The desire to attach a human definition to Love is rampant. As if humans can even remotely understand it. As if humanity can truly attain such an ethereal definition. Christians adhere to the biblical definition of love. Simply stated in 1 John 4:16: God is love. That single scripture opens up such a huge realignment of thoughts on love as to be indescribable. Because God being love encapsulates enormous qualities which include things like mercy, grace, forgiveness, discipline, judgment, and punishment. Singular factors which capture the softer side of love are all courtesy of human attempts at showing their potential aptitude to embrace the "unlovable". Another exercise in defining love immediately leads us to this scripture: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 where the perfection of love is outlined and described, leading us to an understanding of what's desirable but certainly not attainable in our human state, and pointing us to a perfect Lord who holds and embodies the true definition of Love.
The utter tragedy in the Connecticut school shooting is being blamed on all kinds of explanations, not the least of which is the procurement and use of guns. The gun-control enthusiasts are quick to point out how disastrous it is for citizens to have access to guns, completely ignoring the fact that non-law abiding citizens will always have guns to threaten others' lives.
This isn't about guns. It's about the inherent evil in our souls. It's the earthly struggle between good and evil. It is defined not by the lack of love but by the nature of Sin. Sin with a captial s. Sin that runs through our bloodstreams with all the other chemical elements, both healthy and unhealthy, inherited not only from our biological parents but from the origin of the human race. From the fall of man to the present time, we carry around this inheritance of evil and it requires us to sin.
Of course the world will have none of sin. Sin is "old-fashioned". Biblical, therefore arguable and worth mockery. Even in the church sin is being redefined right alongside the new definitions of love. No wonder. Without a new definition of love, we couldn't okay sinful behaviors. And let's not forget to renew a fake grace which enables those sins.
Here's the thing about sin from a Christian perspective. Sin immediately flooded the earth at the first couple's disobedience of God's simple order, law, rule. Just one. Do not eat from a certain tree. That's all. Why? It's for your own good. And isn't that the reason for not giving in to sin now? For our own good? Aahh, but when sin's conduct wobbles around with rearranged definitions established upon the wicked whims of the human heart, we have all kinds of mayhem. Evil. Increasing as the Lord foretold. One day He will put an end to it. After the last heart that's willing to turn to Him cries out in shame and repentance, He will say, "Enough!"
You can hide or destroy or eliminate every pistol, rifle, rocket launcher on earth. Man will invent something equally as lethal and execute others with it. Why? Because man is sinful. Sin. Full. Without Jesus there is no cure, no remedy. No stopping sin. And still we humans will fight to extricate it from our conscious lives with the assistance and counsel of the Holy Spirit.
Which brings us to "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men". The peace is Jesus. He has made this peace available to all of mankind: by His birth, death, and resurrection He alone provides peace with God. That peace which was broken at our first disobedience, that peace that eludes us because of our inherent sin, has been reestablished between God and His creation through His Son Jesus Christ who wrote Paid in Full in His sinless blood across the Past Due requirement for the ills of the human race. The payment brought us to the place where angels proclaimed, "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men" approximately 33 years before it came to be.
The best example of God's defining love is that He can love us in our sin. That He can warn us there are always consequences for sin: death being the primary result. He does not overlook sin, understand sin, okay sin, and redefine sin. Repentance and the acceptance of His Son's sacrifice are the only pardons for sin. Without His definition there is hell to be paid for sin. His love encompasses a huge definition, one that man likes to rearrange and redefine. Can't be done – except in the minds of men.
As Christmas approaches, realize the truth of Jesus. He brought and continues to bring "Peace on Earth, Goodwill to Men".
Father, God of all Creation, we ask for your Truth to permeate our lives. We're truly desperate for you. We need you in every way in every aspect of our lives and at all times. Jesus, thank you for saving us. There are no words to say enough. Holy Spirit, we want to always hear your voice. Day in and day out. We know: apart from you, we can do nothing. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.
