Our article this week is taken from a direct quote of I Corinthians 8:3. Love is one Bible subject that we all should and must know, but few have ever understood. It is one of the most simplistic subjects, but since man is so used to defining love by emotions; it seems so far from the understanding of some. Consider from our title, which again is a direct quote from the word of God, we must love God to be known of Him. However, if we do not understand love that sort of throws the whole hat out of the door, doesn’t it? As we studied Tuesday night, we can understand God’s love for man. The carnal mind cannot grasp many things revealed in God’s word (I Corinthians 2:14; 3:1-3). For those who are converted to Christ and are spiritually minded, the Scriptures say: “That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God” (Ephesians 3:16-19). Consider further these passages: “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not… Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (I John 3:1; 16). The previous two Scriptures prove that we can behold [see, look at, inspect] and perceive [know; understand; same as word translated “know” in John 8:32] the love of God. If we do not understand the subject of God’s love, folks we then do not know God. Again, the inspired text says: “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love” (I John 4:7-8). Furthermore, knowing and believing in God’s love is paramount to our salvation. Again, consider this text: “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him” (I John 4:16). As God’s children we must understand God’s love for us so that we may have love for Him and for the brethren. Without this understanding and application of that knowledge not one single soul will find their home in Heaven with the Lord (I Corinthians 16:22)! Notice this text: “By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous” (I John 5:2- 3). For the love of God to be perfected [complete] in us, we must first keep His word (I John 2:5). Thus, our love to God and our obedience to Him are one subject matter, not two (John 14:15; 21; 23-24). When one speaks of obedience to the Lord they are telling of their love or lack thereof towards Him. Jesus understood this point when He said: “As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love. If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love” (John 15:9-10). Jesus told His followers this: “For the Father himself loveth you, because ye have loved me, and have believed that I came out from God” (John 16: 27). To make the understanding on this subject clearer, we must understand that God didn’t just say “I love you” and we were saved. God demonstrated His love for us by sending Christ to die for us (Romans 5:8). Likewise we demonstrate our love for God by giving our whole lives to Him (Mark 12:30). John further stated: “And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it” (II John v. 6). We cannot love the Lord and be disobedient to Him. The two are one subject. Furthermore, we have to understand how God loves us to be able to love each other. We’ll let the Scriptures make the next point as written in the inspired text: “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another” (John 13:34). “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:12-13). “And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour” (Ephesians 5:2). “But as touching brotherly love ye need not that I write unto you: for ye yourselves are taught of God to love one another” (I Thessalonians 4:9). Taking this a step further, notice: “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25). The Scriptures that have done the talking in this section of our article clearly teach us two things. The first, if we do not understand how God the Father and God the Son loved us, we cannot love one another and are thus failing in a clear command of God. The second, if we cannot understand the love of Christ in dying for us and the Father in sending Him to die for us, we cannot fully love our mates as we should! Maybe love is such a misunderstood subject because true love is without hypocrisy (Romans 12:9; cf. Ephesians 6:24) and many who call themselves Christians simply are not. Maybe love is misunderstood because we don’t want to know how far love of God and brethren would truly make us go. This one thing is sure, without loving the Lord and the brethren with the depth of love He has shown to us, we’ll not see eternity! |
| Volume VII ~ Issue XXXI ~ April 29th, 2007 |
Words of Truth Weekly - Online Edition
 | |  | |  | |  | |  |
What must one do to be saved (Acts 2:37)? Hear and believe the Gospel (Mark 16:15-16 & Romans 10:17),
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
repent of their sins (Acts 3:19), confess Christ (Acts 8:37), and be baptized (immersed) for the remission of
sins into the church of Christ (Acts 2:38, I Corinthians 12:12-13, and Romans 6:1-6). One must then remain
faithful (Rev. 2:10).
| Edited by: Brian A. Yeager |
| “But If Any Man Love God, the Same is Known of Him” By: Brian A. Yeager |
 | |  | |  | |  |
| For This is the Love of God |
| Love One Another; As I Have Loved You |
| Conclusion |