There is a
profound scripture that is totally amazing to me. It sounds philosophical, it sounds difficult
to fathom, but it is very real. In the
book of 1 John Chapter 4 verses 8 and 16 we read a phrase that says, 'God is
love', let’s look at the scripture: 1st John, 4:8 "He
who does not love does not know God, for God is love".
1st John,
4:16 "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love,
abides in God, and God in him".
The Bible tells
us that God is love, and this literally means that love is very natural with
God. Love is so much his nature that he
cannot help but exude it, just as righteousness, faithfulness and justice are
his nature.
THE
GREATEST COMMANDMENT
Talking about
love again, it is according to our Lord Jesus Christ the greatest
commandment. It ultimately replaced the
Law of Moses to become the New and only commandment to the believer. In Mark Chapter 12 and verse 28-31, we read
about a Scribe who asked Jesus a very important question about love, and how
Jesus answered him.
28 "And
one of the Scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and
perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, 'which is the first
commandment of all?
29 And Jesus
answered him, the first of all the commandments is, "Hear, O Israel; the
Lord Our God is one Lord:
30 And thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this the first commandment.
31 And the
second is like it, namely this; thou shall love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than
these".
The man, who
asked Jesus this question, was amazed at this wisdom and tremendous revelation
His spirit immediately caught it, and he was totally satisfied. Look at his response to the answer in verses
32 and 33 of the same chapter.
32 "And
the Scribe said unto him, well, Master, thou has said the truth: for there is
one God: and there is none other but he:
33 And to love
him with all the heart and with all the understanding, With all the soul, and
with all the strength, and to love his neighbor as himself is more than all
whole burnt offerings and sacrifices".
This is one of
those few places, if there are any other where the Pharisees and scribes were
satisfied with the ways of Jesus. It is
so easy to understand this because, if you love the Lord, you will obey him,
and if you love your neighbor, you will never cheat on him or harm him, or rob
him or betray him in any way.
Jesus talked
about love again as a new commandment to his followers.
A
NEW COMMANDMENT
Thus in the Book
of John, Chapter 13 and verse 34, Jesus lends credence to the superiority of
the commandment of love, to any other, as he instructs his disciples. John 13 verse 34 –
34 –"A
new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you,
that you also love one another."
I had earlier
explained why, because it covers all the other commandments relating to our
fellow human beings.
Then again, love
is called or described as the greatest gift of all. In 1st Corinthians chapter 13, the
attributes of love are clearly written down and explained. Love is superior to the gifts of healing,
prophecy, speaking in tongues and interpretation, working of miracles,
discerning of spirits etc. and yet there are so many today that are moving
around, operating these gifts but have no love.
How sad!
THE
GREATEST GIFT OF ALL
Love is the
greatest gift of all, because without love; you will not make heaven or you
will be cast away from the presence of God at the last day. I strongly believe that those who will come
to the master on the last day and cry out, we worked miracles in your Name, we
healed the sick in your name etc. and will be driven away, with the Lord saying
to them get thee behind me or away from my presence you workers of iniquity,
for I never knew you, are these gifted people who have lost the love of God
Some are
callous, extort money from people, curse or stagnate innocent people who refuse
to be controlled by them because they are gifted. They will be shocked on the judgment day, if
they don't truly repent. That you have a
gift of the Spirit does not mean that you have made it to the end, otherwise
Jesus would not have said this, but many take it lightly, and live anyhow,
though gifted. Remember, to whom much is
given, from whom much is required.
