True Love

Good morning,

I honestly do not remember when the Roe v. Wade SCOTUS decision came down.  At the time, I was only 15 and was much more concerned with frivolous things.  In my protected little small-town world, I had not even heard the word "abortion", that I can recall.  Yet, that landmark decision, based not on constitutional right but upon a judicial preference, has bathed this country in blood - - - - almost 56 million pre-born babies killed in our country, to date.

I will ever remember yesterday's SCOTUS decision, to establish another unconstitutional "right", the "right to marriage".  My mother, aunt, uncle and I watched the POTUS deliver his remarks in the aftermath of the decision's announcement.  One of those "Where were you when...." moments.

One of the more troubling things the POTUS said was "Love is love."  In other words, it doesn't matter whom you "love", as long as you "love" them.  This is the new standard in America.  And, under this standard, it won't matter if you want to have 2,3 or 17 partners, it will be accepted; you will be able to get "married" in a civil ceremony (and probably in some churches as well).  It won't matter if you want to marry your German Shepherd.  That will be looked upon benevolently too.  You think that I am being facetious; but, it is coming.  Other "odd couples" will be knocking on the door of the SCOTUS, screaming for legitimacy.

The Founders of this once-great country, whether Christian or Deist, recognized that if this people became unmoored from the moral standards articulated in the Bible, liberty, true liberty, would not stand.  That is happening before our eyes.  What some celebrate as freedom today is merely licentiousness.

Here is the bottom line:  people are doing what is right in their own eyes, and are calling it love, calling it freedom. This was the original sin of Satan, Adam and Eve.  "Did God really say that?"  (Genesis 3:1)  Today, Satan's deception continues. The Bible and its teachings have been scorned, reviled, and rejected.  Sadly, this departure will lead only to increased individual and national ruin.  The Bible is clear.  God does not lie.

God is love, the type of love that is holy, grounded in His own holiness.  True love contains that element of holiness, a reverence which the Bible calls "the fear of God".  Without holiness, all you have is a fake, false type of love.  Self-love is not true love at all.  It is a Satanic counterfeit.

As followers of Jesus Christ, what should be our response to this change in our "mission field"?  Our response should be one of God's true love.  We recognize that we are all fallen creatures, in need of the perfect love of our Savior.  So, in humility we are called to love our neighbors while simultaneously standing for the truth as revealed in Scripture.  This should be our attitude toward any activity or attitude which the Bible calls sin, which God Himself calls sin.  Truth and true love are not mutually exclusive.

Engaging our culture that is hostile to the gospel, let's not fall into the temptation to spread hate by speaking hateful, mean-spirited words.  As He dealt with sinners, our Savior spoke lovingly as He rebuked their sins.  It is God's love and His amazing grace which draws each of us, all of us, to repentance, to turn from our wicked ways, our own besetting sins, whatever they may be.

So, let's stand boldly, yet humbly, Church.  Let's open our arms to receive those ship-wrecked souls who will inevitably come to us, searching for true love.  Let's remember that we bear treasure, and let's share it with a lost and dying world.  We know that the gospel of our living Savior, Jesus Christ, is powerful enough to convert any sinner, to break the most powerful of spiritual bondages, including the bondage of self-love.

We seek to imitate our Lord and Savior.  May His pure love control us.  (2 Cor. 5:14).

Dear Father, may our own personal sins grieve us as deeply as our national sins.  Please bring to the Church, the Body of Christ, repentance and revival.  Equip us, Lord, to carry Your liberating gospel of deliverance to a lost, dying world that is held captive by our enemy, the Evil One.  We praise you, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, for how You have given us salvation, through the blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord.  We serve a risen Savior, our living God.  It is in His precious name we pray, amen.