What Is Love; Baby Don't Hurt Me No More!

The words "love of God" and "conditional" can never go together for God IS love. For the love of God to be conditional GOD needs to go in and out of existence. GOD would then only exist under the correct conditions. 1Jn 4:8 ...for God is love. Bertie Brits

The above quot is by Bertie Brits, one of my favorite preachers whom God used to bring me into His truth after having been in the wilderness torn between the mixture of Grace (the Gospel) and the Law. I borrowed the title

What is Love, baby don't hurt me

from Haddaway's song that was released in the early 90's. In one way or another, people are looking for love - unconditional love. This manifest itself in various forms. No matter how much love we offer as humans, we're going to fall short. We can't be there and offer unconditional love 24/7 365 days a year. Its humanly impossible. There's usually a price tag involved. As the saying goes,

there's no free lunch

. This is just the way of life as humans. However,

"For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD.

Isaiah 55:8. What is love then? God is Love. He does not possess love, He is Love. And in His own reasoning, He chose to love us unconditionally. That is, His love for us has nothing to do with our performance. Whether we love him or not, He loved us. In fact He loved us so much that He gave up Jesus Christ as a sacrifice. He did that without asking for guarantees; He didn't say I'm going to send Jesus if you will get your act together. He didn't lay down any conditions for Christs' coming. He only foretold of His coming through the prophets; through Isaiah he said, "I'm going to do a new thing". He was going to change the order of things. Below is the Chapter of Love, as it has been called in 1 Corinthians 13 (NIV). I've placed in parenthesis God wherever the word love is to make a point.

If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love(God), I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love(God), I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast,[b] but do not have love(God), I gain nothing. 4 Love(God) is patient, love(God) is kind. It(God) does not envy, it(God) does not boast, it(God) is not proud. 5 It(God) does not dishonor others, it(God) is not self-seeking, it(God) is not easily angered, it(God) keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love(God) does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It(God) always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love(God) never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me. 12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love(God). But the greatest of these is love(God).

Thats a great passage of scripture. That is the picture of Christ. And indeed, Christ is the exact image of God, and the brightness of His glory as the scripture says in Hebrews. As Bertie puts it above, God will have to cease to exist in order to put conditions for His love. So, what is love? Baby don't worry, God won't hurt you and will never hurt you. But you need to allow Him to love you and accept His offer. He has already manifested His love for you. I don't need to tell you to believe....this will produce believe in you. His love and His Gospel will stir up faith in your heart.

Are you Rich?

Riches or rags do not define your relationship with God!

This is a simple truth in the Gospel. The old system that says "you are blessed when you obey, and cursed when you disobey" is no longer. We are blessed on the basis of what Christ did, PERIOD! Now I'm not saying that we should live in disobedience. Regardless of what you may think of that statement, that is the truth. Christ fulfilled the law, and then died, thereby killing the old man which was born into that system, rendering the law ineffective. The Apostle Paul addressed this in details in the Romans where he spoke of marriage symbolizing the Law and Grace. Once the husband is dead, the wife is no longer bound by the law of marriage. We were married to the law, or the system that defines our relationship with God on the basis of our performance. Deuteronomy 28 details the consequences of obedience and disobedience. And of course, this dates back to Genesis where the first man implemented this system.

I cannot stressed this enough, but this whole mess started with Adam and Eve. And you would think that the Church would know better, and be the place where mankind finds freedom - freedom that can only be found in Christ. For the whole world functions (is subjected to bondage) under this system of bondage. God's plan was for man to function like him. God didn't put conditions for Adam to be like him, nor to maintain this relationship. However, the relationship changed once Adam ate of the tree. The change was simple; EAT OF THE TREE IN ORDER TO BE LIKE GOD. It's a very subtle trick that seems noble from the outside. The reasoning for Adam and Eve was this: "If i eat of this tree, I will be like God. Now, what is more noble than that. I don't see any harm in it whatsoever. I will be like God, and I will know good and evil, SUPER! Give me two of those, and while you're at it, give me 10 more for take out'. While the motive sounded noble, it changed forever the dynamics of the relationship with God. Man chose to define the relationship based on his ability. I eat to become; I pray and fast to become; i give to the poor to be blessed; i obey the law to please God. And the list goes on. The burden is now upon us to be like God. Being like God, wasn't suppose to be on the menu of the things that we must do. Adam was created according to God's image. And God would come by the cool of the evening to have a stroll in the garden with him. It was a perfect relationship. But once man chose this system of performance, they were cast out of God's presence, and now they have to toil and struggle. But one day, a man named Isaiah heard God speak to him. God told him that "a child is born unto you; unto you a son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulders" Isaiah 9:6. God told Isaiah that .....

Behold, I will do a new thing; now it shall spring forth; shall ye not know it? I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert".

He told Isaiah what He was going to do. He will once again change the nature of our relationship with him. He will remove our sins as far as the east is from the west. We will become his people. God spoke this to different people, including King David. He told them that

in one day, a new nation will be born'.

What Nation was he speaking about? It was not Israel, because Israel was already in existence. But God was speaking about a new creation of which Jesus is the firstborn. He came just like us under the old system (the law), obeyed the law, and then died. When He rose from the dead, a new nation was born. A new creation was born. Isaiah 66:8 says this:

Who hath heard such a thing? who hath seen such things? Shall the earth be made to bring forth in one day? or shall a nation be born at once? for as soon as Zion travailed, she brought forth her children'

When we believe in Christ, we are born of God. Our identity is not defined by our flesh. If any man be in Christ, he is a NEW CREATURE. Old things are passed away; behold all things are become new 2 Corinth 5:17. This is the truth about the church. This is the Church that Christ will come to meet on His second coming, blameless.

You are no longer defined by your circumstances, nor by what you can do. Christ is the corner stone. He is the author and the finisher. He is the Alpha, and the Omega - and everything in between. God is not going to commit the maintenance of this great salvation on the whims of man; to be determine by our works. It was our works that caused this mess. Adam thought God needed a little help - maybe if I do something, I will be like God. Put to rest the works of the flesh. Enter into the rest of God. Are you laboring and suffering? Come to Jesus, He will give you rest. If you are rich, or poor, that should never be the measure of who you are. This message will give you peace that surpasses all understanding. This is the wisdom of God

Right Living vs Christ in You

As nice as it may sound, living holy is not the same as Christ living in you. Most Christians today are under the deception that their holy living is pleasing unto God. Wake up! God doesn't want your holy life. He wants 'THE LIFE OF CHRIST IN YOU". And before you click the button to leave this article, please listen to your heart. I am not against living right. I am for living right - but not by your own will power. I am for living right when Christ is LIVING within you. As Paul puts it "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.". Galatians 2:20. He says clearly I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. Its quite clear cut. Very simple, yet profound. But to understand this, lets go back the Gospel of John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: 13 who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God". How do you become a son of God? By repentance? No! By acknowledging your sin? No! You become born of God when you receive the Lord Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. It has nothing to do with your repentance, nor the prospect that you will live a good life. You are simply born of God. Once you are born of God, you don't put that aside, and now assume the responsibility to run your life, however righteous it may be. Now go back to Galatians 2:20 where it says: "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live......." There is no room for "I" or "me" whether you are living right or in sin. With Christ you are crucified. Meaning the old man that was born according to the first Adam, is dead. The old you that was born according to the will of man (your dad and mom) is dead. And yes, that includes your good deeds. That man is dead. "I no longer live, but Christ lives in me; AND THE LIFE WHICH I NOW LIVE IN THE FLESH I LIVE BY FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD, WHO LOVED ME AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR ME". You could be very talented and could make a watch that looks exactly like a Rolex! But that will never be a Rolex. In the same manner, you may try to mirror the life of Christ, but that will never make you a Christian. You will be living in the flesh. Living in the flesh means depending on your works, or the law to be justified before God. Galatians 2:16 says "......for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified". As ye receive Christ Jesus, walk ye in him......says Paul in the letter to the Colossians. In the same manner that you came into Christ, we continue to walk in him. We don't abandon that and resort back to our flesh to complete our walk. God has already provided all that pertain unto life and godliness through the Christ (1 Peter 1:3). Do not be deceived into thinking that you can maintain this great salvation by your own will power. This precious gift was paid for completely by a precious price, and shouldn't be insulted by adding our works - as if it wasn't perfect. Do not become like a dog that vomits and goes back to eat it's vomit (1 Peter). Having received Christ, indicates that you have rejected the premise of coming to God by your own flesh. When you try to live right in the flesh is just returning to your vomit. Let Christ be Lord in your life and let him live in you. He is the hope of Glory in us. He is the exact representation of God, and brightness of His Glory. Allow him by acknowledging what He has done. You don't have to fret and sweat as to whether you accepted or not. You are accepted IN THE BELOVED. If you are not sure, consider how you came to Christ. If you've been maintaining your own salvation, maybe you didn't allow him in your heart in the first place. Allow him, and His peace will overwhelm you. He will confirm His word in you. Instead of trying to live right, allow Christ to live in you.