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Unconditional Love
Unconditional Love
Last week we discussed Acceptance when it comes to the world. And there is the understanding we don’t accept sin, but we do accept people. We don’t convict people in the world, but we become a bridge between them and Christ.
What you need to know:
How you treat the world and How you treat the body of Christ is different.
Let me give you an illustration. When I was at my peak workout performance I helped people get into shape. I had a few people who I would work out with and show them how to work out. The truth is I never worked out the same with people as opposed when I work out by myself. Here’s why.
The people who were coming to me couldn’t handle the pressure I would put myself under. When I worked out I always took my self to the bring of failure. I push my body further than it would naturally go. The average person couldn’t handle that kind weight. So in order to help people succeed in lifting I would start them out slow, but I did have a buddy who would work out with me. He was already built and we constantly pushed each other further. I would yell at him mid push. I would hit him. I would encourage him in a very masculine way. I knew, not only could he take it, but that he was able to work in that environment.
Christians are the same way. If you come to me and say Pastor I believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. My expectations of your behaviors and belief system just elevated. And this is biblical I am going to show you.
Most people believe love is accepting people the way they are no matter what. I have heard more and more in this world that you don’t love me if you can’t accept who I am. And that is wrong.
Come as You are is not in the Bible
Acceptance is not in the bible
The idea of come as you are came from the principle that God accepts sinners.
18 “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.
To understand unconditional Love you must first understand who God is. God loves you unconditionally.
As humans we are used to conditional love. Well God loves you if you receive him. Well I’ll love you as long as you perform your marital duties. I love you as long as you prove you are faithful.
8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
God loved us when we were still sinners. That’s unconditional love. But the other side of unconditional love:
You can’t have love without judgement
The judgement of God is inevitable.
14 For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil.
17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,
27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.
12 “Behold, I am coming soon, bringing my recompense with me, to repay each one for what he has done.
Listen God is coming to judge every one of us. If you are Each and if you are every you will be judged and sentenced. So where does the church fit into unconditional love.
As a Pastor, but more importantly as a Christian I have made it my job to preach the truth and hold people to a higher standard than wha the world does. And I base this off of
17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.
We are here to push each other to do and be better. Unconditional love in the Bridge Community Church is pushing each other to live a sinless lifestyle. Is it obtainable not, but it’s what we should strive for.
48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
There are standards
In everything we do there is a standard of living and that measuring stick is the bible.
Now we all mess up from time to time, that’s what grace is for, but it’s up to each one of us to hold eachother accountable. Meaning: If I see you sinning. I am going to tell you it’s sin, Just like when I see you do something amazing. I will tell you it’s amazing. I will encourage you just as I will point out the wrong in life.
2. The bible tells us we are to judge each other.
12 For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge?
33 “Either make the tree good and its fruit good, or make the tree bad and its fruit bad, for the tree is known by its fruit.
I, as a Christian, have both brought people’s sin into light and had my sin brought into light. I can tell you neither feel good. If you’re judging someone’s fruit and it feels good you’re doing it with wrong motive. If I come to you and say: Look I see that you have a tendency to lie when backed into a corner am I not living you?
If the reason for my coming to you is: It’s better to be pointed out by me than by God on judgement day then yes. It’s in love, but if I am judging you because it makes me feel better or included or because I have a grudge. Than no. I am no better than the world.
Then what about this verse?
5 Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God.
1 Cor tells us that we aren’t to judge the hidden things of the heart. We can’t assume. If you’re dating someone I can’t assume you’re having premeritial sex. It isn’t my job. But if I catch you or you tell me. Than it’s my job to help you over come this sin.
Hidden
24 Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment.”
I have had people come to me:
So and So is stealing from the church. My question: did you see it? Well no, but I know they are.
I can’t do anything with that, but I have asked people to repent of telling me a lie when I caught them red handed in a lie.
Unconditional Love. Because I love you want you to do better. Because I love you I desire to see you in Heaven because I love you I will risk you hating me to help you become a better person. All because I love you!
If I hated you I wouldn’t care if you went to heaven. I wouldn’t care if you got over taken by sin. But unconditional love is helping someone up when they fall. It’s having those tough discussions with people that you don’t really want to have. It’s risking a friendship to help someone get closer to Christ.
Because if you are on the hell side of judgement you aren’t going to feel loved when you learned I ignored your sin because I didn’t want to lose you. Or I didn’t want to offend you. You’re going to feel betrayed abandoned.