PROF.
BEN ONYEUKWU (REV.)
NCE(Eng.) ND/HD (Journalism); BA (Hons)
MA, PhD.
THE BIBLE AND GOD’S KIND OF LOVE
Presented by Nigehtengale Ben-Onyeukwu
Presented by Nigehtengale Ben-Onyeukwu
Devotional
Text: I John 7-12
Introduction:
The Wiktionary of the English Language simply defines love, “as a intense feeling of affection and care
towards another person”. This definition really portrays that demonstration
of God’s love towards humanity, as the Holy Scripture remarks that, “God
commandeth His love towards us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us”, (Rom. 5:8). In the cited passage, one discovers the unconditional and
non-discriminatory nature of God’s love, which is worthy of adaptation.
GENERAL
REMARKS
(1) God’s kind
of Love knows no enemies, (Matt. 5:43-44).
(2) God’s kind
of love cannot accommodate the love of the world, (I John 2:15).
(3) God’s kind
of love is not the lust of the flesh, (vs. 15-16).
(4) God’s kind
of love is sacrificial, (John 15:13).
GOD’S KIND
OF LOVE AND HOLINESS
Holiness is the inherent nature of God, and His love is expressed
in holiness. No doubt, this is the basic reason why He urges us to be holy in
our conduct, for He is holy, (I Peter 1:15). God’s love is different from what
the word calls love. The world refers to “lust” as love, and the word “lust” is
derived from the Greek word “phlos” which portrays the concept of “infatuation” that, Wikitionary defines as,
“unreasoning love or attraction”. But, the Greek word for God’s kind of love is
“agape”, which portrays the very essence of His person, as well as pictures His
intense feeling of affection towards His creatures, and thus, the Apostle John
expresses that,… “God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life”,
(John 3:16). Having highlighted the above, let it be stated that:
(i)
God is love in character and conduct, (I John 4:7-8).
(ii) He is also
holy in character and conduct, (I Peter 1:15-16)
(iii) His love is
expressed in holiness, (vs. 15; Rom. 5:8)
(iv) Infatuation
or lust is not God’s kind of love, (I John 2:16).
GOD’S KIND
OF LOVE AND YOUR NEIGHBOURS
Believers in Christ are seen as custodians of God’s kind of love,
which they are supposed to demonstrate towards their neighbours. And the
biblical concept of one’s neighbor is not just one living in one’s immediate
environment, but one who comes around one, at any point in time. The parable of
the Good Samaritan upholds His facts, (Luke 10:25-37). But, the parable
describes individuals which were referred to as, a Levite, a priest and
Samaritan.
The Levite was of the lineage of Aaron, from which Priests were
ordained in that era, and in today’s Christianity could be termed a believer.
On the other hand, the priest was an ordained servant of God, who could be
regarded today as a Gospel Minister (Pastor, evangelist, apostle, teacher or
prophet). Yet, the both of them failed in the test of the Scripture, which
says, “love your neighbour as yourself”, (vs. 27). But, the Samaritan, an
unbeliever, passed the test, (vs. 33-35). This, therefore, becomes a wake-up
call to the present day believers that as custodians of God’s love, they
should:
(i)
learn to extend help to people in need, irrespective of where they
come from, (Luke 10:5-35)
(ii)
not fail to understand that any one who comes their way, at any
point in time, is their neighbor, and should be treated with every sense of
kindness, (vs.30-35)
(iii)
know that there is lack of God’s love in their lives whenever they
are not able to demonstrate such to people who come their way, (vs. 31:32).
GOD’S KIND
OF LOVE AND SUPPORT FOR OTHERS
God’s kind of love inspires support and care for the needy and
less-privileged in church and society without the intention of reward. In other
words, God’s kind of love is selfless and sacrificial. And, the lack of these
qualities definitely reveals faith without works. Thus, the Scripture says, “what
does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith, but does not have
works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of
daily food, and one of you says to them, “depart in peace, be warmed and
filled, but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what
does it profit? For … faith without works…. is dead, (James 2:14-17).
The cited Scripture above, no doubt, implies that God’s kind of
love is faith-based, and produces works of charity, and the absence of such
works shows the lack of the said kind of love in the life of anyone who claims
to posses it. For, God’s kind of love carries with it, the propensity of
compassion and willingness to help those in need, friends or enemies, (see
Matt. 5:43-48). Based on the foregoing, this lesson asserts that there is the
absence of God’s kind of love in the life of one, when
one:
(i)
who is in affluence does not care to help the
less-privileged in church and society, (James 2:15-16)
(ii)
who is a rich believer does nothing to alleviate
the suffering of the poor members of the church and society, (vs. 15-16).
(iii)
who claims to be loving cannot sacrifice his
time and money for the good of those in need, (vs. 15-16).
In
conclusion, this lesson has shown in concrete terms that
God’s kind of love reflects His nature of holiness, and does not discriminate,
as it serves and supports both friends and enemies well, as well as reveals
that the absence of true love. is evident, when the propensity to do good for
the benefit of those in need is lacking.
EXAMINE YOURSELF.
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