If you have ever seen an episode of the TV show Cops, you have probably witnessed the police arrest a domestic violence offender for abusing his spouse or girlfriend. If so, you most likely heard the offender proclaim his love for the victim en route to the patrol car. I wonder if he really believes his own words. I am inclined to think he is either lying or grossly confused as to the meaning of love. The Holy Spirit says "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; loves does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil..." (1 Cor. 13:4-5). It takes very little effort to see through the faulty reasoning of the offender's concept of love.
Sadly, many who profess faith in Christ "love" Him in much the same way the perpetrator "loved" his spouse. It seems evident that the perpetrator "loved" his spouse for what he could get out of her. She is more of a tool for his personal benefit than a loved one. How many times do people treat Jesus in this way. Make no mistake, I cannot judge the heart of another person (Rom. 14:4). Nonetheless, as a fruit inspector (Mt. 7:15-20), I am obligated to ask some probing questions of those who say they love Jesus while rebelling against His will.
First, does the one who claims to love the Lord while defying His will truly understand the reason to love Him in the first place? John said, "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 Jn. 4:19). A closer look at the love of God ought to give us a much deeper appreciation and love for Him. In 1 John 4:9-10, John said "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." The meaning of propitiation is a humbling thought in itself. Jesus had to die a cruel and painful death on the cross to propitiate our sins. Propitiation means to wipe away a stain. We have no means in ourselves to wipe our sin stains away, only His blood is sufficient to fulfill our greatest need.
Next, I would ask the rebellious one if he/she is aware of the biblical prescription for expressing love for Him. It is one thing to feel appreciation for His gifts, but it is another matter entirely to properly express our love for Him. John also said, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 Jn. 3:18). As the abusive spouse's profession of love rings out a hollow sound, so is the profession of love for Christ from those who refuse to do His will. The Savior plainly stated "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (Jn. 14:15). Not only is the love of God expressed by keeping His commandments, the love of God is keeping His commandments (1 Jn. 5:2-3). Hence, to say we love the Lord while disobeying His commandments is a contradiction of terms.
Finally, to refuse to do the will of the Lord is to openly abuse the one who died to save us from our sins. Hebrews 10:29 described a Christian who sins willfully as one "...who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace..." Does this not sound much the same as the "love" expressed by the abusive spouse on Cops?
Therefore, we must be diligent to understand what it means to love God in order that we may make proper demonstration of that love in our lives. The first step is to meditate on the things He has done for us to promote a deep, abiding love for Him. Once we have done this, we must make a conscious effort to be pleasing to Him who died for us. True love for God takes the burden out of serving Him much the way true love for a spouse makes pleasing them in this life a joy instead of a burden. God has given us more reason to love Him than any earthly mate ever could. Let us love accordingly.
Sadly, many who profess faith in Christ "love" Him in much the same way the perpetrator "loved" his spouse. It seems evident that the perpetrator "loved" his spouse for what he could get out of her. She is more of a tool for his personal benefit than a loved one. How many times do people treat Jesus in this way. Make no mistake, I cannot judge the heart of another person (Rom. 14:4). Nonetheless, as a fruit inspector (Mt. 7:15-20), I am obligated to ask some probing questions of those who say they love Jesus while rebelling against His will.
First, does the one who claims to love the Lord while defying His will truly understand the reason to love Him in the first place? John said, "We love Him because He first loved us" (1 Jn. 4:19). A closer look at the love of God ought to give us a much deeper appreciation and love for Him. In 1 John 4:9-10, John said "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." The meaning of propitiation is a humbling thought in itself. Jesus had to die a cruel and painful death on the cross to propitiate our sins. Propitiation means to wipe away a stain. We have no means in ourselves to wipe our sin stains away, only His blood is sufficient to fulfill our greatest need.
Next, I would ask the rebellious one if he/she is aware of the biblical prescription for expressing love for Him. It is one thing to feel appreciation for His gifts, but it is another matter entirely to properly express our love for Him. John also said, "My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth" (1 Jn. 3:18). As the abusive spouse's profession of love rings out a hollow sound, so is the profession of love for Christ from those who refuse to do His will. The Savior plainly stated "If you love Me, keep My commandments" (Jn. 14:15). Not only is the love of God expressed by keeping His commandments, the love of God is keeping His commandments (1 Jn. 5:2-3). Hence, to say we love the Lord while disobeying His commandments is a contradiction of terms.
Finally, to refuse to do the will of the Lord is to openly abuse the one who died to save us from our sins. Hebrews 10:29 described a Christian who sins willfully as one "...who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace..." Does this not sound much the same as the "love" expressed by the abusive spouse on Cops?
Therefore, we must be diligent to understand what it means to love God in order that we may make proper demonstration of that love in our lives. The first step is to meditate on the things He has done for us to promote a deep, abiding love for Him. Once we have done this, we must make a conscious effort to be pleasing to Him who died for us. True love for God takes the burden out of serving Him much the way true love for a spouse makes pleasing them in this life a joy instead of a burden. God has given us more reason to love Him than any earthly mate ever could. Let us love accordingly.