The Bible teaches loving the unlovable through Jesus’s teachings to love enemies, as seen in Matthew 5:44 and Luke 6:27-29. This is exemplified by God’s love for sinners, demonstrated by Christ’s death for humanity while they were still “sinners” (Romans 5:8 and 1 Timothy 1:15). The concept is also supported by passages that highlight God’s kindness to both the just and unjust, as described in Matthew 5:45.
Jesus’s command
- Love your enemies: Jesus instructed followers to love their enemies, do good to those who hate them, and pray for those who persecute them. This is an extension of the command to love one’s neighbor.
- Love the unlovable: In Luke 6:27-29, Jesus directly addresses this, saying, “But to you who are listening I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you”.
God’s example
- Love while sinners are unlovable: The Bible presents God’s love for humanity as a demonstration of love for the unlovable. While humanity was still “sinners,” Christ died for them, showing God’s love (Romans 5:7-8).
- Christ’s purpose: Jesus came into the world “to save sinners,” as stated in 1 Timothy 1:15, among whom the author, Paul, identifies himself as the “foremost”.
- Universal kindness: The principle of loving the unlovable is also seen in God’s universal provision of the sun and rain to both the good and the bad, as mentioned in Matthew 5:45.
The Christian response
- Conduits of love: Believers can love the unlovable because they have received God’s love. By basking in His love for them, they are transformed into channels of that love to others.
- Be kind and compassionate: The Bible also connects this to specific actions, such as being kind and compassionate to one another and forgiving each other, “just as in Christ God forgave you” (Ephesians 4:32).
THE TRUMPET OF LIFE!
How To Love The Unlovable
LOVING the UNLOVABLE… how possible?
John 3:17-18 states that God sent his Son, Jesus, into the world not to condemn it, but to save it through him. The verses continue by explaining that those who believe in Jesus are not condemned, while those who do not believe are already condemned because they have not believed in the name of God’s only Son.
Key points from John 3:17-18
- Purpose of Jesus’s coming: God’s purpose in sending his Son was salvation for the world, not condemnation.
- Belief leads to salvation: Those who believe in Jesus are saved from condemnation.
- Unbelief leads to condemnation: Those who do not believe are already under condemnation because of their unbelief.
- Name of the Son: The verses highlight the importance of believing in the “name of the only Son of God” as the path to salvation.
It’s natural to get messy in this messy world we live in; various surprises happen in our lives daily to devastate us and leave many unpredictable! Such was David’s story of atrocities commited with a married woman; sadly it got worse for a man after God’s heart!
David is called “a man after God’s own heart” because of his sincere devotion, repentance, and deep faith, not because he was a perfect man. Despite committing sins like adultery and murder, he consistently repented, sought God’s forgiveness, and aimed to align his life with God’s will, which is what the biblical description emphasizes. This phrase, found in the Bible, signifies that God chose David as a leader because his heart was ultimately devoted to Him and willing to obey His commands.
Reasons why David was called a man after God’s own heart
- Devotion and faithfulness: Before becoming king, David was known for his faith and diligence in his duties, such as protecting his family’s livestock and fearlessly defeating Goliath. This foundation showed his loyalty to God and his ability to obey.
- Genuine repentance: David’s response to his significant sins was not to make excuses but to genuinely repent and turn back to God. The Psalms, particularly Psalm 51, show his profound remorse and his plea for God to restore his spirit.
- Seeking God’s will: David’s life was marked by a constant effort to seek and follow God’s will, even when he faltered. God saw his heart as one that desired to please Him above all else.
- Deep worship and praise: David was passionate about worship and expressed his deep reverence for God through the Psalms, even in the face of suffering. His heart was not just about following rules but about a genuine, heartfelt connection with God.
What the phrase does not mean
- It does not mean David was sinless or morally perfect.
- It does not mean his heart was the same as God’s, but rather that his heart was oriented toward God.
Biblical context
- The phrase is used in both the Old and New Testaments to describe David.
- In 1 Samuel 13:14, God says He has sought a man after His own heart to be king.
- In Acts 13:22, Paul recounts God’s testimony that David is a man after His own heart who will do all His will.
Next, we visit the story of the Sanaritan woman with her marital issues –
The story of the Samaritan woman at the well is from the Gospel of John, where Jesus meets a nameless Samaritan woman at Jacob’s Well near Sychar. In their conversation, Jesus reveals she has had five husbands and that the man she is with now is not her husband. He then reveals himself as the Messiah to her, which was the first time Jesus openly did so to anyone in the New Testament. The woman, recognizing him as a prophet, goes to tell her town about Jesus, and many believe because of her testimony.
The encounter
- The meeting: Jesus stops by Jacob’s Well to rest while his disciples go to buy food. A Samaritan woman comes to draw water, and Jesus, a Jewish man, speaks to her, which was surprising given the historical animosity between Jews and Samaritans.
- The “living water”: Jesus tells her that he can give her “living water” that will make her never thirsty again, which she initially misunderstands as a physical substance.
- The revelation: Jesus reveals his knowledge of her past by telling her to call her husband. When she says she has no husband, he tells her she has had five and the man she is with now is not her husband.
- Her realization: The woman recognizes Jesus as a prophet and asks him about the proper place of worship, as there were different beliefs between Samaritans and Jews. Jesus explains that true worship is done “in spirit and truth” and reveals that he is the Messiah she has been waiting for.
The aftermath
- Her testimony: After speaking with Jesus, the woman runs back to her town to tell people about her experience, exclaiming, “Come, see a man who told me all that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?”.
- The town’s response: Her testimony leads many in the town to come and hear Jesus’s teachings for themselves, resulting in many more believing and calling him the Savior of the world.
Significance
- Wider impact: The story shows that Jesus’s message is for everyone, regardless of their background or past actions.
- Spiritual truth: It illustrates the concept of spiritual thirst and how Jesus provides a never-ending spiritual life through “living water”.
- Feminist icon: The story is significant because it depicts a woman, an outcast from both her own people and Jewish society, as the first person to whom Jesus openly reveals his identity as the Messiah.
And Mary Magdalene: Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus’s most devoted followers, a witness to his crucifixion, and the first person to see the resurrected Christ. She is consistently identified across the four Gospels as a key figure who supported Jesus financially and was present at his burial. Jesus later appeared to her first after his resurrection, tasking her with telling his male disciples, earning her the title “apostle to the apostles”.
Early life and ministry
- Origin: Mary was from Magdala, a fishing town on the Sea of Galilee. The Gospels mention that Jesus expelled seven demons from her, a pivotal moment in her life and a turning point in her journey.
- Follower of Jesus: After her healing, she began to follow Jesus closely and helped support him financially alongside other women.
- Witness at the cross: Mary Magdalene was present at Jesus’s crucifixion, burial, and resurrection.
Resurrection and aftermath
- First witness: The Gospels agree that Mary Magdalene was one of the first people, if not the very first, to discover the empty tomb on Easter Sunday.
- The message of resurrection: Jesus appeared to her after his resurrection, and he gave her the mission to tell the disciples that he had risen from the dead. This made her the first messenger of the resurrection, which is why some call her the “apostle to the apostles”.
Historical and traditional views
- Distinguished from other women: For centuries, some traditions mistakenly identified Mary Magdalene with the unnamed woman who anointed Jesus’s feet and the penitent woman in the Gospel of Luke. Modern scholars and the Eastern Church consider them to be three separate individuals.
- Traditional end of life: According to tradition, Mary Magdalene accompanied other followers to France, where she evangelized and died. Other traditions say she died in Ephesus with the Apostle John.
- In later traditions: She is honored as a saint and is sometimes depicted as an apostle, preacher, and evangelist.
Popular misconceptions
- Not a prostitute: The Bible never describes Mary Magdalene as a prostitute. This misconception began centuries later and is a subject of ongoing debate among scholars.
Regardless, God still Loved and saved them!
The truth? Jesus Loves us; but not our sin:
No failure is beyond God’s mercy and forgiveness as He Loves us unconditionally. Remember this! God is love!!!
God expects us to repent.
The Bible contains many verses about God calling people to repentance. Key examples include Jesus’s command in Mark 1:15 (“Repent and believe the good news!”), Acts 17:30 which states God “commands all people everywhere to repent,” and 2 Corinthians 7:10 which notes that “godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation”.
Key Bible verses on repentance
- Mark 1:15: “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel”.
- Acts 17:30: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent”.
- Luke 13:3: “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish”.
- Romans 2:4: “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?”.
- 2 Corinthians 7:10: “For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death”.
- Matthew 3:2: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”.
- Acts 2:38: “Peter replied, ‘Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit'”.
- Joel 2:13: “Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, and he relents from sending disaster”.
Notably, it’s not our sin that makes us unLovable but the PRIDE in it.
The sin of pride is an excessive love for one’s own perceived excellence and a sense of superiority over others, often manifesting as arrogance, vanity, and a refusal to acknowledge God or others. Unlike earned satisfaction, sinful pride is an arrogant belief in one’s own importance that leads to self-centeredness, a rejection of subjection to God, and can cause a person to feel they are above others. This can lead to other sins, such as greed, lust, and envy.
Key aspects of sinful pride
- Arrogance and vanity: Sinful pride is a self-centered sense of superiority that can lead to an excessive desire for human respect, showing off, and looking down on others.
- Disregard for others: It elevates one person above another, leading to a disregard for the gifts and feelings of others.
- Rejection of God: It is often defined theologically as a rejection of God’s authority and a belief that one’s own accomplishments are due to their own merit alone, rather than divine grace.
- Source of other sins: Sinful pride is considered the “mother of all vices” because it can lead to other sins like greed, lust, envy, and wrath.
- External and internal expressions: It can be seen externally through boastfulness and arrogance, but also internally as insecurity and self-loathing.
- Contrasted with “good” pride: A healthy sense of satisfaction from accomplishment is different from sinful pride. For instance, being proud of getting a good grade is not a sin, while believing you are inherently smarter than everyone else is.
Examples in religious texts
- The Pharisees: They are described as being self-righteous and focused on external performances to impress others, rather than on genuine humility.
- Lucifer: His fall from heaven is said to have been caused by pride, believing himself more competent than God.
- Cain: After God’s warning, he ignored divine instruction due to his pride and killed his brother.
So, let’s empathize with one another so as to Love like Jesus and also deal with whatever makes us unlovable before it will be too late!
You are invited (if you haven’t already done so) to pray with me, giving your life to Jesus, guaranteeing your eternity with God.
A common prayer for salvation to ensure eternity involves confessing belief in Jesus Christ, his death and resurrection for your sins, and asking him to come into your life as your Lord and Savior. Here is a sample prayer that reflects these beliefs:
Sample Prayer:
“Heavenly Father, I confess that I am a sinner. I believe that your Son, Jesus, died on the cross to pay for my sins and that He was raised to life again. I ask that You please come into my life, be my Lord and Savior, and grant me eternal life. Thank you for your gift of salvation. In Jesus’ name, Amen”.
- Acknowledge your sins: Start by acknowledging that you are a sinner and are in need of a savior.
- Express your belief: State your belief in Jesus Christ, His sacrifice for your sins, and His resurrection.
- Invite Him in: Ask Jesus to come into your heart and life and to be your Lord and Savior.
- Accept the gift: Thank God for the gift of salvation and eternal life that is received through faith in Jesus Christ.
- Conclude with “Amen”: Conclude the prayer by saying “Amen”.
With Peace and Love!🙌🏻🙏🔥