This is the final segment that John wrote in 2018. I hope this series has blessed you.
Today we will show in Scripture how often people did a lot of religious works but were still unpleasing to God. How could that be?
Matthew 7:22-23 “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your Name, and in Your Name cast out demons, and in Your Name perform many miracles?” “And then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you: Away from Me, you evildoers.” (NIV)
Why would Jesus say that to the people who did all these religious works?
We find the answer in 1 Corinthians 13:1-8, 13. “If I speak with the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all I possess to the poor, and if I give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing. Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away…..And now these three remain; faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
As we can see from these Scriptures, it is important for us to examine our hearts to search for the motivation behind our actions. If our motivation is not rooted in love, our actions will not be pleasing to God. Love is the bottom line. God is looking to see in us a reflection of Himself, and God is love.
But what is this love that God is talking about? Since we all were brought up in different circumstances and in different cultures, we all have different perceptions about what love is. God wants to be sure we are all on the same page, so He gives us His ultimate definition of love in the Scripture cited above. In this way, we can look at His definition and know if we are really being loving or not. If we are not, we can ask our Father to help us learn to love, in Jesus’ Name, by the power of the Holy Spirit. And He will.
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