CHAPTER
4
PART 6
PART 6
GOD LOVES YOU
“[No]….greater love…than this…”(John
15:13 KJV)
*
God’s love is patiently self-sacrificing and he
knows when you have made a permanent lifestyle choice that doesn’t include Him.
Out of loving
respect for your wants he gives you over to a reprobate (depraved) mind.
A reprobate mind is the only kind of mind you can have without God.
A reprobate mind indicates that you are following
after your sinful thoughts and ways to the fullest extent and stubbornly will not heed to
God’s corrective directions. A reprobate mind, therefore, is godless, filled with sin, and excludes God by suppressing his truth through disobedience.
Self-sacrificing love doesn’t give “up” on you, but
you can give up on it and out of respect, self-sacrificing love will give you
“over” to a reprobate mind.
Without responding by God-given faith to his
promises, God can’t clear you of guilt - without true repentance - and therefore,
you will reap what you sow. “The Lord is
slow to anger and great in power, …[but the Lord] will not at all acquit the
wicked…” (Nahum 1:3, Exodus 34:7, Numbers 14:18 KJV).
God laid down his life so you can live a holy life
and he is long-suffering toward you. “Or despisest thou the riches of his
goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of
God leadeth thee to repentance?” (Romans 2:4 ASV).
“And account that the long-suffering
of our Lord is salvation…” (2 Peter 3:15 KJV). God patiently
waits (long-suffering) for your repentance.
For without repentance the guilty will not be acquitted
of sin or its affects or its consequences. If you have not repented, you will not receive the
blessings of the righteous in this life or the life to come.
Also, laying down your life for another is
witnessed, not through physical death, but through your willingness to invest
your resources and your most precious treasures (money, time, etc,) for the one
you say you love (John 15:13).
Self-sacrificing love is an immutable and ongoing
service to another and is willing to bear the fruit of long-suffering (1
Corinthians 13:4).
Self-sacrificing love calls you to give up what you
love, because you love someone else more (Hebrews 11:17).
Again, to “abide in God’s love” is to stay engulfed,
surrounded, covered, or soaked IN His love, which is through Christ by faith. “…abide
in his love (John 15:10 KJV). God’s
love is not self-seeking.
God’s
love is not easily provoked or easily angered, but
peaceful. God remains calm and peaceful at all times.
God’s peaceful attitude demonstrates his ability to
handle our mistakes and short-comings without exhibiting an instant angry
response; which is usually common in humanity.
God’s love instantly and peacefully “... [covers]……a multitude of sins…” instead
of reacting with an outburst of anger (1 Peter 4:8 ASV).
Anger is not sinful, but it can turn into sin if it
is not properly handled in a timely manner. (Ephesians 4:26).
God is not easily provoked or angered since He
overflows with a love that slows and calms anger almost to a complete stop…with
peace. “And the peace of God, which passeth
all understanding, shall guard your hearts and thoughts in Christ Jesus”
(Philippians 4:7 ASV). Love does not anger easilyl
Jesus distinctly asked God to erase the record
of wrongs when he said, “…Father, forgive
them…” (Luke 23:34 KJV).
God encourages humanity to do the same thing when He
says, “…as the Lord forgave you...”
and in order to forgive in this way, “….put
on love…” (Colossians 3:13-14 ASV).
Humanity seeks God to erase their record of wrongs,
but they are quick to demand payment from others for past wrongs just like in
the parable of the ungrateful servant (Matthew 18:21-35).
God’s love looks beyond your faults
preferring to service your needs instead. God is not talking about allowing people to
walk over you or abuse you.
God is saying
don’t keep a record of wrongs particularly against those who are NOT actively
seeking forgiveness.
God keeps no record of wrongs in order to provide an
ongoing opportunity for everyone who decides to seek his forgiveness (2 Peter
3:9).
God doesn’t want anyone to perish, but for them to
come to “…the knowledge of the truth...
[or] come to repentance…” (1 Timothy
2:4, 2 Peter 3:9 ASV). God keeps no
record of wrongs, but out of a loving desire he prefers to make amends.
If you happen to be reaping the wrong you sowed or
are feeling guilty over a sinful act, or feeling anxious over a mistake, God’s
love will never rejoice in those moments.
Moments of unrighteousness is a time for struggle,
disappointment, or sorrow and not rejoicing. In those moments God’s love
continues for you, but does not rejoice in any unrighteous behavior (Proverbs
12:22).
In other
words, God loves you, but not your behavior. God only delights in truth and
rejoices when the truth is “…in …[your]
inward parts…” (Psalm 51:6 KJV).
Sin separates you from God and is another reason God
does not rejoice in unrighteousness. God knows unrighteousness or sin traps you
into a world of deceitfulness, darkness, and lies.
God’s love helps you in your struggle with sin or
unrighteousness. God is happy to show his delight when he rejoices with you in
truth.
EXCERPT FROM THE CHAPTER
"GOD LOVES YOU" FROM THE
BOOK TRANSFORMING LOVE
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