Walk in Love

Does our Christian society and culture understand biblical love? I had a conversation with a friend over racism, and the question of Chrisitan love came up. My friend pointed to Chrisitan love as an antidote to racism and hate. I paused to reflect the gravity of her statement. Why is Chrisitan love an integral part of transformative growth? We can create multiple answers to this question; however, I think the basic answer resonates with God saying, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness” (Genesis 1:26). Right after this declarative statement, God explains that we are to have dominion over the earth. As Creator, God has given us an identity and purpose. To understand who we are, we first need to understand who God is. We don’t have a definitive explanation of what makes God who He is on an anatomic level; however, we have a purview of His character—a character defined by unconditional, sacrificial, divine love. The likeness of God’s character is compassion, grace, patience, and faithful love (Exodus 34:6). 

It is in this likeness that was created, an organic identifier to God’s awesomeness! Through this likeness of grace and love, we were called to rule and have dominion over the world. Instead, sin entered and muddled our identities and purpose. Instead of identifying ourselves with God’s character, we have chosen to be our gods and create new purposes for ourselves. Our skewed identities perverted our dominion and led us to “hate our neighbors.” I believe that Chrisitan love is a remedy to racism and all other evils because it brings us in alignment with who God created us to be. There is power in God’s compassion, grace, patience, and faithful love. These are transformative attributes that change the way we think and act towards each other. The regeneration of the Image of God within us, by the power of the Holy Spirit, answers the question of “who am I?” and “why was I put on this earth?” In other words, Chrisitan love answers two fundamental questions of life that have mystified scholars and researchers. Friends, “Because God is love, the person who shares God’s love will love.” Why is love so transformative? Because it brings us back to who God made us be. We can have a secure identity and purpose in Christ today because He so loved us that He created a way in which we could be like Him. That’s GOOD NEWS.