Love.
That word packs a lot. When we decided to do this next series over the Fruits of the Spirit, I was unsure on how to write about love. Do I pull from The Four Loves, by C.S. Lewis? Then, I remember I have not read that book. I knew I wanted it to be relatable by the general audience. So no romantic love talks or singleness posts. Just love, love that is the foundation for all kinds of relationships.
Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect I love. We love Him because He first loved us. 1 John 4:17-19
I was reading my Grandmother’s New KJV Bible and was shocked to see that in verse 19, it was written that “We love HIM because He first loved us.” I know that verse. I have seen that verse at countless of weddings, but it always omitted the first “Him.” There was a footnote in the Bible and it said the same thing, new texts omitted that word. In my opinion, that changes the meaning. Before it had meant that love happens because God loved us first and He had modeled love for us and in His Word, he recorded how to love. Now, I see it as a testament to our relationship with God.
I do not know how you grew up. I do not know if you grew up in a loving home. I hope you did and I hope more than anything, you have someone in your life who loves you unconditionally. Whether that is a partner, a friend, or a mentor. I hope and pray you have someone.
Because for a second, think of that person. Why do you love them?
Are you thinking of the things they have done for you, are you thinking how they listen to you during your time of need? Are you think about the things they do that shows you how much they truly love you? Love is not an one-way street. It is reciprocal.
What does a loving relationship look like?
In order to even begin what that looks like, let’s focus on verse 19 and how it said “we love HIM.” We love God, because God first loved us. It all started in the beginning. In the beginning, God created the heavens and earth. He created it perfectly and designed the animals of the sky and oceans, he created light and day and night. He created Man and from Man, he created woman. This design was perfect and we, mankind, had direct access to God.
Love comes with choices. We cannot force people to love us and people cannot force us to love them. God knew that and he gave the first man and woman (Adam and Eve) the ability to choose. Adam and Eve lived in a garden and could eat from any tree, except for one. The only rule and one day, a serpent slithered towards Eve and manipulated Eve into consuming the fruit. Adam ate after her. They had both sinned and this first sin, in the world, caused a fracture.
Imagine two cliffs, one side is us and other other is where God is at. The fracture caused the plates to move and a chasm formed separating us from God. Throughout time and history, mankind attempted to build a bridge back to God but each stone fell through the chasm. But, God, in his infinite love, gave us mercy. He clothed Adam and Eve, sent them out but not without a promise that one day a seed will come to fill in the chasm.
But God never forgot us.
He was there when Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, he was there during the exile in Babylon. He gave detail instructions on offerings and receiving atonements. He told Moses and the Israelities how to build the tabernacle and the arc of covenant, telling the Levites the sacred customs of priesthood. It was towards until we could have the true bridge that will fix the separation between us and God that sin created.
In fact, we already talked about those things. Like Ruth, for instance. Ruth, a young widow who immigrated to a foreign land with her mother-in-law, found favor, and married a kinsman Boaz to redeem her mother-in-law’s family line. In Matthew 1, you can read a genealogy. Ruth is mentioned as the great-grandmother of King David. After King David, another king was born in a stable to a young virgin named Mary. That baby was Jesus, the son of God, the permanent bridge that fixed our separation from God, the Father.
Going back to that visual of the chasm between God and us. Jesus bridged that gap by dying on a cross. Imagine a cross formed right there in the chasm. Often times, that is called the Roman Road to Salvation.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Roman 3:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Roman 6:23
That if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9
Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 5:1
Because of the Cross, we have a direct access to God. There is no work to be done. Only hope because of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Yes, Jesus resurrected from the dead three days later. It’s an incredible story. I can write pages about it, unfortunately we do not have time. But Matthew 28 is a wonderful place to go to for the resurrection story. We don’t have to worry or be afraid if we did something wrong, we can go directly to God and tell him about our worries, our fears, our sins, and God loves us unconditionally and He will forgive us.
One day, we will stand before God on the Day of Judgment. My hope and prayer is that we will have the boldness to stand blameless before God. I hope and pray that Jesus will not turn his back to us, instead he’ll say to the Father (God) that “yes, I know her.” I hope and pray that God will smile at us and say, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” Then one day, you and I can live in Heaven together.
I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died in vain. Galatians 2:20-21
Elizabeth