Love Bound: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

I recently had the privilege of preaching at Crystal Springs Baptist Church in Roanoke, VA.  The notes below are from that sermon.  

Love Bound: 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

Intro—Texans snow bound in Lynchburg:  When we first moved to Lynchburg from Waco, my kids had never seen any real snow.  Our first winter in VA Lynchburg got almost a foot of snow.  The children were ecstatic, but they were also a bit concerned.  You see, we only had one snow if 15 years in Waco, and it came in the morning and was gone before bed time. So, my children were afraid that the snow would go away in Lynchburg too.  My children had never been “snow bound.”

Being “love bound” is like being snow bound.  To be "snow bound" means to have limits placed on you and to be overwhelmed with a good thing).  Being “love bound” means doing what love compels you to do.  It means being overwhelmed by God's mercy and at the same time bound by that mercy

In the movie "Saving Private Ryan," Captain Miller and a group of soldiers are commissioned to bring Private James Ryan home safely.  Their adventure brings them into conflict with the enemy on many fronts, but at the end they find themselves defending a town in an effort to rescue Ryan.  Captain Miller is wounded in the fighting, and as he was dying he says to Private Ryan: “James, earn this.”  As a result, James Ryan was compelled by the service and commitment of these others to live his life in a way that was worthy of their sacrifice.  His life (and the lives of others) was radically changed.

 

In Philippians 1:27, Paul commends us to live our lives as "worthy of the gospel," to behave in a way that shows we are bound by the gospel of God's love.  John 3:16 reveals that the heart of the gospel is God’s love.  This love is expressed in God giving his Son, the only one of his kind, in order to deal with the issue of sin and to give an escape from wrath.  Responding to God's sacrifice brings salvation or condemnation, and of course it depends on the nature of the response.  Responding by faith to God's love puts us in the position of salvation, but it also puts us in a position of being bound by God's love.  

G. K. Chesterton says, "Love is not blind; that is the last thing it is. Love is bound; and the more it is bound the less it is blind."  G. K. Chesterton.  Today I want us to consider our responsibility to be love bound, to be sold out and compelled to live the love and mercy given to us by God. 

2 Corinthians 5:14-21 (we will focus primarily on 14-17)

Paul wants us to be bound by love, and in this passage he outlines two results from being love bound:  1) To be bound by love invigorates (brings life to) us (like Private Ryan, it brings energy and a type of empowerment), and 2)To be bound by love obligates us (like Private Ryan, we are compelled to live with purpose, to live for a reason, “to earn this”).  Let's look at these two points a bit further. 

2 Cor. 5:14-15—Paul reminds us here that Love invigorates.  Here Paul seems to say that love leaves us dead or alive.  We are either compelled by love to pursue the Beloved, or we are repelled by love and reject him.  If we reject love, we remain dead.  If we allow love to control us, we receive new life.

 

Paul here mentions the "Love of Christ."  There are two possibilities in how we can read the Greek here: a) Our love for Christ (cf. 1 John 4:19); or b) Christ’s love for us (1 John 4:10, 16-17).  Is it possible that Paul meant both?  Christ’s love compels us to love him and be like him.

Paul says that this love “Controls” or “Compels” or “Holds Together."  It is Binding! The Greek word is Sunecho—If we are in Christ, then we are bound to the love of Jesus and to love as he loves us.  Christ died for our sins when we were yet enemies of God (Romans 5:8; cf. 3:23; 6:23); that is the love that binds us, compels us, controls us! Those who remain dead have not been made alive by the love of Christ, they have chosen to remain in their old way of life.  For those of us who died with Christ (Romans 6), we have been raised to a new life.  

Dead vs. Living Things:  The nature of dead things—they don’t do much, they are stuck in their ways; they are characterized by decay, they slowly fall apart.  The nature of “live” things—they move about, they sometimes tries new things; they grow; they have the ability to produce more life.  

Jesus died so that we could live for him; "We cannot help conforming ourselves to what we love." Francis de Sales.    

Are you dead or alive?  Love invigorates us; to be bound by Christ’s love empowers and enlivens us to live his kind of life.  To be love bound is to be truly alive.  We ought to be alive in love, not dead in sin.

2 Corinthians 5:16-21—Paul begins this section with “Therefore” or “For this reason” or even “Because.”  Because we are invigorated by Christ’s binding love, Paul now reminds us that we are obligated to live a new way (2 Cor. 5:15b).

If we are love bound, we no longer live for our own selfish reasons.  If we have experienced the love of Christ, then we should be motivated to live for the One who loved us.  We must be overwhelmed with him.  We must be obsessed with him.   

Verse 16 reminds us that after we encounter the compelling love of Christ, we will begin to see things differently (cf. Philippians 2:1ff—pay special attention to Christ’s attitude of humility--If Christ, being God, saw a need to be humble, how much more should his servants recognize a need to serve others with humility?).  We no longer see in a worldly or purely human way.  We should no longer focus on what is best for me, but on what is required by love.  We should focus on how we can serve.  No more looking out only for number one, no more making friends only for personal benefit.  Love compels us to serve others, to put their needs before our own.  Love compels us to compete to out serve each other, to look for ways to serve without acting like we are the most important person in the room.  As followers of Christ, our goal should be to serve others as Christ served:  with humility and without selfishness.  Wouldn’t you like to live in that kind of church?

When we experience Jesus’ compelling love, we cannot remain the same—we become new creatures; something completely new and different (v. 17).   By the love of Christ we trade the old way for a new way of life.  We become new creatures. As a result, we ought to care for those who can’t repay us.  We ought to put ourselves at risk for others.  We ought to care for those that have no one to defend them.  We must become like Jesus (1 John 4:7-12; Eph 2:8-10).   

"Our love to God is measured by our everyday fellowship with others and the love it displays." Andrew Murray.

Verses 18 and 19 remind us that by this love of Christ we have been bound to the ministry of reconciliation.  We join with Christ in seeking to bring people into proper relationship with God.  How did Christ go about producing reconciliation?  He died so that we could live.  In what ways can we die so that others might live in God's mercy and reconciliation?  What are we willing to risk so that others may know God?

Verses 20-21 tell us that we are ambassadors of Christ.  An ambassador represents a sovereign.  Paul says that as Christ's ambassadors it is as though God himself is making an appeal to others to be reconciled to him.  Our lives ought to reflect that desire of God that people be brought into a proper relationship with him.  That is our obligation as ambassadors.  Paul then reminds us that the sinless Jesus became sin (that is, the ultimate sacrifice for sin) so that we could be the righteousness of God in him.  He became sin so that we might be representatives of God's righteousness.  How are we doing?  Are we living up to our obligation?  Are we by our lives and words earnestly appealing to others to be reconciled to God?

Love obligates us to live a new way; to be love bound means we are obligated to leave the old way of life behind.  We must conduct ourselves in a manner worthy of the gospel of Christ.

What do we do now?   Many Christians live as though the love of Christ has no constraint on them or is not binding for them.  They act as though their “fire insurance” or “get out of hell free” card is the primary thing for which Jesus died and rose again.  They are not love bound if the way they live is any evidence!   

Many of us are more willing to pursue our own ease or our own selfish desires instead of laying down our lives following the example of our Lord.  We too often deem it “too hard” to serve humbly.  We too often are simply not love bound or living lives compelled by love.  We need to remember the example of Private James Ryan, who was compelled by the sacrifice of other humans to live a life deserving of their sacrifice.  How much more should the sacrifice of Christ, the very love and mercy of God, obligate us to live a new life?  Jesus’ love must be our controlling passion.  Given all that God has done for us in Christ, we must face squarely the responsibility to live bound and compelled by his love.

As C. T. Studd says, "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for Him.“ 

If we genuinely believe that the love of Christ is binding for us, that it compels us, that it is a constraining force in our life, what should we do in response?

Story of the little boy in church for the first time.  He was a poor boy who had next to nothing, brought to church by a local minister.  He heard the message of Christ's sacrifice, and when the offering plate was passed, he wanted to give God something.  Unfortunately, the boy had no money or any valuable items to put in the plate.  He passed the plate with tears in his eyes.  Before the ushers got to the back of the church, however, the boy smiled and ran to one of them.  Whispering in his ear, the boy took the offering plate from his hand, sat it on the floor, and stood in it himself.  He said, "Jesus, I don’t have anything to give you today, but just me. I give you me!" (Thanks to Michael Hensley for this story)

Application—What can you do this week to respond to this message?  I have a few suggestions. 

Spend some time in 1 John 4 and Ephesians 2.  Focus on what we are called to do as well as the means by which we are saved

Ask the hard questions—Do the people in your life know you love Jesus or have been loved by Christ by the way you treat them?  Does Christ’s love have an impact on how you treat others?  Friends? Enemies? The weird people everyone tries to avoid?

Look for opportunities to love others:  Give where no one expects it, do a random act of kindness, pray for your waiter or waitress while he or she is there, go out of your way to bless those who will not or cannot bless you back

Look for those who need to be loved back to life, or need the grace of God to produce new life in the place of the old death.  Then, share that love and that grace with them

Share God’s message of life over death and new ways for old ways

Let God’s love bind you, compel you, constrain you to do the things you know you should

Be Love Bound this week.  

Go, and live Christ’s love!

Thanks for reading! 

"The Least of These . . . "

This past week I've been pondering the story of "the Sheep and the Goats" as presented in Matthew 25:31-46.  These verses have been highlighted in a post making its rounds on the internet in which a new pastor dresses up as a homeless man and visits his church just before he is introduced as the pastor.  The post makes a powerful message, but I think it overlooks some things.  As I have thought about the "least of these" (Matt. 25:45) in my own life, I realized that these individuals often aren't as obvious as this pastor's disguise.  With that in mind, I offer the following note from "the least of these" as I imagine they would write to me.

Hello:

I saw you today. You were talking to your usual group of friends, and I came over to see if I could join the conversation.  Someone finally acknowledged me and asked how I was doing.  After an attempt to be transparent and honest, I received a series of responses that essentially told me how the situation was really my problem and of no real concern to those involved in the conversation.  I got it. You speak of honesty and transparency, but you don't really want it.  You want to continue your discussions with no real light on what is going on in your life.  Fine, I got the message.  I'll fade back into the crowd.

I was in church today too.  You probably didn't notice me because I look like I fit in, but usually I don't.  I sometimes sit alone, but I can be surrounded by people and still be alone.  I've come to your church several times, but I haven't really met anyone here yet.  I am a bit introverted, and I have a hard time coming out of my shell to meet folks.  During the "meet and greet" time, I tend to be a bit invisible.  I want to be a part, but the pain of my life and my mistakes keeps me at arm's length, afraid to introduce myself for fear of being rejected.  I know, it is probably my fault.  Sorry to bother you, I'll fade back into the crowd. 

I was there too.  I hung out with my normal crowd, I sang enthusiastically, and I even tried to greet folks around me.  I have a secret though, and I'm sure if you knew it you wouldn't accept me either.  It isn't anything illegal, but it is a bit embarrassing. So, I'll put on my mask and pretend things are great.  Some folks will probe a bit, and I'll start to share my story.  They usually refer me to a counselor, and then they will avoid me for awhile.  I guess they don't want my problem to infect them.  I'll just fade back into the crowd.

I came to church today.  My kids acted up a bit.  I could feel the stares and disapproval of folks around me.  I tried to get my baby to be quiet, and I know it was a disruption.  I simply need to be surrounded with adults (preferably Christian ones), and I thought that church would be the place.  Maybe when my kids are older and won't disrupt the service, then I'll come back.  I'm sorry to interrupt, I'll just fade back into the crowd.

I was there.  I'm the guy who sometimes says the wrong thing at the wrong time.  I can be a bit of a bother too.  I know it, but I'm not proud of it.  I try so hard to fit in that I often run my mouth and say inappropriate things.  I know it bothers you, I can see it in your eyes.  You think I'm arrogant, or you think I'm clueless.  I'm not, but I am wounded.  I respond by being boisterous, but I see now that my actions will lead to rejection.  I'll fade back into the crowd. 

I think you get my point.  The "least of these" is not always the most obvious person in the crowd.  Sometimes the "least of these" is simply the person who rubs us the wrong way or the one who reminds us too much of ourselves.  We avoid them in hopes of avoiding the mess we perceive them to be (and perhaps to avoid the mess of who we really are--if we are honest).  I am guilty myself.  I can't deny it.  I have not treated people as Jesus would desire.  I confess, and, with God's help, I repent.

May we all take the words of Christ more seriously.  Inasmuch as we do it to the "least of these," we have done it to Jesus himself.  How would we treat Jesus?

Thanks for reading!

For more challenge, see James 2:1-10

Some Things to Remember, Jude 11-19

About three weeks ago, I had the privilege of preaching at Gospel Community Church (my home church).  The sermon I preached that day dealt with Jude 11-15 and was entitled "Some Things to Remember."  It was the third lesson in a series of sermons on Jude.  If you'd like an audio copy of the sermon, please click this link and look for May 26:  http://www.gospelcc.org/media/.  The notes for the sermon can be found below.

Introduction:

1st Week—Pastor Andrew preached on Jude 1-4.  He noted that there are Two characteristics of False Teachers in this passage—They Pervert grace (behavior) and they deny Jesus (theology).  Remember,    When Doctrine Goes Bad, Hearts Can Go Bad.  We must be diligent to Contend for the Truth.

2^nd Week—Robb preached on Jude 5-10 on the topic of Reminding and Fighting.  He reminded us that Satan fights dirty, so we must be on our guard. In these verses, Jude describes the character and sins of the apostates/false teachers.

This week—My text is Jude 11-19.  I want us to see that Jude gives us Three Things to Remember:  1. Remember the character of the False Teachers, 2. Remember that Judgment will come, 3. Remember what God has said.

1.  Remember the character of the False Teachers;  A Person’s Life Reveals a Person’s Heart.

Three OT Individuals mentioned here—before Jude describe the sinful lives of the false teachers,  he portrays them as people who lead others astray.  His examples are:  Cain, Balaam, Korah.

Cain’s heart/reputation—(for Cain's story, check out Gen. 4)—Jealous of Abel, A Murderer, Lacked in love 

Green: “Cain stands for the cynical, materialistic character who defies God and despises man.”   He is devoid of faith and love, and even Josephus described him as a man who instructed others in wickedness.

Balaam’s heart/reputation—greedy for gain, his actions encouraged God’s people to sin by worshiping a false god.  

His advice led the children of Israel to commit fornication and leave the worship of God.  Perhaps he told the Jews that their position was so certain with God that they could sin without repercussions (licentiousness). The false teachers apparently taught something similar—if you belong to Jesus you can live however you want; holiness is not necessary.

Korah’s heart/reputation—(for his story see Numbers 16)—arrogant, rebellious, disrespectful of authority

The false teachers embody all of these issues—like Cain, they are devoid of love; like Balaam they are greedy and teach others to pursue false gods and unholy lives for money; like Korah, they disrespect authority

Jude describes the false teachers with several metaphors

 “hidden reefs” (“love feasts”; greed, disorder, immorality had invaded these celebrations)—they are arrogant hidden dangers that are not always obvious.

They are “selfish” caring only for themselves (like Ez. 34—they pose as shepherds but fail to care for the sheep, cf. Peter in John 21).

They are “clouds without water”—they promise rain but in the end offer nothing good (they pretend to be “enlightened” and “mature” but offer no real nourishment to others).

They are “dead fruitless trees”—they look good but produce no good fruit of the Spirit (cf. Gal 5:19-22); they are “doubly dead” which may refer to being dead in sin and being dead in the future judgment (the “second death” in Rev).

They are “wild waves” carrying their filth wherever they go, and they are “wandering stars” (from 1 Enoch?) always looking for a superior position, promising light but bringing darkness, ending in doom, destined darkness.

These false teachers are also described as—arrogant self-serving (self is all that matters, self-esteem is better than humility), grumblers (remember the wilderness wanderings?—grumbling and complaining may be a good sign of a person out of touch with God), complainers, flatterers (they seek to increase their influence by flattery, they are full of themselves and want others to be as well), focused on worldly things (their concern is on their “best life now” rather than looking at the long haul living for Jesus, they despise suffering for a life of safety, they want the “easy” button for holiness), following their own lusts (self-focused and pursuing immoral lifestyles), create divisions, devoid of the Spirit (claiming to be the “spiritually elite” they are actually controlled by the natural world and not by God; they are focused on things contrary to the Spirit—flesh in Galatians 5) 

Simply put—they do not follow Jesus or his example in Philippians 2:5-8

These false teachers are teaching a type of “cheap grace” that does not require any cross or any holiness—they teach it and they live it—they are immoral and teach false doctrine.  God’s grace produces trust and humility and holiness; and the lives of these false teachers showed not these things but unbelief, pride, and immorality.  These teachers are not from God.   

Today—The fastest growing group in America are those who see themselves as spiritual, who believe in God, but are affiliated with no particular religious group.  They want to pick and choose their spirituality.  It’s “salad bar style Christianity.”  Create your own.  They want spirituality without commitment. 

2.  Remember that Judgment will come (v. 11, 14-15) Woe to them!  The prophecy of Enoch; The false teachers will be judged for their deeds (note how often Jude uses the term for “ungodly” or “godless” in these verses—4 times).  They will also be judged for their words.

The church will also be judged (Peter reminds us—1 Peter 4:17-18)—how then should we live in light of these things?  We ought to be careful how we live (remember the old VBS song—be careful little hands) because we will all give an account to God who is holy.  God warns us about mockers (cf. 1 Tim 4:1, or 2 Tim 3:1, or 2 Tim 4:3, or 2 Peter 3:3).

3.  Remember what God has said—God does not leave us defenseless. He has spoken his word to us as a warning and a promise, and he has given us his Word to equip us to live Truth faithfully.

The “apostles” here could refer to either the original 12 or to the people who established the church to whom Jude writes. In all likelihood there were on-going prophecies about false teachers and mockers that were passed on to the church (Paul mentions them in Acts, Peter mentions them in 2 Peter).  This could also be reference to the Word written by apostles as well (2 Peter 3). The idea here is that God has given a Word for his people to heed, and here we have Jude’s first imperative (command)—“Remember!”  That is, these were words that were spoken and still being spoken, and the “last times” probably refers to the end of days;.

So, what do we do with this information?

Remember—your actions reveal your heart—whose side are you on? 

What do your actions tell others about your heart? 

Could they convict you of being a Christian by your lifestyle?  

Remember what God said—We are called to remember what God has said and in doing so, be equipped to discern truth from error.  Reality: Often it is easier to recognize error in others – while denying it in ourselves. 

We need to spend time in his Word to know his Truth (v.17)—this week spend extra time reading through 1 John and Jude—ask yourself—what is required of me as a Christ-follower in these passages?  How should I respond?  

Ask yourself where you are like Cain, Balaam or Korah? Where do you grumble, complain, cause divisions, or get all religious?  

 Remember to set your heart on Jesus—Instead of being self-led, we need to be Spirit-led.  If you are Spirit-led, your life should reveal it. If Jesus is your Master, what can you do this week to show it? 

Thanks for reading!  

 

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When Jesus Comes to Church: Mark 3:1-6

About one week ago, I had the privilege of preaching at Rocky Mount Baptist Church.  The sermon I preached that day is the one I wanted to share on my blog today.  If you'd like an audio copy of the sermon, please click this link:  When Jesus Comes to Church .  The notes for the sermon are can be for this sermon are below.
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When Jesus Comes to Church—Mark 3:1-6

Growing up at First Baptist Church

“Don’t run in God’s House”

Prompted me to look for God; I always wondered why God never seemed to be at home

As I got older, I realized that I was a bit naïve 

God wasn’t physically there

Have you ever wondered, though, what would happen if Jesus actually came to church?

Mark 3:1-6—Jesus goes to Synagogue (kind of like going to church)—four things happen when Jesus comes to church 

Jesus saw a problem/need; Jesus issues a call; Jesus offers a command; Jesus expects a response

 Jesus saw a need—First Problem:  A Withered Hand—3:1-2:  When Jesus comes to church, he looks for a need to address

The withered hand (Luke 6 tells us it was the right hand that was withered

The man would be hindered from doing business

He would be considered a sinner; obstacles (social and religious) would be placed before this man

Put yourself in the man’s place  

You can’t hold a regular job, have normal relationships, etc.

Religious leaders think of you primarily as a sermon example of how God judges sinners or they attack you for your “deformity”

You can’t even greet people normally without opening yourself to rebuke or attack

How are we like this man? 

What are our withered hands? 

What obstacles (real or perceived) keep us from doing what is right?)

A withered hand wasn’t the only problem/need Jesus faced at this meeting

Jesus saw a problem—Second Problem:  Hard Hearts—3:5: When Jesus comes to church, he addresses problems

The Pharisees were watching to see if Jesus would break the law 

They were more concerned for their religious tradition than for the needs of others

More interested in “outing” Jesus or catching him in a mistake than in doing the right thing

They had hard hearts, but they were just as hindered as the man with the withered hand 

Hard hearts kept them from seeing the needs of others

Hard hearts kept them focused on doctrinal correctness instead of obedience

Hard hearts kept them from doing what was right

Hard hearts grieved Jesus

How are we like the Pharisees here?  

Do we focus on doctrine alone or do we put into practice what we know? 

Do we consider the needs of others as more important than our own standing or reputation? 

Do we look for opportunities to accuse instead of circumstances to serve?

When Jesus comes to church, he looks for needs to address—What need/problem stands in your way of working with Jesus?

Jesus issued a Call—3:3-4:  When Jesus comes to church, he issues a call to act

The man’s perspective  

“Oh, great!  I get to be a sermon illustration!” 

“Here it comes, another lesson on how sinful I must be with my hand as exhibit A.” 

“Why is he picking on me?” 

“Oh well, I might as well go forward”

What has God called us to do?   

Why are we hesitating?   

Are we afraid he might make an “example” out of us?

Jesus’ purpose  

The call was given to illicit a response:  faith responds to God’s Word

The call was given to do the right thing

Jesus intended to do good, not harm

He wanted to show the benefit of the Sabbath, not the legality of it

The Pharisees’ response  

They were silent

Not all silence is golden—silence can sometimes kill (or at least wound)

How does our silence wound others?

When Jesus comes to church, he issues a call to act 

Will we be silent? Or will we take a stand?

Jesus offers a Command—3:5: Mark 3:5a:  When Jesus comes to church, he gives a command

Jesus’ anger and grief  

Jesus was angry at their silence

He was grieved at their lack of concern for doing God’s works

The command: “Stretch out your hand”

 Do what seems impossible 

The man’s perspective  

Why is everyone picking on me? 

Why does he ask such impossible things? 

How am I supposed to do what I’ve never done?

Comparison time  

How are we like this man again? 

What “impossible” task has God given you?  

 What has he called you to do that you are sure you simply cannot do? 

What should your response be?

Jesus’ expectation  

He intended to do good, to save a life

He expected something positive to happen

He expected God to act in response to the man’s act of faith

When Jesus comes to church, he gives a command to do the impossible

Jesus expects a Response—3:5-6: When Jesus comes to church, he expects people to respond to his commands

The man attempts the impossible  

Against all odds, the man attempted to stretch out his crippled and unusable hand

Against all odds, he did the impossible

By acting in faith on Jesus’ words, the man was able to accomplish the command he was given

Faith responds to God’s Word by acting on it

Faith says, “If God wants it done, he will give me what I need to do it!” 

Faith acts and God moves

The Pharisees conspire  

When things don’t turn out their way, they decide to attack Jesus

They missed a great miracle! 

They acted in disappointment or anger instead of faith

When Jesus comes to church, he expects a response 

Will we attempt the impossible? 

Will we obey his command? 

Or will we conspire against God?

Conclusion—What would you do if Jesus actually came to Rocky Mount Baptist and stood here?

How would you respond to his “impossible” command?

If we expect to be known as followers of Christ, as his disciples, then we must be ready to ignore our obstacles (real or perceived) to act in faith on his command

We must be ready to act on his commands and do the “impossible”

Only by acting in faith can we see withered hands or hard hearts changed

Some suggestions for this week:

Set aside time to get alone with God:  Ask Jesus to give you guidance by the Spirit of Truth into the commands God has given you, the call that God has offered you.  Look in God’s Word for direction.

Spend some time (10-15 minutes a day) asking God to show you any areas where a withered hand or a hard heart has kept you from obeying his command:  Then, repent and do it.

Set aside some time to act on what you know God has called you to do:  serve someone, share your faith, offer a word of encouragement, go the extra mile, or simply love as Jesus has loved you.

Stretch out your withered hand—attempt the impossible at God’s command and see what happens.

When Jesus comes, be prepared to respond with faithful obedience.

Only radical and abandoned faith will result in true transformation.

Thanks for reading!  

Carl Henry and the Call to Love Others

"No treatment of the virtues our Lord taught is adequate which does not assign first place to love. Love is the fountain of the pure heart and the forgiving spirit." Christian Personal Ethics

"Christian love is only half biblical when it deteriorates into a concern only for the souls of men and is indifferent to the needs of the body. What believer ministers to himself only in this way? It is scarcely biblical at all when it degenerates into a mere humanistic concern for the social side of life to the total neglect of the life of the spirit." Christian Personal Ethics

"No society that disregards ethical finalities can long postpone ignominious collapse." The Christian Mindset in a Secular Society

These quotes remind me that the life I have been called to (my "vocation," if you will) is first and foremost calculated and determined by love. It starts with the love of God for humanity and culminates in my love for my neighbor as a result of a selfish heart changed by the love and grace of God. If there is no love of neighbor in me, then there is likely no love of God.

If I can honestly turn a deaf ear and a hardened heart to the needs (spiritual and physical) of those around me, then I must wonder if my ears and heart have ceased to hear the voice of God or to experience his piercing love and holiness. You see, I cannot love if I have not been loved. John in his first letter says it like this--"We love because he (God) first loved us. If any says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen."

A story about Mother Teresa expresses it like this--when asked how she could show compassion and love to the "untouchables" of India's lowest class, she responded, "I love them because I see Jesus in them. I love Jesus more than anything else."

In a strange twist of "love your neighbor as yourself," Mother Teresa seems to be reminding us that lingering in even the lowest of human lives is some part of the image of God. The person bearing that image is who I am called to cherish and love. Yes, even if they hate me, I must love them. Respect for human life does not come from an overdeveloped ego or ethic, it comes from recognizing a basic biblical fact--God loves them, so should we.

God does not place a condition on my love for my neighbor. He does not say, "Love him if he becomes Christian."

No, I am to love him even if he refuses Christ.

I am to love my neighbor even if I am ridiculed, even if I am cast out, even if I am persecuted and mistreated.

I must bless them if I have the love of God in me.

Such a life is not easy. It will bring many wounds and scars.

Anyone who has loved greatly will tell you how difficult a broken heart can be. To love another is to risk brokenness.

Oh, the story is not always negative, but neither is it always positive.

We are called to a life of love. Such a life will be founded on the firm conviction of God's love and existence. This foundation of faith provides a foundation of finality to ethics. There are rights and wrongs. Love cannot be one thing to one person and an opposite thing to another. Love is what it is. God's very person and experience with humanity shows true love.

God's love gives (John 3:16). It is not based on what can be received or attained, but is given without expectation of receiving in return. Read 1 Corinthians 13.

We love because he loved us.

Are we willing to risk the dangers of loving others?

Thanks for reading!