303. The Nature of God’s Love

Mike Parsons

It is not that all religions lead to God, but that we can choose to accept and love people who hold different beliefs. God loves everyone, no matter what they believe. He loves Muslims, Hindus and Sikhs (and everyone else) just as much as He loves Christians. No more, no less – they just do not know that love in the same way. Telling others they are wrong or are leading people astray and that they will go to hell is counter-productive and falsely represents God’s nature.

God can reveal Himself to anyone. Taking a positive approach towards others makes them more likely to think of God as good, so that when they do meet Jesus, they are more likely to consider following Him than if they have experienced hostility from an unfriendly church. Rick Warren is someone who takes flak for engaging with other faith groups, yet all he is doing is reaching out and showing love – which is what the good news is all about. Whatever our doctrinal disagreements might be with him, he is reflecting God’s love in a way that others are not.

God is not looking at whether you have all your I’s dotted and your T’s crossed in doctrine: He is looking at love. He is looking at your heart. If we are loving, that is more a reflection of Him than if our belief system is in line. If you have great doctrine but you do not show love, what is the point of that? You are nothing but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal (see 1 Cor 13:1). If you do not show love, your faith is empty and hollow and it has no power and no effect. It is about what you do with people, not what you say to them.

Key takeaway:

If you have great doctrine but you do not show love, what is the point of that? You are nothing but a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

Author: Freedom ARC

Freedom Apostolic Resource Centre, Barnstaple, UK. View all posts by Freedom ARC

5 thoughts on “303. The Nature of God’s Love”

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Fully agreed, Brother Mike. Thank you for this important teaching and reminder.

According to Scripture: 1) He died for us while we were yet sinners, sons of disobedience, enemies, 2) He desires that all men be saved 3) He created all things and nothing was created that exists that was not created by Him 4) As He is (now) so are we, 5) Like our Father we must bring rain to the good and the wicked and 6) He has commissioned us to spread to good news through all of the world.

Therefore, we need to love others and work with the Father of the Harvest to bring in the harvest. Loving others doesn’t mean we agree with their doctrine or beliefs, nor that we do not engage in persuasive conversations led by Godly wisdom, or perform demonstrations of God’s power using the gifts of the Holy Sprit. A lot of “Believers” and “Christians”, because they have not rested in the fullness of Sonship, and being one with “The Beloved Son of God”, try to use their knowledge of good and evil (the fruit that got man kicked out of the garden) to win souls as opposed to surrendering themselves to being used by the Spirit of Love. Further, they come against their brethren in Christ who do so.