What About Love?

A Mother's Love

My mother's love still brightens my heart. She loved me enough to switch my bare legs with a keen willow branch when I rebelled against her. She held me close and nurtured me when I was hurting. Her love lives on in my inner being.

I know that Jesus loved His mother. It is beyond my comprehension how He was able to look down at her from the cross, and to carry on with His plan to die a terrible death with her watching from the foot of the cross. He could have called ten thousand angels to destroy His enemies, and to deliver Himself from death. But, for the joy set before Him of bringing many sons to God, He despised the shame of the cross, and endured the agony in His mother's eyes. Jesus suffering so that others may live is the definition of sacrificial love, agape.

The English word love is used to translate Biblical words that mean erotic love, friendship love, and sacrificial love. It seems that some folks only think of erotic love when they see the word love. In their minds, love is associated with warm and fuzzy feelings, or a stirring in the loins. Some people who promote homosexual rights sometimes say that David and Jesus were homosexuals because it is said that David loved Jonathan, and Jesus loved John. This way of thinking is stupid.

The context within which a word is used determines the intended meaning, and sacrificial love should never be confused with erotic or sexual love.

After His resurrection, Jesus asked Peter three times if Peter loved Him. Peter responded with a different word that meant friendship. 

http://www.bible.ca/ef/expository-john-21-15-19.htm

John 21:15-17

Jesus said to Simon Peter, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) Me more than these?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You." [How could Peter say, unequivocally, I love (agape) you, after he had so miserably failed him?] He said to him, "Tend My lambs." (16) He said to him again a second time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (agape) Me?" He said to Him, "Yes, Lord; You know that I love (phileo) You." He said to him, "Shepherd My sheep." (17) He said to him the third time, "Simon, son of John, do you love (phileo) Me?" [notice that the Lord changed the word from agape to phileo] Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, "Do you love (phileo) Me?" And he said to Him, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love (phileo) You." Jesus said to him, "Tend My sheep. [Peter was “grieved” not because Jesus asked him a third time, but because Jesus lowered the standard.] We can only imagine the heartbreak Peter was feeling. Before fear and isolation enveloped Peter during the crucifixion he would have boldly said, “Lord, how could you ask such a thing? Of course I love (agape) you!” But his actions showed how miserably he failed to agape the Lord. He had previously even denied friendship (phileo) with the Lord!  

Sacrificial love is the greatest gift of the Holy Spirit. I Cor 13 gives a listing of what agape love does, and it concludes that love is greater than faith and hope, because after faith and hope are realized, love endures. Love is eternal. Thus we are told that God is Love, and that His mercy endures forever.

But God's love demands justice and righteousness, and gives us the power to live righteous lives, when we love and trust in God. It was Jesus dying on the cross, while watching the despair in Mary's eyes, that fulfilled the justice and righteousness of God. The wages of sin is death. The sinner dies, he runs from God's presence, he hides in the bushes, and attempts to fashion clothing from leaves to cover his shame.  But God prepared suitable clothing, the righteousness of Jesus, that is available to all who believe in Jesus. 

But that loving embrace, like a mother's love, is only available to those who are willing, who come to Jesus and reside in Him. Destruction lurks for all who leave the protective love of God, who flee to the world for satisfaction, who reject the love of God. Stripes on bare legs with a willow switch is nothing compared to what the world gives to those who trust in themselves, and who reject the love of God.  

For those who accept and abide in the love of God, we must love one another. Love encourages fidelity, and fidelity demands obedience to the righteous principles of God, taught by His word. Love demands that we walk in the light of His love. Walk means we have some responsibility for doing good, for sharing the good news.  

Jesus, John, and Mary

John 15:12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 

John 19:23 When the soldiers had crucified Jesus, they took his garments and divided them into four parts, one part for each soldier; also his tunic. But the tunic was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom, 24 so they said to one another, “Let us not tear it, but cast lots for it to see whose it shall be.”This was to fulfill the Scripture which says,

“They divided my garments among them,

   and for my clothing they cast lots.”

So the soldiers did these things, 25 but standing by the cross of Jesus were his mother and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. 26 When Jesus saw his mother and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to his mother, “Woman, behold, your son!” 27 Then he said to the disciple, “Behold, your mother!” And from that hour the disciple took her to his own home.

John, the apostle who sat next to Jesus at the Lord’s Supper, said this about God’s love: John 3:14 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

For God So Loved the World

16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. 18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. 19 And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. 20 For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. 21 But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God.”

Yes, walking in the light does not mean being enslaved to the lust of the flesh and doing as we please in rebellion against the clear teaching of God's word. Claiming love as permission for behavior that deviates from the revelation of righteousness in Jesus is not walking in the light. Our genetic composition is not license for living against the will of God. We must learn to control our natural tendencies to anger, avarice, lust, hatred, covetousness, and self destruction. We are called to walk in the light, and not in the natural order of time and chance. There is a way that seems right to mankind, but the end of that path is destruction. Love calls us to deny self, and to work for the good of all.

Yes, the world is enticing; looks good, feels good, lets one be their own guide (god?).  But the end is death and destruction.  We must flee from the idea of using the world's definition of "love" to encourage toleration for sin. Yes, we love all people, and Jesus came to call sinners to salvation. But when we come to Jesus and experience His love, we are called to love righteousness and holiness, and to join the battle against evil. 

Isaiah 5:20-- 
Woe to those who call evil good
and good evil,
who put darkness for light
and light for darkness,
who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter!

The politically correct advocates of evolutionary living want to teach our children that actions forbidden by the teaching of the Bible are ok. The time has come for those who love Jesus to say "enough!"

Love is not permissive, but restrictive. Love involves using a willow branch to switch bear legs, to teach avoidance of my rebellion against righteousness. Love involved destroying the world with water, to wipe out sin and preserve righteousness. Love promises to destroy the worldly order of time and chance with fire. There is a battle between what the world considers love (permissiveness), and what has been eternally established as love (sacrifice for the good of all). 

Which side are you on?

Wilderness Temptation Scene from "The Bible"

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2561677/The-devil-cut-The-Bible-spin-film-looks-like-President-Obama.html

The Vine and the Branches

I Am the True Vine

John 15

English Standard Version (ESV)

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pqq-zyD2qMc

Jesus is the true vine. He is the source of life for God's people. Only those connected with him have life and produce fruit. And branches lose their connection if they do not bear fruit.  The fruit of being connected to Jesus is all spiritual blessings, revealed in a life that brings glory to God. 

Pruning is part of the process. God takes away the things that hinder. He removes the diseased sprigs. He cuts off the branches that do not produce fruit.

But the branch has responsibility to develop the connection to the vine, by growing and maturing the fruit of righteousness, keeping the commandments of God because of love for Him. 

Whoever abides in Jesus, and has the power of God within himself, will bear much fruit. It is the connection to the vine, and the life provided by the root of the vine, that produces fruit. The branch can do nothing by itself. 

Jn 15:15 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine dresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.

5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 

7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

Members of One Body

Branches of the True Vine are also called members of one body. When we understand how we become members of one body, we can understand how we become branches on the True Vine. We are reconciled to God in one body through the Cross. The blood of Jesus takes away our sins, and allows us to become connected to Christ in His body. 

This process of becoming connected to Jesus is an exercise of faith that Paul called obeying the gospel.  Rom 10: 11 For the Scripture says, “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him. 13 For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”

14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” 16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

So the gospel is the key to becoming connected in Jesus. The gospel is preached to all, and those who believe in Jesus to the point of being willing to put their trust in Him (by repentance and baptism) are connected to the vine, becoming members of one body.  When about 3000 were baptized on the day of Pentecost, God added them to the number of His people. 

Acts 2:36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.
The Fellowship of the Believers

42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 And awe[e] came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45 And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

So that is how we get attached to the vine, how we become members of one body. We are added by God when we hear and believe the gospel enough to put our trust in Jesus by repenting and being baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.  We become part of the household of God. 

Eph 2:17,  And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. 18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. 19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.

Yes, Paul says that by one Spirit we are baptized into one body. Jesus said that we must be born of the water and the Spirit in order to enter the Kingdom of God.  So we understand that we become branches of the vine by the new birth of water and the Spirit.

One Body with Many Members

Rom 12:12 For just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ. 13 For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body—Jews or Greeks, slaves or free—and all were made to drink of one Spirit.

Once we are connected to the true vine, we must let the love of God and His Holy Spirit work in us to produce the fruit of the Spirit, to bring glory to Jesus. Else we will be cut off and burned.   

 Branches Bearing No Fruit