Caricatures of God

More than likely you have seen a caricature before.  Perhaps you’ve even commissioned one of yourself.  In the most conventional sense, a caricature is an artist's depiction of someone in which prominent facial features are exaggerated for comical effect.  Sometimes we see that cartoonists and comedians will often present political caricatures; Phrases or stances of public figures might be overstated in order to make some kind of point on a particular issue.

In the spiritual realm, believers and unbelievers will sometimes create their own representation of who they think God is.  Like caricatures, these views of God may be exaggerated or distorted.  Sometimes they have preconceived notions of who God is and sometimes they make the mistake of thinking of God in human terms.  They may cite portions or scriptures or take verses completely out of context to support their viewpoint.

Of course, as the problem with such ideas is that they may only be half-true or completely contrary to what God’s Word actually says!

Proverbs 18:2 A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.

For this lesson I would like to focus on three caricatures of God and examine the validity of each.

God of Wrath – “The Sky Bully”

One of the most unfair caricatures of God is presenting God as an irrationally angry God who is just itching to rain down some fire and brimstone on everyone.  The “God of Wrath” or “Sky Bully” is always looking for an excuse to destroy and smite his created for just being themselves or not living up to His lofty standard.  Supporters of this view of God often describe the Bible as a moral code that no one could possibly abide by.  They believe that God is merely an enforcer of these arbitrary instructions.

The irony is that many people who have this view of God aren’t even believers to begin with.  I’ve had conversations with atheists who will call into question the character of God – whom they view as an imaginary character – and cite verses from the Old Testament to point out instances of God wiping out entire nations.  They will go as far as to say, “If there is a God, He’s not the morally repugnant, hatefully murderous God of the Bible.”

Sometimes believers also hold similar outlook on God.  Oftentimes they will only preach on God’s wrath toward sinners, giving the impression that we only ought to serve God out of fear.
Looking to the Bible for answers, we can clearly see that this view of God is based on many half-truths.

Indeed, the Bible does show us that God has a wrathful side.  It’s also true that He delivers punishment to mortals.  However, it is important to notice who exactly God’s wrath is reserved for.

Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness…

God’s wrath is reserved for the unrighteous and ungodly, not for random innocents and certainly not for those seeking to do right.

One thing that needs to be understood concerning God is that He allows us free will.  We get to choose how we want to live our lives.  When we make the choice to engage in unrighteousness, that is when we risk the wrath of God upon us.

Romans 2:5  But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who “will render to each one according to his deeds.”

When discussing only the wrath of God it is easy to overlook the fact that God’s mercy is towards us is so great.  Consider this:  We have already established that God’s wrath is directed toward the unrighteous.  Unfortunately, we are all guilty of sin!

Romans 3:23  …For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…

Since we are all guilty of sin, we deserve God’s judgement and subsequent wrath!  Thankfully, however, our God is a merciful God.  His mercy is as great, if not greater, than His wrath!

Romans 3:24-25   …Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed…

Through the willing sacrifice of Christ, God offers us salvation from our sins.  While unbelievers will struggle to reconcile the wrathful God of the Old Testament with the merciful God of the New Testament, a true student of the Bible knows that this is not two different gods, but that they are one and the same.  Flip through a concordance sometime and you’ll likely find far more instances of God’s mercy and love than you will mentions of His wrath.  That’s in both the Old and New Testament.  The character of God is consistent throughout the Scriptures.

A final thought on this point:  If God is so full of wrath, why hasn’t He put an end to this wicked world already?

2 Peter 3:14  Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless;  and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation…

Once again we see that the mercy and love of God prevails.  It is through God’s patience with us that the unrighteous are granted a chance of salvation… and that’s what God wants for all of us!

God as Santa Clause

Another caricature of God is the idea of God being a Santa Clause-like figure whose only purpose is to shower us with blessings.  The mindset is that if we just believe in Him that, like jolly old Saint Nick, God will give us goodies and stuff. Therefore this becomes the only motivation for serving God, for the material rewards.

God is indeed benevolent and abundantly generous with His blessings, the Bible tells us as much.

Matthew 6:30-33  Now if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will He not much more clothe you, O you of little faith?  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things.  But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

Unfortunately, those adhering to the “prosperity gospel” misuse verses like this to support the ideology that the pursuit of God is the pursuit of material wealth.

However, further study reveals that Jesus Himself dispels such a notion when speaking to the rich young ruler.

Matthew 19:23-24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Assuredly, I say to you that it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

We can’t make the mistake of thinking that God’s primary purpose is to deliver us material wealth…  For in doing so we allow our love for that wealth to replace God as our focus!

Matthew 6:24  No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Additionally, if we allow ourselves to concentrate only on God’s material blessings we make a huge mistake in overlooking God’s spiritual blessings which are far more valuable!

Matthew 6:19-21  Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

God does not want us to have a covetous heart, but to be content with the blessings He gives to us.

Hebrews 13:4-6  Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you…”

The God of “Unconditional Love”

In John 8, the scribes and Pharisees brought a woman who was caught in the act of adultery before Jesus, asking Him if she should be stoned for this sin.  Jesus famously said, “Let who is without sin cast the first stone.”

This a favorite verse of many that subscribe to the idea of God being a God of “unconditional love” who loves us so much that He ignores sin altogether - and that Christians ought to do the same and not be “so judgmental”

 “God loves me just the way I am.  I don’t need to change to please God.”

We’ve all probably heard that statement at some point.  The mindset here is that we do not need to change in order to please God.  Basically, we can just ignore the things that God says are displeasing to Him because He will simply overlook our sin.

It’s true that we have a God whose love exceeds all understanding.  However, to please God we must understand that He does require repentance and avoidance of sin. Therefore, we cannot use God’s love to justify sin.  Indeed, our God is an all-loving God who loves us in spite of our differences.  In that way His love is unconditional

Romans 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.

However, we must understand that God’s salvation is conditional and that is through His love for us that He wants us to change.

Acts 17:30  Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent…

The words “repentance”, “repent”, and “repented” are mentioned over 100 times throughout the Bible.  Unfortunately some believers ignore this vital component of God’s instructions for salvation!

Recall the rest of the aforementioned account of John 8 for further insight.  At this point, the scribes and Pharisees were convicted by their conscience and left Jesus and the woman alone.  Notice what Jesus says to her.

John 8:10-11  When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours?  Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Yes, Jesus defended the woman from her detractors by pointing out that no one is without sin.  But that wasn’t the end of the story.  While she was not condemned to death, we read that Jesus acknowledged that what she had done was sinful and told her to repent!

This misunderstanding of the character of God reveals not only a misunderstanding of God, but also a misunderstanding of love itself.  Love does not mean that we have to agree with every decision or action someone makes.  We know all too well that some decisions and actions are destructive.  If we love someone and see them going the wrong direction, don’t we have an obligation to warn them?  Merely pointing out to someone that something is sin does not equate judgement on our part.

A Christian knows that sin is contrary to God’s will and that it actually severs our relationship with Him.

Isaiah 59:1-2  Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear.  But your iniquities have separated you from your God;  And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.

It’s really quite simple:  God loves us so much, that is why He wants us to change and repent.  Turning away from sin is turning toward God!

Conclusion:  Two Fallacies

I would like to conclude this lesson by addressing two fallacies, one that contributes to the misunderstandings about God’s nature we have covered and another that could keep us from a closer relationship with God.

Fallacy Number One:  We can understand God completely

Isaiah 55:8-9  “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord.  “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.”

Oftentimes we make the mistake of thinking of God in human terms, but God is not like us.  We were created in His image, not the other way around.  God is eternal, His wisdom is eternal.  We might think we understand righteousness, but only God is righteous.  Therefore we cannot fully understand or comprehend our eternally righteous God.

Fallacy Number Two:  God cannot be understood at all

While we never fully understand God, the Bible does give us a great amount of insight on the character of God.  It is through this knowledge that we can be assured that He doesn’t just leave us hanging;  He reveals to us what we can comprehend and what we need to know.  Through God’s Word that we are given understandable instructions for how we ought to live and attain the salvation He freely offers to us.

Romans 1:16  For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes…

As we have seen from this lesson, God’s mercy and love are as great, if not greater than, His wrath.  He wants us to choose to be saved.

While He is not Santa Clause, He has given us a blessing beyond measure, the gift of His Son who gave His life for us so that we could have salvation.

Finally, we know that God wants us to make changes.  He wants us to repent of our sins and turn to Him so that we are no longer spiritually separated.

Spiritual Warfare

“Onward, Christian soldiers, marching as to war, With the cross of Jesus going on before! Christ, the royal Master, leads again the foe; Forward into battle, see His banner go!” 

– S. Baring-Gould, from the hymn Onward, Christian Soldiers

Frequently throughout Scripture we find our spiritual struggles likened to earthly warfare.

Christians understand that this is not a literal call to arms, a militant commandment to bend the wills of others to Biblical ways of thinking.  Rather,  it's an analogy, a very appropriate one as we will see.

Ephesians 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

The spiritual battle so often discussed in the Bible takes place in the heart/mind/soul of each individual Christian.

Know Your Enemy

Every good military strategist will point out that before any beginning any fight that it is necessary to have an understanding of your enemy.

Around 2100 years ago, the Chinese general Sun Tzu wrote the following in The Art of War:

“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.” 

In our spiritual battle, our enemy is no less than Satan himself, a rebellious fallen angel bent on destruction of all that is good.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

In order to attain victory, good strategists familiarize themselves with their enemy’s methods.  We know that the devil typically tends to appeal to our desires through various temptations.  He turns us against ourselves!

James 1:14-16 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren.

We read that in order to achieve his goals Satan’s primary method is to deal in deception.

John 8:44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.

One of Satan’s greatest advantages is the number of ways he can win, for we know that “broad is the way that leads to destruction” (Matthew 7:13).  The “lord of this world” (2 Corinthians 4:4) has many agents throughout the physical realm, in our own nation, state, city, and even sometimes in our own homes and churches!

Our society has been constantly trying to entice us with temptations of a wide variety from the day we were born.  Make no mistake, as Christian soldiers, we are in a battle whether we like it or not – and we are behind enemy lines!

1 John 2:15 Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

However, as we will see throughout this lesson, one of the greatest weapons we can use against our unholy adversary is the Truth of God.  It is only through committing ourselves fully to God can we hope to defeat the devil.

James 4:7 Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

Preparing for Battle

“Gird your loins!”  

If you’re like me, you’ve probably found yourself wondering what in the world this saying meant when Peter wrote the phrase.

It turns out that in ancient times, tunics were the common fashion.  The loosely flowing garment was not exactly ideal for intense physical activity of any kind – certainly not for the battlefield!  Could you imagine launching into war stumbling over all of that loose fabric?

Therefore, when battle was imminent, warriors would gird their loans:  They would collect the loose fabric and tighten it up around their waist, re-purposing their garb into something more suitable for action.  Taking this into consideration, let’s reread Peter’s words…

1 Peter 1:13-14 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance…

Basically, if we hope to have any kind of chance in whatever spiritual battle we face, we must take a cue from the warriors of old.  Rather than tighten our garments for physical battle, our mind must be properly prepared.  We have to focus fully on the matter at hand.  We have to commit full obedience to Christ, letting go of the cares of the world that could trip us up.

For victory to be assured, preparation is key.  Let us examine the ways in which we must prepare for the spiritual battle at hand.

The Armory of God

Earthly soldiers recognize the importance of the proper gear with which they are outfitted.
As Christian soldier, we are not being sent into battle naked and empty-handed!

Ephesians 6:10-18 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might.  Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.  For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.  Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,  and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.  And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;  praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints...

Let us briefly examine each of the components of the armor:

First, truth serves as a belt.  It may not seem like it, but the belt actually a very important piece of equipment as it serves to secure all other pieces of armor.  Additionally, wearing a belt indicates that a soldier is ready for battle, only loosening his belt when off duty.  In the spiritual sense, Truth is just as integral.  Surrounding us like a belt, God’s Truth directly deflects the lies of Satan.  It’s interesting that Paul chose the belt to signify Truth since it is the part all the other pieces hinge upon.

Next, our breastplate is righteousness.  Obviously, a breastplate protects the chest region which contains one of the organs most central to our survival: the heart.  This shouldn’t be surprising since we well know that God desires our hearts to be pure and righteous.  A Christian giving in to sin without repenting is the equivalent of rushing into battle without a breastplate!  One wouldn’t last too long without this vital piece of armor!

Shoes might be easily overlooked as they are probably the least exciting piece of armor, but I would imagine that a bare-footed march across harsh terrain would likely make one realize just how necessary proper footwear must be for going to war!  We are told to shod our feet with “the preparation of the Gospel of peace”.  Just as one’s shoes help them to stand firm, the Gospel serves as a stable foundation for the Christian soldier.

Faith is our shield in spiritual warfare.  A shield is primarily used for defense, repelling weapons that may be used against a combatant.  Our faith acts in a similar manner, guarding us from spiritual attacks such as temptations.  Shields may be used in offensive maneuvers as well, especially in great numbers.  Roman soldiers employed a strategy called the phalanx in which their shields were joined together in close formations.  Pressing forward as a single unit, the army could repel enemy forces and gain ground.  Likewise, Christian soldiers draw strength from one another through their common faith and love.

A helmet is necessary for protection against blows to the head.  One wouldn’t make it far with an unprotected skull!  Damage to the brain can temporarily stun a soldier, inhibit their judgement, or – at worst – kill them instantaneously!   Our helmet in the spiritual battlefield is hope.  In the spiritual sense, it is our mind that needs protection.  In the tumultuous world we live in we need all the hope we can get!  A Christian focuses on Christ’s love and His assurance of an eternal home in Heaven.  This great hope guards our minds from the discouragements and despair we face on a daily basis.

For the most part, each of the components of God’s armor is defensive in nature.  However, God also gives us a powerful offensive weapon to utilize as well:  The sword of the Spirit!

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

It is interesting to note that the word of God is likened to a “two-edged sword”.  To me, this implies that this weapon can be used against us if we are unskilled in our wielding of it.  We must be knowledgeable in God’s Word, yes, but more importantly, we must live it day in and out (James 1:22).  How often is a Christian discredited due to their being a hypocrite?  Therefore, we see that not only is it important to have a knowledge of Bible content and “theory”, but also to be skilled in applied “practice”.

However, as long as our skilled in the use of this sword, God’s Word can be used to devastating effect against even the most powerful foe.  Recall in Matthew 4:1-10 that Jesus was tempted in the wilderness by the devil himself.  Satan tried every enticement he knew in attempting to corrupt Christ, but remember how Jesus responded?  Each time the devil sent a volley of temptation at Him, Jesus simply responded with, “It is written…”

Indeed, Jesus defeated the devil by simply quoting Scripture!  How often do we take for granted this wonderful weapon God has provided us with?

How Do Attain Victory?

Once you are outfitted for battle, preparations still aren’t quite complete.  In order to win a battle, a solider must have a strategy.

Proverbs 20:18 Plans are established by counsel; By wise counsel wage war.

Thankfully, as we well know, God has provided us with a guide.

2 Timothy 3:16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.

As we read here, the Bible lays out God’s wisdom in such a way that we can follow it and be assured of victory in any battle.

Conclusion: God is on Our Side

In addition to all of the personal preparations we ourselves can make, we cannot allow ourselves to forget that we have an ally who is all-powerful!  That’s right; God Himself is on our side!

Remember in the Old Testament how the Israelites could march bravely into physical battles with the knowledge that God would provide them with victory?

Deuteronomy 20:4 For the LORD your God is the one who goes with you to fight for you against your enemies to give you victory.

It’s no different in the spiritual battlefield.

Romans 8:31-35 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things? Who shall bring a charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

In spite of the potentially overwhelming odds we face while living in this world, God will deliver us!

Romans 8:37-39  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,  nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

"God Bless Us, Every One!"

“There’ll be scary ghost stories and tales of the glories of Christmases long, long ago…” 

– From It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Is there a place for ghost stories in the Christmas traditions?

It might be hard to believe but this was actually a common practice in the Victorian Era Christmas traditions of the yesteryear.  Huddled around the fireplace in the dark of winter with little else to be done outside, it wouldn’t be totally unheard of for friends and families to share tales of haunting spirits as part of their Christmas festivities.

More importantly, a Christian might ask:  Is there a place for discussing such things as part of a Gospel sermon?

Finding Truth in Myth

It is my belief that the Bible, as the Word of God, is the ultimate Truth.  However, I believe that bits and pieces of that same Truth can be found in a variety of places.  Delighting in the beauty of the natural world, reveling in the scientific miracles discovered by mankind, and, yes, even being entertained by a work of fiction can yield a portion of the Truth laid on in God’s Word in a very impactful way.  At the very least, these can serve to pique the interest of the unbeliever toward learning of the Truth.

The Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkein said the following of man-made works of fiction:

“We have come from God, and inevitably the myths woven by us, though they contain error, will also reflect a splintered fragment of the true light, the eternal truth that is with God. Indeed only by myth-making, only by becoming 'sub-creator' and inventing stories, can Man aspire to the state of perfection that he knew before the Fall. Our myths may be misguided, but they steer however shakily towards the true harbour, while materialistic 'progress' leads only to a yawning abyss and the Iron Crown of the power of evil.”

Recall, the Apostle Paul used mythological deities worshiped by Romans to share the Truth with non-believers on Mars Hill in Athens (Acts 17:22-31).  Jesus Himself used parables, fictional stories, to relate Truth about God’s Kingdom on numerous occasions.
Taking this powerful teaching method into consideration, let’s examine this classic tale through the lens of a believer, looking for the deeper Truth yet to be revealed

Scrooge

It’s a cold, bleak Christmas Eve when we are first introduced to Ebenezer Scrooge – and he is not given a very flattering description.  The character is called a “squeezing, wrenching, grasping, scraping, clutching, covetous, old sinner!”  Much is revealed about Scrooge’s miserly character as he works in his counting house.  He mistreats his only employee, Bob Cratchit, by overworking and underpaying him.  When Scrooge’s nephew Fred invites him to a Christmas dinner the old miser scoffs, calling the holiday a “humbug”.   Scrooge turns away men seeking a donation to provide for the poor, telling them that the poor ought to die and “decrease the surplus population!”

As Scrooge prepares to lock up for the evening he grudgingly allows Bob Cratchit to have Christmas Day off.

We can gather the miserable state of Scrooge’s life based on his interactions with others:  He loved money above all else.  He was completely selfish, lacking in any form of compassion for others.

Obviously, these are traits condemned within God’s Word!

Ecclesiastes 5:10 (NIV)  Whoever loves money never has enough; whoever loves wealth is never satisfied with their income.  This too is meaningless.

Zechariah 7:10  …Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner,  or the poor, and  let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.

Marley’s Ghost

Later that same night Scrooge is visited by the ghost of his former business partner, Jacob Marley, who has been dead for seven years.  Marley, a “dreadful apparition”, is bound in a series of heavy, entangling chains.  These shackles, Marley states, were forged during his lifetime of greed and he is now doomed to bear them as he wanders eternally.

Scrooge, stunned at Marley’s eternal punishment points out that in life he was always a good man of business, only to be sharply rebuked by the specter.

“Business!' cried the Ghost, wringing its hands again. “Mankind was my business; charity, mercy, forbearance, and benevolence, were, all, my business. The deals of my trade were but a drop of water in the comprehensive ocean of my business!”

How often do we find ourselves caught up in the bustle of our earthly life and forget our true purpose as Christians?

Ecclesiastes 12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, For this is man’s all.

Our mission on Earth is not to attain wealth or seek all the pleasures this life has to offer.  We cannot allow ourselves to forget our true calling as Christians!

While the Bible’s recorded eternal punishment awaiting unrepentant sinners in the afterlife may not completely match up to that of Marley’s Ghost, the phantasm is certainly a powerful metaphor for the fact that our earthly deeds follow us into the afterlife and, like Marley, can entangle us in condemnation.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Galatians 6:7-8 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.

Marley concludes his visit by telling Scrooge that he will be haunted by three additional spirits and that through them the old has a chance of avoiding the suffering Marley himself will forever suffer.  Scrooge falls into a troubled sleep.

The Ghost of Christmas Past

Scrooge awakens at the stroke of midnight to the eerie illumination of Ghost of Christmas Past.  The childlike spirit transports Scrooge through various scenes of his former life as a lonely boy and later as a happy young man working for the jollily doting Mr. Fezziwig.  Their journey culminates in Scrooge witnessing the heartbreaking moment in which his unhappily neglected fiancée Belle leaves him as he loves material wealth more than her.  At that point of his life, Scrooge was already exhibiting the avarice he would continue to practice into his latter years.

Much like we read of time and again throughout the Bible, hardening of the heart leads to wretchedness.

Proverbs 28:14 Happy is the man who is always reverent, But he who hardens his heart will fall into calamity.

Ephesians 4:17-19 This I say, therefore, and testify in the Lord, that you should no longer walk as the rest of the Gentiles walk, in the futility of their mind, having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; who, being past feeling, have given themselves over to lewdness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Just as Scrooge threw away a chance at true happiness in favor of materialism, the life of one who never seeks God is doomed to misery despite the temporary pleasures they enjoy in worldliness.  While Scrooge abandoned the love of Belle, if one hardens their heart toward God, they - all the more tragically - willingly forsake the love of Christ!

Scrooge laments his misspent past, crying out to the Ghost:

“Spirit!” said Scrooge in a broken voice, “remove me from this place.” 

“I told you these were shadows of the things that have been,” said the Ghost. “That they are what they are, do not blame me!”

Scrooge bitterly lashes out against the Spirit, covering its head with the trumpet it carried, extinguishing the light atop its head.  Finding himself once more alone in the darkness of his chamber, Scrooge goes to sleep.

The Ghost of Christmas Present

As the clock strikes one, Scrooge wakes to find a “jolly Giant” in his chamber who happily bids him welcome. After introducing himself, the Ghost of Christmas Present whisks Scrooge away to witness scenes of Christmas celebration.

In the midst of this, Scrooge comments on the fact there are those who use the guise of charity to take further disadvantage the innocent poor, insinuating that the Ghost approves such wickedness.

“There are some upon this earth of yours,” returned the Spirit, “who lay claim to know us, and who do their deeds of passion, pride, ill-will, hatred, envy, bigotry, and selfishness in our name, who are as strange to us and all our kith and kin, as if they had never lived. Remember that, and charge their doings on themselves, not us.”

Likewise, many do wicked deeds in the name of Christ; False teachers, religious heretics who use God’s Word to discriminate and persecute, some of which invoke God’s name as pretense for their own ill will, even others which genuinely believe and spread false doctrine…  These  will be held accountable!

Matthew 7:19-23  Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’  And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

The Ghost takes Scrooge to the home of his employee, Bob Cratchit, and his family where Scrooge witnesses the poverty he is directly responsible for.  He also sees Tiny Tim, the Cratchits’ youngest son who is sickly and crippled, but exhibits high spirits despite his infirmity.

When Scrooge feels compassion for the boy, the Ghost turns Scrooge’s reminds him of his words of uncaring apathy toward the poor.  The spirit then takes him to witness more scenes of Christmas merriment, including the house of his nephew who as the Crachit family before raises a toast to Scrooge.

Scrooge notices that the spirit’s hair has turned gray, as by this point, Christmas present is almost at its end.  Scrooge also notices something disturbing lurking beneath the Ghost’s robe.  The weary spirit reveals two ragged, emaciated children, pitiful, yet dreadful in appearance.  Scrooge inquires:

 “Spirit! are they yours?” 

“They are Man’s,” said the Spirit, looking down upon them. “And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers. This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both, and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy, for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the writing be erased. Deny it!” cried the Spirit, stretching out its hand towards the city. “Slander those who tell it ye! Admit it for your factious purposes, and make it worse. And bide the end!”

We remember that Cain sarcastically asked God in Genesis, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

To the Christian, the answer to this question is “Yes!”

Even if the rest of society rejects the poor and hopeless, Christians have an obligation to love and care for their need!

Proverbs 3:27 Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, When it is in the power of your hand to do so.

1 Corinthians 10:23-24 All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify. Let no one seek his own, but each one the other’s well-being.

1 Timothy 6:18  Let them do good, that they be rich in good works, ready to give, willing to share…
After rebuking Scrooge for his failure to provide for the needs of the unfortunate, the Ghost of Christmas Present disappears, and Scrooge comes beholds “a solemn Phantom, draped and hooded, coming, like a mist along the ground, towards him.”

The Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come

The most terrifying of the three spirits, the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come remains silent in spite of Scrooge’s pleadings for clarity.  Fearfully, the phantom leads Scrooge past business men discussing someone who has recently deceased, scoffing at the poor soul’s demise.  The identity of the dead man remains a mystery, but the spirit silently reveals that the future brings not just one death, for Tiny Tim has succumbed to his illness and passed away as well, to Scrooge’s despair.

Later, when they enter a graveyard Scrooge inquires just who the anonymous dead man from before might be, the spirit merely points to a neglected grave bearing the name of none other than Ebenezer Scrooge.

In sincere terror an earnest pleading, Scrooge tries to reason with the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come.

“Spirit!” he cried, tight clutching at its robe, “hear me! I am not the man I was. I will not be the man I must have been but for this intercourse. Why show me this, if I am past all hope...  Good Spirit,” he pursued, as down upon the ground he fell before it: “Your nature intercedes for me, and pities me. Assure me that I yet may change these shadows you have shown me, by an altered life! The Spirits of all Three shall strive within me. I will not shut out the lessons that they teach… Oh, tell me I may sponge away the writing on this stone!”

The Redemption of Scrooge

After the fright of his life, Scrooge awakens once more to find that the last spirit dissolved into his bedpost.  Scrooge eagerly arose, a man changed in heart with time left to change his deeds!

“Best and happiest of all, the Time before him was his own, to make amends in!”

Thus we see a complete turnaround in the life of Scrooge!  The old miser was transformed into a kind-hearted man of charity and neighborly love.  He gives to the poor, visits his nephew, and starts to treat the Cratchit family with loving care.

Scrooge was better than his word. He did it all, and infinitely more; and to Tiny Tim, who did not die, he was a second father. He became as good a friend, as good a master, and as good a man, as the good old city knew, or any other good old city, town, or borough, in the good old world.

Like Scrooge we are presented with an opportunity toward redemption!  We can also go through a glorious transformation.

Ephesians 4:22-23 That you put off, concerning your former conduct, the old man which grows corrupt according to the deceitful lusts, and be renewed in the spirit of your mind…

The Holy Spirit:  Our Own Spectral Guide to Redemption

At first, one might think that unlike Scrooge we will have no well-meaning ghostly visitors to help guide us onto the path to redemption.  However, we do have at least one Spirit we can put our faith in.  Through the compelling of our conscience, the Holy Spirit tugs at our heartstrings to the point of repentance!

John 16:13 However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 16:8 And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment...

While this doesn’t sound like much fun, being rebuked and convicted of our sins, we know that being “pricked in the heart” yields great change!

2 Corinthians 7:10 For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.

Conclusion: "The Ends will Change"

Reflecting on his journeys, Scrooge wisely stated:

“Men's courses will foreshadow certain ends, to which, if persevered in, they must lead… But if the courses be departed from, the ends will change.”

As believers, we know the “certain end” of a life of sin is death (Romans 6:23) and that only the Narrow Way leads to eternal life (Matthew 7:13-14)

We can continue down that path of destruction, or, like Scrooge, we can repent.  We can turn our hearts over to God through the redirection of the Holy Spirit and Christ will gladly lift us up in sanctification.

Ezekiel 18:21 But if a wicked man turns from all his sins which he has committed, keeps all My statutes, and does what is lawful and right, he shall surely live; he shall not die.

The Failures of God's Chosen People

We know from our studies of the Old Testament that the Hebrews were selected to be God’s chosen people.

Deuteronomy 7:6 For you are a holy people to the Lord your God; the Lord your God has chosen you to be a people for Himself, a special treasure above all the peoples on the face of the earth.

As God’s chosen people, the Israelites were meant to be a “holy nation” (Exodus 19:6), entrusted with preserving the Law (Joshua 22:5), and intended to bring “renown and praise and honor” to the Lord (Jeremiah 13:11).

…And they failed spectacularly.

Thus, we read in that there was to be a transition.  This was actually foretold by the Prophet Isaiah...

Isaiah 65:15 And ye shall leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord GOD shall slay thee, and call his servants by another name

Jesus eventually fulfilled this prophecy in the New Testament.

Matthew 21:43 Therefore say I unto you, the kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof.

Much like other Old Testament to New Testament changes, the shift was to be from the physical realm to the spiritual…  No longer would the Jewish nation – blood descendants of Abraham and Jacob – bear the distinction of being called “God’s Chosen People”, but instead those disciples of Jesus who would come to be called Christians.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…

One of the biggest alterations from the Old Testament to the New is the passing of this mantle, “God’s Chosen People” from the Jewish nation to the Christians.

Whereas the Hebrews claimed this as a birthright, Christians to this day make a conscious choice to follow Jesus and serve Him.

Then Why Even Bother with the Old Testament?

Knowing that the Old Testament no longer applies today and that Israel is no longer God’s chosen it would be tempting to simply not study the Old Testament at all.

However, we cannot overlook the importance of the Israelites’ time as God’s special people and we certainly cannot afford to overlook their example.

1 Corinthians 10:11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come.

 Romans 15:4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.

Therefore, as we go through this lesson pay attention to the ways in which the Israelites failed to live up to their chosen status.  Be sure to take careful note, because as God’s chosen people today we can fail in the same exact ways!

The Failures of God’s Chosen People

• Lack of Faith

It’s frustrating to consider that a people who witnessed so many miraculous events would have any trouble with faith in God, but that is exactly the problem the Israelites had!

Time and time again, we read of the Israelites complaining against God, often in situations in which they found themselves overwhelmed with some peril they thought to be greater than God.

For example, just after they had left Egypt and were preparing to cross the Red Sea, Pharaoh and his six hundred chariots began to pursue them.

Exodus 14:10-12  And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord. Then they said to Moses, “Because there were no graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt? Is this not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”

Recall that these same people had not long ago witnessed the 10 plagues God unleashed upon the Egyptians!  Did they not trust that the same God would protect and deliver them in this instance?

Likewise, we read in the book of Numbers that Moses sent out spies to scout out the Promised Land of Canaan which the Israelites were destined to conquer.  While a few spies brought back a good report, the majority were overly negative, seeing the people of Canaan as being too great of a threat.  Ignoring the good report and God’s longstanding promise of a land of their own, the Israelites vocalized a familiar lament…

Numbers 14:1-3 So all the congregation lifted up their voices and cried, and the people wept that night. And all the children of Israel complained against Moses and Aaron, and the whole congregation said to them, “If only we had died in the land of Egypt! Or if only we had died in this wilderness! Why has the Lord brought us to this land to fall by the sword, that our wives and children should become victims? Would it not be better for us to return to Egypt?”

Isn’t it sad to think that there were numerous occasions in which the Israelites were so lacking in faith that they actually grieved the fact that God liberated them from slavery in Egypt?

As Christians, we too can struggle in our faith.  Like the Israelites, we can forget how God cares for us and promises to continue to do so!

Hebrews 11:6  But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Matthew 6:31-33  Therefore do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For after all these things the Gentiles seek. For your heavenly Father knows that you need all these things. But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.

God promises to take care of our physical needs, but more importantly, He also takes care of our spiritual needs.  We cannot allow ourselves to lose our faith in God!

• Discontentment 

Complaining, grumbling, feelings of entitlement… This is easily one of the most annoying aspects about reading about the Israelites wanderings: their constant complaining!

Remember that when the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness that God provided them with bread (manna) from Heaven?  Apparently, the miraculous food that God gave to the Israelites wasn’t good enough!

Numbers 11:4-6 Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving; so the children of Israel also wept again and said: “Who will give us meat to eat? We remember the fish which we ate freely in Egypt, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic; but now our whole being is dried up; there is nothing at all except this manna before our eyes!”

How petty they were!  (And how bad their breath must have been!)

It’s easy to be repelled at the Israelites’ whiny dissatisfaction, but how often do we find ourselves overlooking the blessings God has given us and craving more?  How often do we want more than we actually need?  How often are we unthankful for what we already have?

1 Timothy 6:6-8  Now godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into this world, and it is certain we can carry nothing out. And having food and clothing, with these we shall be content.

Hebrew 13:5 Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.”

As Christians, we should be content with what God has given us and not get caught up in the covetous desires for more.

• Wanting to be like the World

Another problem the Israelites had was their worldliness.

1 Samuel 8:4-5 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, and said to him, “Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.”

Whether it was demanding to have a king like other nations or worshiping of idols and false gods common to the areas in which they lived, the Israelites often had a strong desire to be like those around them.

Can Christians be guilty of the same?  Absolutely!

James 4:4  Adulterers and adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

1 John 2:15-17 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.  For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world.  And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.

Those in the world should be able to tell the difference between Christians and everyone else.  Certainly, living in the world while not being of the world is a difficult calling, but God’s Chosen People must rise to the occasion and resist the urge to be worldly.

• Disobedience

In the book of Judges we read of Joshua’s passing.  After this great leaders’ death, the following generation of Israelites turned their back on God.

Judges 2:10-12 When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel.  Then the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the Lord, and served the Baals; and they forsook the Lord God of their fathers, who had brought them out of the land of Egypt; and they followed other gods from among the gods of the people who were all around them, and they bowed down to them; and they provoked the Lord to anger.

Despite their disobedience, God still took care of them and gave them new leaders in the form of judges.  However, we read that the Israelites wouldn’t even heed the judges!

Judges 2:16-17 Nevertheless, the Lord raised up judges who delivered them out of the hand of those who plundered them. Yet they would not listen to their judges, but they played the harlot with other gods, and bowed down to them. They turned quickly from the way in which their fathers walked, in obeying the commandments of the Lord; they did not do so.

Christians are warned time and again to obey Word of God.  This is not something that we can afford to take lightly!

Luke 6:46  But why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?

John 14:15 If you love Me, keep My commandments.

As Jesus said, if we truly love God and desire to be His chosen people, we must follow be obedient to Him!

• Inconsistency 

Probably the most infuriating aspect of reading the Old Testament is just how many times the Israelites turn away from God.  In fact, it wasn’t that long after they had left Egypt that they completely forsook Him and worshiped the false god of the Golden Calf.

Exodus 32:8 They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt!’

This was to be the first of many times that the Israelites would turn to worshiping idols.  God would promptly punish the people and those that weren’t struck down would turn back to Him.  However, it wasn’t long before the same situation would be played out all over again.

Recall that in the time of Elijah that the vast majority of Israel had turned to worshiping the false god Baal.  Notice his poignant words as he pleaded with the people to come to their senses.

1 Kings 18:21  And Elijah came to all the people, and said, “How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him.” But the people answered him not a word.

How often do we Christians waver in our service?  We are warned that this should not be so!

2 Peter 2:21-22 For if, after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the latter end is worse for them than the beginning. For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them. But it has happened to them according to the true proverb: “A dog returns to his own vomit,” and, “a sow, having washed, to her wallowing in the mire.”

Christians are warned against being “lukewarm” (Revelation 3:16).  When we become Christians we should “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4) and do so consistently.  In our former life we might have been servants of our own desires (Romans 16:18)…we spent enough time “walking in darkness” (1 John 1:16).  But once we dedicated our lives to Christ, we ought to do so wholeheartedly!

Consider the words of Moses concerning the very essence of the Old Law.

Deuteronomy 10:12 And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul…?

Isn’t it interesting to that Jesus echoed these thoughts in the New Testament?

Matthew 22:37-40  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.”

Conclusion: Act Like God's Chosen People!

The major point of this lesson has been that God’s chosen people of today are not all that dissimilar from those who once bore that mantle.

However, let’s not be discouraged by this…  Let’s learn from their mistakes and be better for it.

Where the Israelites failed, we have the opportunity to succeed!

Ephesians 4:1  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called…

If we are called to be God’s Chosen People…  We need to act like God’s Chosen People!

Love: The Greatest Gift

Love is one of the most talked about concepts/emotions/feelings in the world, probably for all of time.  It’s difficult to find a song, book or movie that doesn’t have at least some mention of love.

However, most of the time the love we find portrayed in popular media is of the (mushy-gushy) romantic sense.  The type of love we see portrayed in the media is typically shallow (“If you can’t be with the one you love, Love the one you’re with”), temporary (celebrity marriages), and rarely is it without some kind of overt sexual connotation.  For as much as it is talked about, sang about, and proclaimed… the word “love” is very misunderstood and often misused!

What is the value of true love?  Would it be possible to quantify love?  Much like the soul of man, love is priceless.  I'm not being cheesy, the Bible actually tells us as much!

Song of Solomon 8:7 Many waters cannot quench love, Nor can the floods drown it. If a man would give for love All the wealth of his house, It would be utterly despised.

The price of love is far beyond the wealth of this world.  Even if we offered everything we owned in this life, the price we offered would be scoffed at.  We shouldn’t use the word “love” lightly.

Overall, I think it’s safe to say that we humans have a very limited understanding of the type of love that is mentioned in the Bible, that is commanded of Christians.  Christian love warrants further study on our part.

1 Corinthians 13

This section of scripture is often read at weddings, but deals with more than just love between spouses.  The attitude toward love described here should apply to all of our relationships in this life, including our relationship with God.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.  Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.  For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.  And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 

One might wonder why exactly love is the greatest of the three…  Perhaps it is because faith and hope are temporary and earth-bound , whereas love is eternal!

Without love, all is useless, there is no point, all is in vain.  As Paul wrote in the first verses of this chapter, even the miraculous ability to speak in tongues is just a bunch of noise.

Using 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 as our outline, let us study love:

Love is kind/does not behave rudely

As we seek to love others, are we being gentle and kind to them?

Romans 12:10 Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another...

God commands us to love others, even those we do not know and those that we would count as enemies.

Luke 6:31-35  And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. “But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil.

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.

Even when we are in the right, we need to deal gently and kindly with others.  I think it goes without saying that this applies to correcting a brother or sister in Christ as well!  We need to be aware of the tone of voice we are using and be careful in the words we speak.

Any time that we interact with someone, we need to stop and ask ourselves if we are dealing with them in a kind, loving manner or not.

Paul sums it up nicely:

1 Corinthians 16:14  Let all that you do be done with love.

Love does not envy

It’s unlikely that a heart blinded by envy can proclaim to truly love.

Notice the strong contrast between love and jealousy:

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon your heart, As a seal upon your arm; For love is as strong as death, Jealousy as cruel as the grave;  Its flames are flames of fire, A most vehement flame.

How could these two possibly coexist?  We recognize that jealousy and love aren't a good mix in our earthly relationships so it stands to reason that envy has no place in the spiritual love we are discussing.

Galatians 5:26  Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Let us monitor our feelings toward others and not allow ourselves to envy those we are seeking to love.

Love does not parade itself/is not puffed up

Our love should be revealed in subtle workings that often go unnoticed.  (Random acts of kindness?)

Our love should be true and not hypocritical in nature. Additionally, our love should be natural, not forced.  God is not impressed with us proclaiming our love for Him just for show.  Remember the example of the Pharisee and the tax collector.

Luke 18:9-14  Also He spoke this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and despised others: “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with himself, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like other men—extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’ And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

God desires a humble, sincere love.

John 13:14-17 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Jesus was not only teaching a lesson of servitude to our fellow man, but also of love and humility.  In the New Testament times, washing of feet was a servant’s job.  Jesus, the very Son of God humbles Himself in the washing of His disciples’ feet.

Love does not seek its own

Love is not meant to be selfish.  Imagine what the world would be like if everyone loved only himself/herself.

Romans 15:1-2 We then who are strong ought to bear with the scruples of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, leading to edification

Love is meant to be shared!

How and with whom shall we share our love?

I'm not a big fan of the church sign marquees with their oft-repeated clever sayings.  I find them to be a bit gimmicky and cheesy, but every once in a while I find them amusing.  I read the following once a church’s sign: Jesus Others Yourself.

I feel like this is a great way to keep straight the hierarchy of who is most deserving of our love.  As always, Jesus/God must come first.  Others are next in line and we, ourselves personally, are last.  How often do we approach this love thing in a completely backwards manner?

Notice that when Jesus was asked what the greatest commandment was, He highlight love as a key component.

Mark 12:30-31 And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”
Additionally, love is so important that Jesus made it the focus of one of His last teachings to His disciples before His crucifixion.

John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

The fact that we are Christians should come as no surprise to others, they should be able to tell by our actions!  Unselfish love should be one of the many righteous trademarks of a Christian!

Galatians 5:13  For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Love is not provoked/ thinks no evil

All too often, we easily lose our temper with others.  We let little comments or actions get on our nerves.  Or sometimes we just automatically assume the worst in people.  When we are so easily provoked or think evil of others, these feelings can develop into hate very quickly!  But if we have a truly loving attitude towards others, this should not be so.

1 John 4:20-21  If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also.

Apparently, the love of our fellow man is vital for even proclaiming to love God.  We cannot claim to sincerely love God if we have hate toward our brother in our heart!

Love does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth

If we truly love, we shouldn’t wish evil upon anyone; this is the attitude of a hypocrite!

Romans 12:10  Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good. 

1 Peter 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart,

You know, it's so sad that we can’t wait to share the latest gossip - which may or may not be true - with others.

I wonder:  Do we love others enough to share the Truth with them?

Do we love others enough to tell them about Jesus?
 

Love is longsuffering/endures all things

As Christians, we are commended not only to love one another, but to be patient with each other!

Ephesians 4:1-2  I, therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you to walk worthy of the calling with which you were called, with all lowliness and gentleness, with longsuffering, bearing with one another in love...

Time and time again, throughout the Bible we are told about the great longsuffering of God.  God’s love is manifested through His longsuffering: Through God’s longsuffering comes our salvation!  (2 Peter 3:14-16)

Therefore, let us seek to be patient with others as well!

Conclusion: Love never fails

Jesus stated in John 15:13, "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends."

As always, Jesus practiced what He preached, He laid down His life as a sacrifice for all.

Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die.  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 

Nothing could stop the love of Christ, not even the grave.  Likewise, nothing can separate us from the love of Jesus.

Romans 8:35-39  Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written: “ For Your sake we are killed all day long; We are accounted as sheep for the slaughter.”  Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I would argue that every type of love that we experience in this life (be it brother/sister, husband/wife, or mother/child) pales in comparison to the love that God has for us. It is impossible for us to fully comprehend the love of God, as a song we often sing in our worship points out:

The Love of God

The love of God is greater far Than tongue or pen can ever tell; It goes beyond the highest star, And reaches to the lowest hell; The guilty pair, bowed down with care, God gave His Son to win; His erring child He reconciled, And pardoned from his sin.

When years of time shall pass away, And earthly thrones and kingdoms fall, When men, who here refuse to pray, On rocks and hills and mountains call, God’s love so sure, shall still endure, All measureless and strong; Redeeming grace to Adam’s race— The saints’ and angels’ song.

Could we with ink the ocean fill, And were the skies of parchment made,Were every stalk on earth a quill, And every man a scribe by trade, To write the love of God above, Would drain the ocean dry. Nor could the scroll contain the whole, Though stretched from sky to sky.

O love of God, how rich and pure! How measureless and strong! It shall forevermore endure The saints’ and angels’ song.

As we go out into the world as Christians seeking to love others and spreading God’s message of love, let us always hold up God as our standard of ultimate love!  Let us emulate the type of love that Christ has for us!

1 John 4:7  Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God.

1 John 4:11-12   Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.  No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.