Prayer group 15/04/10
John 15:9-12
Verse 10 says: “If you obey my commands you will remain in my love”
It is often taught that God’s love is unconditional, but here this sounds as if Jesus is speaking as if His love is conditional.
So which is it? Is God’s love always unconditional? Or is it always conditional? Or is it a bit of both?
God’s love for all of human kind is I believe unconditional. He sent His Son to live and die on earth for the expiation of sins. Our sins. But once we have accepted that payment and that Jesus died on the cross for our salvation, then a new paradigm begins.
Because we have the knowledge of Christ’s suffering death and resurrection, more is expected of us. Just as God expected more of the people of Israel than He did of surrounding nations. We have a greater knowledge, understanding of God’s holiness and so should strive to live according to the example of Jesus.
Jesus said “If you obey my commands” He did not say if you obey the laws of Moses or the laws of the Pharisees, but He said “ My commands.” By obeying His commands we remain or live and function in His love. To put it another way we begin to bear the fruit of the Holy Spirit in our lives. His and the Father’s love is working not just in us to make us feel good and joyful, but also through us to help others in time of need, to encourage those who are struggling, to pray for the sick, to comfort those in sorrow and to reach those who do not yet know or understand the nature of Jesus’ sacrifice.
There are those who know of it, may even know it intellectually but it has not become a real truth to them yet. And they need to experience His love as being also for them. They are, as it were, still like little children. As parents we expect less of our children until they have grown and learned from guidance, teaching, correction and experience. The love of a good parent does not change as the child grows, but the expectations change and grow along with the development and maturing of the child
So God expects us to exercise His love as we grow in faith and maturity as a Christian. We all make mistakes and God teaches us through the consequences of those mistakes or of our lack of understanding. However, deliberate, willful disobedience brings with it other consequences.
If we are deliberately disobedient, then we are of our own volition stepping outside of Jesus’ love. He has not distanced Himself from us, it is we who distance ourselves from Him. His love has not changed but it is no longer effective in our lives. It is as if we have closed the door to His working in and through us.
What then are the consequences to us and to the body of Christ?
A personal consequence is that by stepping outside of His love ( by not obeying His commandments) the Enemy now has a legal means of access to us. He is now able to influence us more effectively. Temptation becomes stronger and more attractive. Picture it if you like as a very loved toddler walking down the path, through the gate and out onto the road. Despite being warned many times not too and despite knowing that his/her parents love and want the best for that child. Someone once said that if a child willfully disobeys its parents repeatedly there will come a time when the child will suffer the consequences.
If the enemy gets his foot in the door he will push harder and harder to gain more entrance. His aim is to push a believer further and further away from God’s and Jesus’ love. A slide into sin is the result and sin, especially unrepented sin, takes us further away from God’s love. It is this love which protects us.
But God is faithful, He hates the sin; but loves the sinner.
There are, however, consequences on the body of Christ brought about by the individual stepping outside of Jesus’ love.
If that person remains an active member of the congregation he or she may well bring the whole congregation into disrepute. If that person is in a leadership position or is respected by the congregation and its members, it can lead the whole congregation to become separated from the Love of Jesus with disastrous consequences.
The history of the church is littered with such examples going back to the time of Paul’s ministry. Just read the letter to the Galatians chapters 1 and 3. Also 1 Corinthians chapter 11 shows how this can bring about disruption and chaos in the church.
This is very serious indeed. I remember reading of a man of God (John Bevere) visiting a church only to be led by the Holy Spirit to the knowledge of sin among the church leaders. In some congregations this has led to splits and even to the demise of the congregation. Extramarital affairs, fiscal malfeasance. And who can be unaware of the scandals that have become known all over the world in some denominations.
Each believer is responsible before God for his own actions but the leaders of the congregation must also exercise the gift of discernment etc and be aware and seek the Lord’s wisdom as to the way in which this issue should be dealt with. Matthew 18: 15-17
When I started to prepare this talk/sermon I did not think that it would lead to this point, but this is what I believe the Lord has led me to say.
Amen