The Source of True Love

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. . . . We love because He first loved us” (1 John 4:7, 19).

Scripture often makes seemingly impossible demands of us. For example, Jesus said, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). That's easy to say, but how is it possible? Our natural tendency is to love our friends and hate our enemies. But Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (vv. 46-47).

Israel viewed tax-gatherers as traitors, and Gentiles as spiritual outcasts. Yet even traitors and outcasts show love and kindness to those who reciprocate. Jesus calls us to a much higher standard of love—one that is impartial, like God demonstrates when He “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (v. 45). As we see from God Himself, it extends even to those who aren't worthy: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).

Despite generations of rebellion and slander against His holy will and name, God sacrificed His beloved Son, thereby providing the means by which sinners can be saved. Out of love, Jesus willingly endured the pain and shame of the cross and paid the price of our redemption. Now that's divine love in action!

God commands you to love as He loves: impartially and sacrificially. That may sound impossible on the human level but remember that God never requires you to do anything He hasn't already enabled you to do. At the moment of your salvation, the Holy Spirit took up residence within you and began producing the fruit of love (Gal. 5:22). You don't have to muster it up on your own. All you have to do is invite the Spirit to take control, allowing Him to govern your thoughts and actions. As you do, His precious fruit will be multiplied in your life.

Thank God for the love of the Spirit He has placed within you. Ask Him for opportunities today to learn how to love more perfectly. For Further Study

This may not appear to be on topic, but it is. I need to establish a little background first.

God commands you to love as He loves: impartially and sacrificially.

Romans 9:13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.

I'll come back to this in a moment.

Israel viewed tax-gatherers as traitors, and Gentiles as spiritual outcasts.

The current exile/diaspora of the Jewish people (since the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD) is called the exile (galut) of Edom. Edom is identified as Rome (the Gentile world superpower who sent them into exile), which then became identified with Christianity and then Western Civilization on the whole. Rome ---> Christianity ---> Western Civ. So Edom is Western Civilization, with America as the head.

(Recall that the name Edom was a play on the red pottage, the name imparted when Esav sold his birthright, not a nickname given at birth, when the only thing Esav had done was to be born. Edom was a name based on Esav's thought process, choices, actions. He chose... poorly.)

In this very long exile, it's not only the Temple, the Messiah, or even the legitimacy of the "Occupied Territories" that is lacking, but spirituality, with so many preferring successful, secular, assimilated life in America, or Tel Aviv. That's not my opinion, but rather what's out there in Jewish beliefs on the matter. Plus there's also the fact that Jews have been persecuted since forever merely for existing. This also works into a deep animosity in some circles towards Gentiles, and Christians in particular. If nothing else, there is a major lack of trust. Can't say I fault Jews for being hyper-aware and leery of the predacious. It's what they've known and lived.

Frankly, too many Christians have a stealth and crafty "win souls for Jesus" attitude, based on skilled debate tactics instead of truth, and scoring Jewish souls is at the top of their list for "wins". It's called "love" and "saving souls", even "compassion", but there's a bad soul (a spirit of control and delight in subjugation) slithering its way through there. Yet there are many Christains who truly have no guile, love Jews and aren't the least bit predacious, but are simply unaware of what they are saying and doing. All, however, are perceived as a threat, as if Christians have some amazing power to Hoover up Jewish souls and that Jews [not raised in religious homes] can't help but be deceived, sucked in, and destroyed by these wily Christians.

So it's a problem.

Back to Esav. It is interesting how this relates:

Romans 9

6 Not as though the word of God hath taken none effect. For they are not all Israel, which are of Israel:
7 Neither, because they are the seed of Abraham, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called.
8 That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these are not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed.
9 For this is the word of promise, At this time will I come, and Sara shall have a son.
10 And not only this; but when Rebecca also had conceived by one, even by our father Isaac;
11 (For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth)
12 It was said unto her, The elder shall serve the younger.
13 As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.
14 What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid.
15 For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

Isaac, father of both Esav and Jacob. Here is a fascinating article (pdf) considering the Bibical evidence that Esav and Jacob were monozygotic twins affected by twin-to-twin transfer syndrome:

What kind of twins were Jacob and Esav

(cached version)

About the love of God and of loving our enemies, it's what is in verse 15 about God's righteousness, following right after the statement about loving Jacob but hating Esav:

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy [Jacob], and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion [Esav].

That's not about tossing Esav over a cliff - too bad for you - but of having compassion upon him in spite of his evil deeds. If he would only turn and repent.. Mercy for Jacob and compassion for wayward Esav. These sons were both the sons of Isaac. In Isaac was the seed of promise. Two boys not just the one. And if they were originally of one conception, one seed, one cell, that's an astounding concept to think about.

Edom is the name based on poor choices - short-sighted, impulsive thinking. The name Esav was also based on doing (the verb asa meaning to make, do, perform), and was described as ruddy and covered with hair. His action was simply being born. Jacob was named for his own action of grabbing a hold of Esav's heel - restraining him, holding him back.

they are not all Israel, which are of Israel

Because above that level were two sons of Isaac, Jacob and Esav.

For the children being not yet born, neither having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works, but of him that calleth

Israel was the name given to Jacob after he successfully wrestled with and prevailed over the mystery man, the sar (prince) of Esav, traditionally believed to be the satan himself.

Esav you could say, was "assimilated" by Jacob (Israel), not the other way around.

It could very well be, that this dreadfully long exile, called the exile of Edom, has lasted this long because it is all about the simple meaning of that phrase, the exile of Edom.

A couple thousand years it has taken thus far to turn *him* around. Edom, a name based on the short view of life, which caused Esav to despise his birthright. Nothing like a 2000 year plotline coming to light, to change *that* mistaken perspective.

I suspect that the Divine rectification process is much broader and more fantastic in scope than anybody can begin to wrap his mind around.

God commands you to love as He loves: impartially and sacrificially.

I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

The story of Joseph's life, how he carefully set up the rectification process, meant that everybody eventually understood the Divine narrative. Knowledge is power: it eliminated the brothers hatred for Joseph. If the they hadn't had gone to the extreme of selling him to Egypt, and had merely tolerated him, they would have continued to harbor the hate in their hearts forever. It was the righteous Joseph who was the one in bondage (exile) due to their hatred of him. Joseph however, being a just man (a tzaddik), having the long view in mind, hatched a plan when his brothers presented themselves before him. It was God's plan of course, but Joseph was dialed in to the same channel. Opportunity knocked and Joseph ran with it. (There are no coincidences.)

That's love.

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