The Two Shades of Love
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I thought it would be an opportune time to tackle one of the most misunderstood concept amongst people. Of course I'm referring to the 'L' word; Love.
1John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
- NASV
Love has many definitions that understandably can be very confusing. Most definitions expresses degrees of emotional attachment or affection for others. However like peace, love has two standards; one is based on conditional love offered by the world, while the other encapsulates a divine and unconditional order. I will focus on the latter.
Simple Truth
Our Eternal Father is Love. Our Father is forever and so is His Love.
1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (See also 1 John 4:8)
1 Corinthians 13:7-8
7. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8. Love never ends.
As you can see from the above verses, Love is robust, resilient, never ending, and of God! It is a much higher standard than earthly affectionate love. In fact affectionate love is rooted in emotions, which by its very nature is temporary. An emotion is prompted by an exterior situation that dances from one state to another, subsequently preventing it from being forever.
God's Love however is indeed eternal and is best understood as the cog behind the Divine justice system.
Romans 13:8
8. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
1 John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Laws are the foundation of all justice systems and Love is the fulfillment of the laws. In everything we do, it must be lead with Love. (See 1 Cor 16:14)
In Hebrews we clearly see how the old system of animal sacrifices and its human High Priest were inadequate to atone for our sins. Only through the grace of God's pure Love are we able to boldly enter the holy places through our Sacrificial Lamb.
Hebrews 10: 19, 22
19. Therefore, brothers,since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus...
22. let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
God's complete plan of atonement for our sin was an act of Love. He sent His Loving Son to preach a Loving Gospel that spoke of forgiveness and the Royal Law. Jesus then offered His life for our iniquities and by doing so established the Highest form of Love - offering His life for others. He's our High Priest which gives us confidence and a pure heart (Loving heart) to boldly walk into the holy places. We fellowship with God and since we commune with Him, we know His Ways. We are not servants of the old covenant but we are friends of the new covenant.
John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Through His Love; we have fulfilled the law; we are born of God; and we know God. So The Royal Love is the only key that will open the door to the holy place, and ultimately your salvation. Let your every action be guided by the Royal Love.
Don't be fooled by the faded shade of love that the world offers.
God's Love is the real thing!
With Valentine's Day fast approaching, I thought it would be an opportune time to tackle one of the most misunderstood concept amongst people. Of course I'm referring to the 'L' word; Love.
1John 4:7-8
Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.
- NASV
Love has many definitions that understandably can be very confusing. Most definitions expresses degrees of emotional attachment or affection for others. However like peace, love has two standards; one is based on conditional love offered by the world, while the other encapsulates a divine and unconditional order. I will focus on the latter.
Simple Truth
Our Eternal Father is Love. Our Father is forever and so is His Love.
1 John 4:16
So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. (See also 1 John 4:8)
1 Corinthians 13:7-8
7. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8. Love never ends.
As you can see from the above verses, Love is robust, resilient, never ending, and of God! It is a much higher standard than earthly affectionate love. In fact affectionate love is rooted in emotions, which by its very nature is temporary. An emotion is prompted by an exterior situation that dances from one state to another, subsequently preventing it from being forever.
God's Love however is indeed eternal and is best understood as the cog behind the Divine justice system.
Romans 13:8
8. Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.
1 John 13:34
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.
Laws are the foundation of all justice systems and Love is the fulfillment of the laws. In everything we do, it must be lead with Love. (See 1 Cor 16:14)
In Hebrews we clearly see how the old system of animal sacrifices and its human High Priest were inadequate to atone for our sins. Only through the grace of God's pure Love are we able to boldly enter the holy places through our Sacrificial Lamb.
Hebrews 10: 19, 22
19. Therefore, brothers,since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus...
22. let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.
God's complete plan of atonement for our sin was an act of Love. He sent His Loving Son to preach a Loving Gospel that spoke of forgiveness and the Royal Law. Jesus then offered His life for our iniquities and by doing so established the Highest form of Love - offering His life for others. He's our High Priest which gives us confidence and a pure heart (Loving heart) to boldly walk into the holy places. We fellowship with God and since we commune with Him, we know His Ways. We are not servants of the old covenant but we are friends of the new covenant.
John 15:15
No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Through His Love; we have fulfilled the law; we are born of God; and we know God. So The Royal Love is the only key that will open the door to the holy place, and ultimately your salvation. Let your every action be guided by the Royal Love.
Don't be fooled by the faded shade of love that the world offers.
God's Love is the real thing!
