Sometimes Christians talk about the love of God saying, “Well, I can love that person but I don’t have to like him.” This comes from the teaching that God’s love is sacrificial giving, as if there is no emotion in it. However, this is an error in at least two ways. One, loving others does include affection . . .
Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is
good. Love one another with brotherly affection . . . (Romans 12:9–10)
Not only that, the love of God isn’t about controlling my actions
and emotions, but letting the Lord Jesus Christ control what I do and how I feel.
In Christ, I’m not to say such things as “I can love but not like” someone,
because I’m not living for myself . . .
For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded
this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all,
that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for
their sake died and was raised. (2 Corinthians 5:14–15)
Being in Christ means that Christ is living in me and I have
surrendered to Him. This results in a huge change. My life isn’t about me any
longer. I have the mind of Christ and a new direction, new goals . . .
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The
old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who
through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of
reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself,
not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of
reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal
through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. (2 Corinthians
5:17–20)
All this happens, but only as I abide in Christ. If I take
back the throne of my life, then I will think and act like anyone else, like
the old me. Abiding or staying in Him means obedience and loving others as He
loves them . . .
Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by
itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me .
. . If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and
it will be done for you . . . If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my
love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. These
things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may
be full . . . This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved
you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his
friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you . . . You did not
choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit
and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my
name, he may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love
one another. (John 15:4–17)
During this study on idolatry, I’ve learned that the way
to avoid putting people on a pedestal and making idols of them is by loving
them in God’s way instead of selfishly. Idol worship is selfish. It is putting
up a ‘god’ of my own invention that does what I want it to do, or so I think. It
is allowing that ‘god’ to take the place of God in my thinking and dependence.
The love of God is opposite. It is without selfishness and
does not change or reinvent God in any way. Instead of expecting Him to do what
I want, I obey Him with all my heart and rely on Him for everything. This
cannot happen without a commitment of faith and of obedience – in response to God
who has changed my life through His Word and the power of Jesus Christ.
Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for
a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since
you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through
the living and abiding word of God . . . (1 Peter 1:22–23)
The sequence is clear . . . the Word of God speaks . . . through it I have been born again . . . I obey
the truth He reveals . . . my soul is purified to sincerely love others from a
pure heart. I cannot pick and choose who I will “love” but not “like.” If that
is happening, then I’m deluded and am listening to the wrong god, an idol on
the throne of my life.
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