LOVE GROWN COLD
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.”
What if the church of Jesus Christ gets to the point in it’s growth, where it’s indistinguishable from the world?
In other words, can the difference between the world and the church really be seen in us?
What is the only ingredient/principle/phenomenon that the church has, that the world doesn’t? That principle is unconditional love
There’s nothing that’s in the world right now, in terms of the lust of the flesh, that’s also not in the church. In other words, the defining line between the church and world is becoming increasingly smaller. See GALATIANS 5:19-21
The church claims to have one true messiah, the world claims the same.
The church claims sweet fellowship, by brethren dwelling together, the world claims the same (biker brotherhood).
The church claims true charity without acclaim, the world claims the same through guilt based secular humanism and philanthropy (the desire to promote the welfare of others, expressed especially by the generous donation of money to good causes).
The church claims the supernatural power of the Holy Spirit, the world claims the same with deceiving signs and wonders.
The church claims that Jesus Christ is the answer, the world claims the same through the “university” of Google and YouTube.
Jesus is calling us to love like He loves, not as the world loves
The scripture teaches 4 kinds of love:
Agape: unconditional
Storge: family love
Eros: intimacy, for a believer towards God and married man to wife
Fileo: friendship love
For us to “no longer do business as usual”, we’ll need to love like Jesus loves, with unconditional love.
What if our love grows cold?
MATTHEW 24:3-14Now as He sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” 4 And Jesus answered and said to them: “Take heed that no one deceives you. 5 For many will come in My name, saying, “I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. 6 And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. 7 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. And there will be famines, pestilences, and earthquakes in various places. 8 All these are the beginning of sorrows 9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and kill you, and you will be hated by all nations for My name’s sake. 10 And then many will be offended, will betray one another, and will hate one another. 11 Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. 12 And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But he who endures to the end shall be saved. 14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come.
Love is not a feeling
Yes emotions are involved but love is a choice.
There’s no such thing as “falling” in or out of love, we choose to love or not to love.
That’s why God could say: “ Love your neighbour” LEVITICUS 19:18
Love grown cold shows 2 THINGS:
Jesus return
It’s the most distinguishing factor of Christianity and the Jesus’ church. If love, is gone then all we have is just another religion.
Loving our neighbour is training for loving our enemies. This is when Jesus can really be seen in us:
MATTHEW 5:43-47 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do 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.”
Love is made possible by the Holy Spirit: ROMANS 5:5 Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
And love is shown by 3 things:
Sacrifice: JOHN 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.
1 JOHN 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren
Obedience: JOHN 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments
Service: it’s possible to serve without loving but it’s impossible to love without serving.
