The idea of sacrificial love of God for man did not begin in the heart, mind, or body of man, but began with God the Father, in the beginning of time [Mat 25:34], and in the person of Jesus Christ. The apostle John exaplained: we have known and believed the love [agape, i.e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast] that God hath to us. God is love [agape, affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love]; and he that dwelleth in love [agape, sacrificial] dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love [agape, sacrificial love] made perfect [complete, consecrated], that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. There is no fear [of judgment] in love [agape, sacrificial love]; but perfect love [agape, sacrificial love] casteth out fear [of judgment]: because fear [of judgment] hath torment. He that feareth [judgment] is not made perfect in love. We love [agapao, sacrificial love] him, because he first loved [agapeo, sacrificially loved] us (1 John 4:16-19). Understanding the importance of sacrificial love, Paul expressed his hope for believers in Ephesus That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love [agape, sacrificial], May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love[agape, sacrificial] of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God (Eph 3:17-19). Paul later added, Husbands, love [agapao, sacrificially] your wives, even as Christ also loved [agapao, sacrificially] the church, and gave himself for it (Eph 5:25). God's sacrificial love through Christ is seen throughout scriptures: ...God commendeth his love [agape, sacrificial love] toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died [sacrificially] for us (Rom 5:8). Despite the fact that we were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving diverse lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, and hating one another, God, in His kindness and love toward man, offered His son, Christ, and saved us, not because of our works of righteousness which we have done, but because of His mercy (Titus 3:3-5). The apostle Paul referred to Christ's sacrificial love when he wrote Galatian believers I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself [sacrificially] for me (Gal 2:20). Christ, referring to the sacrificial love He wanted His disciples to have for one another, as well as His own upcoming, sacrifice of love, said to His disciples, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends (Joh 15:13). Paul explained the depth of God's love when he wrote to Ephesian believers, God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved [agape, affection, benevolence, sacrificial love] us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus (Eph 2:4-6). The mighty apostle summed up the depth, and means, of expression of God's love when he wrote Roman believers 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 creature, shall be able to separate us from the love [agape, affection, benevolence, feast of love and charity, sacrificial love] of God, which is in [manifested through the loving sacrifice of] Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom 8:38-39). God's sacrificial love for man is undeniable, but man is expected to love God as well.

 

 

The command for man to love God is not found just in the new testament. In the old testament, God the Father commanded Israel, and modern day believers: ...thou shalt love [ahab in Hebrew, i.e., to have affection for, like, be a friend of, love] the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. And these words, which I command [appoint, constitute, enjoin, give a charge] thee this day, shall be in thine heart: And thou shalt teach them diligently unto thy children, and shalt talk of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, and when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt bind them for a sign upon thine hand, and they shall be as frontlets between thine eyes. And thou shalt write them upon the posts of thy house, and on thy gates (Deu 6:5-9). Solomon prayed to and glorified God: ...O LORD God of Israel, there is no God like thee in the heaven, nor in the earth; which keepest covenant, and shewest mercy unto thy servants, that walk before thee [and love thee] with all their hearts (2 Ch 6:14). Joshua called the Reubenites, and the Gadites, and the half tribe of Manasseh, and said to them, take diligent heed to do the commandment and the law, which Moses the servant of the LORD charged you, to love [ahab in Hebrew, i.e., to have affection for, like, be a friend of, love] the LORD your God, and to walk in all his ways, and to keep his commandments, and to cleave unto him, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul (Jos 22:1-5). One of the Pharisees, a lawyer, asked Christ which was the greatest commandment in the law. Christ answered, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself (Mat 22:37-39). Jesus also taught that we believers love God because He has forgiven our large debt of sin (Mat 7:41-48). The great apostle Paul warned, If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be Anathema Maranatha [divinely judged and cursed] (1Co 16:22). Peter explained that believers love God in spite of the fact that they have not seen Him, and because of believing without seeing, rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory (1 Pet 1:8). Clearly, our heavenly Father certainly wants us to love God; but He also wants us to love our fellow man.

 

 

 

 

However, not all love is Godly or sacrificial. Christ warns us about what can be thought of as egotistical, selfish, narcissistic love: And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love [phileo, i.e., to be a friend to, have affection for, personal attachment, brotherly affection for] to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly (Mat 6:5-6). Hypocrites intentionally pray publicly so that they may be seen by others, with the expectation that others will consider them spiritual, righteous and holy. Their praying is more about impressions and reputation, and having their ego stroked, rather than about a serious, personal prayerful one-on-one relationship with God the Father. In verse 6 above, Christ continues by giving us valuable instructions about prayer: when we are let to pray, we should enter into our private closet, shut the door, and pray to our Father in secret. The point is, though, that the “love” these hyprocrites have for prayer is not a Godly, sacrificial love, but a brotherly affection, which is selfish and narcissistic.Speaking to His disciples and the multitudes, Christ again mentioned the selfish, egotistical love that the Jewish Pharisees had. In order to be seen by men as spiritual, important, and powerful, the Pharisees loved to sit in places of authority (Mat 23:2). They also loved to give spirtual instructions and guidance to others on how to behave (Mat 23:4), but did not live by their own words (Mat 23:4), to which Christ responded, ...do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not (Mat 23:3). Christ added about the Pharisees,But all their works they do for to be seen of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their garments, And love the uppermost rooms at feasts, and the chief seats in the synagogues, And greetings in the markets, and to be called of men, Rabbi [master], Rabbi (Mat 23:5-7). Their “love” is a brotherly affection for themselves, not a sacrificial love for Christ or their fellow man. While teaching in the temple, Christ also warned about the ungodly and selfish love of the Jewish scribes: ..Beware of the scribes, which love [Hebrew is thelo, i.e., to choose, prefer, desire, intend, delight in, are pleased] to go in long clothing, and love salutations in the marketplaces, And the chief seats in the synagogues, and the uppermost rooms at feasts: Which devour widows' houses, and for a pretence [for an outward show] make long prayers: these shall receive greater damnation (Mark 12:38-40). In life, we all know and understand that love can be lost. Holy scriptures also verify this. When asked by His disciples what would be the sign of the end of the world and His coming, Christ explained that loss of love would be one of the characteristics of those last days: And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows. Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound,the love [agape, i.e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love] of many shall wax cold (Mat 24:4-12). In the revelation of John, Christ prophesies the loss of sacrificial love of Christ about the church of Ephesus: Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first [foremost, greatest] love [agape, i.e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love] (Rev 2:4). There are types of “love” mentioned in the scriptures which are neither sacrificial, holy or Godly, but which none-the-less occupy the minds and hearts of many from time to time. These types of loves do not please God the Father, they are not indicative of those who have a personal and loving relationship with Him, nor are they present in those who truly have eternal salvation through faith in Christ. They are not sacrificial in nature, but egotistical, narcissistic, and self serving.

 

 

 

 

Salvation and sacrificial love are intricately linked. If we do not love, we abide in death. Because we love, we know we have salvation. John clarified, We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My little children,let us not love [sacrificially] in word, neither in tongue; but in deed [doing, labour, work] and in truth [at the time and place of need] (1 John 3:14-18). Through His atoning death on the cross, Jesus Christ set the standard for sacrificial love: Herein is love [agape, i. e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love], not that we loved [agapao, love in a social and moral sense, sacrificially] God, but that he loved [agapao, love in a social and moral sense, sacrificially] us, and sent [because of His sacrificial love for the lost] his Son to be the propitiation [atonement, expiator] for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us (1 John 4:10-12). Believers in Christ should not only have a sacrificial love of God and man, but should continue in that love, all the while expecting the salvation that is their eternal reward. Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, encourages us to Keep yourselves in the love [agape., i.e., social, moral, sacrificial love] of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life (Jude 1:21). Paul wrote Timothy, Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love [agapao, love in a social and moral sense, sacrificially] his appearing (2Ti 4:8). Scriptures encourage us that blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love [agapao, love in a social and moral sense, sacrificially] him (James 1:12). But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him (1Co 2:9). Paul summarized his thoughts on sacrificial love when he wrote Corinthian believers, Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity [agape, i. e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love] I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling 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, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake 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 through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity [agape, i. e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love] (1Cor 13:1-13). Believers should love sacrificially without hypocrisy, and abhor that which is evil, as well as cleave to that which is good. We should be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love, in honour preferring one another (Rom 12:9-10). In comparing the love of a husband for his wife to the love of Christ and His church, Paul instructed Ephesian believers let every one of you in particular so love [agapao, i.e., social, moral, and sacrificial love] his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband (Eph 5:33). Paul also instructed the holy and beloved elect in Colossae, Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. And above all these things put on charity [ agape, i. e., affection, benevolence, charity, love feast, sacrificial love], which is the bond [uniting principle] of perfectness [mental and moral completeness, fullness] (Col 3:12-14). Hatred stirreth up strifes; but love covereth all sins (Pro 10:12).God rewards those who obediently love and serve Him with all their heart and soul. Listen to what He told Israel, and us: And it shall come to pass, if ye shall hearken diligently unto my commandments which I command you this day, to love the LORD your God, and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul, That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil. And I will send grass in thy fields for thy cattle, that thou mayest eat and be full. Take heed to yourselves, that your heart be not deceived, and ye turn aside, and serve other gods, and worship them; And then the LORD'S wrath be kindled against you, and he shut up the heaven, that there be no rain, and that the land yield not her fruit; and lest ye perish quickly from off the good land which the LORD giveth you. Therefore shall ye lay up these my words in your heart and in your soul, and bind them for a sign upon your hand, that they may be as frontlets between your eyes. And ye shall teach them your children, speaking of them when thou sittest in thine house, and when thou walkest by the way, when thou liest down, and when thou risest up. And thou shalt write them upon the door posts of thine house, and upon thy gates: Thatyour days may be multiplied, and the days of your children, in the land which the LORD sware unto your fathers to give them, as the days of heaven upon the earth. For if ye shall diligently keep all these commandments which I command you, to do them, to love the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to cleave unto him (Deu 11:13-22). If we have Christ, we have the Spirit of Christ, and if we have the Spirit of Christ, we have sacrificial love; for ...the fruit [result] of the [presence and operation of the Holy] Spirit is love [agape; i.e., affection, benevolence, love feast, charity, sacrificial love], joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law [no need for any requirements of the law] (Gal 5:22-23).

 

THE CHRISTIAN  HERALD