Love Ya

Nothing feels better than love. Love is an amazing demonstration of God in this torn-up world. It isn’t what you think. It’s supernatural. It’s from God. It’s unconditional. It doesn’t always make sense. The Apostle John speaks to this in 1 John 3.11, 14-16— “For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.”; “We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

Real love proves salvation more than anything else. We may emotionally love something, which is an emotion. As an emotion, we can change our feelings toward something or someone. Much like the dreaded statement some of us have heard— ‘It’s not you, it’s me.’ We may even genuinely and passionately feel love. But all of this is human derived and not to be trusted or lived upon. It’s human. It’s unstable. But God-love is foundational and strong. It isn’t based on emotion or intent; rather it is based in Jesus. 

The best test of this real, God-love, is our love for one another. This is why it comes after the first command to love God with all of our heart. It is the best test then of our faith. Do we really believe what we are reading… when that person did this or that? I’m not always capable of obeying that command emotionally… but I must actually. I can love someone else unconditionally because God loved me the same and continues to, even when and especially when I do not deserve it. Do I ever actually deserve it? 

The closer we draw to God in a loving, growing, intimate way, the more we are capable of loving others in the same way. If you’re not more loving than you used to be; if you’re not more tenderhearted; if you’re not more forgiving; if you’re not a kinder or gentler person than you were when you came to Christ…something mat be wrong. John said— “We know that we have passed…” We “know” is a powerful statement. It’s based in security. To know that this is certain. Certainty scares believers today. Why? There are certain certainties I depend on. I am certain of my kids love for me. I am certain of my wife’s faithfulness, etc. Why would I not desire then a certainty of love from God. People fail, I fail then, but God never fails. John is honing in on eternal assurance. God wants us to know. That word “passed” is the word that means ‘I’ve left it behind.’ When you pass from death to life, you were dead to God, and now alive in Him. There should be certainty in this. God in His rich mercy gave us this certainty by way of love. It is our proof— “…because we love the brethren.” Love is confirmation.

Did you notice verse 15— “He that loveth not his brother abideth in death”. Not good at all! We can’t hate, and true love confirms our salvation. Putting that all together… we have more proof. I want to love. Some people make it hard, but that doesn’t matter. Some of my feelings get in the way, but that doesn’t matter. Some circumstances make me want to ditch the whole thing, but that doesn’t matter. God-love compels me to love the ones I would naturally hate. God-love confirms God is alive and well in me, in the midst of emotional disagreement within. 

“Hereby perceive we the love of God” (16). This is how we know what love looks and feels like— sacrifice of self. The most unpopular statement today amongst believers. Self is the enemy folks. Self gets in the way. Self is the problem. But real love, God-love, goes anyway. We have a measurement to see if this is legitimate— “…because he laid down his life for us…” That’s the bar that is set. He sacrificed self for me. What right do I have to not withhold my life from others? Not just anyone. Not just the unloving. Not just the hardships and hard cases, but love that should come natural. What is that? Eternal love for an eternal family— “…and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”

I love you guys.