Love Is Deep

A lot of religious folks pride themselves on the secret or hidden ‘knowledge’ that their particular affiliation lays claim to. This supposed hidden knowledge makes them feel elite among God’s people, and they feel that they’re really 'deep’ in the faith of Christ because of it. But I’ve got news for them, and for everyone who aspires to follow the Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal salvation. There IS something that is deep, and there is something that is hidden, and there is something that is elite. It is this: “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you” (Jn. 15:12). That was Jesus that said that, and I can tell you that the love of God dwelling in a person, and working through a person, is as deep and elite as it gets. Reason being that Jesus is the ONLY one who is elite, and his love is infinitely deep. So my question is, How deep is YOUR love? Are you able to purely and freely love those who makes themselves your enemies without cause? If not then you’re not deep enough. Are you able to fervently and joyfully forgive those who have misaligned you and falsely accused you for your well doing? If not then you’re not deep enough in the faith. Jesus commanded us to do these things, and he has given his love and power to those who truly believe, so that we CAN do these things (Mat. 5:44; Acts 1:8; Rom. 5:5). You want 'deep?’ How about this: “And when they were come to the place, which is called Calvary, there they crucified him, and the malefactors, one on the right hand, and the other on the left. Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. And they parted his raiment, and cast lots” (Lk. 23:33,34). That deep enough for you? Or maybe you think that was just for Jesus to do. Okay, then how about this? “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:59,60). Now THAT’S “the love of God [that] is shed abroad in our hearts by the holy Ghost which is given unto us” (Rom. 5:5). That’s some 'deep’ love my friend, and if we’re aspiring to something deeper than that, then I’m afraid we’re digging in the wrong trench.

The apostle Paul summed up the faith of Christ in the purest of simplicity: “Now the end of the commandment is [love] out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (I Tim. 1:5). He also went on to say that some folks just don’t feel that the love of God is enough: “From which [love] some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling; Desiring to be teachers of the law; understanding neither what they say, nor whereof they affirm” (I Tim. 1:6,7). I see a lot of the same thing today. Either people are ambitious to be teachers, or they are zealous to exalt men and women AS specially anointed teachers with special 'new’ messages. They are just as wrong as they were in Paul’s day, and he warned of this in his second letter to Timothy: “For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables” (II Tim. 4:3,4). Those “itching ears” that he mentioned are those who do not want to die to sin, and therefore do not love having the love of God dwelling in them; so they resort to something 'more,’ meaning that special knowledge so called. I’ve seen it up close and personal friend, and it does NOT produce the pure love of God in people’s lives, and it does NOT produce true holiness in the lives of those who adhere to these kinds of things. In fact that kind of spiritual environment always genders to sin and fruitlessness. The same thing takes place when people get more focused on spiritual gifts than they do on increasing God’s love in their spirits toward others. The apostle Paul addressed this as well: “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 [love], I am nothing” (I Cor. 13:2). If you really want to have knowledge, and you really want to be spiritual, then continue to learn the following, and operate in it to the fullest: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). And this: “For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:7,8). That is where the goods are at my friend. Jesus died for you and I when he didn’t have to do it, and he died for us all while we were enemies. It doesn’t get any deeper than that. Amen.