“God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us… while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son…” (Romans 5:8, 10).
“I want to know what love is…” These lyrics express a basic longing in the human heart – we all want to know love and experience the real thing. With all our desire, however, we humans often know little of true love. And yet, there is hope to know not only what love is, but love personified.
At the start, we must understand that the world in which we live is a fallen world (Gen. 3). Since sin and rebellion against God entered the human heart, every child of Adam has naturally loved evil and hated the exposure light brings (Jn. 3:19-20; Rom. 5:12; Eph. 2:3). This hatred is rooted deeper than we’d like to admit, and it extends further than we usually realize.
Jesus Christ is love personified because He entered a hateful world for the sake and benefit of those who hate Him. What love is this! Without ignoring evil and hate, Jesus addressed these head on. He says to hateful sinners, “You and I both know your hatred for light and your love for evil, but I am committed to love you even unto death and to bring full reconciliation to our relationship.”
This is what love is… Jesus Christ is love personified.
May God make us to know this kind of love; may He grant that we would know this Savior who loves like no other, and may we love Him in return.
Holding the Line 