GOD’S DESCRIPTION OF LOVE, Part 7 - GOD’S LOVE IS NOT UNSEEMLY continued.

When Jesus Christ visited Nazareth where He was brought up, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read the prophet Isaiah 61:1-3:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound; To proclaim the acceptable year of the LORD, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn; to appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give into them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.”

We go over to the New Testament in Luke 4:21, 22 and Jesus said after reading these words: “This day is this scripture fulfilled in your ears. And all bare him witness, and wondered at the gracious words which proceeded out of his mouth.” His words matched His conduct.

A few Scriptures later we read that they failed to accept that He was the Messiah that Isaiah spoke of saying, “Is not this Joseph’s son?” Jesus responded to their failure to know Him by speaking the uncompromising truth. They were filled with wrath to the point of killing him (verses 23-29).

Grace does not compromise the truth when the truth needs to be spoken. On the other hand, truth does not compromise grace when grace needs to be revealed and preached to those who will receive it.

Jesus showed grace in healing the broken-hearted.

He revealed grace in liberating those who needed deliverance from demonic captivity and addictions.

He demonstrated grace when giving sight to the blind and deliverance to the bruised.

Jesus did not act unseemly or rudely so that the people would be offended at His lack of grace. He did not come to deflect or compromise righteous behavior.

He did not come approving fornication so that fornicators would be attracted to him. He came to set the fornicators free from their sin.

He did not come approving of drugs and addiction. He came to liberate the victims from their addiction.

He did not come sporting tattoos all over His healing hands and arms to attract action to His physical appearance. He wanted people to see the glory of God.

He did not come using offensive, slang words. He came speaking gracious woods.

He did not come trying to get as much money from the people as He could. He came to serve freely and to give to the poor.

He did not come dressed in glamorous clothes looking like a king. He dressed in appropriate clothes, so He did not detract rom the glory of God.

He came in humility, riding on a donkey. “Though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9).

In no way could you say that Jesus lived or acted unseemly. He did nothing that would hinder people receiving salvation.

Whatever sin hindered people from being saved He called it what it was so that people would be convicted, repent, and be converted. He called the Pharisees “hypocrites,” “blind guides,” and “fools.”

Love does not act unseemly therefore it is love that motivates us to be like Jesus in all areas of life.

There are times when we must stand up and speak the truth in love even when we run the risk of being misunderstood or persecuted. The sinner needs to know that we love them, but they also need to know that we hate the sin that is destroying them.

If we love the person that is dying because of cancer, surely, we are not expected to love the cancer that is killing them! We do not tolerate cancer just because we love the person that is afflicted by it. Never.

We must not tolerate an evil thing. We must eek with all our hearts to help the victim to be set free, healed, and delivered.

We can so easily let our children who we love, become involved with Internet games that on the surface may seem harmless, but down the road will damage them. We cannot love our children and be tolerant of that which will eventually destroy them.

Be encouraged.

Colin Campbell