CORRECTING OUR WORLDLY LOVE

CORRECTING OUR MIXED UP WORLDLY CONCEPT OF LOVE
       By W. G. Guy

          The word “love” as used today has many applications. Unfortunately, it is used flippantly in many cases where it is not properly represented. Many people will use the word love in reference to material things. For example: “I love this…..”; “I love that ….”; “I love doing …..”; “I love going to….”. They actually use the word love when they really mean that they “enjoy” this, or that, or going there; etc. This use of love in these modern times can thus be deceiving.

          It appears that many people today have a distorted view of love that has become a means of distraction that can lead to destruction from desiring the wrong things that can lead a person astray.

1 John 2:15-16 – Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

          The proper use of love is not for material things or experiences; it is for personal relationships and establishing a close fellowship with others. Thus we see the word “charity’, (which means “giving”), is used for love in the Bible’s “love’ chapter.

1 Corinthians 13:4-6 – Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,  doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

          Thus we see what love does, and does not do, in how it treats others.

          Real love is personal and has to do with how you interact with others; it is a reflection of a person’s character and nature. It is actually a quality of God’s character and nature referred to as the Fruit of the Spirit that is listed in the Bible.

Galatians 5:22-23 – But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,  meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

          This real love is of God, because God is love:

1 John 4:7-8, 16 – Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ….. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

          This God kind of love comes to believers from God by the Holy Spirit:

Romans 5:5 – ….. because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.

          The proper application of our love is to be toward God, as well as those near to us, referred to as “neighbors”. In fact, the Ten Commandments are all about love: the first four are about loving God, and the next six are about loving others. These Ten Commandments are summarized from Exodus 20:
1. I am the Lord your God, your creator; you shall have no other gods but me.
2. You shall not make any image, idol, object or person to take my place so as to bow down to worship.
3. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God to use it in any vain, false or dishonoring way.
4. Remember the sabbath day, the seventh day, and to keep it holy and separate as a day of rest and reflection.
5. Honor your father and your mother, for they have authority over you and responsibility for you: that you may learn from them to live a long and happy life.
6. You shall not unlawfully kill or commit a murderous act or thought.
7. You shall not commit adultery or any sexual offense.
8. You shall not steal anything that belongs to another.
9. You shall not lie or bear false witness against anyone you have dealings with.
10. You shall not covet the wife of another or any of his possessions.

          Jesus referred to “love” as being “The Great Commandment” in Matthew 22:36-39. This is further stated and verified by the apostle Paul to the Romans:

Romans 13:8-10 – Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.  For this, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not kill, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Thou shalt not covet; and if there be any other commandment, it is briefly comprehended in this saying, namely, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.  Love worketh no ill to his neighbour: therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.

          The reason for this divine kind of love is that it covers a multitude of sins:

1 Peter 4:8 – And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins.

          Love advances close fellowship, and develops a sense of community.

Acts 4:32-34 – And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common.  And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.  Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold,  and laid them down at the apostles’ feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need.

          This was not communism, (that is imposed by force) as some teach, but a community of unselfish giving due to godly love and caring in their hearts.

          Consider also that “forgiveness” is an act of love that God requires of us.

Luke 11:4 – And forgive us our sins: for we also forgive everyone that is indebted to us.

          Thus love conquerors sin, evil, wickedness, hatred and selfishness. This brings up the issue of selfishness, which is the opposite of love. Most people say hatred is the opposite of love. But consider what love does as compared to what selfishness does.

          Love gives, as is clearly stated in the Bible.

John 3:16 – 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 15:12-14 – This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you.  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down (give) his life for his friends.  Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.

          Please understand that selfishness takes, thus it is the opposite of love – that gives. Selfishness is satisfying the big “I”. The “I want, I will, and I am”.

1 John 2:16 – For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh (I will), and the lust of the eyes (I want), and the pride of life (I am), is not of the Father, but is of the world.

          Loving the material and experiences of this world defies loving God: so stop loving the world, its material things and experiences; because they end up leading to destruction and separation from God. Love God, Christ and others to fulfill the will of God by being benevolent, not selfish. Denying the self (flesh) of its carnal lusts is also required in order to be a true disciple of the LORD Jesus Christ.

Matthew 16:24 – Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross (symbol of death to self), and follow me.

Galatians 5:24 – And they that are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts.

Romans 13:14 – But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ (His character and nature), and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof.

          Having, and demonstrating, the God kind of love shows that you are a true child of God. This is because love is the greatest character trait that we can have.

1 Corinthians 13:13 – And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity, (the God kind of love)

          Therefore it is incumbent on us, as believers in Jesus Christ, to walk in love showing that we are the children of God.

1 John 5: 1-3 – Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.  For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

          Remember, His command is to LOVE; not the worldly kind, but the real God kind of love that is caring and sharing!