More on redeeming love
“You can be my friend. But don’t try to help me. I’m not good enough for you?”
This is the thinking of a world of sinners. We naturally don’t want to be “helped,” we don’t want our lifestyle “fixed,” we have an aversion toward being “perfect,” a prejudice toward being a “saint.” “The carnal mind is … not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom. 8:7). “You must accept me just I am, and never expect me to change, or it’s all over between us.”
But redeeming love responds, “All right. You don’t want to be helped or fixed; but I will do my best to get into your heart. And when my love for you has struck an answering chord in your heart, when you love me, then you will be O.K. with some suggestions on the need for fixing. Then you will change. And I can hold out longer for you to accept my love than you can to resist my love.”
The sinner immediately takes offense at any conditions of behavior with a relationship. It demands friendship without any reservations. There can be no expectations of behavior. “We will coexist if you want; but don’t expect me to change for you.” Love alone can and does mellow out that resistance to change. Only love can soften the hardened, rebellious human heart.
Everyone who has ever surrendered to God’s love and friendship has also done so under the auspices of being a sinner in need of help. That surrender encompassed both the giving up of the fight against His righteousness and His love. To cave in to real love was to cave in to great need, a need for transformation.
The Holy Spirit brings divine love into view. God’s eyesight is much better than ours. He sees the enslavement and destruction that sin brings on body, soul, and spirit. He cannot overlook that; He fears for our sake. Yes, He wants our fellowship and affection; but His love for our sake wants more than affection. Even though friendship is all the sinner wants.
So He packages His work of transforming our life in the friendship that He offers. He envelopes His law in the joy of peace and trust. He wins us over to righteousness.
Really, uniting righteousness with friendship is all He has ever done; He has never acted differently. His loyalty has ever been for both, righteousness and brotherly love. His is a pure love; thus, it is the power of salvation, the power to raise us up to become the sons of God.
Can’t we do the same for our own acquainteances and find the same results? Didn’t the Lord do all for our learning?
This is the thinking of a world of sinners. We naturally don’t want to be “helped,” we don’t want our lifestyle “fixed,” we have an aversion toward being “perfect,” a prejudice toward being a “saint.” “The carnal mind is … not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.” (Rom. 8:7). “You must accept me just I am, and never expect me to change, or it’s all over between us.”
But redeeming love responds, “All right. You don’t want to be helped or fixed; but I will do my best to get into your heart. And when my love for you has struck an answering chord in your heart, when you love me, then you will be O.K. with some suggestions on the need for fixing. Then you will change. And I can hold out longer for you to accept my love than you can to resist my love.”
The sinner immediately takes offense at any conditions of behavior with a relationship. It demands friendship without any reservations. There can be no expectations of behavior. “We will coexist if you want; but don’t expect me to change for you.” Love alone can and does mellow out that resistance to change. Only love can soften the hardened, rebellious human heart.
Everyone who has ever surrendered to God’s love and friendship has also done so under the auspices of being a sinner in need of help. That surrender encompassed both the giving up of the fight against His righteousness and His love. To cave in to real love was to cave in to great need, a need for transformation.
The Holy Spirit brings divine love into view. God’s eyesight is much better than ours. He sees the enslavement and destruction that sin brings on body, soul, and spirit. He cannot overlook that; He fears for our sake. Yes, He wants our fellowship and affection; but His love for our sake wants more than affection. Even though friendship is all the sinner wants.
So He packages His work of transforming our life in the friendship that He offers. He envelopes His law in the joy of peace and trust. He wins us over to righteousness.
Really, uniting righteousness with friendship is all He has ever done; He has never acted differently. His loyalty has ever been for both, righteousness and brotherly love. His is a pure love; thus, it is the power of salvation, the power to raise us up to become the sons of God.
Can’t we do the same for our own acquainteances and find the same results? Didn’t the Lord do all for our learning?
posted by David | 5:57 AM
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