Growing up as a Christian, I always knew I was commanded by the Lord to walk in love towards others. In fact the scripture says everything hangs on this.

1. "One of the religion scholars came up. Hearing the lively exchanges of question and answer and seeing how sharp Jesus was in his answers, he put in his question: "Which is most important of all the commandments?" Jesus said, "The first in importance is, 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.' And here is the second: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' There is no other commandment that ranks with these." The religion scholar said, "A wonderful answer, Teacher! So lucid and accurate--that God is one and there is no other. And loving him with all passion and intelligence and energy, and loving others as well as you love yourself. Why, that's better than all offerings and sacrifices put together!" When Jesus realized how insightful he was, he said, "You're almost there, right on the border of God's kingdom." After that, no one else dared ask a question." (Mark 12:28-34 MSG)

2. "Teacher, which command in God's Law is the most important?" Jesus said, "'Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence.' This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: 'Love others as well as you love yourself.' These two commands are pegs; everything in God's Law and the Prophets hangs from them." (Matthew 22:36-40 MSG)

The reality was that no matter how much I tried I always seemed to fall short of the kind of love alluded to in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.

"Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end. Love never dies. Inspired speech will be over some day; praying in tongues will end; understanding will reach its limit." (1 Corinthians 13:4-8 MSG)

I can just about keep myself focused on one aspect of love and not long after, fall short of it’s standard. If the truth be known, I really didn’t believe anyone could live up to this standard. I resigned myself to doing the best I could.

A few years ago, God showed me some things that unlocked the key to experiencing His kind of love. He used the discourse on love found in 1 John 4:7-21. Before we can understand how God’s love is meant to work, there two very important things to be aware of.

(I). You cannot live the Christian life by your own effort. That is why we died at the new birth and Christ came to live in us, in our place, to live His life through us. We are but His means of manifestation. We must therefore stop trying and let Him do all He wants through us.

1. "So far as the Law is concerned, however, I am dead---killed by the Law itself---in order that I might live for God. I have been put to death with Christ on his cross, so that it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. This life that I live now, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave his life for me." (Galatians 2:19-20 GNB)

(II). Under the old covenant, the law told you God’s standard of conduct, but could not give you the power to live it. Under the new covenant which is much better, the revelation of God’s standard and the power to live it all comes from His spirit which is placed in us at the new birth.

1. "Now, this is the covenant that I will make with the people of Israel in the days to come, says the Lord: I will put my laws in their minds and write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. None of them will have to teach their friends or tell their neighbors, 'Know the Lord.' For they will all know me, from the least to the greatest. I will forgive their sins and will no longer remember their wrongs." By speaking of a new covenant, God has made the first one old; and anything that becomes old and worn out will soon disappear." (Hebrews 8:10-13 GNB)

Who needs a contract?

When you can make it up, as you go along

Never knowing what to expect

Not knowing who is doing what

Consequences are not spelt out

Can't tell who qualifies for which benefits

Hardly a viable way to live

If you life depends on it

I'm so glad; God uses contracts

I've seen the old and the new

Like chalk and cheese, they do not mix

The old is out, in with the new

I must approach Him in the new

The only one to which He responds

In the next installment, we will look at the relevance of these different approaches to walking in God's love.

Every Blessing

(To be continued...)

Breadoflife

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