When the love of God is present in the life of a believer, it should be visible in at least five different areas.
- Love forthe Saviour
The Bible tells us time and again to love the Lord(Deuteronomy 6:5; 10:12; 11:1, 13, 22 ; 19:8, 9; 30:16, 20; Joshua 22:5). In 1 John 4:19 we find why we should love God: ‘we love him because He first loved us.’ Matthew 22:37-38 tells, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment.” God created us to have a loving relationship with Him. God reveals Himself to us as our heavenly Father and calls us his sons and daughters. We should express our love to Him by spending time with Him and doing His will in our lives.
- Love forthe Scriptures
Those who love the Lord should love His word.Ninetimes the writer of Psalm119 says he loves the Word of God (vv. 47, 48, 97, 113, 119, 159, 163, 167). Hislove for the Scriptures prompts him to meditate upon them and obey them. It is apparent that loving God is tied in with faithful obedience to whatever He says in His word. 1 John 5:3 says ‘this is love for God: to obey his commands. ‘Jesus said, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching… He who does not love me will not obey my teaching.”(John 14:23, 24; 15). If anyone obeys his word, God’s love is truly made complete in him (1 John 2:5).
- Love forthe Sanctuary
Our love for God can be seen in our love for God’s house.Thechurch was purchased by Christ’s blood. To forsake the House Of God is to sin against the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 10:25). It was King David, a man that God said was “After His Own Heart” who wrote “One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple.” (Psalm 27:4; 84:10). In Psalm 122:1 he said, ‘I was glad when they said to me; let us go to the house of the Lord.’ We show our love for the church by serving actively in the church, embracing the vision of the church and investing our money in the ministries of the church.
- Love forthe SAINTS
Christians are commanded to love one another throughout the New Testament (Jn. 13:34; Eph. 5:2; I Thess. 4:9; 5:13; 1 Tim. 4:12; Heb. 10:24; I Pet. 1:22; 2:17; 1 John 4:20-21). We can exercise God’s love toward our brothers and sisters by caring for their spiritual well-being. We can also show our love toward the members in the church by seeing to their physical (1 Thess. 3:11-13;James 2:15; I Jn. 3:17) and emotional needs (II Cor. 1:3-4; I Thess. 4:18; 5:14)When the children of God walk in love, then God will be seen (1 John 4:12)!Loving one another is an evidence to the world that we are truly the disciples of Christ (John 13:35).
- Love forthe SINNERS/UNSAVED
The father heart of God has a seeking love for every sinner. Jesus came to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10). The more we love God the more we love the lost. Our heart will be possessed by the redemptive love of God. We will pray and work for the salvation of the unsaved people in our family, community, city and nation. Apostle Paul says that the love of God compels him to share the gospel with the sinners and bring them to Christ (2 Cor. 5:14). Because we have been the recipients of His incredible love, we are called to be ambassadors of that love and share it with others.
God measures our lives by love. Though we have all knowledge and ability and have-not love, we are nothing. Though we make all forms of sacrifice but have notreal burning love for God and one another, we have nothing. How will your lifemeasure in thelight of Calvary love, in the light of eternity? “Whoever does not love does not know God,for God is love”(1 John 4:8). Will it be said of you: “See you greatly he loved” (John 11:36)?
