This Is Love

Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ. --Colossians 2:16-17 Do you remember the story of Pavlov’s dog? Pavlov, a scientist, performed an experiment where he would ring a bell and then feed his dog. Then again, he would ring a bell and feed him, ring a bell and feed him. And to the amazement of Pavlov, whenever this dog would hear the bell, he would begin to salivate and prepare for the meal. He was conditioned by the sound of the bell to get ready to eat. Throughout the Old Testament, God was conditioning mankind with signs and symbols of greater truths that were yet to come. He was preparing the way for the One who would come and finally, forever, bring redemption for the sin of the world. The signs, the symbols, the types, the illustrations, the examples of the Old Testament all speak of the One who would come and give His life for you. So by the time Jesus came to earth in the New Testament, the Jews who had been truly following God were ready to listen. But many rejected Him because they had a false impression of the purpose of those signs and symbols. Yet, one thing remains abundantly clear: those signs pointed to Christ. The Gospels tell us that for 33 years God walked upon the face of this earth. That’s the central story in the Bible around which all others hinge. So when you feel like you’re getting bogged down in the ritual instruction of the Old Testament, remember that it’s a powerful story of a greater truth to come. THE STORY OF CHRIST IS THE FOCUS OF GOD’S PLAN FOR THE AGES. SO AS YOU READ THE OLD TESTAMENT, REMEMBER THAT THE RITUAL INSTRUCTION WAS MEANT TO PREPARE THE WORLD FOR A GREATER TRUTH TO COME. This Is Love Wednesday, March 25, 2020 by Dr. Paul Chappell “Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” 1 John 4:7–10 The world around us is filled with talk of love, but often the way that word is used is different from the way God uses the word. His love for us is completely sacrificial, even to the point of Jesus coming into the world to die for our sins. While the Bible speaks of God loving us, it is in the context of that being a part of His nature and character. God does not love us for who we are but for who He is. Love is an integral part of who and what He is. He cannot be anything less than loving. This is the pattern of love that is set before us, not just for us to appreciate, but to follow. “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another” (1 John 4:11). Unlike God, our hearts are not naturally filled with love. As a result of the Fall, our hearts were corrupted, and they cannot love as God does. But He has not left us alone and responsible for something we cannot do. He has given us His Holy Spirit, and He is able to produce genuine love. “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,” (Galatians 5:22). We must walk in the Spirit if we are to love as God commands. Today's Growth Principle: We cannot love other people as we should unless we first love God as we should—with all our hearts.