A few years back, there was a popular movement in this country in which groups of people specifically went out to "R.A.O.K." somebody’s world. "R.A.O.K." is short for "Random Acts of Kindness." These people would seek to bless others in the name of Jesus, simply by looking for little ways to help them.
A great place to begin is with prayer. Pray for each other every day. Ask God to show you ways to help others. Then go and do some of the things He brings to mind. Perhaps a friend needs groceries but can't afford them. Take them shopping and buy their groceries. Maybe a neighbor needs to see the doctor but can't drive. Pick them up and drive them to their appointment. Or an elderly couple in town needs to repair the front porch. Do the repairs for them, or see that the repairs get done. In this way you can bless others in the name of Jesus.
Doing R.A.O.K. is a great way to show God’s love to others. 1 John 4:7-11 says, "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another."
If you do not show love for your brothers in Christ, it proves that you do not love God. Because "God is love" (v. 8b), true believers will follow Him in everything they do, including loving one another! "Love is of God" (v. 7a), so to do R.A.O.K. shows your love for each other and proves that you are "born of God" (v. 7b) and that you "know God" (v. 7b).
1 John 4:19, in most translations, says simply, "We love because He first loved us." In other words, we love God because of His love for us. The NKJV says precisely that in verse 19: "We love Him because He first loved us." But it goes beyond our love for God to include our love for each other, a love that flows out of our love for God. We also love one another because He first showed His love to us.
That truth is affirmed immediately in verses 20-21: "If someone says, 'I love God,' and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also." Our love for God gives itself to helping one another. To do R.A.O.K. to meet the needs of others, proves our love for God. You show your love for God by your love for one another.
God showed His love toward us by sending Jesus to die on the cross in our place. In doing so, He provided forgiveness for our sin, reconciliation with our God, and salvation forever, guaranteeing an eternity in heaven with the Lord Jesus. Anyone who receives the gift of Jesus by faith, will fully experience His love in their life.
Faith in Christ results in a life of love for God and love for each other. This love is shown as we let Christ live through us. As verse 9 says, "In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him." We live through Christ and we love one another through Him as well.
Verse 10 adds, "In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins." What is propitiation but a big word for atonement. Jesus paid our penalty for us on the cross, satisfying the wrath of God and reconciling us to Him. Now, through faith, we are to become more like Jesus.
How are we to be more like Jesus? He loved the world so much He gave His life to save us. We must likewise be sacrificial in our love for each other. In that way His love is perfected in us, because we live in Him and He lives through us. We live as He lived and we love each other as He loved us.
And so, the command in verse 11: "Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another." And the conclusion in 1 John 4:17, "Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world." "As He is, so we are!" Love one another as Christ has loved you! Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment