The Act of Love

Christianity seems to have evolved over the centuries into something that it was never intended to be. Little by little it has turned away from wearing the face of it’s author to having it’s own mask. At times it is barely recognizable to people who look on from inside and outside our ranks. We have changed from the essence of what we were to be. We have attached ourselves to a cold world and grown dark in our relationships.

Who are we suppose to be? What is the substance we are suppose to be made of? When all the superficial liquid of ritual, pretense, and religious noise are boiled away, what is supposed to left in the pot? What is the substance of being a Christian? I believe that once the man-made peripherals of Christianity are disconnected the very heart of Christianity can be exposed.  The very substance of who we are is really summed up in one word: love. Our commission is one of love. Our commandment is one of love. The example of our leader, that we are destined to follow, is one of love. The very basis of our conception comes from the union of a God and a humanity through the greatest act of ... love. 

The greatest commandment, as cited by Jesus, was to love. The fruit of the spirit begins with love. Scriptures tell us that without it we become just noise and we are nothing. (see I Corinthians 13) Even our God, our maker, the pentacle of what we strive to become, is described, seemingly in all that He is, by this one word: love.

The scriptures tell a love story, from the connection that God had with the first man, that comes to a head at the defining words of Jesus in John chapter three, verse sixteen. Through out the message of God’s word we see the development of the explanation of God’s character: love.

“God is love!”

We were made in the image of God. In understanding what is meant by being formed in His image, we understand that we were given character attributes like that of our Father. God chose to form us with these characteristics to echo who He was. Why? I think, in part, God was giving us tools that we would need to accomplish tasks He was to call us to complete. One of these image traits was the ability to love. No other creature, or any other part of creation, was given this rare gift; this unique ability.

We were given love as a channel to allow God to reveal Himself to mankind. God uses love in us as a conduit to express His concern for the human race. In turn, we become the arms of God that hold or hug, the face of God that smiles, the hands of God that help, and the heart of God that exudes compassion on those around us. Every action of the Christian becomes an reverberation of God’s love.

The act of love is a choice, though. Love does not seep out of us despite our choices. It doesn’t work that way. God chose to love us. (see Romans 5:8) W.E. Vine, says that God loved us even though we were, in essence, unlovable and undeserving. There was nothing in us that deserved the grace of God’s favor, brought about by His unconditional love. This, in a manner of words, forced God into a decision on how He would treat us. He chose to react to us in love, despite our sinful condition, our obstinate reaction to His authority, and our out-right refusal to obey His wishes or place value on His guidelines for our lives. God loved us by choice.

Though love is a choice. God doesn’t really give us the choice to love. (see John 13:34) Love is not optional. In part, because God placed this ability, this tool, to love within us with the purpose of using that conduit for His purpose. He want us to love because He wants to affect the lives of people. Loving people is the commandment of God that is underlined by Christ own words. (see Matthew 22, John 15:12)

Relationships are of great importance to God. The Ten Commandments are, simply put, about relationships. The first four commandments are about our relationship with our Maker. The last six about our relationship with man. The greatest two commandment according to Jesus (Matthew 22) was about our relationship to God and man. Jesus several times in scripture teaches us about forgiveness, servanthood, and reaching out to our fellow man (e.g. the Good Samaritan). All these things, among many others, point to how important relationships are to God. In the world of scripture relationships are driven by love. 

I think it is of great concern to meet people who claim God as Father, but obviously bear no semblance of His character. The bible talks about such folk.

1 John 3:17 If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in   

        need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?

When love is not part of our character, then one must suppose that we no longer have the character of God. When we turn off the flow of God’s love through us, we cease to be what we claim: Christian. When we restrict the flow of God’s love, then we become a useless tool in God’s hand.

Saying, “I love you” can become part of the ritual of religion. It is easy for the mouth to somehow validate our character by using the right catch-phrases. We can easily fool ourselves by equating words with actions. But the substance of love is the act. God so loved that he “gave.” (see John 3:16) God “demonstrated” His love for us. (see Romans 5:8) God authenticated His love by action. God’s love transpired in His giving. So should our love give proof by the action of our hands, rather than the word of our mouths. We must be very aware of the danger of talking love and supposing that somehow that is the fulfillment of God’s love and evokes God’s pleasure. By God’s definition love is a verb, not a feeling or a thought.

My measurement for love is what I do. It is not measured by the plans I make, the thoughts I think, or the air that I give. Love’s value and it’s quality is defined by the activity of my life. (see John 14:15) Even the result of my action or fruit it produces is not a correct meter for love.  

Learning to let God’s love radiate from us is the task of being Christian. It flies in the face of so many gestures we make that, we think, tell us that we are Christians. But the disciple of Christ is known by none of these things. He is known by his/her love. (see John 13:35)

There are billions of people on this earth that are looking for love. They are wanting to experience something from someone that is not selfish, self-centered, who does not have ulterior motives or conditional requirements. True love has none of those things. True love comes asking questions: “How can I help?” “What can I do?” “Where is there a need?” True love always turns outward and is not interested in personal gain, approval, or recognition. Our world, inside and outside the church, is looking for this kind of love.

Love must be. A cold world seeks the warmth of love. The glue that holds society, and the church, together is love. The inspiration that pushes us out of ourselves is love. Christianity cannot exist outside of love, for love is it’s lifeblood and it’s purpose. The description of who we are is found in love. The fingerprint of God on us is love. When love ceases then the work of God collapses and God’s presence ceases to exist on the earth.

1 John 3:16-20a (The Message)
This is how we've come to understand and experience love: Christ sacrificed his life for us. This is why we ought to live sacrificially for our fellow believers, and not just be out for ourselves. If you see some brother or sister in need and have the means to do something about it but turn a cold shoulder and do nothing, what happens to God's love? It disappears. And you made it disappear.When We Practice Real Love My dear children, let's not just talk about love; let's practice real love. This is the only way we'll know we're living truly, living in God's reality. ...