Hi all,
Many countries have a day of Thanksgiving, and nearly all those holidays were founded with the idea of giving thanks to God. Over time, however, God became separated from the thanks, so that people are now just expressing what they are thankful for – without ever rendering to God the credit for the good things in their lives.
So too has love become disconnected from the One who is love. “For God so loved the world” and “God is love” has become ‘love is love’, ‘just love everyone’ and, “If you don’t accept me on my terms you don’t love me.”
Seeker-friendly and the loss of absolute truth in the church
In recent years that kind of ‘God loves everyone so any lifestyle is accepted by Him’ thinking has crept into church culture leaving Christians confused. Many are asking how to deal with people who call themselves Christians, but who live alternate lifestyles or hold to clearly anti-Christian political views. “God is love” has been lost in the noise of voices saying ‘love is love’. The lines defining love have become blurred.
I can trace the confusion in church culture to the start of the ‘seeker-friendly’ movement. Pastor Bill Hybels of Chicago is credited with the term, but it was Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in California in the 1990’s that caused that form of church to spread like wildfire. ‘Seeker friendly’ means there will be no confrontation about sin in an effort to welcome everyone. It is the removal from church anything that might make someone uncomfortable or offended.
It is no wonder Christians who are part of the auditorium church culture are confused.
The irony of seeker-friendly churches is that those who are truly seeking, seek definition, seek absolutes, and seek someone to tell them right from wrong. They want to know where they went wrong, and how they can straighten up their lives. Not finding it in seeker-friendly church, they look elsewhere. Seeker-friendly churches are therefore left with people who invite Jesus to be part of their busy lives rather than giving their lives wholly to Him.
This has led to people thinking they can believe in Jesus but live however they want. People talk of how Jesus forgave the woman caught in the act of adultery in John 8:11 when He said: “Neither do I condemn you”, but they forget He continued: “Go and sin no more.” He didn’t make excuses for ‘soul ties’ or listen to her that her lover gave her money or put a roof over her head. He would have known that. He commanded: “Go and sin no more.”
People want to be forgiven or their sins accepted, without facing any consequences for their actions. In the world and in church culture no one wants to talk about taking responsibility for their life. They think because they are redeemed, all consequences from their past life are magically wiped away. Love isn’t wishy-washy, it is very clear, and very much about personal responsibility. The guilt of sin is wiped away but that is spiritual. We live in a world of every action having a reaction. Spiritually we are forgiven, but we must renew the mind to prove in our lives the good, acceptable, and perfect will of God. (Romans 12: 1-2)
It’s created a culture of victimhood, people looking to see what could offend them, and divided people into tribes. Defining God’s love and how love is received brings unity for God brings absolutes.
Love always has conditions for how to receive that love
God so loved the world that He gave His only son….that is unconditional love. Here is the condition to receive that unconditional love: That any who believe in Him will have eternal life. He loves you, but if you want His eternal life you must believe in Jesus. He loves you, but His love is poured out through His only Son, Jesus. To many, the idea unconditional love has conditions by which to receive (and remain in) that love, is revolutionary.
But here are some examples: You love your spouse and they love you, but you each swore vows to one another to state to each other your love has conditions. If one of you break a vow and you may be headed for divorce. Love has conditions in order to receive that love. It has consequences if that love bond is broken.
You love that puppy, but if it grows up and bites people continually or destroys the house regularly, you may sell it or give it to an animal shelter. You love it unconditionally, but there are conditions to it receiving that love.
You love your neighbor unconditionally, as yourself, and show them kindness and do good things for them. But if they become angry with you because you fail their expectations one day, they shut themselves off from your love for them by refusing your friendship or future help.
God loved the world so He gave His Son. But His unconditional love is expressed through the Son.
The Old Testament Law of Moses with its 613 laws, was the way God outlined a nation was to behave, treat each other, and the means by which each Israelite could approach God. Walking in that law was however impossible for God is perfect and man is not. God so loved us that He sent His Son, whom He named Jesus (Hebrew: salvation) to perfectly fulfill that law, then die innocent so that death and subsequent life could be for others.
He died to put His Will and Testament into effect, then the Father raised Him from the dead so He could be the Executor of His own Estate. Now He is overseeing that His will is done – but just for those who receive Him.
Love therefore cannot be separated from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. When love is separated from God and His ways, then love becomes an undefinable mushy, feel good, anything goes acceptance of anything except God.
Love without expectations isn’t love. Grace is an inward affection, love is the outflow of that grace. Because we are loved by God, and in turn love God vertically, we are expected to love our neighbor as ourself as an outflow from that love. I’ve taught before how the word ‘righteousness’ is the Hebrew word tzedakah, translated ‘charity’. For when we are made right vertically with God, He expects us to let that rightness with Him flow horizontally to our neighbor. Thus the 2 greatest commandments upon which hang all the law and prophets is: Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and your neighbor as yourself.
Love judges others
Jesus said not to judge a person’s heart in Matthew 7: 1-2, but He did say we are to judge the fruit of their lives a few verses later in 15-20.
And that’s where we’ll pick it up next week.
Until then, blessings,
John Fenn
