“Loving” || What Makes a Believer? || Week 4

Welcome to Week 4 of “What Makes a Believer?”. This series is about the different characteristics of what a believer is. There are a ton of characteristics to talk about according to my Study Bible. We’re taking the time to talk about seven different characteristics that I feel can be expounded upon. I want to reiterate something:

I DO NOT HAVE A DEGREE IN ANY FORM OF THEOLOGY. I AM NOT A PASTOR. I DO NOT HAVE ANY PREACHING OR THEOLOGICAL LICENSES. I AM JUST A YOUTH AND CHILDREN’S MINISTRY LEADER THAT ENJOYS DIVING DEEPER INTO THE BIBLE. THESE ARE MY OPINIONS BASED OFF MY STUDIES, SCRIPTURES, AND PERSONAL TESTIMONY. 

I say all that even though no one has come to me and questioned what I’ve said, how I’ve said it, or that I’ve taken scripture out of context. I always want to call that out to make people aware of it before we jump into it. It’s a failsafe for me honestly.

Last week, we discussed how we are called to be humble. This week we’re discussing how we are called to be loving. What does it mean to be loving? Loving means to “feel or showing love or great care”. Okay, I know it’s hard to define a word with the lord itself, so let’s ask the question: What is love? It’s a real catchy song, but it also means: “an intense feeling of deep affection.” So being loving can mean “to feel or show an intense feeling of deep affection or great care.” I think that’s a great definition to work with, considering we will be talking about the greatest example today. That example is Jesus!

Jesus is by far, the GREATEST example of being loving. That’s was the foundation of his whole beliefs. Remember the greatest commandment that Jesus taught us: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself’.” (Matthew 22:37-39). Jesus recognized these two types of love that the greatest rule that we can follow. He teaches us this by showing various examples of how this love should operate.

 Today we’ll read two verses from two different letters from Paul to see how this characteristic can truly make us a believer. Let’s dive into it.

1st Scripture: Colossians 1:4

Colossians is a letter that Paul writes to the church in Colossae. Paul is expressing here his thanksgiving and prayer for the people in this church. Our focal verse today is Colossians 1:4 and it says:

  4 Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people –

The love that’s being referred to here is one of the fruits that Paul talks about when he references the “Fruits of the Spirit” in Galatians 5. The Greek word for this type of love is “agape”, which means “love of choice”. This refers not to an emotional connection, or a physical connection, or a familial bond, but to respect devotion, and affection that leads to willing, self-sacrificial love. Let me give you an example of this. Turn to the book of 1 John 3, and let us read verses 16 and 17.

  16 This is how we know love: Jesus laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers and sisters.

  17 But if someone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but refuses to help – how can the love of God dwell in a person like that.

This self-sacrificial love that we as Christians should know about and use in our daily lives is founded on Jesus giving his life up for us. Jesus sacrificed his own life so that we could continue to build a relationship that grows closer to him. We don’t need to suffer any more in sin because Jesus paid the price. We need to repent, or ask God to forgive us, and learn how to better ourselves in Christ-like ways. Let’s pay attention closer to verse 17.

John is questioning how can we see someone in need, but refuse to help even though we have what’s needed to help them. The love of God isn’t there in that instance. We are then more focused on our own life, our own possessions, our own money, our own food, our own clothes, our own time…have I touched on one that’s close to home for you? The love that Christ teaches us is self-sacrificing. This means that you are choosing, or intentionally, sacrificing your own money, time, clothes, food, etc., to help others. That $10 you were going to use on coffee could help give someone a warm meal. That sweater that you’ve outgrown and was going to throw out could keep someone warm overnight. That trip you were planning to take for yourself could be used to change lives in your city, country, and world. I know that the last one is a stretch, but you see my point. We need to take of ourselves without question, but those areas where you have more than enough. Those are the areas to share with others. To sacrifice keeping more than enough and spreading God’s love to others. This is my first point.

1st Point: Giving your abundance is what will show God’s love. 

Let’s move on to our next scripture. Turn to 1 Thessalonians 4

2nd Scripture: 1 Thessalonians 4:9

This is another letter that Paul writes to the church in Thessalonica. This is actually the first of two letters that Paul writes to them. In this chapter, Paul describes what living a life pleasing to God is like. Our focal verse is verse 9, and it says:

 9 You don’t need us to write about loving your brothers and sisters because God has already taught you to love each other.

Paul doesn’t need to tell them how to love like Jesus, because God’s already taught them that. They learned this by God’s word and by God himself. Since they loved this, they were now loving believers. Let’s go back to 1 John again, and even back to 1 John 4 to talk about this a little further. Let’s read verses 7 and 8, which says:

  7 Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God.

  8 The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love.

It’s interesting to use this verse because this is actually the start of five reasons why Christians love: because God is the essence of love. Verse 7 reminds us that love is a habitual practice. He’s written that those that believe already exhibit the characteristic of love. Someone may claim to believe God but only those who show this love like God actually possess God’s divine nature and are truly a believer.

The letter to Thessalonians is an example of how following God tells us to love. Paul’s job can be to tell others how to follow Jesus and the things necessary to do that. Paul told them that He didn’t need to tell them that because they are already doing that. Then John reminds us that because we are a believer, we need to love each other because that love will show what the love of God is like. I know I’ve heard others ask what is God like, and this is a great way to show them. Show them how God loves. Remember the greatest commandment. Love God with all your heart, mind, and soul. Love each other as you love yourself. This is the greatest way to show God’s, sacrificial love. Love them as Jesus loves us. This leads to my final point:

2nd Point: Show off God’s love. 

This actually wraps up our message for today. Give abundantly. Instead of self-isolation, what if we tried self-sacrificing. That same self-sacrifice that caused Jesus to die for us. I’m not saying for you to die for someone unless it’s needed. Give of your time, your money, your knowledge, your food, your clothes, and more. Show the blessings that God has given you to someone else. Stay blessed!