TITLE: Is the Love of God at work in us? By Frank P. Martinez Jr. 09/20/05 |
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The most complex of minds have sought to figure out why a God who is perfect would desire to have a relationship with a creation as sinful as mankind. I have one word for you “love” not Eros or Philia but Agape. Which is defined as “Understanding, redeeming, good will for all men. It is an overflowing love which is purely spontaneous, unmotivated, groundless, and creative. It is the love of God operating in the human heart (Martin Luther king Jr.).” Paul is credited with acknowledging the fact that if you and I have every spiritual gift that can be received but do not have love then you and I have nothing. Furthermore, Jesus Christ stated that the world would know that you and I were His disciples by our love for one another. Remember the two most important commandments are to love God with all your heart, mind and strength but also to love everyone as much as you love yourself. So in time God out of love for man brought his Son to earth in the form of sinful flesh to live a perfect life and to suffer for the sins of mankind. This was necessary so that you and I would be able to have a relationship with God and when He sees you or me God sees us as perfect because of what Jesus Christ did on the cross. It is for the very purpose of having a spiritual union with God that mankind was created in the first place because God chose to express His love to us, in us, and through us by way of His Son Jesus Christ. It is this love that has propelled us to the beloved adoption of sons and daughters of God Most High.
The Romans at the time that Jesus Christ walked the earth as a flesh and blood human being had conquered the whole civilized world. Gods chosen people the Jewish nation were a part of those that had been conquered and they utterly despised the Romans and everything they represented. For the Romans did not respect any of their traditions, which had been passed down from generation to generation. Nor did they worship the one and only God who is creator of all but had established a society based on pagan ideals. Israel was of the impression that the Messiah would come and establish a new kingdom and therefore release the shackles that the Romans had placed upon them but unfortunately they were mistaken. For Jesus Christ told them that they should love their enemies and this infuriated the nation of Israel. They did not understand that God was far more concerned about their eternal destination and so he sent His Son as a sacrifice in order that they would be apart of His kingdom, which would stand forever. However they rejected this plan, which had been established before time began and instead the creations had ended up crucifying the creator of all life, as we know it.
However, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ was Gods ultimate plan for salvation to be extended not only to the Jewish nation but also to every nation till the end of time. The apostles were obedient to this vision and so upon receiving the Holy Spirit they turned the world upside down with the gospel of Jesus Christ. Which at the very center of it expressed a message of Gods love for mankind that He sacrificed Himself so that you and I would receive the benefit of a relationship with Him that would not only exist in this life but also for an eternity. That God turned His back on His only begotten son for a brief moment and counted Him who is sinless as sin and poured out His wrath upon Him so that the union, which was enjoyed by Adam and Eve, would be restored. It is this very Jesus Who has expressed His love in the greatest possible way by laying His life down for you and I by taking the punishment that should have been ours. The real question that I am confronting you with is do you have this type of love toward every person that crosses your path?
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