Brothers and Sisters, let us remember that “love one another” is the second greatest commandment. The greatest commandment is to love God, and to love God is to trust him and seek to be obedient (out of gratitude for our salvation, not as a requirement of our salvation.) Let’s be on our guard for the enemy will seek to convince us to break the first commandment in the name of fulfilling the second and in doing so exchange true love for God and Man for an idolatrous counterfeit.
That said, let’s also not break the second commandment in the name of keeping the first commandment. When we “speak the truth in love,” let’s be careful to remember to show the “love” part of that.
I find one reason walking in love is so hard today because it’s been twisted and distorted by our culture. If that’s the only love we’ve ever known then we don’t know what real love, God’s love, is. So let me lay it out, as best as I can.
Culture’s love says to us: There is no right or wrong. Whatever beliefs work for you are fine. You’re stuck the way you are, though, so stop hating yourself for “wallowing in sin.” Enjoy it! I’ll fully support what you’re doing, even if it’s against my personal beliefs.
God’s love says to us: What you did was wrong and it has estranged you from me (that is, from God.) I love you so much, I paid the penalty of sin for you. Take my nail-pierced hand, I’ll help you up and teach you a better way to live.
This second love is the kind of love we’re called to seek to model.
Mind you, how Christians should model God’s love to one another is a topic whole books could cover. It encompasses not only walking in truth, but in kindness, mercy, patience, good will, respect, humility. We need all of that at once–and we need God’s spirit at work in us, producing that kind of love in us, to live it out.
Colossians 2:8 (ESV) says: See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
Lord, help us to love one another like you have loved us. Lead us deeper into your love. Bring us out of the darkness of the world’s counterfeit “love” and into the light of the genuine love you’ve shown for us. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
[tweetthis]God’s Love V. Man’s Love–Let’s keep both the first & the second greatest commandments.[/tweetthis]