Jump Start # 1045

1 John 4:8 “The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.”

  God is love. God loves. God so loved the world. God loves us while we were yet sinners. God’s love is not an emotion or feeling that can change on a whim. God’s love is a choice that is demonstrated by actions. We know God loves because He not only tells us, but because He sent Jesus to Calvary to save us. The foundation of the Bible is that God loves.

Throughout the countryside you’ll see spray painted on overpasses and signs in the field declaring that God loves. Those are great reminders. It seems that many have misunderstood, especially these days, what God’s love is all about. God’s love has become another expression for tolerance, especially of things that most people, including God, would not approve of. It is hard for some to get the thought that God can love and still be disappointed and even disapprove of a choice that we make. Folks defend all kinds of behavior under the banner, “God loves.” For them, that means, it doesn’t matter what I do because God loves. This is an old, old misunderstanding of love that continues to find new ways of going forward. The Beatles sang, “All you need is love.” Bert Bacharach sang, “What the world needs now, is love sweet love.” Just love. God loves.

Recently, there has been several in the news who have proudly announced their choice to be homosexual. They are seen as heroes because they came forward. Some see this as a parallel to the Civil Rights issues of the 1960’s. To oppose homosexuality is to be branded a bigot and a homophobic. On numerous blogs, the common defense to homosexuality is that God loves. Those two words, “God loves,” is supposed to end the discussion. Those two words are meant to imply that God approves and more so, God is happy with the choices they have made. God loves.

This shallow thinking is so prevalent in mainstream that it has influenced many churches. Far too many will not take a stand against sin because as you know, “God loves.”

God loves, what does that mean:

1. It is possible for God to love someone and still recognize that they have sinned against Him. Love doesn’t evaporate sin. Love isn’t blind. Consider the role of a parent. A parent loves their child. However, that child can do things that makes the parent very upset and even worthy of punishment. A parent told me about sending his son outside to play. After a while the child came in with paint all over his hands and clothes. The dad asked what happened. The child proudly announced that he had painted dad’s car, and boy, he had. Dad was furious. Did dad still love the child? Of course. Did that love imply that painting dad’s car is just fine and while you’re at it son, go paint the neighbor’s car. No. The behavior was wrong. Discipline and instruction was needed. Dad never stopped loving the child. The Bible says that all have sinned. For God to make that declaration did that mean He stopped loving us. No. God can love us and be angry with us at the same time. It’s not one or the other. The righteousness and holiness of God demands that we be accountable to Him. God can love even though He must punish. Here is a thought that is off the charts for most, God can love even though some will be sent to Hell. God’s patience, God’s message, God’s Son are numerous ways that God tries to save us. However, if a person is determined to ignore God, do whatever they want, and assume because God loves them, He can’t touch them, they will find out how wrong that is. God will love those who are in Hell. God doesn’t love sin.

2. Another thought, God loves us, even when we are wrong. This is what is difficult for us to grasp about love. We tend to think that God loves the person who gets up on Sunday morning and goes to church more than the person who stays in bed. We tend to think that God loves the person who prays more than the person who doesn’t pray. We tend to think, if I only start doing better, God will love me. He already does. He loves everyone. You can’t win God’s love, because He already loves you. He loves the sinner and the saint. He loves everyone.

3. God loves us and we love God by obeying Him. John says that often. Twice in his gospel, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments,” and several times in his first epistle. God loves us, do we love Him? If we do things that He doesn’t like, we show that we do not love Him. Too many believe in a one sided relationship. God loves me, yet I get to do whatever I want. God loves me, and I don’t have to worship Him. God loves me, and I do not have to obey Him. Where does that lopsided theology come from? Try that in a marriage. The wife loves the husband, but he gets to live like he’s single. The wife loves the husband and he gets to ignore her, avoid her and do what he wants. That marriage won’t last. Relationships are built upon both parties loving and exchanging and pleasing the other. Homosexuality doesn’t please God. Abuse doesn’t please God. Arrogance doesn’t please God. Misquoting the Bible doesn’t please God. Sure God loves us, but do we love Him?

So the next time someone proudly states, “God loves,” maybe you ought to respond with, “Do you love Him?” God has proven His love to us. It’s time we do the same in return.

Roger