Some Grace believers have translated popular teaching topics on rest and freedom to; no more need to reach God's people and show them who you are through your actions. Paul knew this when he instructed some of his disciples to live the kind of life that would not paint them as hypocrites or harm the powerful Gospel through misconceptions of their actions. Today, we can know that we are free in Christ but also choose to limit ourselves so our choices aren't a distraction to those that may want to know about the beautiful Gospel of Grace.
When Jesus says "Love each other as I have loved you" He isn't telling us to carry the load, he is simply asking us to return to our true nature, in other words, the way it should be. When God (Love) made us, He made us in His image. The core of His image is Love. We must understand as New Creation Christians that it is more natural for us to love each other than any other emotion. When I am angry at someone I can feel it sit on my heart, this is because my heart was never made to hold this anger. My heart was crafted to love!
Our Christian walk is very simple. When Jesus said "repent for the kingdom of God is near" He is literally begging you to rethink who you are. Rethink your position with God as a believer. Rethink what it means to be a "new creation." Everything that we are to do is simply going back to the way it should have always been.
Today, remember that loving your family, friends, co-workers, and the slow driver in front of you is your true nature. Jesus told us to return to this person because it is who we naturally are. When you get to the person you were intended to be you are going to see your life change and the people around you change. People are going to wonder why you are always happy, and it going to open up doors to share the wonderful Gospel. Jesus loves you!
Jesus was all about making things simple through examples and stories. I appreciate it because I have a very simplistic mindset when it comes to the Gospel. I don't think Jesus was big on titling things but I call what he commanded us to do the "Law of Love." Jesus made it very simple in John 15:12 when he said "My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you." We also can acknowledge that our love for His people will never meet His Love for His people. However, we know that the main focus of Jesus' ministry, and Paul's ministry was to simply follow Jesus. We can see this in Matthew 11:30 when Jesus says "For my yoke is easy and my burden is light." A yoke was used to guide an animal but Jesus makes it clear that He is pulling the load, when he says "for your burden is light"! Loving people is not a burden, for Jesus does not instruct you to do things that will burden you.
When Jesus says "Love each other as I have loved you" He isn't telling us to carry the load, he is simply asking us to return to our true nature, in other words, the way it should be. When God (Love) made us, He made us in His image. The core of His image is Love. We must understand as New Creation Christians that it is more natural for us to love each other than any other emotion. When I am angry at someone I can feel it sit on my heart, this is because my heart was never made to hold this anger. My heart was crafted to love!
Our Christian walk is very simple. When Jesus said "repent for the kingdom of God is near" He is literally begging you to rethink who you are. Rethink your position with God as a believer. Rethink what it means to be a "new creation." Everything that we are to do is simply going back to the way it should have always been.
Today, remember that loving your family, friends, co-workers, and the slow driver in front of you is your true nature. Jesus told us to return to this person because it is who we naturally are. When you get to the person you were intended to be you are going to see your life change and the people around you change. People are going to wonder why you are always happy, and it going to open up doors to share the wonderful Gospel. Jesus loves you!
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