Christian Love

by Dr. Ken Matto

(Heb 6:10 KJV) For God is not unrighteous to forget your work and labour of love which ye have showed toward his name, in that ye have ministered to the saints, and do minister.

Today is Valentine’s Day and for those of you whom the Lord has blessed with a spouse, do something nice for them today and let them know they are more than just a maid or a paycheck. Unfortunately, there will be much illicit activity going on today, especially tonight. If a person truly loves another person, why would they want to violate them through illicit sexual activity? Unfortunately, this is also rampant in the Christian community too. I am speaking of those who are saved. It is one thing to succumb to a temptation in a moment of weakness but it is altogether a different story when one plans to set up a night of sin. Although, both falling into sin and planning to sin are still sin, yet, it is the attitude of the latter which is the most destructive. Two people who have succumbed to a temptation normally will repent of it and do their best to avoid compromising situations but those who set up sinful situations may honestly think they are getting away with it. This is when pride sugar coats deception. There is no way that illicit activity can ever be considered a labor of love toward the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, instead, illicit “love” is dedicated to Satan. The real love that a Christian has is much different from the emotional roller coaster of flesh-based love.

Christian love is a stable tenet of salvation. Christian love is also a tough entity because unlike emotional love, it buys us more enemies than friends. In your love and desire to see people become saved, how many unbelievers cheer you on and are happy you are telling them they are on their way to hell? It was the love of souls that made many martyrs by ancient Rome and the Roman Catholic Institution. Christian love is an unrelenting force which drives us on to continue to do the work the Lord has assigned to us. Rejection by individuals has no effect on that love, instead it fortifies our desires to see these souls become redeemed. This is why the Lord Jesus tells us to love our enemies because He has given us the power to do so through the Holy Spirit. (Luke 6:27 KJV) But I say unto you which hear, Love your enemies, do good to them which hate you, Don’t think politically when you think of enemies because your enemies are every single unsaved soul. Even those unsaved people in your church are your enemies. If it wasn’t for the divine gift of Christian love to motivate us, we might never decide to get involved with ministry. Thank God for giving love, because someone risked it by telling you about the Gospel.

Christian love is also something which is not just spoken but those words are always backed up with good works. What good is it if you have a hand full of tracts, stand on the street corner, and tell everyone you love them, but don’t give out the tracts? It amounts to only words. Words should be the catalyst of our good works which is done for someone but in the name of the Lord. Our good works should also be toward the name of the Lord which is accomplished by ministering to someone. Ministry is the reason we do works of love. We must never do works of love with the idea that we are going to get something out of it. One of the words I like in the King James Bible which is translated for love is the word “charity.” Each true believer has received the charity of grace from the Lord. This is how we must view our ministry works as charity to people who can never nor should be required to repay us. How can we repay God for His salvation in our lives? God knows we can’t, but all He asks of us is to minister and pass on the charity of grace to others. Whether a person becomes saved or not is not our business but God’s alone. We just have to have enough Christian love in our hearts to minister to one more! He who has ears to hear.  (2/14/03)