In the world, love may come with conditions. The only exception that I can think of is the love a parent has for his or her child and still at times this seems to be conditional. We will love someone if they are giving us what fulfills us and makes us happy. The problem with this type of love is it can never stand the test. Humans are imperfect beings, failure is an inevitable part of our lives. With this said, this type of love never sticks around, and we are left feeling abandoned and wounded. But I am here to tell you about another type of Love, a Love that never abandons you!
In 1 John 4:7-8 John explains this type of Love, “Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (NIV). So, as I see it, to experience True Love, I must get it from God because He is Love. I must be born of God and know God. Any other love is not True Love. So, what does True Love look like?
In the Bible, Paul explains it this way in 1 Corinthians 13: 1-3, “If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but does not have love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing” (NIV). If I don’t have the True Love of God and only the earthly conditional type of love I am only fooling myself and others. But if one has True Godly Love they will witness a few things in their character.
Paul goes on to describe love, “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres” (1 Corinthians 4-7, NIV). A person with True Godly Love will display patience, kindness, truth, protection, trust, hope, and perseverance. That person will not show envy, boastfulness, pride, dishonor, selfishness, hold grudges, delight in evil, and will not be easily angered. True love will never fail (1 Corinthians 13: 8, NIV)! Paul continues to explain that when prophecies, languages, knowledge stop True love will continue (1 Corinthians 13: 9-13, NIV). The next question is how can I have this True Love if I am bound to fail? Well, the answer is salvation through Jesus Christ.
Paul continues to explain in Ephesians 2: 4-5 which states, “But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved” (NIV). When Jesus died on the Cross for our sins he took all the all our failures with him. If we would only believe that Jesus was God’s son and came to this sinful world to give us new life and hope we would be made right with God, the Father. Being made right with God through Jesus is the only way to receive the True love only God, who is True Love, can give. By accepting Jesus as Savior and confessing that you are a sinner and have failed to live up to God’s expectation True Love will enter your heart. I would beg anyone who has never experienced True Love to please examine your heart and decide to follow Jesus, you will never be abandoned or disappointed in putting your trust in True Love.
Your Sister in Christ,
Jacque Barnes
Please enjoy Our God is Love by Hillsong!
