FAITH CAPSULE: The kind of love that counts before God is not seasonal celebration of the birth of Jesus.
1 John 4
The kind of love that counts before God is the kind of love that qualifies man not to miss heaven. Is it the magnitude of seasonal celebration of the birth of Jesus that testifies man’s love for God? To fear God is to love God, living by His word continually is the kind of love that counts before God but not seasonal celebration of the birth of Jesus. Claiming the love for God is obeying His commandments. Apostle Paul pointed out the purpose of God’s commandment, “Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, and from sincere faith, from which some, having strayed, have turned aside to idle talk.” (1Timothy 1:5-6) Apostle Paul was talking about love that counts before God, the kind of love that is worthy to provoke God’s attention to acknowledge one for good.
Love of man under heaven is a love manufactured by man to attain self-interest not God centered love. Man’s love is not the kind of love which counts before God. Under heaven, love manufactured by man is not a pure heart love which rampant and lack of good conscience love. Love manufactured by man is not rooted in faith. Imagine husband, wife, children, extended family, neighbors and all are running around shopping for gift in celebration of Jesus without existence of God’s love among each other. Without God’s love all are not living life for God’s glory? The word of God stated, “If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?” (1John 4:20) Does that sound like you?
Man is a mess as agent of wickedness deceiving loving among self. God is true in His testimony about man under heaven as stated in Genesis 6:5-7, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the Lord was sorry that He had made man on the earth, and He was grieved in His heart. So the Lord said, “I will destroy man whom I have created from the face of the earth, both man and beast, creeping thing and birds of the air, for I am sorry that I have made them.” There is no evil in celebrating the birth of Jesus. However, man is celebrating with lack of understanding and it relegates before God but not elevate man for the glory of God. Celebrating Jesus should be a non-stop as long there is breath of life. God cannot be deceived and that is the reason God why man should seek Him diligently. Seek God with understanding by loving Him without condition. It is written, “1 John 4:8, “He who does not love does not know God, for God is Love.” Celebrate Christ reality not celebrating religion.
Prayer for today: Ask God for the grace of understanding and not become a victim of ignorant.