Love is patient, love is kind, and is not jealous; love does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails… 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a.
God is love and we have been born anew into His glorious kingdom and we are told not only to love one another, but to love our enemies as well. God is not a taskmaster; He would not tell us to do this if we were not capable of it. So how do we do it?
Of ourselves, we are incapable of doing it; our flesh will have no part in it. Without Jesus it is impossible, but with Jesus all things are possible. But what does it mean to be with Jesus? I hear people telling others they need Jesus, as if they would be different if they had Jesus. However, having Jesus is a misnomer.
This misnomer leads to the thinking that if we have Jesus He will do whatever we want or need. But the truth is we are not to have Jesus, we are to give ourselves to Him. Having Jesus is a fallacy, for if anyone would come after Him, they must deny themselves, and if they have denied themselves how could they possibly have Jesus? He would have them instead.
We are called to do the will of God, not our own will. What difference does it make what we’re going through? We do not belong to ourselves; we were bought with a precious price, the body and blood of Jesus Christ. We are to follow our Shepherd wherever He leads us, whether it be in peace or turmoil, or through valleys of flowers or thickets of thorns.
Jesus is the Savior, we are the saved. He snatched us from the fires of hell and we have an obligation to follow Him down the narrow path that leads to eternal life. As the word of God says,
So then, brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh— for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God, Romans 8:12-14.
As we fulfill our obligation, the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Christ emanates from us, and the love of God flows through us. At this point, loving our neighbors and our enemies is a given. It’s impossible to abide in Jesus and walk by the Spirit and not love everyone. God is love and we are now in the body of His living Son. And if we are in Him, the Father has shed His love abroad in our hearts. His love is so powerful, how can we not allow it to flow through us to our fellow man? How can we not put others above ourselves?
It is impossible to walk with God and not be a servant to others.
Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children; and walk in love, just as Christ also loved you, and gave Himself up for us, an offering and a sacrifice to God as a fragrant aroma, Ephesians 5:1-2.
Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law, Romans 13:8-10.
Jon David Banks, God’s most unworthy servant
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. www.lockman.org
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