I was reading a friends blog last night and she was posting about a ministry that she participates in to Strip clubs in Baton Rouge, LA. I enjoyed the post very much and this is in no way a challenge or rebuttal to that post.
The post really made me think. I hear a lot in Christian circles about showing the love of God to our world and this is certainly a commanded thing to do and it's an activity that many of us fall woefully short in doing, but is God's love the only of His attributes that we should attempt to communicate and model to the world? I haven't had the time yet to dive into Scripture to research this point, but I'm looking forward to doing so.
I believe that God's chief defining attribute is His Holiness. Everything about Him is something other than what we are. I believe that Scripture would back up by direct and indirect emphasis that Love is perhaps the second most important of His attributes for us to know and understand about Him.
Is God's Love the most important thing that needs to be communicated to our world, or is it His Holiness? Now, I'm not talking about sinlessness when I say His Holiness, even though that is certainly an aspect of His Holiness. I'm talking about His being and His essence being the most incomprehensible and wonderful beauty that even the most pure and sharp minds can't even begin to grasp. He's Awesome!
Holiness, Love, Justice, Grace, Goodness, Mercy, Kindess.... How do we show all that He is? To what extent are we responsible for showing all that He is?
I certainly believe that Love is a good place to start, but as in all things, there is a great danger in trying to encapsulate God into one of His attributes. I'm not suggesting that we should all set out next week to start dispensing Justice, but shouldn't it come into play sometimes? It certainly does if we are parents. If we don't find a careful balance, we may find ourselves loving things that perhaps God hates...
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6 comments:
I think scripture is clear.."Love the lord your God with all your heart soul and mind and love your neighbor as yourself" they go together but we can't love our neighbor as ourselves without loving Him first and letting Him love through us.
You know where I stand on this issue. I believe when you say "only" your speaking in narrow terms about those of us who believe love is "first", not "only". Scripture says "your kindness leads me to repentance..you who are without sin, throw the first stone..etc.." the grace of God is given to us because He loves us. There is nothing but the love of God that really changes hearts. Walking that out in every area of life is a life long work but I have no doubt that the first act of a christian to a non christian should be love.
As far as the strip clubs are concerned. The truth is, they expect Christians to come with judgement. They live in hell, going there would just be phase two to them in their minds. The only thing that breaks the hard heart is the love of Jesus. Discipline, justice, holiness come after they have started walking in the light, following Jesus. The foundation is Love.
Another thought..remember when I moved back from Florida in 1989, after I backslid? Your family took me in, showed me love, not judgement, just a soft place to fall, feel the love of Jesus in a family that didn't have to care about me but did. I never felt anything but His love and THAT is how Jesus broke through all the legalistic bull crap and sin in my heart. I have never felt more loved by family then I did then, and I wasn't even your real family. Ya'll loved me back into the fold. Ya'll were Jesus to me when I couldn't see Him in everything else. LOVE is powerful cuz' it is what GOD feels for us.
One reason I'm naming our next girl Esther Rae :-)
Oh Carole... I thought you might completely ignore my first couple sentences. I think the Strip club ministry is great.
I'm just musing. I believe that the ONLY thing more important for us to understand about God than Love is His Holiness as I posted.
My dilemna is learning how to communicate and display his other attributes as well as His love. I don't think you are guilty of this, but there are many believers and cult movements that would suggest that God is ONLY Love. It's always easier to just love than to tell a person lovingly that they should repent to avoid the wrath of God, but at some point people must be told this and they may not consider that a very loving fact.
His kindness is one thing that "leads us toward repentance." It's not however the only thing. The scripture also doesn't say that our kindness will lead people to repentance. To repent, we first have to know what Repentance is. We can't know what repentance is if we aren't aware of sin and its consequences.
Of course, I do believe that telling a sinner to repent is the most loving thing that a person can do as long as it isn't done in a self-righteous manner. It must be done.
Esther Rae is a lovely name!! My mother would be thrilled.
Wade,
This may be a little like answering the question, "which one of your children do you love the most?" Scripture says we are created "Imago Dei" - in His image. We should be reflections of Him. We are broken people because of sin and the Fall and can not perfectly (or close to it) fulfill our mission. But He loves and blesses our imperfect obedience as he slowly fixes or sanctifies us to full restoration.
I agree about God's Holiness Wade. You are correct. We must never shy away from God's Holiness.
I think Christians get so caught up with social justice and love that they forget to follow Christ love does require repentance.
Keith
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