We love because he first loved us. 1 John 4:19
But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8
For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Today's society is wrapped up in love. The sad part is that society also is wrapped up in self. Selfishness contradicts love, because true love is selfless (1 Corinthians 13:5). We all want to be loved and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that, but our hearts were made to give love away...regardless of the return. Why were our hearts made this way? Because we are made in God's image (Greek: imago dei) and likeness (Genesis 1:26-27). God is completely loving and completely giving, because He gave His Son. The true embodiment of love, Jesus Christ, is the example of love and His life is the life for which we were made. True love is unconditional, sacrificial, and selfless.
Here's the scary part: if we truly want to love like Jesus, then we have to point people to Jesus. If we don't tell our family/friends/neighbors/strangers about Christ, then we are not giving them our best. We are not loving them completely. Pointing people to Jesus includes pointing them away from the things that don't save. I'm talking about other worldviews and world religions. It's with a heavy heart that I say this: salvation cannot be found in Hinduism, Scientology, Buddhism, Islam, Sikhism, etc. Only one Man died for you out of love, and only one Man ever conquered the grave.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." John 14:6
I don't feel happy or self-righteous when I write that. I feel sad and burdened. But if I'm going to truly love people the way that Jesus does, then I can't keep Christ to myself. How could I keep the most important message in the history of the world a secret? This is life or death; salvation or judgment for the soul. I have to choose to speak life. I don't want to win arguments over other worldviews. I don't want to be right just to be right. I want to love people to Jesus, so that He can love them and save their souls. I don't want people to suffer forever. Jesus Christ will forever be divisive, but He also will forever be loving. God doesn't want anyone to perish (2 Peter 3:9), and Jesus Christ will never stop pleading with this world to accept His free gift of love and salvation.
I know that I need to be more vocal in spreading the love of Jesus. Let's pray that the Lord fills us with the love and boldness to tell others the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. May the Lord bring love to life in us. --JB
The song, Love Come to Life, presents this message in an awesome way. Click the link to listen.
Bring Your love to life inside of me
Why don't You break my heart 'til it moves my hands and feet
For the hopeless and the broken
For the ones that don't know that You love them
Bring Your love to life inside of me
