Love Is A Verb

Dear children, let’s not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything. Dear friends, if we don’t feel guilty, we can come to God with bold confidence. And we will receive from him whatever we ask because we obey him and do the things that please him. And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us. Those who obey God’s commandments remain in fellowship with him, and he with them. And we know he lives in us because the Spirit he gave us lives in us. [1 John 3.18-24]

I don't know if I can convey what is on my mind today, but I shall try...

I made the font bold in three different phrases in the passage above because they are what stood out to me. The first two both deal with the same thing: boldness and confidence before God. For those reading the One Year Chronological Bible with me, it is still fresh in our minds what we recently read in the book of Hebrews:

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. [Hebrews 4.16]

As 1 John is widely known for its discussion about the love of God as it manifests to others, we should understand that our confidence and boldness to come to God are to that same end - love. In fact, in the subject passage above, believing in Jesus and loving one another are used in the same sentence. Contrary to widely popular belief that our boldly coming to God is for ourselves, we do not see such selfishness in Jesus Christ our example. Jesus sits confidently and boldly at God's right hand ever interceding for us.

Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us. [Romans 8.34]

If indeed Jesus lives in us (and we are in Him), it would be totally out of character with Jesus in us for us to seek out our own needs when we come boldly to God. Genuine love would only utilize the opportunity to be in God's presence for one purpose: the good of others. Besides, if Jesus is interceding for us (and not for Himself), what need would there be for us to intercede for ourselves? In other words, I am covered. Jesus has me covered in prayer and intercession so that I might focus on His love to do the same for others. As I am in Christ, my only real need when I come before God is the work assigned to me: to love others.

Unfortunately, this is in stark contrast to the "genie-in-a-bottle" idea most Christians have of God. However, the Bible is quite clear that, in Christ, our lives are not to be lived for ourselves.

For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. [2 Corinthians 5.14-15]

Jesus' demand for His followers to "take up their cross," was not a casual suggestion. It was instead Jesus' way to reveal the absolutely necessary defining characteristic of one who genuinely follows Him - one who selflessly loves as He loves - one whose only purpose in life is to put others first so that God's love could be clearly seen.

So, regardless what we say, it is what we do that reveals Christ to others. When the advantage we take of coming boldly into God's presence is so we can intercede for others, only then have we understood our being in Christ. Only then have we understood the love of God demonstrated in Jesus for us to do likewise.

Jesus said it most succinctly:

Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. [John 15.13]

Love is a verb. 

Father, help us to get it right when it comes to our being "in Christ" as it relates to what our lives are to be spent doing. Help us see that "in Christ" we have every boldness before Your throne to focus on what matters to You fully confident that Your love for us eliminates any need we could possible have allowing us to focus on others just as being "in Christ" would naturally do.