500 Days of WINTER?! (Part 2)

It has been a few months since I posted the most "controversial" entry that I've had on this blog. Since that time, I have had many people give feedback on the idea of love, including a sermon that I received from my roommate that also highlights some of the points I made in my original blog post. I've learned much from all the different perspectives that I've heard, and I am thankful to every single person that has contributed to my learning. Additionally, I've been fortunate enough to learn firsthand about this idea of love and how it applies to a Christian such as myself.

Before I move in to my post, a couple of disclaimers:

1. All of my ideas stem strictly from sources who I respect and admire deeply such as John Piper, Wayne Grudem, and others. I trust their words because their words are based off the only authoritative truth in the world, the Bible.

2. I am still open to hear the thoughts and perspectives of others. Please note, however, that I expect an equal level of listening and learning to take place from each other (not that anyone has been angry or frustrated at/with me just yet... but as I am openly placing my ideas on the internet, it is easy to criticize without having a single regard for how I would respond.)

3. I'm still learning. And I am nowhere near perfect.

Alright, onto what I've learned.

The questions I posted in my first post were legitimate questions that I was asking myself. In many ways, as I thought of those questions, I developed my own answers. But these answers were not backed up with my own experience with love. Now that I've become more and more aware of these things, I will clearly state this.

It is impossible for someone to love based solely off of their own feelings.

If the greatest love is what Christ says it to be (John 15:13 - Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friend), it is completely impossible for me to have an unselfish view of love without first realizing who Christ is and why He performed the greatest act of love for all who would believe.

I consider myself highly fortunate and blessed to have heard of this act. Of how God cared so much for his own glory that he would send his son to die on our behalf so that his glory would not be violated (he had spoken countlessly of how he would redeem mankind back to him... if he hadn't fulfilled such promises, he would cease to be God).

If that truth, the gospel truth of how Christ would die for me so that I would be reconciled back to God does not only infiltrate, but completely revolutionize what I consider love to be, I have not understood it at all.

Maybe it is possible to lay down a life for a friend. But God laid down his life for his bitter enemies, namely, us.

This same love is given to us to live out. And I know that it cannot be done unless I continue to know and follow hard after God. To have one pure and holy passion.

Granted, I will never fully comprehend the love of God. But I will fight for it. To love because I have been loved first.

Otherwise, I would love for my own selfish gain.

I broke up the last few paragraphs because I think they are each their own point. Sorry for the long post. I'll try and keep my thoughts more condensed by writing more often.

former identity.

Luke 15. Everyone knows this parable. Commonly referred to as the parable of the prodigal son. However, recent readings of this parable along with the works of Tim Keller and John MacArthur have made me realize that the story is a parable of two sons. One, a blatantly obvious sinner. The other, a subtly subversive sinner.

v. 25-32:

25 “Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant. 27 And he said to him, ‘Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.’ 28 But he was angry and refused to go in. His father came out and entreated him, 29 but he answered his father, ‘Look, these many years I have served you, and I never disobeyed your command, yet you never gave me a young goat, that I might e celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours came, f who has devouredg your property with prostitutes, you killed the fattened calf for him!’31 And he said to him, ‘Son, h you are always with me, and all that is mine is yours. 32 It was fitting e to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother i was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”

This was me. I used to be like this. I used to hold God hostage with my "obedience" and legalistic mindset, thinking that I deserved so much for doing such things. And when I would see God's blessings of love and grace and mercy being poured out upon those "other" sinners, I would be so jealous, so spiteful, so... ugh.

The irony is, I was in a much worse position than the other. And, eventually, this mindset drove me to rebellion. To hate and not want to obey. But in that position, I found a loving father, a grand feast, and a joy beyond no other. How does that happen?

Only by the grace of God, who rebukes, disciplines, and save those He loves.