Love and the believer’s mission on earth (3)

Bible Reading: Matthew 25:31-46

In part one we established that the entire salvation plan is founded on the deep love God has for humanity. We talked about the characteristics of God’s love how it is demonstrated towards us.

We also established that God also wants to be loved back. As a matter of fact, the Bible says we are required to love God with all our heart, soul and might. And we saw the tremendous benefits of being a lover of God. We saw that a stunning destiny is packaged for lovers of God. Love for God is the primary key to securing a glorious destiny for yourself and for your children and children’s children. Love for God is the key to securing the covenant blessings for yourself and generations after you.

In part 2 we looked at how to prove your love for God: obedience, selfless and cheerful service, sacrificial giving, loving others and leading others to receive Christ.

Part 3

Today we shall be looking at ways in which we hate God and people.

Titus 3:3, “For we ourselves also were sometimes foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving divers lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating one another.

10 ways to hate God

Yes, by nature, you and I are haters. We are born haters and hating (Titus 3:3).

We are not merely indifferent towards Him, we actually keep malice with Him. We oppose His government and refuse His rule over us.  We have made ourselves enemies of God.

Surprisingly, we are not aware that we hate Him.

What’s worst of all is that some of this natural hatred remains even in the Christian who has been given a new and supernatural love for God.

To help both believers and unbelievers better detect and root out this hatred from our hearts, here are ten ways in which we hate God.

1. We Deny Him: We deny his existence, or, like Peter, in certain circumstances we deny we know Him.
2. We Belittle Him: By ignoring Him, side-lining Him, not talking to Him, or not listening to Him.
3. We Contradict Him: We argue with His Word, His works, and His will.
4. We Disobey Him: We just blatantly and knowingly and stubbornly do what He forbids, or don’t do what He commands.
5. We Insult Him: We speak evil of Him, we use His name in curses, or use it in vain and frivolous ways.
6. We Blame Him: We accuse Him of ill-will, unfairness, injustice.
7. We Refuse Him: We refuse His help, His hand, His salvation.
8. We Distort Him: Ignoring God’s love, mercy, grace, salvation, we focus only on God’s holiness, wrath, justice, and sovereignty – or vice versa – and end up with a distortion of God.
9. We Use Him: We expect Him to come to our aid when we’re really desperate, but ignore Him all other times.
10. We Take From Him: We just take and take, but without a word of praise or thanks.

But in the very next verse, Paul also announced the solution, a solution that’s provided by the very same God that we hate.

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:4-5).

Yes, there’s a Lover for haters! More than that, this Lover turns haters into lovers!!

10 ways to hate people

(Titus 3:3).

1. Grudge their success
2. Blacken their name
3. Desire their failure
4. Ignore their graces and gifts
5. Suspect their motives
6. Rejoice when they fall or fail
7. Refuse their confession
8. Highlight only their defects
9. Despise their callings and roles
10. Take vengeance upon them

But God’s love can turn the worst of haters into the best of lovers, as Paul immediately highlights:

“But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.” (Titus 3:4-5)

How do you express love for others?

You cannot love God without loving others. Jesus made it clear that loving others means loving Him. Matthew 25:40 “And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.”

Matthew 25:35-36, “For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: [36] Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.”

1. Think and speak well of people. Be friendly with people. Don’t speak evil behind anyone’s back.
2. Listen to people
3. Give generously to people. Show kindness to people. Help people and not hurt people. Care for the sick, feed the hungry, assist the less privilege, etc. God is blessing you so you can be a blessing to others.
4. Be patient with people.
5. Forgive those who hurt you and don’t try to hurt them back or pray for them to be hurt. Don’t seek vengeance.
6. Intercede for others. Pray for the salvation of the unsaved. Pray for divine intervention for those going through hard times.
7. Bring them to Christ so they will not perish eternally. If we truly love people, we will warn them and save them from the dangers of dying and spending eternity in hell. We will do everything possible to bring them to Christ and to church. This is the greatest act of love you will ever do to anyone!

Begin to show kindness to someone near you today. Share whatever you have with someone this week. Give some food to someone who does not have. Help to pay someone’s hospital bill. Do good to a neighbour. Start from where you are and God will increase you more and more. You will be walking in the footsteps of Christ and God will continue to bless you abundantly!

You will not beg or struggle from today, in Jesus name!

Bishop Dr. Charles Olowojoba is the General Overseer of Dayspring Bible Church Worldwide with HQ in Abuja, Nigeria & President, Dayspring Christian Ministries Int’l.

Website: www.dayspringcmi.org

e-mail: [email protected]

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