Tag: love

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The Priority of Love

And a lawyer stood up and put [Jesus] to the test, saying, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” And He said to him, “What is written in the Law? How does it read to you?” And he answered, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your strength, and with all your mind; and your neighbor as yourself.” And He said to him, “You have answered correctly; do this and you will live” (Luke 10:25-28).

The lawyer’s question is very straightforward – it’s about salvation.

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Loving God Fearfully

Recently, in prayer I again realized that God’s love for me (and you) is far greater than my love can possibly be for God. God loves in perfection. God’s love is a gracious choice towards humanity, not based in need. My love for God is imperfect, based in my weakness and need. Rather than selfless love, my love for God is selfish. I NEED GOD more than I want God. “In this 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 4:10).

A friend recently asked, “How do we fear the same One who loves us unconditionally?” I pondered, “Do I fear God?” I quickly came to the realization that I do indeed fear God; that even after years of devotion and study there remains a mystery, an awesome quality about God that provokes wonder and fear.

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The Nuances of Racism

This post was edited and updated on 8/20/2014.

When we talk about racism or bigotry most people are not aware of the nuances involved. Racism is a term filled with political nuance. Believe it or not, there is a distinction between being a racist and a bigot. A bigot may harbor malicious and hateful thoughts against another because of race, nationality, or religion. But a bigot lacks the power or motive to act. If one is a bigot, but has power and motive, then that is racism. Racism is inherently oppressive. Jim Crow laws were racist because they had the force of law and the support of a bigoted populace. Keep in mind that to be racist implies the political, social, and economic power to oppress a group of human beings because of their race.

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The Love of God

God unconditionally loves sinners and conditions them to be glorified saints!

There’s a lot of talk about the “unconditional love” of God. On most occasions the context of this conversation is someone who admits to their sinful condition, even revels in it, but considers any suggestion of repentance to be judgmental.

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A Witness to Unity

The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad called the altar Witness; “For,” they said, “it is a witness between us that the Lord is God” (Joshua 22:34).

After the partial conquest of Canaan, Joshua began to assign territories of inheritance to the tribes of Reuben, Gad, and Manasseh. The people of these tribes were faithful to the covenant of Moses; they were obedient to the commands of Joshua; and they maintained the solidarity of the community. Because of their faithfulness, they now entered into the rest of the Lord.

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