To Truly Love God is to Love Others

To truly love God is to love others. How can we say we love God and not love other people, for God is love and He loves all people no matter their skin color, nationality, religion, what they have done or not done. God may not be pleased with us but He still loves us. Christ died for the sinner, the lost, those not so lovable. He died for all of us because we all have failed: sinned and come short of the glory of God. (Rom 3: 23) As a child of God we also must love all people. If we cannot love all people then we do not fully know God. 1 John 4:8  “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” 1 John 4:16 “And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.”

Our flesh wars with our spirit. Our flesh says get even. When we are hurt by someone or angry at them our flesh wants to get even but God does not look to get even with us when we fail him and he does not want us to look to get even with others. Romans 12:17 “Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men.” God’s goal is to reach us with His Grace and mercy. He is there waiting to forgive us.

God also wants to show His love to others through us. Our goal as an ambassador for Christ is to reach other people with a kind, loving, and forgiving heart.1 Peter 4:8 “And above all things have fervent charity (love) among yourselves: for charity (love) shall cover the multitude of sins.”

When Christ lives in us we become one in spirit with Him. We no longer live by our flesh but by the unity of the spirit of Christ dwelling in us. Ephesians 4:3-7 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ. It is a gift freely given to us and He wants us to pass that gift on to others.

So how do we know God lives in us? When His Holy Spirit is living in us it tells us how to act. Even though our flesh wants to hate the Holy Spirit prompts us to love despite what our flesh wants. It is by our obedience to the leading of His Holy Spirit that we know God is living in us. I John 4:12-13 “No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected (proven) in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.” Ephesians 4: 2-3 “With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”

We are to love others, treat them with kindness; be forgiving. We are not to return evil for evil but we are to bless those who curse us. In so doing we bring a blessing upon ourselves and help bring others to Christ. When we do these things then we know Christ lives in us. I Peter 3:8-11 “Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew (turn from) evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue (follow after) it.

God Bless! Jeanette