---------
Now, my exhortation to hope fearlessly is not meant to be suggestive, but rather, imperative. This is not merely a preferential state of mind, though it is that. This is not merely a healthy attitude to possess, though it is that. And, it is not merely a positive outlook on life though it certainly is that as well.
No, hope is what love does for love "hopes all things", and to love is commanded. Jesus declares this the greatest and most fundamental of all of the commands:
Mt 22: 35-27
35 Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying,
36 Master, which is the great commandment in the law?
37 Jesus said unto him, "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind. "
38 "This is the first and great commandment. "
39 "And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. "
40 "On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."
According to Jesus, the first and second greatest commandments deal with love for God and love for people. Taken together these commandments are called the Law of Love. Therefore, the supreme law of the kingdom of God is love. It is the greatest law and a law in which every other law is contained. If you could keep in mind only one law that God has established, it would not be one of the laws about the appropriate manner of presenting one of the ritualistice sacrifices in the old testament law. It would not be one of the various laws against types of sexual immorality. It would not be one of the Ten Commandments. No, it would be the law of Love that you should always remember.
Remember in 1 Corinthians Paul told us what love looks like. In your life then, it is commanded that your relationships with God and with other people should be characterized by love as described in the verse from 1 Corinthians 13:7.
Regarding God:
"If you love the Lord your God you will be loyal to Him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in Him, always expect the best of Him, and always stand your ground in defending Him."
and regarding other people,
"If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him."
An attitude that always believes in and expects the best of God and other people is an attitude of fearless hope.
1 comment:
this strikes a chord with me. this is the substance of covenental love. "If you love someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost. You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him."
Post a Comment