TO KNOW HIM IS TO LOVE HIM
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
How God loves man; think about what we just read! It brings to mind a related message in 2 Corinthians 5:19; it says, “To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them….”Hallelujah!
Certain folks don’t like it when we preach and teach about the love of Christ and how God isn’t holding anyone’s sins against them. They say we’re giving people a license to do wrong; but how could that be? The love of Christ never gives anyone liberty to sin.
The truth is that the more you learn about the Lord, the more you love Him; to know Him is to love Him. And the more you love Him, the less you want to do anything that’s offensive to Him. That’s the fact! The Bible says, “Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).
Notice that it doesn’t say, “The judgments of God make men repent and love Him.” All He ever does is love, help and bless us. It’s that love that we reciprocate. The Bible says, “We love him, because he first loved us”*_ (1 John 4:19). So, it’s not true that the love of Christ makes people want to do wrong and think they can get away with it. No! He enjoins us to take advantage of His grace and love, but not against Him; not to do wrong. His Word demands that you abstain from sin. Romans 6:1-2 says, “…Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”
No one deliberately hurts or offends the one who loves them genuinely. God said in Jeremiah 31:3, _*“…Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.”*_ Think about that! The result of His love for us is that we love Him in return. And because we love Him, we keep His Word; we do what He wants. That’s what Jesus said: “If you love Me, keep My commandments”(John 14:15 NKJV). No one gets to truly know Jesus, how loving He is, without loving Him.
The Bible says we know He loves us from the message He sent to us, and we received that message and came into fellowship with Him. Now that you’re in fellowship with Him, all you want to do is to walk worthy of Him, pleasing Him in all things.
PRAYER
Loving Father, I’m forever grateful for the revelation of your boundless love demonstrated towards us through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross. I walk worthy of you, pleasing you in all things; I’m compelled by your love to preach the Gospel and turn sinners from sin into righteousness and the glorious liberty of the sons of God, in Jesus’ Name. Amen.
FURTHER STUDY:
John 3:16, 1 John 4:10, Ephesians 3:17-19, Romans 8:38-39
1-Year Bible Reading Plan: John 18:1-27 & 1 Chronicles 11-13
2-Year Bible Reading Plan: 1 Corinthians 15:20-28 & Proverbs 30
