What The Love?

After my run, I sat by the water to write my thoughts down in the “notes” app on my iPhone. I had spent the first hour of my day laying in bed scrolling through one woman’s Instagram feed – to reconsider my thoughts about her, to give her the benefit of the doubt. But I got up from my bed – astonished. Sickened.


Because she is wildly popular, calls herself a Christian . . . author, blogger, speaker . . . and though she loves people pretty well, in several areas, she does not love the Truth of God’s word. [so it’s not true love] I will go as far as saying she opposes Jesus and His mission of Salvation of the lost.


And many of my online friends follow her, quote her, & retweet her.


And her followers praise her – as if she is their god.


Honestly, I gagged.


I love affirmation like everyone else. But if praise comes in mighty waves and never a word of Jesus is mentioned, I’m suspect of her motive. That’s fair, right?


Her snarky attitude [not that that is bad per-se, but in some places it is inappropriate] and the comments below some of her posts overwhelmed me with sorrow [some laden with profanities, others high-fiving the lies, and then there was the applause for her somewhat irreverent, fine-sounding words] and it all ignited a soul-fire in me.


I needed to go for a run. 


No, I’m not going to name her. But I want to encourage you to “not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see if they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.” 1 John 4:1


So, here are my jottings:


What love is: [because she claims to be a warrior when it comes to love. Which might be true, but not toward God, the Author of Life and the Bible or for Jesus, the Living Word.]


True Love:
Corrects:
 2 Timothy 3:15-17
Protects:
 You know the LOVE chapter: Always… Always… Always… & Never fails. 1 Corinthians 13:4-8
Directs:
 Matthew 28:19-20
And so much more . . . but true love always includes the “hard side” . . . of discipline and training. Love has a degree of strictness. It has safety boundaries.


All for the sake of Jesus. 

Jesus said, “if you love me you’ll obey my commands.” John 14:15
 
David said, “Oh how I love your law, I meditate on it day and night.” Psalm 119:97

I was led to consider the name-calling that has shut us right up – we who love and submit to God’s word.
[picture the finger-pointing here…]
——->Legalist!!!<——- [that name!]


And I wondered, in light of Psalm 119:97 . . . What is a legalist? Certainly it’s not one who loves and upholds the law? Right? Hence, my jottings [below] of the contrasts between a legalist [think Pharisees who thought they knew God, but actually opposed Him in opposing Jesus] and a faithful follower of Jesus who keeps Him as their first love, submitting to His authority, keeping His word, willing to suffer persecution for holding fast to the word. [See Revelation 1-3, or the whole book.]


“A Legalist – outward performance – OR – A Faithful Follower – inward submission”


A legalist is one who obeys his own determination of the law for the praise of man. Matthew 6:2
A faithful follower obeys the law from love and submission to honor and reflect the Father. 
John 15:10-17


A legalist demands obedience.
A faithful follower models and instructs in obedience.


A legalist thinks he loves God, but really loves himself and people more. Matthew 7:21
A faithful follower loves Jesus first and is willing to count the cost of losing anything in favor of staying faithful to the Savior. 
Revelation 3:810


A legalist thinks he’s doing God a favor by “killing” those who bear the Word. John 16:2
A faithful follower bears the Word, willing to lay down his life for the sake of knowing Him. 
Luke 14:26


A legalist corrects to protect his opinion.
A faithful follower corrects to deliver a soul. 
Jude 1:23


So, there you have it . . . my jottings.


This all comes after prayer and a great sermon on what the TRUE GOSPEL is [and what it is not] 1 Corinthians 15:1-3


True Gospel: Jesus died, was buried and rose again. He took the wrath of God that we deserved and gave us His righteousness in place of our condemnation. He delivered us from hell and made us heirs of God.


Not Gospel: Jesus loves you and has a great plan for your life. [Though this is true, the gospel doesn’t start with us]

So friends, this kind of Christianity that I saw this morning, I discerned it’s heresy:


There is N O * C R O S S & no need to be born again. — If theres’s no hell, there’s no need for a cross, right?


Watch out for crossless  C H R I S S I A N I T Y!!!


A prissy belief and a broad way.
In
Chrissianity, no dying to self is called for. Easy. Peasy. [And what Dietrich Bonhoeffer called, “Cheap Grace” <—- highly recommend reading that one!]


And now you too may want to go for a run or punch a bag or something. . . and while you’re at it, put in this podcast to fire up your prayer life and enable that breakthrough you’ve been holding out for.


Dear Heavenly Father, grant us grace to not get sucked into the deception that is running rampant and to hold fast to Your Word, loving you more than our earthly life, anticipating Heaven, our eternal inheritance. Amen.


For the King~

don't miss a thing
☞   SIGN UP TO receive THE LATEST news and updates  β˜œ
Thank you for subscribing!
By Kathy Schwanke 30 Jan, 2024
Our Human Story
By Kathy Schwanke 24 Dec, 2023
To conceive means "to seize; to take hold of"
By Kathy Schwanke 27 Sep, 2023
When the lights go out, we hear better and we grow closer.
Share by: