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I am a born-again Christian, who is Reformed, but also charismatic, spiritually speaking. (I do not speak in tongues, but I believe glossalalia is a bona fide gift not given to all, and not as great as prophecy, for example.) I have several years of college education but only completed a two-year degree. I was raised Lutheran and confirmed, but I didn't "find Christ" until I was in the Army and responded to a Billy Graham crusade in 1973. I was mentored or discipled by the Navigators in the army and upon discharge joined several evangelical, Bible-teaching churches. I was baptized as an infant, but believe in believer baptism, of which I was a partaker after my conversion experience. I believe in the "5 Onlys" of the reformation: sola fide (faith alone); sola Scriptura (Scripture alone); soli Christo (Christ alone), sola gratia (grace alone), and soli Deo gloria (to God alone be the glory). I affirm TULIP as defended in the Reformation.. I affirm most of The Westminster Confession of Faith, especially pertaining to Providence.

Thursday, May 27, 2021

What's The Power Of Love? ...

 

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“Now, these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these love.” “Love bears all, believes all, hopes all, endures all.” Perfect love also casts out fear! (stronger than the enemy of fear!). I don’t think it says love conquers all in so many words. But love never fails! (very good to know). Love is simply a stronger and longer-lasting emotion than hate and a better motivator: “Many waters cannot quench love.” “Love covers a multitude of sins.” “Let all you do, do in love.” Note: it was Christ’s love that kept Him on the cross, not the nails!

It is God’s defining trait and describes His relationship with us. Love needs a recipient, a person to express it with! I would say love is strong because it’s God’s will and He is with us as we fulfill Christ’s command to love another even as He has loved us. I believe love is stronger than hate because God is love and one avails himself of godliness and God’s nature. When we are obedient to God, we spread His love and love one another to fulfill the Law. Jesus did sum up the whole Law in the act of love: loving our neighbor as ourselves.

We are to know the love of God in Christ whose love surpasses understanding. We are to be motivated by love and this is not sentimentality or touchy-feely love but the right attitude towards one and not just in words but in deeds and truth. We can do great things but if we have no love they amount to nothing; love is the determining factor of their value.

God conquers all because He is omnipotent (having all power over creation) and the Almighty or El Shaddai, not because He is love. God also hates and has other emotions, He loathes sin and evil and must judge it in His wrath. But this does not define His deity or nature. For instance, God doesn’t let the emotion of hate force Him to immediately cast people into hell; He is also patient with the sinner and desires them to repent and takes no pleasure in their death.

Note: Some think that just because their motive is love (and I do not mean being a people person) this is all that matters to God. God sees the methods as well as the end results. We cannot get by saying, “O, I meant well!” Christians have no excuse since love is the fruit of the Spirit and should be our calling card to our neighbor. Soli Deo Gloria!
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