God's love toward others...
How do we express God's love toward others? Forgiveness is vital. If God forgave every sin I have ever committed and ever will commit, how can I justify holding a grudge against a wrong done to me? We express love through encouragement and building up each other. We express love by meeting a need that God has given us the power meet. We express love by comforting each other and teaching each other. Sharing the gospel with someone is an act of love. Even rebuke can be an act of love if it is done with the right heart.
If someone is living contrary to God's will, it is our responsibility to lead them toward godliness. Often times this first requires bridge-building. It rarely does good to whack someone over the head with the 'stick of truth'. This does not mean that you cannot be confrontational, but if you do not have a relationship with someone, they will not be receptive of criticism even if it is in love. If we have neglected God's call to be involved in each others lives, what gives us the right to jump in the middle when we see something wrong? When the time for confrontation arises, our attitude must be an attitude of reconciliation and not condemnation. It is one thing to say, "You are wrong", but quite another to say, "Look at what God has said is right". Spiritual maturity and growth comes when the focus shifts from me to Christ. If we seek to reconcile someone to Christ, we must get the focus off the love of sin and onto the Savior.
Some go as far as to say that if we love, we cannot judge someone's actions as sinful. This is unscriptural and if we think about it, it also lacks common sense. If someone is driving down a road in a fog and you know the bridge is out, which shows more love: to smile, wave, and say, "God will deal with them"; or to run to them to tell them that the road leads to destruction? The road of life has many such detours. The roads are decorated with signs that promise fulfillment and pleasure, but the end of the road is a pit. We are watchmen that point out the false promises and point to the true promises of God. We can't stop someone from desiring the pitfall, but we can make it clear that the right path follows and imitates Christ.
If someone is living contrary to God's will, it is our responsibility to lead them toward godliness. Often times this first requires bridge-building. It rarely does good to whack someone over the head with the 'stick of truth'. This does not mean that you cannot be confrontational, but if you do not have a relationship with someone, they will not be receptive of criticism even if it is in love. If we have neglected God's call to be involved in each others lives, what gives us the right to jump in the middle when we see something wrong? When the time for confrontation arises, our attitude must be an attitude of reconciliation and not condemnation. It is one thing to say, "You are wrong", but quite another to say, "Look at what God has said is right". Spiritual maturity and growth comes when the focus shifts from me to Christ. If we seek to reconcile someone to Christ, we must get the focus off the love of sin and onto the Savior.
Some go as far as to say that if we love, we cannot judge someone's actions as sinful. This is unscriptural and if we think about it, it also lacks common sense. If someone is driving down a road in a fog and you know the bridge is out, which shows more love: to smile, wave, and say, "God will deal with them"; or to run to them to tell them that the road leads to destruction? The road of life has many such detours. The roads are decorated with signs that promise fulfillment and pleasure, but the end of the road is a pit. We are watchmen that point out the false promises and point to the true promises of God. We can't stop someone from desiring the pitfall, but we can make it clear that the right path follows and imitates Christ.
--written by-Eddie Snipes, Exchanged Life Outreach
Scripture Memorization Verse:
posted by Chris @ 7:49 AM
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