Without going into detail about each of the attributes listed above, I just want you to read through them again and ask the question, what is not covered in LOVE?
Considering the shame, condemnation, & judgement that gets hurled at the world - what about love?
Considering the running around in circles within the church trying to get everybody to believe the exact same thing - what about love?
Considering the amount of fear based gospel messages - what about love?
Considering the amount of apocalyptic thought in the world today - what about love?
What is it about this word that leaves us thinking LOVE is not enough?
Jesus used this word as a way of describing our connection with Him. The Apostle John used this word is his description of the very nature of God. Paul felt that love was an important enough topic to designate a significant portion of his letter to the Corinthians to describe what love looks like in our midst. Jesus summed up all the Law & all the Prophets with love. When will we get the picture?
I think (and I mean this is totally my thinking on the matter) that we are afraid that love doesn't do enough. That love tends to let people off the hook. That love doesn't deal with the issues at hand. That love will not confront or love will not challenge. In particular, I think we believe that love doesn't punish. And even though we are grateful that God hasn't dealt with us according to our transgressions (that is biblical theology), we really want Him to deal with everyone else according to theirs (that is not biblical theology).
It's our sense of justice that is not satisfied with the idea of love. If that is the case, then we have a godless view of justice. If God is considered just, and He is, and He has not dealt with us according to our sins, then what would make Him just in dealing with others according to theirs? Does love not cover a multitude of sins? Has God commanded us to love our enemies while He hates His? Is God asking us to be more righteous than He is in Himself?
What has been lost in all of our understanding of love is that LOVE is the greatest purifying agent on the Earth. Think about the times that you encountered TRUE, AUTHENTIC, CHRISTLIKE, AGAPE (unconditional) LOVE. What did it do in your heart? How did it change your life? To be sure that it may have taken some time but when love has you in the cross-hairs, it does not miss. How many people's lives have been changed through this type of love? Brought back home because of the love of a parent/grandparent? Sought to change their lives because they wanted to live fully in the love that has been given to them? Love purifies. This is the consuming fire of our God.
When our understanding of the nature of God becomes centered upon love, it changes everything. When our Gospel becomes centered around the love of God for the entire world, rather than the judgement of God upon sin, it alters the way we preach the finished work of Christ. We begin to see sacrificial love for what it truly is. We see the Father's heart for us. We see the compassion of Jesus for His brethren. We finally take notice of the redemptive love that is found at the Cross. The freeing love that is within the Resurrection. The inclusive love that is seen in the Ascension. It is there already but we have allowed our minds to be cluttered with other things. God is, always has been, and forever will be L-O-V-E. Can we believe that?
What about love? Will the church, once again, be persuaded that this is the greatest possession that we can share with the world? Will we allow ourselves to be molded by, purified in, and practiced in the power of love? It's one of the greatest questions of our day. The world needs intentional love. Will we be intentional?
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