Is It Love?

Bible, I John 5:1,7  Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.  …For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

It is a theme which never loses its message, “Yes, I love God”, “God is central in my life”, or “God is very important to me”.  Yet, if you mention Jesus to the proponents of this theme, many will deny Christ, impugn His deity, or simply ignore His atonement for their lives.  Is this then love?  Do these individuals fully understand their hatred and expect segmented love to win them favor? 

Ah, so is it the Bible which is in error; the Word of God which can’t be trusted?  Aren’t the feelings which accompany this “love” of God more concrete than the words from a disputed and old book? 

Who of us was born with knowledge and understanding?  Every individual must learn not only to communicate, but to master motor skills, walk a straight line, balance their body, and many other learned behaviors.  Why then do people think they are endowed with an intuitive knowledge and understanding of God?  If people are endowed with intuitive knowledge, why is there any dispute over the nature of God?  Angels may have been created with this knowledge, but in man’s creation God’s endowment was the free will to govern our own actions in our own way.  The down side to self will is the accompanying consequence and responsibility.  The actions of our will are our own responsibility and there is always consequence for our actions.  This is either a great gift or a great curse, depending on which choices we make. 

Those who choose to love a God which is not just, but only merciful, can expect no other life beyond death than that which they have already experienced.  What kind of eternity is that?  Why do we think the first act of God after our death is to strip us of our free will?  For people to face God and prove their goodness as a prerequisite for heaven doesn’t prevent people from further mischief.  A criminal exonerated in a court of law doesn’t prevent the criminal from continuing in crime.  What is to stop anyone from acting ill or evil toward others when God allows our goodness to be the measure by which we gain heaven’s gate?  What of even the slightest badness or evil in our character?  How bad can only a little blight of sin become over an eternity of time?  And, what is then the reward for good, another heaven beyond the first?  Would the cycle ever end?  What of Hell?  Shouldn’t God let people off for good behavior?  Such an eternity would involve a revolving door between Heaven and Hell which would never cease turning as people went bad or went good from time to time.  God, save us from such an eternity!

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 

There is only one love which God will accept.  It is not only a love for God but God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.  This love can only be expressed when we receive the greatest gift of God, eternal life, through Jesus Christ.  To love only one of the three, or two of the three is to hate the other, for the three are one.

Love of Allah, is hatred toward God.  Adding to God is also a hatred for God.  God cannot be in everything, or nothing would be evil.  Love of any called God in any way without acknowledging God as Trinity is to declare hatred of God and will guarantee wrath, judgment, and destruction.

So, what do you have?

– Is it love?