Matthew 5:43-48
Romans 12:19-21
1 John 4:19-21
Unconditional love solves problems; in fact, it can solve all our problems,
if we want it to, because we would always be on the side of solving
problems.
This is because, as children of God, we would be living in the heavenly will
of God where there is no violence, nor bloodshed, nor pain, nor suffering,
nor death.
All of these problem-solving attributes of unconditional love begin with
loving God with every part of our being, which must also include loving the
whole of God’s creation.
Let’s think about all the family strife that goes on in the world around us,
and what John told us in 1 John 4:19-21…
19. We love, because He first loved us.
This all comes about because we love God with every aspect of our being, and
what happens when we are truly born again and allow the Holy Spirit to
indwell us.
Then John explains how this unconditional love solves problems within a
family.
20. If someone says, "I love God," and hates his brother, he is a liar; for
the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom
he has not seen.
In the context of this passage, we can include sisters and parents, and even
a brother or sister in our church congregation.
If we hate anyone, it is proof that we don’t fully love God and do not have
the unconditional love of the Lord within us, for if we have that
unconditional love within us, and care about our family and do everything we
can to resolve our differences, we will bring peace to our families.
Now this doesn’t mean that the other person in going to love us, but if we
truly love them and are always willing to forgive them and let them know it,
then the problem is with them.
21. And this commandment we have from Him, that the one who loves God should
love his brother also.
NASB
If anyone has a problem understanding this, consider the fact that this all
begins with fully loving God and the whole of His creation; therefore,
nothing or no one will be left out.
It all begins with unconditionally loving God, and when we do, everything
else naturally falls into place.
Now let’s expand our thinking a little further…
Are not we and our families affected by global warming and extreme weather
patterns?
Of course, we are.
Thus, if we contribute to global warming, or just do nothing about it, are
not we showing a lack of love for God, our family, and the rest of the
world?
Of course, we are.
Everything we do and don’t do affects someone else.
We are charged by God with protecting the whole of His creation, thus doing
nothing is almost as bad as directly contributing to the problem.
Even speaking out against a problem is doing something.
A former cabinet secretary said to be against fossil fuel production is
against American policy.
Of course it is, because the policy was against God’s heavenly will, and it
was contributing to the problem and not helping to solve it.
This problem is on a big scale, but it still affects our families the same
way our attitude does.
Everything and everyone in God’s creation are connected in one way or
another.
Everyone of us, and what we do, has an effect on everyone else even if it is
only in a very tiny way, for if the bad is not checked and stopped it will
grow until it affects nearly, if not, all of us.
The case in point is what wasn’t done to stop the evil being done to
billions of animals every year, and the result is that they suffer horribly,
and because humans are eating them against the creation intent and heavenly
will of God, humans have all kinds of chronic illnesses, and because of the
unsanitary conditions in which the animals are raised, we catch many
viruses.
In addition to the illnesses, our societal hardness of heart is causing
animal agriculture to be the largest contributor of greenhouse gases and the
subsequent global warming.
We are really killing ourselves!
Let’s now turn our attention to another passage of Scripture that most
people seem to have trouble with, Matthew 5:43-48, but this is important to
both understand and practice if we hope to see how unconditional love solves
problems.
43. "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall love your neighbor, and
hate your enemy.'
This is unfortunately the way that most people think and act, but hate can
never have a part in unconditional love, which in turn separates us from the
Lord our God, for without perfect heavenly love, we can never truly be
children of God.
Jesus goes on and tells us…
44. "But I say to you, love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute
you
We have heard another expression that may help us understand how to love our
enemies…
“Hate the sin but love the sinner.”
We need to think about the evil that our enemies do and separate that from
the person that God created them to be.
God never made anyone to be evil.
Then Jesus goes on and explains why this understanding is so important.
45. in order that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He
causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the
righteous and the unrighteous.
God is not withholding the sun or the rain from anyone.
Both good and evil people experience them both, and God certainly doesn’t
like any of the evil in the world, but He does want us all to freely live in
His heavenly will.
Then Jesus goes on and gives us some worldly examples so we can learn to do
better than them.
46. "For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even
the tax-gatherers do the same?
Today in this country we don’t have tax-gatherers like they did in those
days, when the tax-gatherers only got paid from what they extorted from the
people.
However, we do have a lot of other dishonest people in the world, most
likely that we all know to use as examples.
Then Jesus uses another example that is closer to home.
47. "And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others?
Do not even the Gentiles do the same?
Think about the Gentiles as being non-believers, for we are to be different;
we are to love the Lord and love in His heavenly will here on earth as it is
in heaven, and where there is not hatred, and no violence, and no pain or
suffering or death.
So, what are we to do?
48. "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
NASB
The fact that we may not be able to live up to this ideal in this imperfect
world is no reason not to strive for it, and who knows, by the grace of God,
we actually may be able to live this way.
And He has shown us some of the ways we can indeed live this way; the
imperfect being made perfect.
Paul has a complimentary approach to what Jesus is saying in Romans
12:19-21, and it does address the fact that unconditional love solves
problems…
20. "But if your enemy is hungry, feed him, and if he is thirsty, give him a
drink; for in so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head."
Part of loving our enemy is giving them what they need, and if we do it in a
nice way, it will hopefully convict them in their heart and soul that their
actions and thoughts about us are not correct, and they will wonder why we
are so nice.
This is what we believe it means to heap burning coals upon their heads.
21. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.
NASB
Which is exactly what God wants us to do.
Unconditional love solves problems.
Amen?
Amen.
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