Many think that the love of Jesus is quite a big deal. And they’re right, of course.
But it’s a bigger deal than they realize, and not as easily grasped as they suppose.
God gave them many faculties with which to grasp his love. Among them, quite famously, are heart, mind, soul, and strength. And he gave them a will and an imagination. He gave them language and memory and the eyes with which to observe and to read, and the ears with which to hear. And even so—they have been taught that pretty much all they need to grasp the love of Jesus is their emotions. And I think that this goes a long way toward explaining the sad state of things in the churches.
God delivered to this generation a book with over 1,100 pages—all about that love—and so few venture to learn it. But you’ll never grasp the love of Jesus using only the emotions, just like you’ll never embrace a child using only your little finger.
And I have to wonder at all the anti-intellectualism and uber-emotionalism, whether they really want to grasp the love of Jesus at all, or whether they just want to use bits and pieces of it to feel better about themselves. There is much about his love to be understood, and it’s more involved than they suppose. And for all the people I’ve met who seem (on the outside) to be so keen about his love, very few of them seem interested in knowing all about it.
For example, I’ll share again the one verse that is a stumbling block for so many millions of ignorant believers who don’t understand the complexity of God:
Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.
Romans 11:22. NIV
They will think that God cutting off those who do not continue in his kindness would be an unloving act. So rather than to learn how to understand God’s love better, they just ignore this part of it.
And there is so much more to be considered, but you’ll have a hard time finding an audience that thinks it’s worth their time. So I’ll just leave a few more passages below for the few who want to examine themselves.
Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’
Mark 12:20 NIV
14 For this reason I kneel before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name. 16 I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, 18 may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, 19 and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.
Ephesians 3.14-19. NIV
1Praise the Lord!
I will give thanks to the Lord with my whole heart,
in the company of the upright, in the congregation.
2 Great are the works of the Lord,
studied by all who delight in them.
3 Full of splendor and majesty is his work,
and his righteousness endures forever.
4 He has caused his wondrous works to be remembered;
the Lord is gracious and merciful.
