First John 4:7-8 “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love”.
On May 2nd, 1962, a dramatic advertisment appeared in the San Francisco Examiner: “I don’t want my husband to die in the gas chamber for a crime he did not commit. I will therefore offer my services for 10 years as a cook, maid or housekeeper to any leading attorney who will defend him and bring about his vindication”.
One of San Francisco’s biggest lawyers saw the advertisement, felt pity, and contacted the woman. After much work, he took on the case and ended up getting the innocent man released from all charges. Afterwards, the attorney refused the lady’s offer of ten years of service, noting that he was satisfied to have saved an innocent man from death.
Stories of kindhearted humans helping others with no kickback or reward offsets the grimness of news and gives hope of good in the world. Yet as Christians, we know a stronger kind of love, a love that gives the ultimate sacrifice. The very core of Christ’s message is one of love. God loved so much that He gave His all. Those of us who are saved have experienced that love fully, and now God desires that we turn around to show others that love as well.
Love is not common in our world. Hearing of someone giving of themselves stands out in a world of selfish pursuit. So when someone shows love, others notice. As Christians, our very existence should be to show love to those around us.
People in our world are desperate to know if they are truly loved, and they are often skeptical of the possibility of real love. Human love apart from God is only a cheap imitation – a selfish emotion that seeks personal gratification.
Our verses today tell us that God is love
His very nature is love, and His sacrifice for us on the cross defines the extent of real love. If our creator’s nature was not the very essence of love, there would be none in us. No mercy, grace, compassion, or kindness exists apart from Him.
As Christians, God commands us to love one another. Because He is love and because He has given us His nature, He instructs us to display His love to others.
We must remember, however, that apart from God, we cannot love others with the pure love that Christ gave to us. Loving others is not something that we work hard to muster up. Love is the fruit that God produces in us. Galatians 5:22 reminds us “But the fruit of the Spirit is love…” If we desire to consistently demonstrate God’s love to others, we must abide in Christ and allow His love to freely flow through us.
God’s manifest of love is Christ’s death on Calvary. This visible action proves that His love is real and offered to all. Think about the magnitude of God’s sacrifice for a moment. Jesus came into this world not to make God’s love possible, but to make it visible. He displayed His love in such a way that no one could ever question its validity.
As Christians, we are called to love as God loves. Merely saying we love others is not enough; we must display this love in the same sacrificial manner that Christ displayed His love. Were it not for God’s love within us, this would be an impossible responsibility.
Take a moment to ask yourself how you can make a conscious effort to manifest your love towards others in a sacrificial way. What personal comfort could you forgo in an effort to love someone in a Christlike manner?
God Manifested His Love Visibly, And He Calls Us To Likewise visibly Demonstrate Love.
Pastor Paul Okonkwo
Independent Baptist Bible Church (IBBC),
New Haven,
Enugu.
