In previous weeks we talked about how to express God’s love.
An example of this is the Parable of the Lost/ Prodigal Son. This can be seen in Luke 15: 11-32
Verse 22-24
22 “But the father said to his servants, ‘Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let’s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.’ So they began to celebrate
The lost son didn’t deserve it but, because of the father’s love towards him, he commanded his servants to dress him up like a king because his being alive meant more to him than what he did.
If a father can do this, what more can our heavenly father do?
This verse also links to Christian love because this is how we should accept those around us. It isn’t about who is Christian or who is not. We are all unique to God. Like, there are some who wished that some Christians could share the good news with them, and help them see that there’s more in life than just darkness. And the truth is, most of us have done and are capable of doing much worse. All it took was 1 day, 1 person to turn our hearts to Jesus.
As for Christian love, I believe the best example of this is in 1 Corinthians 13. A popular chapter talks about Charity.
1 Corinthians 13:4-13 English Standard Version (ESV)
4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;[a] 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways.12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.
13 So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Christian love should be the reflection of how Christ loves us. The Bible states that :
John 15 New International Version (NIV)
The Vine and the Branches
15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes[a] so that it will be even more fruitful. 3 You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4 Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5 “I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.
As seen here, Jesus is the branch and we are the vines. Therefore, the fruits which we produce should mirror him. All of this is all by his Grace because deep inside us, we are selfish and prideful.
It is when we break ourselves down and realise that, we need him to transform us and help us cultivate his nature.
Philippians 4:13 King James Version (KJV)
13 I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
Note that it states all things. Not wrong things. Situations that are like mountains, that are hard for us to face alone, through Christ we have strength to overcome them. But for us to be able to do this, we need to abide in Jesus. We need to know who he is and trust in his ways.
Isaiah 55:8-9 New International Version (NIV)
8 “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
9 “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
so are my ways higher than your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
He knows what is ahead. His logic is not like our own.
Summary
For us to show true Christian love, we need to reflect God’s love for unbelievers and for us
We can only do that if we know how God loves us and who he is. Not what he does but who he is
Thank you for reading
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