The Law of Love! by Chris Reed

By Chris Reed

In John 13:34-35, Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another." The Bible says in Romans 13:8 that we are to "Owe nothing to anyone--except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God's law."


 


Jesus said that the entire law can be summed up in two commands - to love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, and mind; and to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 28:38-40). Lastly (for now), 1 Corinthians 13 tells us that whether we had all wisdom, or the tongues of men and angels, or faith to move mountains, or prophecy strong enough to reveal all of God's mysteries, but was without love, all would be useless.


 


Far too often today, I hear Christians talking and sounding nothing like love. One denomination is superior to another because they speak in tongues, or because they have more contemporary worship, or because their service is held at the "correct time." We have all heard someone say that they belong to "Pastor so-and-so's or Bishop this-and-that's church" - and the air about how they say it may as well finish with "and we are superior to you."


 


Walking in Love


 


Is it coincidence that the unchurched world views Christians as hypocritical? Should we be surprised by this when as a whole, we set ourselves at odds with our fellow brothers and sisters based on which building we worship in, or based on the style of the service? We even have teachings on how this or that denomination isn't truly Christian based on some fact. Should we be at all surprised then, when the rest of the world sets themselves against "church people?"


 


My friends, this should not be the case. Let me repeat myself for good measure: THIS SHOULD NOT BE THE CASE. God revealed many aspects of His character by the myriad different names by which He identified Himself, but the only time He called Himself an attribute was when He called Himself love. Today, I pray that all of our eyes would see; that our hearts would understand, and that our hands and feet would go forth in love. Christianity is not about fulfilling 5,000 do's and don'ts; it is about walking in love. We are to speak the truth in love. Jesus said that all the law and the prophets hang on love.


 


I want to help you get free from false religious mindsets that have served as prisons. You are not a better Christian for checking off a list of to-do's. You are not more powerful if you prophesy or less powerful if you don't. Prophesy is an amazing gift of the Lord, and is extremely powerful, but prophecies will fade. Love endures. Powerful gifts do not cover a multitude of sins; love does. Emphatic teaching doesn't cast out all fear; love does. Love of the Father is not a set of moral obligations and checklist. I don't read my Bible or pray or go to church because I am "supposed to." I do them because they flow naturally as a byproduct of my love of the Father. Love compels me to pray, to seek God because I am enraptured by His great love.


 


Today, right now, you are far more powerful than you realize. Make a choice today to step out and to radically love those around you, regardless of denomination, or regardless even of religion, and I guarantee that you will see that you will see your entire world change right in front of you. Since God is love, let me end with this food for thought: "For Love so loved the world, that Love gave..."


 


Chris Reed


crr.reed@gmail.com


 



 

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