I trust you're doing well.
This will be the start of a new series where I'll be discussing the importance of love.
As Christians, the word of God should be the foundation on which we base our outlook, thoughts, opinion, decisions and actions regarding the various areas of life. We see this is 2 Timothy 3:16-17, "Every Scripture is God-breathed (given by His inspiration) and profitable for instruction, for reproof and conviction of sin, for correction of error and discipline in obedience, [and] for training in righteousness (in holy living, in conformity to God’s will in thought, purpose, and action), So that the man of God may be complete and proficient, well fitted and thoroughly equipped for every good work."
If we believe that God created the Heavens and the Earth, and if we esteem the word of God for what it is, His word and will towards us, then we should also trust that the Creator knows what His creation needs to do in order to best succeed in life. That He knows what He's talking about. That He would know what's best for us, what works and what doesn't, how to best conduct ourselves on this Earth so that the human race can thrive, succeed and prosper as He designed it to ... and one of those instructions is found in Matthew 22:36-40"
“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
In the above passage we find that God has given mankind a very simple instruction. It's not complicated, not difficult to wrap our heads around - it simply says that we're required to love Him and love those around us ... Yet look at the below example of what happens when this simple instruction is ignored:
In 1939, there were about 2 billion people in the world. The best estimates indicate that between 62 and 78 million of them would die due to World War 2 (WW2) - more than 3% of the world’s population.
Half of the WW2 European casualties were civilians. Among civilian deaths, between 9.8 and 10.4 million civilians were murdered for political or racial reasons by the Nazi regime.
World War 2 caused several severe hunger crises which led to many casualties, and may have had long-term effects on the health of survivors. In the fall and winter 1941/1942, Greece was struck by a severe famine with about 100,000 to 200,000 deaths.
There were three main periods when people were forced to flee their homelands. During WWII, millions of Jews, but also opponents of the Nazi regime, were expropriated, and often sent to concentration camps and were murdered there.
The war took some 50 million lives. More civilians died than combatants. They died horrible deaths from explosion, firestorm, vaporization, suffocation, exposure, starvation.
What about other examples of wars that took place over the years (wars based on selfish motives like greed); what about racism and the ongoing effects and consequences it still carries today; what about crimes like theft, murder, rape and other acts of violence; what about bullying, lying, cheating, adultery, hatred towards others, etc. I'm sure this list can go on and on ... but all due to an absence of love (God's way of loving) ... Imagine how much more good could've been done, and can still be done today, if everyone obeyed God's instruction to love!
Romans 13:8-10
Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not bear false witness,” “You shall not covet,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.
Unfortunately we can sometimes find this absence of love inside the church and amongst Christians in general when we consider examples of strife, envy, jealousy, offence, gossiping, unforgiveness which can cause division and see members leave the church. Think about the relationships that were lost and never to be reconciled. Think about the individuals or families whose lives would've been positively impacted had they stayed connected to the church. Think about the lives they would've gone on to impact ... What about those who may even have given up on God and Christianity all together ... All due to an absence of love (and specifically due to a lack of love by fellow Christians)
As we conclude today's message, let us consider the instruction given by Jesus in John 13:34-35 (AMP) - I am giving you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, so you too are to love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love and unselfish concern for one another.”
Amen