot be found among the unbelievers. If one claims to be a believer and does not love his or a he enemy, then such person is has a poor understanding of God’s love for humanity. This is why we are considered that first in the previous chapters. The idea in loving enemies; came from the fact that; we were once God’s enemies when he showed us love. He didn’t love us when we turned to his will; he loved us while we were far away from his will.
If you ask me, how do I live a kingdom lifestyle? I will ask you to begin with these three. Reciprocating God’s love is equal to living a lifestyle of the Kingdom. The Kingdom of God was founded upon God’s love, Christ’ Grace and the Spirit’s Fellowship.
Interestingly, Jesus Christ, once taught these three points and repeatedly informed his disciples to lover God – which the greatest commandment. Also he added, that the only way people can know that they are his disciples is when they live a practical life of love. From records, they did well.
What about you?
THE END.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Feel free to write your comments here