LOVE OF GOD
Tuesday – April 4, 2017
We pray that you are prosperous and in health as your soul prospers and is in health (3 John 1:2). Greetings partners and friends of this Ministry and The Three Minute Word publications. Remember, today, Tuesday, is the day I remind us all to pray for our nation at every level. Seek the face of God and pray as He instructs even if it does not make sense at the moment, He is looking at a way bigger picture including the hearts of people. Okay, now let’s jump back to our Bible Study from the book of Ephesians.
Ephesians 6:10-13 (KJV)
10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.
11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.
12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.
13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.
For the last few days I have been focusing on the little yet gigantic phrase “of God”. Recall that the little word ‘of’ means: from or out of; proceeding from, as the cause, source, means, author or agent bestowing. From our text we see that the armour we are to put on is of God. Just as the Scripture tells us that Jesus (The Word) is the author and finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2) so is the Word the author and finisher of all else that is good. He is the author and finisher of our righteousness, our peace, our joy, our faith and today we will be talking our love, really His love in us.
I know that I repeat this often but once again I am going to define Bible love. This is vital because secular love definitions are so engrained in our consciousness. Bible love, Godly love, the love of God has everything to do with obedience to the Word of God, selflessness, and adherence to the Blood Covenant and nothing to do with emotions and hormones. If a man says he loves his wife yet does not love her in the same way that Christ loves the Church he is a liar. In the same way, if the wife does not exercise Godly submission to her husband yet says she loves him so also is she a liar. The love of God is not developed in either one. Let’s take a look at the words of Jesus.
John 14:15 (KJV)
15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
John 14:21 (KJV)
21 He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.
I think this is quite clear, as I have heard a well-known preacher say, “You would need a good theologian to be confused”. The Apostle of love, John, wrote the following by the unction of the Holy Spirit.
1 John 4:7-8 (KJV)
7 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.
8 He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
John then he brings us back to our submission to, our obedience to the Word of God.
1 John 5:3 (KJV)
3 For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
Remember Jesus said that His yoke was easy and His burden was light (Matthew 11:30). That is to say that His commandments are not grievous but they are easy and light. This concept of the expression of love being obedience to the Word applies to God as well. He expresses His love to us by doing the Word of God. As we wind down for today let’s look at a very familiar text.
John 3:16 (KJV)
16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
God gave His Word starting in the Garden of Eden that He was going to fix this mess. He accomplished The Blood Covenant with Abraham which gave Him the legal matrix through which Christ could come and redeem us from the curse of sin. Taking what we now know about love lets paraphrase the John 3:16 verse.
For God was so obedient to the Word of God toward the world, that He gave His only begotten Son… You see the idea. He had given His Word and He was obedient to His Word. Much like if we promise our child to get them an ice cream if they clean their room, when they clean their room we are then, if we love them, obligated to fulfill our word. In most places where the word ‘love’ is found you can substitute the word ‘obedience’ to get the true nature of what is going on. Consider the following Scripture.
Galatians 5:6 (KJV)
6 For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
The purposes of God are accomplished when faith is applied to a situation in love, which is obedience to the Word of God, and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. Otherwise we may put on quite the show but not advance the Kingdom of God.
Tomorrow I will move forward with Ephesians 6:11.
By: Dr. David Wood, Author, Bible Teacher, and Prophetic Voice
