Evangelism: Loving God, Loving Othersናሙና

A Way Of Life 

Here is v 18,19 in TPT: 

Beloved children, our love can’t be an abstract theory we only talk about, but a way of life demonstrated through our loving deeds. We know that the truth lives within us because we demonstrate love in action, which will reassure our hearts in His presence.

These are startling words of stupendous truths. Love is ‘a way of life’. We demonstrate His love in action. And this ‘reassure(s) our hearts in His presence.’

Here’s more (v23,24 TPT): 

These are His commands: that we continually place our trust in the name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and that we keep loving one another, just as He has commanded us. For all who obey His commands find their lives joined in union with Him, and He lives and flourishes in them. We know and have proof that He constantly lives and flourishes in us, by the Spirit that He has given us.

‘Keep loving one another’. And we who do so, find our ‘lives joined in union with Him’. As we read it, I’m not merely joined in union with Him alone, but Danielle and Zion and Judah and Moses and ____ and I are joined in union with Him together! 

And as we love people who are currently living independently from Jesus (you might call them ‘independents’), some of them will accept Jesus’ love, begin to love Him, too, and find themselves in union with Him together with us! Gobsmacking!

This raises the standards and expectations of our evangelism from getting someone to pray along in a confession and faith prayer with God, to loving someone into God’s Kingdom, into joint union with Him. 

But Jesus clarifies for us in Matthew 12 the divine order of the two most important commandments in Scripture: love God, and love others (Mark 12:29-31 TPT): 

Jesus answered him, “The most important of all the commandments is this: ‘The Lord Yahweh, our God, is one!’ You are to love the Lord Yahweh, your God, with every passion of your heart, with all the energy of your being, with every thought that is within you, and with all your strength. This is the great and supreme commandment. And the second is this: ‘You must love your neighbor in the same way you love yourself.’ You will never find a greater commandment than these.” 

Yes, in some ways they are different sides of the coin. In some contexts it might be safe to say that you can’t truly do one without the other. But, to be clear – love God and God will inspire your love and enable you to love others, as well.