What's Love Got To Do With It?

There was a popular song sung by Tina Turner in the early 70's entitled "What's Love Got To Do With It?" In one part of the song she says, "...what's love, but a second hand emotion." We know Tina went through an abusive relationship with Ike and when you have been so beat up and beat down for so long, maybe love does become just a second hand emotion.

In an age where the word love has become a generic word used as a leverage tool to get something from somebody, has anybody stopped to wonder why love is under such an attack, even in the Church and among Christians? Everybody says they love their dog but let that dog bite them.

The one single characteristic that defines those who are disciples of Christ is this: LOVE. "By this all men shall know that you are my disciples, if you have love one to another." [John 13:35] Love for one another is the very description that Jesus gives to identify true followers of Him. But does it stop there? Is love confined only to those who are like us? "You have heard that is was said, 'You shall love your neighbor' and hate your enemy; but I say to you, Love your enemies; bless those cursing you, do well to those hating you; and pray for those abusing and persecuting you, so that you may become sons of your Father in Heaven. Because He causes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust." How can we love our enemies if we don't even love those who are our brothers and sisters in Christ? We cannot minister to people who we think are unworthy of salvation. I have no problem calling sin, sin but I do have a problem with calling people who sin, or live in sin unworthy to be saved. Jesus came for the unworthy (which includes every person on planet Earth who is not saved). Sadly, we have folks in the Church who profess to know Jesus who live worse than some sinners who do not even want to be saved. That's another blog.

Why is love under such an attack? Because love is the very platform upon which the whole Kingdom of God operates. Everything that God does, He does in love, perfect love. Our God is perfect love and He is perfect in His hatred. Not only will God freely pardon sin for those who come to the cross, repent and turn from sin but God will also judge those who reject the cross and the blood of Jesus that was shed there. As Christians, love is a fruit of the Spirit. [Gal. 5:22] We speak the truth in love. [Eph. 4:15] Perfect love cast out all fear. [1 Jn. 4:18] That scripture says, ".....fear hath torment." Also, "There is no fear in love...." So many are walking around tormented by fear because they do not understand love. Perfect love is not something you get at Wal-Mart. They just don't have it in stock. You can't get it from a preacher or in a chat room. This kind of love only comes from God. It is called Agape love. It is unconditional love that allows those who have it to love unconditionally even when there is not response to that love. Jesus died on a cross because He loved us, but while He was dying, so few loved Him and He knew there would be many who would reject Him throughout history until the time of His return.

One of the key signs of the end times will be a lack of love that will arise in the Church on the eve of Christ return. "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold."[Mat. 24:12] If you are reading this, check your love walk, not your love talk. Do you really have a heart to see souls won in the Kingdom of God. That means that love sometimes has to tell a person they are in sin, even when that person thinks they are alright with God. Sin can and will blind the hearts and minds of those who do not know its deception and deceitfulness. Anything that God says is sin in the Bible must be sin, or He would not have called it that. We can't stroke our friends and family who are living in immoral lifestyles and tell them everything is alright when they are on their way to hell. Do we really love them enough to tell them the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?

Walk in love but speak the TRUTH in LOVE. "And you shall know the TRUTH and the TRUTH shall make you FREE." [Jn 8:32 emphasis mine]

- Pastor Billy