“In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” —1st John 4:9
If Jesus
loves everyone, then what's the
value of love? Do you know who asked that question?
Heavy metal rocker
Marilyn Manson (real name: Brian Warner). Mr. Warner doesn't love God
and has rejected God's love for Him in Christ; hence, Marilyn Manson only
understands one type of love and that is the world's affectionate type of
love.
We learn from the Bible that there are two different types of love mentioned in the New Testament. There is God's love (Greek: agape, meaning, “to love in a social or moral sense”), which is unconditional love; and then there is, (Greek: phileo, meaning, “to be a friend to, have affection”) which is a fondness type of love. We see both types of love at work in John 21:16 in a conversation between the Apostle Peter and the Lord Jesus Christ. Click here to read the full article about “agape” (unconditional) love verses “phileo” (the world's fondness) type love.
Oh, how precious is the Word of God and the Lord Jesus Christ. God loves us. There is NO dearer truth than to know that we are loved by a Divine Creator. God loves humanity, so much so that He gave His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, as a sacrifice for our sins. 1st John 3:16 states... "Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us." The Godhead walked this earth in the flesh of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus was crucified in our place, taking our sins upon Himself, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2nd Corinthians 5:21).
Yet, so many unbelievers curse the name of Jesus today, mocking Him and they trod under foot the Son of God... "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:29). Woe unto Christ-rejecters!
Some smart Alec said on a bumper sticker, "Jesus loves you, but then again He loves everybody." That is so horrible. To attempt to diminish the love of God simply because He loves all humanity is wrong. Some people may reason, "If God loves everybody, then what significance is there to being loved." The problem is that most people fail to comprehend the love of God. The world recognizes love as an emotion of warm affection or devotion; but the Bible defines love as unconditional commitment and sacrifice. God's love is an UNCONDITIONAL love, i.e., "...while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."
Jesus was willing to pay the price for our sins, knowing that we are
completely undeserving and have nothing to offer in return. Jesus did
this for all humanity. There is
nothing we can give God to equal the gift which he offers to us—eternal life. That is true love. Jesus died for the vilest sinner, even for false
prophets (2nd Peter 2:1). Whether we receive God's gift of eternal life
through Jesus Christ or not is completely and solely our decision. No
one is chosen for salvation.
God's Love is Unconditional
Many marriages are ending in divorce nowadays, because the warmth and devotion are gone. This is the world's synthetic love, which is no love at all. A woman said to me, "I used to love my husband, but he drove it out of me." What she thought was love was no love at all. Her feelings for her husband were CONDITIONED upon how he treated her. When her husband mistreated her, her feelings changed and she decided she didn't love him anymore. This is so typical of the heathen world today. Ladies and gentlemen, love is not a feeling; love is a sacrificial commitment... for better, for worse; in sickness as in health, for richer or poorer, 'til death do us part.
How tragic that so many people today are liars, quitting their marriage when the going gets tough. I don't know what her husband drove out of her, but it certainly wasn't love. Say what you will, love never faileth! If you don't love your spouse anymore, it's because you never did to begin with. True love, i.e., God's love, is an unconditional love, meaning that I will love you no matter what you do to me. I may hate everything about you; but I will still love you with the love of God.
This explain Romans 9:13, “As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.” God didn't hate Esau, He hated Esau's carnality and rebellious ways. For God to hate anyone would go 100% contrary to everything the Bible teaches (John 3:16). See again in Revelation 2:15, “So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.” God didn't hate the Nicolaitans, He hated their doctrine. God hates Catholicism with a passion, because it is a pack of lies; but God loves Catholic people nonetheless (Romans 5:8).
We hear much about God's love today, ironically even from the lips of the heathen world. But they don't know what their talking about. I frequently receive e-mails from people who remind me that Jesus taught love, and He did. We read in Mark 12:29-31, “And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.”
However, Jesus plainly stated that one who truly loves God will obey His commandments, "If ye love me, keep my commandments." This includes all the commandments in the Bible because Jesus is the Living Word (John 1:1-3,14; Revelation 19:13). For anyone to speak about God's love without including God's Law is falsehood. 1st John 3:8 states, “He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.”
The Bible is clear
that those who commit sin are of the Devil. How foolish it is for
homosexuals and witches today to speak of God's love, while completely
disregarding the Law of God which condemns sin. The so-called "love"
which the heathen world speaks of is nothing more than sinful compromise. God's love is synonymous with righteousness; not sinful living and rebellion
against God's Word.
Hatred Will Increase in the End Times
We are living in a cruel world, where few people possess God's love. Most people will do unto you as you do unto them. This is heathendom. Jesus commanded in The Golden Rule in Matthew 7:12... "Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets." Many people today are retaliatory, rotten and malicious. The Apostle Paul said in Titus 3:3, "For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another." That well describes the world today.
In Matthew 24, Jesus prophecies of horrible conditions during the Tribulation Period (which will follow the Pretribulation Rapture of the Church). Jesus said in Matthew 24:9 that those who become Christians during the Tribulation will be afflicted and killed. In verse 10 Jesus said that people would be easily offended and hate each other. In verse 11 Jesus said that many false prophets would arise and deceive many. And then in verse 11 Jesus said that the love of many would "wax cold" because of abounding iniquity (i.e., blatant widespread injustice).
We are
already seeing these things happen today and the Rapture certainly cannot by
very far away. Jesus said in verse 24 that the end of the world will
begin when the Gospel has been preached for a witness unto all nations. Just as the 911 attacks in New York gave birth to the New World Order
(i.e., the Beast system of the Antichrist), so will “the ABOMINATION OF
DESOLATION spoken of by Daniel the prophet” (Matthew 24:15; Daniel 11:36,37)
mark the beginning of the Great Tribulation (Matthew 24:21). The
“Great Tribulation” is the last 3 1/2 years of the Tribulation Period. Then shall The Second Coming of our wonderful Savior, Jesus Christ,
take place. What a glorious day that will be!!!
Conclusion
The world knows nothing about God's love. The average marriage today is a ticking time bomb, because it is conditioned upon something—such as sex, money, security, happiness, et cetera. When the condition changes, selfish people file for divorce and quit, heading for greener pastures. This is heathendom. God's love is unconditional, i.e., no matter what your spouse does, you should not divorce. That is God's love. I realize that most people today cannot grasp what I just said, and that proves my point.
God's love surpasses human understanding. Why would God lay down His life for us vile sinners? But He did, praise God! (1st John 3:16). Why should a wife remain married to an abusive husband? Why should a husband stay married to an abusive wife? But it's the right thing to do... 'til death do us part. God's love is inexplicably unconditional.
