Tag: Christian love

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The Atmosphere of Heaven

Today is St. Valentine’s Day, when lovers exchange gifts, flowers and greeting cards to express affection for each other. It is named in honor of a 3rd century martyr who became the patron saint of lovers.

Human beings are capable of love because we are created in the image of God. God is love. He wants his love to be demonstrated in our lives.

For the past few weeks I have been examining what is believed to be the greatest written treatise on love, 1 Corinthians 13. Even secular anthologies of English literature include this “love chapter” from the Bible because of its beauty and eloquence. It is indeed great literature.

However, this biblical passage is about more than romantic love, friendship, or any other natural affection. What it describes is a supernatural, self-giving love which has a profoundly Christian meaning.

Love is the governing principle of heaven. God’s love is to be the very atmosphere in which we live as Christians. John Stott illustrated it this way. “Take a fish as an obvious example. God created fish to live and thrive in water, whether salt or fresh. Gills are adapted to absorb oxygen from water, so water is the element in which a fish finds its identity, its ‘fishness,’ its freedom. It finds itself in the element for which it was created: water. It is limited to water, but in that limitation is liberty.

“Suppose you had a little tropical fish in one of those old-fashioned spherical goldfish bowls. Suppose that little fish swam round and round his blessed little bowl until its frustration became unbearable. The fish decided to make a bid for freedom and leap out of the bowl. If it landed in a pond in your backyard, it would increase its freedom because there would be more water to swim in. But if it landed on the concrete or on the carpet, then its bid for freedom would spell death.

“If fish were meant for water, what are human beings made for?  . . . What is the element in which human beings find themselves, as water is the element in which a fish finds itself?

“I don’t hesitate to say that according to scripture, the answer is love. Human beings are made for love because God is love. When he created us in his own image, he gave us the capacity to love and to be loved. So human beings find their destiny in loving God and in loving their neighbors.”

1 Corinthians 13:8 says, “Love never fails.” This is because God never fails. Love is eternal because God is eternal. He expressed his love for us in sending his Son to die for our sins to purchase eternal salvation for us (Romans 5:8; John 3:16). “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God” (1 John 3:1). Having received the love of God, we are called to share the love of God. This is how we bring the atmosphere of heaven to earth.

A young woman named Michelle lived in a northern city in the US. She decided to move into a rough neighborhood to try to help people living in poverty. She started tutoring kids and getting involved with their families. Some of her church friends heard about what she was doing and started asking what those families needed.

Michelle’s friends made lists of the needs and circulated them until they found people who could meet those tangible needs. It worked like an underground love network. When I heard about this they were servicing 430 families in the name of Christ and the network was growing.

Love brings the atmosphere of heaven to earth. Happy Valentine’s Day!

Pastor Randy Faulkner

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Love at First Sight

A scholar wrote a treatise on the theme of love. He was an unmarried man who’d had little personal experience with the opposite sex. In his research he consulted numerous books and articles by famous writers. His research spanned many months.

When he was finally ready to submit his writings to a publisher, he made arrangements with a secretary to type the manuscript. When he walked into her office something unexpected happened. Their eyes met. Their pulses quickened. A strange feeling swept over both of them. It was love at first sight!

The subject of his research was no longer an abstract theory. It had become a matter of personal experience. In this way he learned and understood more about his topic in a few seconds than he had gleaned through months of tedious research. For love to be fully appreciated, it must be experienced.

That is why 1 Corinthians 13 is in the Bible. It is the greatest treatise ever written on the subject of love. The eminent scholar Philip Schaff wrote in the margin of his Greek New Testament at 1 Corinthians 13: “This is a psalm of love. It is the Song of Songs of the New Testament. This is the height of the epistle. Love is the solution to all difficulties, the cure of all ills in the Corinthian church. If Paul had written nothing else, he would still be one of the world’s greatest writers and benefactors.”

In the original language of the New Testament, the word for “love” used there is a word that was used almost exclusively by early Christian writers. Many Bible students believe that the word was invented by Christians to denote the God-like love which can only be produced by the Holy Spirit.

This Greek word, agape, as used in 1 Corinthians 13, is not a natural love. It is the result, in the life of a believer, of a Christ-filled life. According to 1 Corinthians 13, love is greater than spiritual gifts, greater than oratory, greater than prophecy, greater than knowledge, greater than faith, greater than philanthropy, and greater even than martyrdom! It is, Paul wrote, “the most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31).

Amy Carmichael was a Christian missionary in India who dedicated her life to rescuing children and ministering to women. She wrote many books of devotion that were deeply spiritual. She wrote a little book that is both convicting and powerfully motivating. It is titled “IF.” Here are a few excerpts.

“IF I have not compassion on my fellow servant even as my Lord had pity on me, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

“IF I belittle those whom I am called to serve, talk of their weak points in contrast, perhaps with what I think of as my strong points; if I adopt a superior attitude . . . then I know nothing of Calvary love.

“IF I can easily discuss the shortcomings and the sins of any; if I can speak in a casual way even of a child’s misdoings, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

“IF I can write an unkind letter, speak an unkind word, think an unkind thought without grief and shame, then I know nothing of Calvary love.

“IF I do not feel far more for the grieved Savior, than for my worried self when troublesome things occur, then I know nothing of Calvary love.”

This is the difference between theory and experience. This is Christian love at first sight.

Pastor Randy Faulkner

 

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What Now?

Romans 12 is Paul’s answer to the question, “What now? Now that I have believed in Jesus, how does God expect me to live?” This chapter answers that question with an appeal to readers to live lives worthy of the mercy God has shown them in Christ.

Some readers of Paul’s letter to the Romans might be tempted to argue with his teaching on justification by faith alone. “If a right relationship with God is a matter of his grace and our faith, then does that not permit immoral living?” People were already asking that question of Paul himself (Romans 3:8, 6:1). Romans 12 is his answer.

I have recently been trying to stimulate interest in the book of Romans. I have prepared brief introductions to each chapter on this blog site. Chapters 1-8 are about justification by faith. Paul uses legal terminology to describe the way of salvation to people living under the laws of Rome. “Law” is not the means by which we gain acceptance and right standing with God.

Chapters 9-11 remind us that the gospel is for Jews as well as Gentiles. Israel is not permanently set aside in the plan of God. There were Jews and Gentiles worshipping together in the Christian assemblies in Rome. Paul reminds them that the Jews are still beloved for the sake of God’s promises to the ancient patriarchs. His calling and gifts are irrevocable. God has planned a glorious future for restored and redeemed Israel.

Now we have arrived at a turning point in the letter. Paul knows that his discussion about justification by faith demands an answer to the question about right living. Right living begins with surrender to the will of God (Romans 12:2). The name of this site is “His Will Blog.” It is based upon the assumption that it is possible for Christians to know and to do the will of God.

Romans 12:1-2 describe the Christian’s approach to God in worship. Romans 12:3 is about living with oneself. The rest of the chapter is about living in community with others (Romans 12:4-5). All Christians have gifts (abilities) to use to contribute to the life of the church. Paul lists some of them: prophecy, service, teaching, encouragement, giving, leadership, and mercy (Romans 12:6-8). By his grace, God gives these special abilities to his people to meet the needs of others.

As we serve one another in this way, we must be motivated by love. It must be sincere.  We can’t fake it. If we are to “honor one another above ourselves” it will only be because our minds have been renewed by surrendering to the Holy Spirit of God (Romans 12:2).

Furthermore, this loving service should be enthusiastic (with “zeal,” v.11). An apathetic and bored church member is a poor advertisement for the gospel. With fervent and hopeful spirits we are to give ourselves to prayer, hospitality, blessing, forgiveness, peace, and empathetic acceptance of all kinds of people (Romans 12:12-20).

“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good” (Romans 12;21). This is a word for us today. We live in a society torn apart by selfishness, violence, immorality, idolatry, lies, racial hatred, and slander. People all around us are distressed about the direction our nation is going. Romans 12 is a compelling picture of what a Christian’s life should look like before a watching world. If the people around us saw these attractive qualities in us, perhaps more of them would be drawn to Christ.

Francis Schaeffer famously said that the world has every right to reject our message if they do not see us Christians living lives of love.

Pastor Randy Faulkner