Let all that you do be done with love. (1 Cor 16:14 NKJV – emphasis added)
For the Love of Christ compels [constrains, leaves no option] us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died. (2 Cor 5:14 NKJV – emphasis & definition added)
Love is one of the major themes throughout the Bible. Love is what binds us together as Christians. We’re instructed to love one another1 and the source of our love is God.2 Love is defined as an intense feeling of deep affection.
Human beings, overall, tend to experience love on a conditional basis. Some spouses won’t speak to one another after an argument. Certain friends will stop seeing each other after an argument, and might even speak badly about each other. Some parents even have raised their children in a way that makes them feel unloved or rejected if they’re naughty or disobedient. This is NOT the model of love that God has given to us.
Our Heavenly Father has extended His love to us completely and unconditionally. He invites everyone – yes everyone – to the banqueting table of salvation.3 There are no restrictions upon this invitation because God loves humankind so much, and He yearns to have a vital relationship with every individual. The Father offered love to us through the sacrifice of His own Son as the Savior of the world. He literally gave sacrificially to prove His love to each and every human being. Whether we accept His love and His gift of salvation is entirely a matter of our own choice.
The Scriptures tell us that we are accepted in the Beloved.4 Some of the blessings that we enjoy because we are accepted are that we are:
- recognized as children of God;
- received as a sister or brother in Christ;
- admitted into God’s family; and
- welcomed always with LOVE.
Because we are loved by God, we have the grace to love others even as we are loved.5 God’s love enables us to forgive.6 His love gives us the wherewithal to extend mercy and understanding to others, not returning evil for evil, but on the contrary—blessing them.7 As we learn to live this way, we become a living example of the love of God; and we demonstrate that His love has been perfected in us.8 Then we can truly confess that the love of Christ compels us to act as we do and leaves us no option!9 Faith operates by love.
Faith operates by love.10 When you do everything with love, you can only win. Glory to God!
1 John 15:12 2 1 John 4:8
3 John 3:16 4 Ephesians 1:6
5 John 13:34-35; 15:12, 17 6 1 Peter 4:8
7 1 Peter 3:8 8 1 John 4:12
9 2 Corinthians 5:14 10 Galatians 5:6
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