In the midst of all of Jesus teaching I want to segway my thoughts and once again highlight the biblical truth from Romans chapter 13:10 ~
“Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.”
HELPS Word-studies
2556 kakós (an adjective, and the root of 2549 /kakía, "inner malice") – properly, inwardly foul, rotten (poisoned); (figuratively) inner malice flowing out of a morally-rotten character (= the "rot is already in the wood").
[2556/kakós is often a pronominal adjective (i.e. used as a substantive) meaning, "wickedness, inner evil."]
You can see the literal meaning of ‘wrong’ is a much stronger idea.
As New Testament believers, rooted, and grounded in Christ Jesus, the bedrock of our lives must be the love of God. Could it be the reality of the ‘fulness’ of the spirit is the manifestation of his love. This love IS shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
It’s not only just about the power He imparts or is it? Is the power the love? I think we could agree, yes. I remember one time when I was intently seeking the power of God in my life for ministry and felt the spirit of God check me about my prayer. 1 first Corinthians 12 teaches us how to properly navigate spiritual activity in the church and concludes with showing us a ‘better way’. 1Corinthians 13 sets and defines this better way; His standard for love. 1 Corinthians 14:1 tells us yes, desire the spirituals, but let your pursuit be knowing, receiving, giving, His love.
The primary motivation of everything we do and say, again as New Testament believers, rooted, and grounded in Christ Jesus, is to be done with a motivation of love for every human being. Watch out for the words we declare over people. They either show honor and value or disdain. We can never loose sight of the value God has placed upon his creation.
The love of God is not given based on performance…Romans 5:8. God shows his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were sinners. Can we say the same? Freely we have received. Freely, we are to give in the same manner we have been given, for with the measure we meet, it is measured back to us again. This is the standard Jesus has set for us and it was motivated and manifested as the love of God.
As we come into all the teachings of Jesus from the sermon on the mount, holding this truth, enables us to welcome the work of God to increase our capacities to love in unlovely situations, laying down our lives and will for the well-being of another.
We can see as we review the words from his sermon, the failure to measure up to his standard would flow from the wilfulness in our own heart and a desire to care for self.
How can we ever overcome the propensity to always guard and defend our soul without growing in the love of God? Something must die at the cross. If, and he is, God, at work in us who provides both the will and the energy that enables us to do what pleases him, then it becomes a matter of my willingness to engage with that enabling.
I have a houseplant I’m considering this morning. This plant has some type of disease. Looking at it, the new growth is showing signs of being infected. It’s the same way with our growth. Every opportunity gives us the ability to work on the diseased areas that get manifested through our relationships. This is not meant to discourage us or rob of us hope, but rather the reality of growing up. We just have work to do while we continue our pursuit to walk in the way that pleases him by loving righteously until ultimately all the dis.ease is eradicated.
It is my prayer that as we continue to look at His sermon that our heart cry will always be a hunger to know and believe the love that God has for us in order to allow that great mercy, and kindness to flow to others.
PS – let us not misinterpret the love of God when it comes to the discipline He will bring into our lives. It is the goodness of God that leads to repentance. Our Father corrects/ disciplines every child he loves. If we are without discipline, Hebrews 12:8 tells us we are illegitimate and not his. Shall we not rather be in subjection to the Father of Spirits and live?