Love

John 3:16, For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.

I John 4:8, He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

Matthew 22:39, And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

I Corinthians 13:13, And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Once sung… “Love, Love, Love – all you need is Love!”  (the Beatles)

How big is Love?  It is!

But!  Love is undergoing a transition.

Love used to have some lines – some parameters – some boundaries.  It used to be that Love was not a blank check.  But no longer.  In today’s idea of Love are the ideas of freedom, tolerance, acceptance, license, rights, empowerment, permission, inclusion, and other.  In fact, under the banner of Love today, just about anything goes or will go.  In the modern idea of Love comes all forms of sexuality, “marriage” combinations, gender identity and pronoun thinking.  Today’s Love is driving toward “everyone did what was right in his own eyes”, Judges 21:25.

Under the banner of the modern USA take on Love comes governmental handouts, special privileges, anger toward those who don’t “love” in the modern thinking and embrace of even the bizarre.

We live in a post-Christian country.  Seventy years ago (the 50’s) we still recognized “in God we trust” and “one nation under God”.  We still read the Bible in school, sang Christmas songs about Jesus in schools, and prayed in schools.  In the 50’s the great majority of people were still pretty committed to church and most churches still read the Bible and talked about the Bible.  In those days, God, Jesus, the Bible and church were important pieces in most every home.  With that exposure to God’s Word, the concept of Love had checks and lines.

That was then.  Over the ensuing decades we have systematically and legally pushed God to the side, into the shadows and now over the cliff.  March 1, 2021, Senator Nader declared, “Mr. Steube, what any religious tradition describes as God’s will is no concern of this Congress.”  So, with God’s Word on Love cast aside, the idea of Love has received a full reset based on man’s ideas and will.

Still, God’s Word, the Bible, gives framework to what God’s Love looks like and is to act like.  Consider:

John 3:36, He who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him

II Thessalonians 3:10, We commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat.

The poor must work for their food:  Leviticus 19:9-10, When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not wholly reap the corners of your field, nor shall you gather the gleanings of your harvest. And you shall not glean your vineyard, nor shall you gather every grape of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and the stranger.

The rich are not condemned, but are encouraged to give: I Timothy 6:17-18, Command those who are rich in this present age not to be haughty, nor to trust in uncertain riches but in the living God, who gives us richly all things to enjoy. Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share.

Hebrews 12:6, For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives

Ephesians 1:4, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love

Ephesians 4:15, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things

Philippians 1:9, let your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment

Thus, Love is incredibly important, but it is not a blank check.