Perfect love

I'm thinking about my outdoor cats.

I like them.

But do I love them?

No, because I haven't had a chance to develop a real relationship with them since they're wild cats.

Even though I provide food and water each day, they live outside the house with no petting allowed.

I like my INDOOR cats.

Do I love them?

Yes!

I've been able to develop a personal relationship with them because we live indoors together.

When you see STRANGERS, do you like them?

I guess not, even though you can respect them as humans.

Do you love them?

Not in the sense of close, emotional love because you don't know them.

What about people we DO have relationships with?

Do we like them?

Maybe, most of them.

Do you love them?

That's a strong word.

Even if they're immediate family, there's not always the emotional connection and feeling when we think about them or are with them, is there?

Do we have the kind of love the Bible talks about?

Laying down our lives for each other? 1 John 3:16

The Lord Jesus Christ laid down His life for His sheep [followers] and friends, John 10:11, 14-15; 15:13-14 and the ungodly. Romans 5:6

PERFECT LOVE

God the Father and Jesus have perfect love. Jeremiah 31:3; Mark 10:21; John 13:1, 34; Romans 5:8; 8:37; Ephesians 2:4; 1 John 3:1; 4:8-11, 19; Revelation 3:19

Do They LIKE everyone?

Do They LOVE everyone with strong, emotional love?

Now Jesus LOVED Martha and her sister [Mary] John 11:2 and Lazarus. John 11:5

It was now just before the Passover Feast, and Jesus knew that His hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father.

Having LOVED His own who were in the world, He LOVED them to the very end. John 13:1

John described himself as that disciple whom Jesus LOVED. John 13:23; 19:26; 21:20-24

The word, "loved" is the same word used by Jesus when He said,

"For God so LOVED the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16

Didn't Jesus love everyone? Galatians 2:20; Revelation 1:5

Didn't He die for the sins of the whole world and rise again for their salvation? John 3:17; 12:47; Romans 3:21-26; 4:24-25; 2 Corinthians 5:15; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2

This is a trustworthy saying, worthy of full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I [Paul] am the worst.

But for this very reason I was shown mercy, so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display His perfect patience as an example to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 1 Timothy 1:15-16

Jesus showed His love for people by His obedience to the Father to lay down His life as a ransom for all. John 10:11, 17-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6

Did emotions have a part in it?

Maybe.

However, it also was a moral, righteous, holy, and Father-ordained decision by Jesus. John 6:38; 12:27-28; Acts 2:22-24; Hebrews 10:5-7

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus:

Who, existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped [or exploited],

but emptied Himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in human likeness.

And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross. Philippians 2:5-8

PASSION IS STRONGER THAN EMOTION

Perfect love, mature love, divine love 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 does NOT always have an emotional component even though it's passionate and sacrificial as in the Lord Jesus Christ's passion. Acts 1:3; 1 Corinthians 5:7; Ephesians 5:1-2

Does it? Should it?

So, for us to lay down our lives for others in practical ways 1 John 3:16-17; James 2:14-16 such in menial tasks as Jesus demonstrated when He washed His disciples feet as a servant, John 13:4-5 does NOT always mean that we get excited about it.

Jesus gave us this example so we could see that even the King of kings and Lord of lords Revelation 19:16 could serve humbly and His followers can, too. Matthew 11:28-30; John 13:12-15

We can DO what's needed at any time, whether or not we feel like it.

We can take the lowest room Luke 14:7-11 and do good works to help others. Romans 12:13; 1 Timothy 5:10; Titus 3:14; James 1:27

We don't need to have an emotional connection with them before we serve, do we?

Is it better to define this as compassionate concern for the human condition as sheep without a shepherd? Mark 6:34

There might be positive emotions in this but even if they're not present, we CAN by love serve one another. Galatians 5:13

We can forgive them Matthew 18:21-35; Luke 17:3-4 even if feelings aren't there.

We can cover their sins 1 Peter 4:8 with His love in us, Romans 5:5 even if we don't feel they deserve it.

We can restore the sinner Galatians 6:1; James 5:19-20 with more of His grace [undeserved favor] James 4:6 even if we don't like what they said or did when sinning. 1 Corinthians 5:1-6; 2 Corinthians 2:5-8

We can understand that God the Father was IN the Lord Jesus Christ reconciling [making friends with] the world, not counting their [and mine and yours] against them [and us] 2 Corinthians 5:18-19 through His passion for us. Luke 24:45-46; Acts 1:3

That was a profound commitment to meet the needs of all sinners everywhere and for all time. Romans 3:19, 23; 5:9-11; Hebrews 10:10-14

We can know that because He died for all, then all were dead spiritually.

For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that One died for all, therefore all died.

And He died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died for them and was raised again. 2 Corinthians 5:14-15

The love that the Father has for everyone John 3:16 has been shed abroad in a believer's spirit. Romans 5:5

We serve others whether we feel wonderful or not in the process or afterwards.

We do it because He did it.

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

Your thoughts?

R. Jason