1 John 4:19

We love because he first loved us.

John 13:34

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 13:35

By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

John 15:12

“This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.

Romans 13:8

Fulfilling the Law Through Love

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law.

Luke 6:35

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.

We love God because He first loved us. I can see that.

Love fellow disciples. I can see that.

Love others as our Lord loved us. That will be difficult but I’ll try.

Love replaces Mosaic Law. I’m all for that.

Love my enemies? Come on, please don’t ask me to do that?

Let me ask, who is the enemy?

What do we stand for? Sharing the love of God. Then our enemies would be those who deny that it is God loving them through us. Then Luke 6:35 makes sense and we just keep pouring on the love. The hope is that love will wear them down and they will come to see God through us.

If Agape love doesn’t win them over, nothing will.

John 18:37-38 English Standard Version

37 Then Pilate said to him, “So you are a king?” Jesus answered, “You say that I am a king. For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world—to bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the truth listens to my voice.” 38 Pilate said to him, “What is truth?”

After he had said this, he went back outside to the Jews and told them, “I find no guilt in him.”

Pilate insists that Jesus tells him “what is truth”. Jesus resists answering Pilate’s question. What would have happened if Jesus had said, “I am the truth and the way and the life.”? We will never know because at that moment Jesus knew what would happen next.

39 But you have a custom that I should release one man for you at the Passover. So do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40 They cried out again, “Not this man, but Barabbas!” Now Barabbas was a robber.[or an insurrectionist]

The guilty went free because the innocent died.

Philippians 2:8

And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Yesterday it was said that insistence breeds resistance. Now Jesus, being obedient unto death flips the script. 

Now Father God insists that your salvation is based on faith in His Son’s obedience.

Acts 4:12

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

John 6:65-66 English Standard Version

65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

66 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him.

The lost resist the truth when truth insists on faith alone.

Be wise in what you insist upon when talking to lost souls.