Bishop's Corner

Unconditional Love

Bishop Clarence Williams •
How can we love the world and save the world when we can't even love each other? When true love is in action, the entire atmosphere changes.

If you are a child of God, you are called to be more than just church folk, you are called to be Disciples of Christ.  There are many who follow traditions but never actually apply the Word of God.  A key example is LOVE.  We are called to love our enemies, – ALL our enemies, and bless those who curse us, do good to those who hate us, and pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us (Matthew 5:44).  That’s how they and others will know we are truly Jesus’ disciples - if we show forth love; agape - unconditional love, no matter what people say or do (John 13:35).  No one is perfect, and yes, some can act ugly or act out, but what’s that to you if you are called to walk in obedience to the Word of God?  It is our flesh that doesn’t want to change but changing is a choice of our will.  It won’t be lions, tigers, and bears that come to test us; many of our tests are through people.  The scripture statement, love your enemy was not a misprint.  God calls us to love those who hate us.  When we do, it shows growth and maturity.

Jesus was sent here by God to save the world, but it was people who put Him on the Cross, yet He still asked God to forgive them (Luke 23:34).  He had compassion on His enemies because He knew they didn’t know what they were doing.  Even when He could have called for legions of angels to assist Him, He chose to love instead and stay the course. 

Do you know that we were all once enemies of God?  I got a tug in my heart one day just thinking about what Jesus went through for us, and how He still chose to forgive.  How can we love the world and save the world when we can’t even love each other?  When true love is in action, the entire atmosphere changes.  When you forgive others and ask for forgiveness (whether you are at fault or not, or whether they receive it or not) you please God.  When news got to David that his enemy had fallen, he wept (2 Samuel 1:11-12), but most people rejoice when their enemies fall.

Even we as pastors must be cautious to preach and teach only what God gives us to preach and not target people and fill our messages with hateful things.  Yes, we will have to deal with issues within the church, but we should deal with things as the Spirit leads.  Understand that leadership is powerful but can also be hurtful and dangerous if we do not use wisdom and allow the Holy Spirit to lead us. 

Everything starts with a thought, but satan wants to get things from our thoughts into our hearts.  Once that happens, it is easy to start speaking things that are not true, because the mouth can only speak forth what is in the heart.  So, check your heart.  God wants us to speak only life because speaking life brings change.  Fill your heart with good things so that what comes out of the mouth is good (Matthew 12:35).

“Keep your heart with all diligence, for out of it spring the issues of life.” (Proverbs 4:23) Watch what goes in your heart and be very wise in the things you say.  Sometimes being wise is just keeping your mouth shut and knowing how and when to speak.  The Bible says in Proverbs 29:11, “A fool vents all his feelings, but a wise man holds them back.”

Getting things off your chest can sometimes feel good but understand that that good feeling is just your flesh.  When you walk in the flesh it hinders your anointing, but love is powerful and covers a multitude of sin (1 Peter 4:8).  Can you love even when people do you wrong?  If you’re mean and nasty all the time, that is because that is what is in your heart.  If you are negative and always doubting, that is what is in your heart.  If you are encouraging to people and always have something good to say, that is what is in your heart (Matthew 12:34). Proverbs 4:24 says "Put away from thee a froward mouth, and perverse lips put far from thee."

“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” 1 Corinthians 13:4-7

LOVE NEVER FAILS.

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