How do we know what love is?
One of the most well known verses of scripture seen at sports events, billboards,and in Sunday Schools is found in John 3:16 where quoting Jesus the apostle John writes saying “God so loved the world that He gave his one and only begotten son that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have ever lasting life.” This is indeed the core message of the bible. John, in his letter to the church repeats the thought in John 1:11 saying “This is the message you heard from the beginning: We should love one another” and later in the same chapter, verse 23 says “This is his command: to believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ and to love one another as he commands you.”
But then the question is raised asking what true love is. John gives the answer saying that our consciences inform us in the first instance. So that even those whose faith is weak can use their own thoughts to instruct them.
Ask: “Is what I am doing in my own thinking the right thing or the righteous thing to be doing? Or do I really think I’m not doing the right thing.” John clarifies it in verse 21: “If our hearts do not condemn us, we have confidence before God. But while our consciences may be a starting place it is imperfect and may be corrupt so John says test the spirits and seek the Holy Spirit for a more sure guide.”
John writes:
“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. This is how we you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God, but every spirit that does not acknowledge Jesus is not from God.” In other words if you don’t know Jesus’ true identity you will not be guided by the spirit of truth that sets us free. But even that is not enough to fulfil the full definition of love that is acceptable to God. To demonstrate that a person’s faith is in the true person of Jesus we must act out the love he shows. As James says: “Faith without works is dead.”
John affirms this truth also, writing: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”
By observing our own acts and discerning the intentions of our hearts by examining our thoughts we can know God’s Spirit is in us. John in verse 24 “Those who obey his commands live in him, and he in them. And this is how we know that he lives in us, we know by the Spirit he gave us.” When we are filled with the Holy Spirit of Jesus then we will live as Jesus lives. What is the supreme act of love. Jesus himself showed us that it was to lay down your life for you friends. He says that greater love has no man than this.
It is important that people of faith do not fool themselves into thinking that to embrace true doctrine is enough to call oneself a true believer. You must believe enough to follow Christ’s lead. As scripture says “to be doers of the word and not hearers only.” Even if our hearts condemn us and what we do as inadequate we are comforted by knowing God’s grace is given to us. John in verse 20 says: Whenever our hearts condemn us “God is greater than our hearts, and knows everything”.
God knows if what we are trying to do is to love as he loves and serve our neighbour as he serves us. This is the gospel. This is what we are thankful for.
God knows us better than we know ourselves and loves us more than we can possibly love others.
Submitted by Rev. Calvin Brown