I was asked by a reader of my Sunday Messages, “How do I love someone I don't like, and if I can't love them does it mean I do not love God?” I decided to tackle this question because there are many Christians who find it difficult, if not down right impossible, to love those they don't like. We are told by John that, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.” 1John 4:8 John goes on to write that it is impossible to love a God you cannot see, if you do not love your earthly brothers. 1John 4:20 As Christians, we need to understand that if God loved the world and gave His only Son to become a propitiation of our sins, then we should also love one another. John 3:16 & 1John 4:10 So we wonder by reading such passages how we can love the way God loves us. Allow me to first give some background on the apostle known as John.
If you had known John when he was still following Jesus as a young man, you would be stunned by the transformation of his heart. I refer to the day that Jesus sent messengers ahead to a Samaritan town to prepare a place for them to lodge. They were told by the elders of the town they would not be welcomed and thus Christ and His disciples were turned away. This must not have sat too well with the two brothers James and John, because they asked Jesus for permission to call down Fire from Heaven to consume and destroy the city. Jesus not only denied their request but rebuked them for their evil hearts by pointing out what manner of spirit they were to be. Luke 9:51-57 This little exercise in hatred earned James and John the name Boanerges, which in Greek means, "Sons of Thunder". However, by the time John was an old man and had written his gospel, epistles and the revelation of Christ, we clearly see the Lord had done some major overhauling in him, because we now know John as the “Apostle of Love”.
There is another incident that we can look to for answers to this question. It was recorded by John in his gospel and it took place when Jesus revealed Himself to the apostles at the Sea of Tiberias. John 21:1-18 After they had eaten some fish the apostles caught, Jesus asked Peter three times if he loved Him. Remember, Peter had denied Jesus three times when He was being mocked, beaten, and illegally tried for blasphemy. Matthew 26:69-75 Jesus was reminding Peter of his three denials by asking if he loved Him three times. John 21:15-18 One can only imagine the sinking feeling Peter had when Jesus asked the first time if he loved Him more then the rest, because it was when Jesus revealed that they would all abandon Him that Peter spoke vehemently saying, "If I have to die with You, I will not deny You!" Mark 14:27-3
Now before I continue, it is important to understand that the English translation of the Scriptures hides a very telling part of the three questions by Jesus. The first two times Jesus asked if Peter loved Him, He used the Greek word “agape” for love, while Peter would only respond with the Greek word “phileo”. There are four different Greek words used for love, but for the purpose of this message I will deal only with the two, “agape” and “phileo”. “Agapê”, is a sacrificial kind of love that asks for nothing in return. This is what God showed us when in spite of our many character flaws and weaknesses He still loved us enough to sacrifice His only begotten Son to give us a chance at eternal life with Him. Now “phileo” is the kind of love you show a brother, not a brother in the sense of family, but in the sense of kinsmenship. This is also the root used in the word Philadelphia, thus the reason they call Philadelphia the City of Brotherly Love.
What John reveals to us here, is Peter admitting that he does not have it in him to show an “agape” or sacrificial love that Jesus is asking of him. However, the third time when Jesus asked Peter if he loves Him, He does so by using the level of love that Peter is at, “phileo”. When He does, Peter breaks down and tells Jesus, "Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You." and Jesus then tells Peter;
"Feed My sheep. Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish.” John 21:17-18
What Jesus is telling Peter, is that He will work with the level of love that Peter confesses, and lets him know that a day will come when he will have that agape or sacrificial love in his heart. We know from the wittings of such early church leaders as Ignatius of Antioch, Dionysius, Irenaeus, Origen, Tertullian and others that Peter would experience the kind of love Jesus asked of him when he was crucified in Rome by Nero. All one needed to do to save ones life was to deny Christ and worship the Roman's Gods or Nero as Lord, but Peter would do something he had failed to do when he was much younger. This time he would not deny his Lord. This time he would show his “agape” love for Christ and die for Him as Christ did for us.
So you see brothers and sisters, you may not yet have the capacity to love those whom you don’t like, but as Peter told Christ, “Lord, You know all things”. God knows where our hearts are and He knows where they will be in the future. Jesus promised to continue the good work He began in us when we accepted Him into our lives. Philippians 1:6 & Hebrews 12:2 If John and Peter could spend three years in the presence of God while displaying an anger that would destroy a city, or even still have a limited love that was far short of what God called for, well then my friends, I would just advise you to give it to Him in prayer, and He will work on that part in your life that finds it difficult to love those you dislike. For those who do not know Him I would ask you to also pray and ask Him to reveal Himself to you. I promise that if you are sincere in your request that He will give you a heart to know Him. Jeremiah 24:7 In time, you will see that He is true to His word; maybe one day you will even be surprised to find yourself sacrificing for someone you used to hate.
I pray that those who have ears to hear will hear His voice and call upon the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen
I believe in the full and complete verbal inspiration of the Scriptures, both of the Old and New Testaments. By this I understand that the Holy Spirit not only inspired the thoughts of the writers, but also formulated the very word structure into which the thoughts were cast with the result that the original documents were inerrant as to fact and infallible as to truth (I Corinthians 2:13, II Timothy 3:16-17, II Peter 1:20-21).
B. The Godhead.
I believe in the Holy Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I believe that the Godhead is eternal in being, identical in nature, equal in power and glory.(Deuteronomy 6:4, II Corinthians 13:14).
C. Man's Creation and Fall.
I believe that man was created in the image and likeness of God but through Adam's sin became alienated from God, acquired a sin nature, and came under the judicial sentence of death (Genesis 1:25-27, Romans 3:22-23, Ephesians 2-12).
D. The Person and Work of Jesus Christ.
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God, became man, without ceasing to be God, having been conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary, in order that He might reveal God and redeem sinful man. I also believe that the Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His death on the Cross as a propitiatory and substitutionary sacrifice, and that our redemption is made sure to us by His resurrection from the dead in the identical, though glorified body in which He was crucified (John 1:1-2, Luke 1:35, Romans 3:24-25, I Peter 1:3-5).
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ is now in Heaven exalted at the right hand of God, where as High Priest for His people, He fulfills the ministry of Representative, Intercessor and Advocate (Hebrews 9:24, 7:25; Romans 8:34; I John 2:1-2).
I strongly lean towards a belief in the pre-tribulation, pre-millenial return of our Lord Jesus Christ for all true believers and in His Kingdom reign upon the earth. I say strongly lean because as I continue my studies I will admit that I am open to looking at all the evidence for all sides of eschatology, and I could still be convinced otherwise if the evidence is irrefutable. (Revelations 3:10; 1Thessalonians 4:13-18; Zechariah 14:4-11)
However, I also believe that my salvation does not depend upon what my belief of how the end times will come about, and Christ said only His Father (God) knows the time. ( Matthew 24:26)
E. The Holy Spirit.
I believe that the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Godhead, in the present age indwells all believers in the Lord Jesus Christ, baptizes them into the Body of Christ and seals them into the day of redemption, and I believe that every believer is commanded of God to be filled with the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9; I Corinthians 12:12-14; Ephesians 1:13-14, 5:14-20).
I believe that the true outward manifestation of the Spirit in the believer's life is through his walk and witness (Romans 8:14; Galatians 5:22-26; Acts 1:8).
I believe that the Gifts of the Spirit are irrevocable. God has not changed His mind concerning spiritual gifts. I do think that there are many who claim to have certain gifts that they do not have and thus they are tempting God with their charade. That being said I think it is a matter that we can debate but not divide over. (Romans 11:29; 1Timothy 4:14)
I also d0 not believe that speaking in tongues is a sign of being filled with the Holy spirit and that more Christians should be asking and praying for the gift of prophecy and discernment instead of tongues (1Corinthians ch 12).
F. Salvation.
I believe that salvation is the gift of God offered to man by grace and received by personal faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that this faith is manifested in works pleasing to God (Ephesians 2:18-20; Titus 2:11-14).
I believe that all true believers once saved shall be kept saved forever (Romans 8:1, 38-39; John 10:27-30; I Corinthians 1:4-8).
G. Baptism.
I believe that baptism is an outward sign of ones conversion and faith, and while I am not saved because I was baptized, Christ did command his followers to baptize believers in the name of the Father, the Son, and the holy Spirit. (luke 23:39-43; Matthew 28:18-20)
So if you claim to be a follower of Christ, then you will want the world to know it, and like Christ was, you too will want to be baptized. (Matthew 13:13-17; John 14:15; John 13:15)
H. The Church (Body of Christ)
I believe that the church (Body of Christ) is a spiritual organism made of all born-again persons in this age, irrespective of their affiliation with Christian organizations (Ephesians 1:22-23, 5:25-27; I Corinthians 12:12-14).
Two ordinances have been committed to the local church - baptism and the Lord's Supper (Communion). Christian baptism is the immersion of a believer in water into the name of the triune God. The Lord's Supper was instituted by Christ for commemoration of His atoning death. These two ordinances are to be observed until the return of the Lord Jesus Christ (Matthew 28:16-20; Luke 22:19-20; Acts 2:41, 10:47-48; I Corinthians 11:23-29).
I. Satan.
I believe that Satan is a person, the author of sin and the enemy of God and man (Isaiah 14:12-15; John 8:44; II Corinthians 4:4; I Peter 5:8; Revelation 12:10).
I believe that the Lord Jesus Christ triumphed over Satan at the Cross. Satan is destined to eternal punishment in the lake of fire and brimstone (Colossians 2:15: I John 3:8; Revelation 12:11, 20:10).
J. The Final State.
I believe that the condition and retribution of the lost and the salvation and blessedness of the saved are conscious and everlasting (Mark 9:43-48; Revelation 20:14, 22:3-5 & 11).
very insightful as I am experiencing that challenge as we speak...-Gary Jacques
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