Showing God's Love = Submission

How do we show God’s love, God’s way? It stands to reason that in order to do this, we must submit to God’s instructions as set forth in His word. We will not always feel like showing love toward others. This is why we must submit to the Father’s will through our obedience, and thereby strive to display His love regardless of how we feel.

Jesus is a perfect example of this teaching. He showed His love to others based on His submission to the Father’s will rather than his feelings or emotions. Luke 22:41-44 gives us a little insight into Jesus’ feelings before the crucifixion, “And he withdrew from them about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me. Nevertheless, not my will, but yours, be done.” And there appeared to him an angel from heaven, strengthening him. And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.” This does not sound like a man who was willing to die on behalf of one or many because of the strong feelings of emotions He had for them. Jesus was fully man and fully God. He experienced pain and temptation like any other human, and yet was without sin. As he faced the cross, Jesus knew he was about to face the full brunt of God’s wrath for the sins of His people. From a human stand point, He abhorred the prospect, but due to His desire to submit to the Father’s will, He acted in obedience, regardless of how he felt,“For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” We must be willing to follow in our Lord’s example“.. if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps” (1 Peter 2:20-21).

True Christ-like love displays to others the balanced message of the gospel, which shows both God’s great love and His wrath against sin. The greatest picture of the gospel message is displayed for us through the cross of Christ, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God” (Romans 5:8-9). The cross is a portrayal of both God’s love and His wrath against sin. If we show others a love that denies either of these truths of the gospel, then we are displaying a distortion of God’s love.

If we have experienced God’s love, it will show itself through a desire to submit to the Father’s will, no matter what the cost. It is a travesty that so many have the distorted idea that, because He does not allow them to remain in their sin, God is not kind and loving. This fact, in actuality, confirms the very love of God! This is why “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent...” (Acts 17:30). To repent is to turn from sin and turn to righteousness, “As I live, declares the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked, but that the wicked turn from his way and live...”(Ezekiel 33:11). However, all men will not repent. Many will choose to remain in their sin and be angry with God for not accepting them the way they are. This shows they have no desire to obey God, nor even experience His love. Their pride keeps them from it. Scripture tells us that, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Those who choose to remain in their sin show that they have no fear of God whatsoever, “And he said to the human race, “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding” (Job 28:28).

Let us be as accurate as possible in our portrayal of God’s love to others -- by having nothing to do with what God hates. “The fear of the Lord is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate” (Proverbs 8:13), These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, A heart that devises wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, A false witness that speaks lies, and he that sows discord among brethren” (Proverbs 6:16-19).

If we have nothing to do with what God hates, then we must have everything to do with what God loves, “For the Lord is righteous; he loves righteous deeds,” (Psalm 11:7), “He loves righteousness and justice” (Psalm 33:5).

As those who have experienced the love of God within our own hearts (if we truly have), let us be submissive to the Father’s will, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:7-8).

Obedience is Necessary to Belief

Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote an excellent book entitled, The Cost Of Discipleship. In it, he explains the importance of our obedience so well. Mr. Bonhoeffer makes the following statement, “The idea of a situation in which faith is possible is only a way of stating the facts of a case in which the following two propositions hold good and are equally true: only he who believes is obedient, and only he who is obedient believes.” He goes on to give an illustration: “We must take a definite step.....we can only take this step aright if we fix our eyes not on the work we do, but on the word with which Jesus calls us to do it. Peter knows he dare not climb out of the ship in his own strength-his very first step would be his undoing. And so he cries, “Lord, bid me come to thee upon the waters,” and Jesus answers: “Come.” Christ must first call him, for the step can only be taken at his word. This call is his grace, which calls him out of death into the new life of obedience. But when once Christ has called him, Peter has no alternative- he must leave the ship and come to him. In the end, the first step of obedience proves to be an act of faith in the word of Christ. But we should completely misunderstand the nature of grace if we were to suppose that there was no need to take that first step, because faith was already there. Against that we must boldly assert that the step of obedience must be taken before faith can be possible. Unless he obeys, a man cannot believe.”

I was reminded once again of how I had (unknowingly) been in unbelief. I had lived my life as a 'professing Christian' for many years, (from the time I was 12 years old) yet, even as an adult, continued to experience such a bondage to sin within my heart that I was never content. Realizing something was very wrong with my life, I felt helpless to correct my situation. Even though I believed myself to be a Christian, I knew my life was not what it should be. It was not until I understood my dilemma through listening to good balanced sermons online, repented of my sin, (and determined to take those steps of obedience in the areas I recognized that I was living contrary to God's word in)- that I could truly experience the 'gift of faith' God had blessed me with, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—  not by works, so that no one can boast"(Ephesians 2:8-9).

Going on here, Mr. Bonhoeffer asks the following question: “Are you worried because you find it so hard to believe? No one should be surprised at the difficulty of faith, if there is some part of his life where he is consciously resisting or disobeying the commandment of Jesus. Is there some part of your life which you are refusing to surrender at his behest, some sinful passion, maybe, or some animosity, some hope, perhaps your ambition or your reason? If so, you must not be surprised that you have not received the Holy Spirit, that prayer is difficult, or that your request for faith remains unanswered. Go rather and be reconciled with your brother, renounce the sin which holds you fast- and then you will recover your faith! If you dismiss the word of God's command, you will not receive his word of grace. How can you hope to enter into communion with him when at some point in your life you are running away from him? The man who disobeys cannot believe, for only he who obeys can believe.”

“..faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead; For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead,” (James 2:17, 26).

"For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified" (Romans 2:13). May we be doers of God's word and not merely those who hear and believe.

 “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it” (Luke 11:28). Obedience is essential to belief, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him,” (John 3:36).