Reflecting God’s Love :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: February 17, 2019 by RR7

Jesus loves me and you. How do I know that? The Bible tells me so. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16-17).

Sin and death had entered the world through Adam’s sin. Because of his sin we were separated from God and condemned. God still loved us and, through faith in the sacrifice of Jesus, that condemnation is lifted and the separation is healed.

“But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8).

There is no greater love than this. Now, what do we do with that love? How do we show our love for God? We allow His love to guide our life.

Adam and Eve were the first humans, and the first example of marriage. One man and one woman for life. Marriage is important to mankind because it’s the Biblical foundation of family, and God likens His relationship with us to marriage. Jesus is likened to the Bridegroom, and Christians are likened to the Bride. This is a special relationship of love. A husband is admonished to love his wife as Christ loves the ekklēsia.

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it” (Ephesians 5:25).

Husbands are the leaders of their family, and God expects them to reflect His love. The way a man treats his wife shows his heart. Christ sacrificed everything for His ekklēsia (the whole Body of Christ throughout the world).

How exactly did Christ love us? He set aside His deity and entered His creation. He humbled Himself and was obedient. He showed kindness and forgiveness towards sinners, but didn’t compromise. When a prostitute was brought before Him for condemnation, He forgave her sin but told her to change her ways and stop that sin. He showed compassion towards those who suffered illness by healing the deaf, the blind, and the leprous. Christ never accepted the religious acts of the Pharisees, but encouraged faith. When the time was right, He laid down His life for His Bride.

“And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross” (Philippians 2:8).

That’s Christ’s example of love for His Bride. Men, how do you show love to your wife? Do you provide for her and protect her? Do you forgive her when you think she’s not as perfect as you would like? You have a responsibility to her, and the love you show to her reflects your love for Jesus.

Wives also are examples of how we show our love. “Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing” (Ephesians 5:22-24).

That isn’t very politically correct, but it is Biblically correct. God created Adam first and gave him responsibilities. Eve was taken out of Adam to help him, not rule over him.

In this day and age, things have gotten mixed up. Women seem to be trying to take the place of men. Instead of submitting to their husbands, they “rule the roost.” Marriage isn’t seen as necessary, so many families have no husband present and children are not given the example of a Christian marriage. A woman cannot submit to a husband if she doesn’t have one, or if she is trying to be the man of the house.

Jesus knows all about the attitudes we have. He met a Sumerian woman at a well and was aware that she had been married seven times and was now just living with a man. He didn’t condemn her, but her sinful lifestyle was brought to her attention. Ladies, allow God’s love to shine in your marriage. A Christian woman should be married to a Christian man. When God is first in a marriage, then the man and the woman will both reflect God’s love.

What about our actions outside of the home? Everything we do should reflect our love of Christ. “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” (1 Corinthians 13:1).

The word “charity” is translated from the Greek word “agape,” and only the King James version of the Bible translates it “charity.” All other translations say “love.” The “Outline of Biblical Usage” defines it as affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love. It’s a word that is used many times to talk of showing God’s love to fellow Christians. Before He was arrested, Jesus told His disciples to love (agape) one another.

“By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35).

We are to show kindness to the lost, but the love we show to fellow Christians shows the world our love for Christ. We can do many good works; but if we don’t have agape love, then it means nothing.

“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing” (1 Corinthians13:3).

Do you ever do a very nice thing for someone, but resent doing it? I’m not pointing fingers because I have done just that. If an act of kindness doesn’t show God’s love, then He isn’t glorified. It is a cacophony of “… sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal” with no beauty of love.

“If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4:11).

Our love for Christ is only evident in what we do for Him and in His name.

When we first accept Christ for salvation, we carry a lot of luggage with us. Jesus told Nicodemus that a person must be born again. Instead of being bogged down and condemned by our sin nature, we have a new chance to live. Instead of being a slave to sin, we need to become a slave to Christ. Our lives should reflect the choice we made. Instead of reacting as a lost sinner, Christ’s love should be our guide. Instead of impatience and anger, we show Christ’s love by using His example of kindness and love.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).

Once again, the word translated “charity” is the Greek word “agape” and is better translated “love.” Our love for Christ should be reflected through our daily living. We were justified the moment we accepted His death, burial, and resurrection for our salvation. Then the process of sanctification begins.

Looking back at the example of a marriage, we can see examples of the changes a man and woman make after the vows are taken. Patience is a virtue, and so agape love also is patient and kind. Bragging and boasting have no place in a Christian’s life, unless it’s about what Christ has done for you. Read through that list of what agape love looks like and substitute your name for “charity.” Are you longsuffering and kind? Do you envy?

As I read that list, I see that I have a lot of changes I need to make. My life doesn’t give a perfect reflection of God’s love. What about you? Do you reflect God’s agape love? Paul wrote this list to the congregation in Corinth. They were a congregation with many problems, and Paul wanted them to know how to interact with fellow Christians.

It’s been said that charity begins at home. It first begins when you recognize Christ’s love for you. It’s reflected in the love of a man and women in a Godly marriage and is passed on to the children. Christ’s love for His ekklēsia is reflected in our love for our fellow Christians. That love will be evident to the lost sinners in the world; and as we share the Gospel with them, we are sharing God’s love.

Is your life reflecting God’s love? Let’s all work on that.

God bless you all,

Nathele Graham

twotug@embarqmail.com

www.straitandnarrowministry.com

ron@straitandnarrowministry.com

Ron and Nathele Graham’s previous commentaries archived at https://www.raptureready.com/featured/graham/graham.html

All original scripture is “theopneustos,” God breathed.

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Before And After :: By Nathele Graham

Published on: February 10, 2019 by RR7

“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

We all are born into this world as babies…then the fight begins. It’s a spiritual battle played out in the physical dimension. A baby has physical needs and can only make those needs known by crying. A loving parent changes the diaper or eases the hunger pains. The child soon learns to be selfish and demands their own way. This is the beginning of the spiritual battle for the soul of a person. Toys become idols and cookies aren’t to be shared. As they grow older, lusts become more sinful. If the child is born into a Christian household, there’s a solid foundation on which to build a life, and the lust of the flesh isn’t tolerated.

No matter what teaching a young person receives, there are always choices to be made every day. Do I engage in sin or do I resist temptation? The most important choice in life is whether or not to accept Christ for salvation. A wise person chooses Christ. When Christ is chosen, that person becomes a new creation…they are born again.

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Before that point, sin ruled. By God’s standards we all fall short of His expectations. Our only hope is Jesus. Without Him we are forever lost.

Before we accepted Christ, we had no moral guidance. Right and wrong were whatever was right in your own eyes. After coming to Christ, our moral guide is found in Scripture. If we don’t allow Him to change our moral outlook, there’s a problem. That’s when you need to question whether or not you truly gave your life to Christ who gave His life for you.

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

As you read through that list, you might not see yourself in it, but you are there. You may never have stolen anything, but if you’ve ever thought about taking something that wasn’t yours, then by God’s standards you’re a thief. Jesus said that even the thought of sin is just like actually committing the sin. Any sexual activity outside of a one man/one woman marriage is sin, but before you were a Christian, you probably didn’t see anything wrong with it. After giving your life to Christ, that should change.

“And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God” (1 Corinthians 6:11).

The blood of Christ changes everything. Before we came to know Jesus, sin wasn’t something we fought. After accepting Christ for salvation, our attitude should change. Before you came to Christ, sin was seen as a normal and acceptable part of life…now it isn’t.

Disobedience to God isn’t anything new, but it’s never acceptable to Him. We choose sin and disobedience, and we also choose to reject Jesus. By doing so, we choose eternal death.

“Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned” (Romans 5:12).

Adam had one rule: Don’t eat the forbidden fruit. His disobedience to God caused the sin and death we see around us today. Satan lied, and that liar is still working his evil in the world today. Many people seek after the sinful lust of the flesh but don’t recognize lust as sin. There’s no hope in sin.

“O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death?” (Romans 7:24).

Only Jesus Christ can deliver you from eternal death. Before you came to Christ, you were lost in sin and death. After you accepted Christ for salvation, you were justified. Now it’s time to live for Him.

Sin separates us from God, so we cannot possibly be good enough to get to Heaven by our own merit. Jesus paid for our redemption.

“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-26).

Salvation through Jesus Christ is a free gift. If you’ve accepted this gift, your sins are forgiven and you’re a new creation through Him.

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When you realized that you were dying in sin and accepted Christ’s shed blood for salvation, you were justified. That means He forgave your sin; and instead of eternal death, you gained eternal life. Instead of seeing the blackness and ugliness of the sin that separated you from Him, God now views you through the righteous shed blood of Jesus. Now it’s time to grow. You were a sinner bound for eternal damnation, but now you’re a sinner saved by grace. That inner change should be evident by outer action.

There’s no possible way for a new believer to know every sin ever committed or every stumbling block to come, but there should be repentance over past sin and a desire to please God in the future.

“But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; that being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:4-7).

Works cannot add to our salvation. We are saved by the grace of God; but out of love and gratitude for what Jesus did, we need to begin working for Him. Scripture is our guide. Before you came to Christ you probably never studied Scripture. What about now? How can you know how to live for Him if you don’t study His guide book? We know the unhappiness that lustful living and sin can bring, but the joy of salvation is something only a life lived for Christ can bring. You were once ruled by sin, but now be ruled by Christ.

After you’ve turned to Christ for salvation, you need to stop making excuses for the sin in your own life, but you need to also stop accepting sin in those around you. There’s a fine line between loving the sinner and condoning the sin. Christian congregations shouldn’t be filled with people who are comfortable in their sin or with people who take pleasure in the sin of others.

“Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same but have pleasure in them that do them” (Romans 1:32).

Using Scripture as the standard by which we judge isn’t wrong. We can’t expect people who reject Christ to live by His laws, but within our congregations if sin is embraced and the congregation takes pleasure in it, then there’s a problem. There’s a difference between a person who recognizes their sin and is fighting to change and one who happily continues in sin. God isn’t pleased when we take pleasure in the sin of people who claim to be Christians but don’t follow Christ. We are all in the ministry of reconciliation and need to help each other to come away from sin.

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; to wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18-19).

You ignore an important responsibility of your salvation if you don’t care if others are reconciled to Christ.

A question that many ask is how much sin can I continue to commit and still be saved? If you’re still living with one foot in the world, a better question is how sincere you were when you asked Christ to forgive your sin. We have freedom in Christ, but we aren’t free to continue to take pleasure in sin.

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13).

The Holy Spirit resides in all who have truly accepted Christ’s shed blood for salvation. Whatever we do, we take Him with us. We are to walk in the spirit and allow Him to guide us.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16-17).

Christians aren’t to be double-minded, but are to turn away from the lusts of the flesh. Temptations will come our way, but that’s when we go to the Lord in prayer.

Scripture will help a new Christian to grow in the Lord, and will help an older Christian to walk the narrow path. To fight temptation, we need to take control of our thoughts and let God’s light lead us.

“For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled” (2 Corinthians 10:3-6).

Christians are in a spiritual fight. That fight manifests in the physical world, but our weapons of war are spiritual. When temptation comes along, fight with spiritual weapons. Continual prayer will keep God in your thoughts, and Scripture will keep Him in your heart. Jesus fought the temptations Satan put before Him by quoting Scripture. If you take time to memorize Scripture, it will be there when you need to fight a Spiritual battle. Start by memorizing the Ten Commandments. Before you gave your life to Christ, you didn’t care about fighting sin. Now it should matter a lot.

Before you gave your life to Christ, you were lost and without hope.

“For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another” (Titus 3:3).

After accepting Christ for salvation, you are a new creation of God, bound for eternal life.

“That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:7).

Live for Christ today.