Tis the Season to be...Loving
Written by Ed Allen
Saturday, 17 November 2001 19:00
The Person You Always Wanted to Be
From the sublime - "love is patient, love is kind, it does not boast, it does not envy" - to the ridiculous - "love means never having to say you're sorry" ? From the well -known - "all we need it love, love is all we need" - to the almost infinite unknown examples ? no other topic has inspired more written and spoken verse than love. I suspect none comes close. We love love. And we are right to do so. It is a critical part of the people we want to be. In fact, the Bible makes it the capstone characteristic in the profile of the person we want to be.
Galatians 5:16-25
"(16) So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. (17) For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. (18) But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law. (19) The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; (20) idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions (21) and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. (22) But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, (23) gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. (24) Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. (25) Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. "
Remember That Love is the Capstone Characteristic of Who We Want to Be
- Can forget that. Might think smarts or good looks. Might think strength or decisiveness.
- 3 reasons love is a central part of who we want to be:
- Love feels good.
- Love is powerful. We are influenced by others either through fear or love. Those we fear, we sometimes resent. But those we love, we cherish.
- God is love. We were made in His image.
1 John 4:8
"(8) Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love."
What is Love?
- Love is not sex.
- Love is not tolerance.
- Love is not indulgence.
- Love is self sacrifice.
- Love is action oriented
- Agape
1 John 3:16
"(16) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers."
How Do We Become More Loving?
- Not by self improvement techniques.
- Not with more information.
- Indirect route:
- Passage says "live by the Spirit". It means "depend on God".
- Passage sets up two kinds of impulses, two operating systems:
Sinful nature & Spirit: We become more loving by living by the Spirit = depending on God Ironically in this way we become more like God by being less like Him. It does not mean that there is nothing we can or should do. In fact, living by the Spirit is a command and a difficult one. It involves active surrender, aggressive dependence, and proactive waiting on God.
Let's end with an illustration: a garden - it must be tended and you must choose to sit in it. What are the "weeds": Anger at someone or something? Some lie you are holding onto currently or from your past? Fear, inability to trust? Need for control?