What LOVE is...and what it's not.

This article has been edited slightly and I am reposting today to share a little bit about God's great Love. 
I made the most important decision of my life in the Spring of 1990, 

when I obeyed the Gospel call and was baptized into Christ,

 becoming a New Testament Christian.

I didn't know a lot, but I knew my life was a mess. 

I was seeking God.

 His love.

 His forgiveness.

 His peace.

 His direction in my life.

 Just HIS way. 

After weeks of study, I understood that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and He came to save me and all people from their sins. I understood the One church that God prepared, planned and created on the day of Pentecost, and I understood the commitment I was making publicly to God and before His church, and this world to serve and obey HIM and HIS SON all the days of my life.
I had heard, believed, repented, confessed and was fully immersed and thus baptized into Christ and added by our LORD to His church.

But I had a lot of growing to do.

I still am growing as a matter of fact. 

I hope to keep growing in the understanding of His word and His will, in His LOVE until I die.

I  hope that's your plan too. 

There's not going to be a point where I say, 

"Well, I've arrived. I've got it all down, and I'm done studying."

 The treasures in God's word are multiple, 

many faceted, 

and woven in,

 for us to keep unearthing through diligent study over the years.

As a babe in Christ, and in the first several years that followed in my Christian walk, 

I had an "idea" in my head of the Christian's growth journey. 

I had this idea that weak, liberal or new Christians were all the way on the left,

 and that we were to make a journey to bring us all the way to the right. 

That at one end of the spectrum of Christianity were the weak, 

and at the other end of the spectrum were the Ultra~conservative, 

well studied and strong Christians. 

I was actually offended by the term "middle of the road Christian" 

as if that meant one that "straddled the fence" on Biblical matters. 

Thankfully, many have been the number of older and wiser, 

gentler, faithful and loving Christians that have taught me and helped me to see more clearly.

Sadly there is a far left in Christianity that is fraught with liberality. Those that would loose God's word and not hold to all of his teachings. Those that talk freely of God's love, yet know little of His will. Those that pick and choose what they will obey, 

and claim they have the right to do so. 

That part I understood correctly. 

But over the years as a Christian, with study, prayer, 

and the above mentioned wisdom and advice of many others, 

I have come to understand at the other end of the spectrum there are those that deem themselves "ultra~conservative" Christians. 

However, zealous they may be, 

they are not as much well studied in His word, 

as well studied in certain verses and subjects. 

Their judgments are often harsh and laced with hateful speech.

 They claim to hold the love of God in their hearts, 

while their words and actions show anything but.

 They speak much of obedience, but little of God's love. 

When disagreed with, they spit out scripture like venom, 

with a look of such animosity on there faces 

that I truly am thankful we live in the dispensation that we do, 

lest God strike them down mid~spiel and mid~breath..

I hesitate to speak so boldly. I do not want to sound unkind myself. 

I truly desire the law of kindness to be in my mouth at all times, though I often fall short.

But I recently heard the words spoken:

"I am SICK of hearing about God's love. 

I am just SICK of hearing about God's love.

 There comes a time to lay down the law and this is it!" 

These words made me cringe. 

They strike fear and sorrow in my heart. 

I love these brothers and sisters, 

but as I tremble for those that would loose the truths of God's word, 

I tremble for these that bind matters that should be opinion 

upon others that are truly striving to serve our God.

 "For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy;

 and mercy rejoiceth against judgement" James 2:13

Sadly both sides are missing crucial threads in the fabric of Christianity.  

God IS love. 

He loves deeply. 

He is also JUST. 

He demands obedience. 

His mercy, grace, patience, omnipotence, goodness, righteousness, 

LOVE

 and unchanging nature are all wrapped up into the fabric of His Being. 

I do not claim to know all there is to know about our Holy Heavenly Father. 

The depths of His Ways are  past finding out. Romans 12:33~35

 But I DO know GOD is LOVE. 

I often speak of balance in Christianity when I write. 

About the importance of love and obedience together. 

I would NEVER think to throw out the importance of obeying my LORD and Saviour in ALL of his commandments. But neither would I throw out His mighty LOVE. Romans chapter 14 deals with the patience we must have for one another in matters of opinion. 

I pray for myself first, 

and for our dear Sisters and Brothers in Christ, 

for ALL of us to see His word clearly. 

For us to have wisdom, patience, grace and mercy

 towards one another as we strive with all of our hearts to discern His word and His will. 

I'm not "all that".

 I do not have it down. 

I need your patience and kindness with me. 

And I will show the same to you. 

I'm sure that's what God wants.

When I read these words, 

I simply can not come to any other conclusion.

Beloved, let us love one another; for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God , and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. ...Beloved if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 1 John 4:7~8

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels. and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth.; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. 1 Corinthians 13:1~8

Therefor all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even to so them; for this is the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12

Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the Second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.
Mathew 22:37~40

Can you?

I love you all~

marie