God rescued us through Jesus Christ because of His extraordinary love for us all. Romans 5:8 (ESV) declares, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” He loves us with a burning love, and He wants all His children to live blessed lives. God wants the best for us, and He has taught us by example that this is the way love behaves. I personally know many people that do not believe in God’s love, and they are not interested in loving others the way He does. As God’s called-out ones, we can never be that way. There’s a mark in the sand dividing those of us who love God from those that are rejecting His love. This should motivate and inspire us, because as ambassadors for Christ, we should want to show them the love that God has shown us, then they, too, can be saved.
When many of us think of the word “love”, we immediately associate it with affection for someone in a romantic way. This type of love is called “eros” love. There are also other kinds of love, like “philia”, which is the love we have for our friends, and “storge” is the love parents have for their kids. God has given us tremendous capacity to express love in these various ways, but out of all these, God’s agape love is the one that we should all aspire to give and receive.
1John 4:16(NLT) says, “We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them.” Because of what God accomplished through the death and resurrection of His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, we can receive the Spirit of Christ through salvation, and become children of God. Through the Spirit of Christ, the Holy Spirit, God’s children have received God’s love. Romans 5:5(NLT) says, “Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.”
Now, because of God’s gift of salvation, we can love others in the same way that Jesus Christ did when he walked upon the earth. This is very Good News! Jesus Christ is the physical image of God, and God is love. The example that Christ left for us is everything that God desires human beings to be. So, our Heavenly Father has made it abundantly clear to us all that walking in His love is a requirement for His children.
He wants us to make a shift in the way that we love others, so that we love them with the heart of Jesus Christ. You see, most of us have our own brand of love, and sometimes our brand isn’t stamped ‘approved’ by the standards of Christ. We have all kinds of conditions, limitations, and restrictions. We tend to love only those who love us, and when it comes to significant partners, we will only think about loving them if they fit our criteria. God’s love doesn’t operate this way. He loves everyone, even if they don’t love Him. John 4:8 (NLT) says “But anyone who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” Those of us that have been called according to God’s purpose know Him, and because we do, He expects us to love others the way that He does.
1Corinthians 13:4-7 (NLT) says, “4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud 5 or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 6 It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. 7 Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.” This passage is a lesson on how to love with the heart of Christ. It is the kind of love that all believers should give to others, and it’s the kind of love we deserve to receive. It isn’t based on how we feel, because we could be up one day and down the next. Loving people God’s way is a commitment to love with the heart of Christ regardless of any personal likes or dislikes.
Jesus Christ said in John 13:34-35 (NLT), “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” This is a direct commandment from our Master Jesus. Sure, things about people might bother us. We’re human, and we’re use to responding to people based on the emotions we feel, or whether they are nice to us. This is what the world does, and God commands us to be different.
God has a very good plan for all His children. He wants to give us a future and a hope, and to have this kind of life, we must trust God and live by His Word. He knows everything there is to know about us, and He is committed to care for all those who love Him. We must not listen to those who tell us to be fearful and anxious, because with God’s love, there is peace. The way to be blessed is to live and love like Jesus Christ. If we do this, God will delight in us. He’ll supply all our needs, keep us safe, and renew our strength as we grow and increase in the example of Jesus Christ. ■
Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.
“Love with The Heart of Christ”, written for victoryinjesuschrist.life. Copyright© 2023. All rights reserved. All praise and honor to God through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.
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