The Love of Christ (Long Read)

[Gatekeeper]

The original purpose for writing this was to acknowledge where I am now, and for reflection in the future, perhaps to see how my views change. I would love to discuss these thoughts, and hear your views to further my own understanding. I have written sections on the "Word", "Spirit", "Forgiveness", "acceptance", "Equality", "Cross", and "purpose" as well. I'll post those at a later time if anyone seems interested.

“Love”​

Most of us have experienced only remnants of love. Meaning we have only known love in measure, whether it came from family or from friends. Very few of us however, know and understand the power of God’s Love, and what His grace can do for His people. Think for one moment what life would be like without even the remnant of love we do know. I can only imagine the horror, and emptiness, and hopelessness such a life would entail. Love is mankind’s comfort, it is our safety, our peace, and our life force. Without it, this world would be a very dark, lonely, and empty place to dwell. It would be as if we were in a grave, rotting and decaying without hope of ever sustaining life at all. The term “hell “ might be appropriate to describe such an existence, or state of mind reflecting the darkness of the grave, where we are no longer capable to realize the Love of our God. The truth is that even with the remnant of love we do know, most are still in a metaphorical grave, unaware of the blessings that God‘s love provides.


There are some, who have experienced so little love in their lives, that they do not recognize what it is at all. This is a sad truth that we cannot close our eyes to. Without love mankind is lost; we cannot be free from our metaphorical “graves” until we allow love to mature within us. Love must be cultivated as if it were a seed, with patience, sincerity, and faith. When we do this, and keep our hearts focused on it, we grow stronger in God’s grace. This in turn creates a great sense of freedom, joy, and peace within ourselves. We must learn to cultivate love, and also plant it in others, bringing its increase in the world we live in. I’m reminded of the parable of the talents. The talents represent many things to many people, but for this post, the talents represent the love of our God.


(Matthew 25:14-29)


14. "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property;
15. to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away.
16. He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more.
17. So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more.
18. But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money.
19. Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them.
20. And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.'
21. His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.'
22. And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.'
23. His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.'
24. He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow;
25. so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.'
26. But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed?
27. Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest.
28. So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents.
29. For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away.


Christ speaks about increase in this parable, and multiplying “through” others, what God has given to us. When we factor love into the picture, it becomes clearer the intent of his message concerning the kingdom. Consider also the parable of the sower. The seed in this parable represents the Love of God also, which was the crux of Christ’s entire testimony. He’s the sower of the seed, just as those whom the seed is planted, and cultivated in, become the sowers of the seed in others. (See also: 2 Corinthians 9:6-10)


(Luke 8:5-8)

5. "A sower went out to sow his seed; and as he sowed, some fell along the path, and was trodden under foot, and the birds of the air devoured it.
6. And some fell on the rock; and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.
7. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns grew with it and choked it.
8. And some fell into good soil and grew, and yielded a hundredfold." As he said this, he called out, "He who has ears to hear, let him hear."


Christ continues to explain this parable to his disciples. Keep the love of God in mind when reading, as this will help you understand Christ‘s intent. It will help also in understanding his other parables concerning the kingdom. It might be suggested that this parable is the most important of all Christ’s allegories, as this one sets the stage for the others. (See: Mark 4:13)


(Luke 8:11-15)

11. Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
12. The ones along the path are those who have heard; then the devil comes and takes away the word from their hearts, that they may not believe and be saved.
13. And the ones on the rock are those who, when they hear the word, receive it with joy; but these have no root, they believe for a while and in time of temptation fall away.
14. And as for what fell among the thorns, they are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the cares and riches and pleasures of life, and their fruit does not mature.
15. And as for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bring forth fruit with patience.

“Seed”​

Again, Christ speaks of increase. When we factor in love, we come to a greater understanding. Christ is not speaking of worldly increase; he’s speaking of the love of God, which is all encompassing, pure, holy, and strong. The kind of love that changes a person from the inside out. He’s speaking of the essence of our creator. “Agape” The very spirit that Christ himself walked in. Many of us overlook it. We neglect it, discard and regard it as weak. It is however, a seed of great power; perhaps the least sought after among all spiritual seeds. (Certainly the least embraced within the natural man)

Love lends to us comfort, and peace; it also grants to us great power over our natural selves. It allows us to grow past our destructive natures, and it helps us develop a newness of mind. The more we allow love to grow within, the more we become free from our carnal ways. To walk in love is to walk as Christ did, and doing so enables us to fulfill God’s will for mankind. It is grace, truth, and a light for all mankind to receive. Love is a tree of life, that if nurtured as a seed, will produce its fruit both in self and in those we encounter. We do this by sharing and extending this wellspring of life towards others. (Increase)

Stop and consider the time, effort, and patience it takes to grow a garden. Love is no different; if it is neglected, even the love a person does have will slowly be taken away. (Talents) When we neglect love, we become naturally calloused. Our hearts become dull and void of God‘s grace. We end up following all that opposes God, being thrown about by spirits of anger, fear, bitterness, resentment, deceit, greed, pride, lust, envy, jealousy and every other spirit that is in opposition to love. God’s love however is freely available to all open to receive it. If nurtured, his love will grow within us, and will eventually enable us to live in the fullness of his grace.

“Essence”​

Love is much more than a simple emotion; it is also more than action and words. It is the very essence of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is not soft or weak, nor is it always gentle and kind. Love can convict us deeply of our wrongs; in it is God’s power and truth. True love is not proud, jealous, envious, haughty, or boastful, nor does it seek its own, but rather the good of others. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7) It is the source of all virtue, just as lack of love is the source of all vice. True love is unconditional; it realizes that none are perfect. When embraced and followed, it leads the natural man away from spiritual corruption, as well as from the corruption of the world. It is truly life and light to those who find, understand, and keep its ways. Love is a “divine” force, that when utilized, can remove the many chains that bind us in spirit. Spirits like anger, fear, bitterness, resentment, deceit, greed, pride, lust, envy, and jealousy can all be overcome through love. We feed on these toxic spirits instinctively, giving them great authority over our inner man. We act in accordance to these “spirits“, whereby creating serious conflict within ourselves, and between others. These “chains” or spirits harm us deeply. They damage our personal wellbeing, just as they breed discord within those we transgress against. These ways seem right to us, and are very natural, but they ultimately end in spiritual death. (Proverbs 14:12, 16:25)


Darkness has authority where love is absent; Christ however, has made for us a way to abide in the Love of God, wherewith we shall be removed from this darkness, and realize our own salvation in Him. Christ revealed to us the truth and he showed to us the light of God. Through His life, His death, and His resurrection, we have heard the “word “of the father, and have been made known the power, the all encompassing love of God, which is the good news of Christ’s gospel.

 

[Gatekeeper]

The following view may seem off base to some, but this is my own biblical understanding of the Word.​

“Word”​

“God is love” (1 John 4:7-17) Love is the very essence or “Spirit” of God, and Christ was the manifestation of that essence. Jesus was God’s only begotten son; the fullness of God dwelt within His human body. (Colossians 2:9) This does not suggest that Christ was God himself, but rather a vessel of God‘s spirit. Born of the flesh and of the Spirit, Christ possessed both a divine nature and a human nature. He experienced the human struggle fully, yet through the indwelling of God’s Spirit, he was able to conquer the carnal attributes of his flesh . (John 1:1-14)



The scripture above speaks of the Word of God and its manifestation in Christ, the only ‘begotten’ of the father. When reading these passages, it is helpful to keep in mind that when Christ taught, he did not teach of himself, (The man) but of the father that dwelt in him. (The Spirit) This helps to form a more accurate view when discerning Johns teaching on the Word. Christ himself speaks of the Word as being something he possessed rather than something he was; this suggests to me that Jesus was not the literal Word, but rather a vessel for the Word.


(John 5:24)


24. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.


(John 8:31-32)


31. Jesus therefore said to those Jews that had believed him, If ye abide in my word, then are ye truly my disciples;
32. and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.


Most Christians view Christ himself as being the Word spoken of in John; some even suggest that it is biblical scripture. Then there are others whom view the wisdom Solomon spoke of in Proverbs to be the Word of God. I am not in disagreement with this latter sentiment, as the following passages parallel John 1:1-4.


(Proverbs 8:22-26)

22. The Lord possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
23. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, before the beginning of the earth.
24. When there were no depths I was brought forth, when there were no springs abounding with water.
25. Before the mountains had been shaped, before the hills, I was brought forth;
26. before he had made the earth with its fields, or the first of the dust of the world.
27. When he established the heavens, I was there, when he drew a circle on the face of the deep,
28. when he made firm the skies above, when he established the fountains of the deep,
29. when he assigned to the sea its limit, so that the waters might not transgress his command, when he marked out the foundations of the earth,
30. then I was beside him, like a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always,
31. rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the children of man.


Wisdom is what guided Solomon, it was his passion and source for instruction; the entire book of Proverbs is in reality, about the Word of God.


(Proverbs 19:16)

16. He who keeps the commandment keeps his life; he who despises the word will die.


(Proverbs 16:20)


20. He who gives heed to the word will prosper, and happy is he who trusts in the Lord.


(Proverbs 13:13)


13. He who despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who respects the commandment will be rewarded.



Paul speaks also of God’s wisdom in 1 Corinthians 2:1-16. If you put all these passages in perspective, a clearer understanding of the Word begins to form.


(1 Corinthians 2:1-16)


1. WHEN I came to you, brethren, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God in lofty words or wisdom.
2. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.
3. And I was with you in weakness and in much fear and trembling;
4. and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
5. that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.
6. Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away.
7. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glorification.
8. None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
9. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man conceived, what God has prepared for those who love him,"
10. God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.
11. For what person knows a man's thoughts except the spirit of the man which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.
12. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is from God, that we might understand the gifts bestowed on us by God.
13. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who possess the Spirit.
14. The unspiritual man does not receive the gifts of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.
15. The spiritual man judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one.
16. "For who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.


Above Paul speaks of God’s hidden wisdom, which is the same wisdom Solomon tells us was established before the beginning of the world. Paul also speaks of the spirit of God, which we have received through Christ. We are to be spiritually minded, so let us consider the spirit of love “Agape“, which is the essence of the father. Solomon tells us in Proverbs 1:23 that wisdom is actually “Spirit“. “Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you.“ Could the wisdom that Solomon spoke of be the wisdom which comes from walking in the ways of love? Could it be that love is also the Word and “spirit” through which all things were created? God is love; to know God, we must understand and walk in His ways. Reason upon this attentively, and you will see the direct connection.


Love can be compared to a compass; when followed it guides us, convicts us, it directs and redirects our steps. It simply enables us to walk the strait and narrow path. If we walked in love at all times, keeping our minds continually on it, inclining our hearts to its understanding, our feet would never stumble. Consider the following written by Solomon:


(Proverbs 8:32-36)


32. And now, my sons, listen to me: happy are those who keep my ways.
33. Hear instruction and be wise, and do not neglect it.
34. Happy is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting beside my doors.
35. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord;
36. but he who misses me injures himself; all who hate me love death."



Love is the strait gate, and the narrow path that so many of us fail to enter and follow. (Matthew 7:13-20) It is the very same gate referred to in the scripture above. Understanding love, which is the wisdom and knowledge of God, unlocks that gate. Faith in love releases God‘s power, and hope that we can free from darkness through it, helps enable the spiritual man to keep its ways. Christ walked in this spirit fully; it enabled him to live a perfect and sinless life. He is our example. Christ crucified the human and sinful nature of his own flesh through it, and we are to follow in his footsteps. All are able to receive this spirit, all are able to grow in it, and all are able to accomplish what God wants for us through its power. Even though we all sin and fall short of God’s glory, we have the opportunity to embrace His love, and become His adopted children.


God’s spirit of love is given to us freely. Christ paid the price so we could receive what He possessed. If we fail to heed its guidance, we will forever remain in darkness, blind to the full measure of harm it causes both to self, and to those around us. Love, or the spirit and wisdom of God, enables us to walk in a manner conducive to peace, and in accordance to His will. It convicts us when we do wrong, and it moves us strait ward when we stumble. If we keep love in our hearts and follow in its ways, we will continue always in the grace of God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ. Love is the wisdom written about in Proverbs; it is the wisdom of God, the hidden wisdom and spirit that dwelt within Christ our Lord. God’s wisdom and Word, is God’s Love and Spirit, which was fully manifest in Jesus. Christ was conceived of this spirit; he submitted to it fully. He embraced His Fathers will, living a perfect life. Because of His obedience to the Father, and through the spirit he possessed, Christ made a way for us to be connected to God also.

 

[Gatekeeper]

“Spirit”​

Christ speaks of God’s “Spirit” in John 14, which again, is the fullness of God that dwelt within him bodily. Christ and the father were in complete unity through this spirit, and of one accord. (See also: John 10:30)

(John 14:10-11)

10. Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.
11. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake.

Those who embrace God’s word are made clean through its power. Christ speaks of this to His disciples whom had received it in heart. They followed Christ in truth, becoming one with Him, and in unity with the spirit that dwelt in Him. We are to do the same, becoming Christ’s disciples also. We are to worship God in the beauty of holiness, and in spirit, and in truth. Only with a pure love can we do this.

(John 15:1--17)

1. "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser.
2. Every branch of mine that bears no fruit, he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit.
3. You are already made clean by the word which I have spoken to you.
4. Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.
5. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in me, and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.
6. If a man does not abide in me, he is cast forth as a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire and burned.
7. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you.
8. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be my disciples.
9. As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you; abide in my love.
10. If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love.
11. These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
12. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
13. Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.
14. You are my friends if you do what I command you.
15. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
16. You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide; so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you.
17. This I command you, to love one another.

Christ tells us above to abide in his love, which is God’s “Word”, whereby we are made clean, becoming his disciples. This was stated previously by Christ in John 8:31-32 "If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." God’s word is His Spirit, which manifest itself in Christ. Born of this Spirit,(God’s essence) Christ commanded that we love one another as he has loved us. Paul also speaks to this in Ephesians:

(Ephesians 3:14-19)

14. For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,
15. from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,
16. that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with might through his Spirit in the inner man,
17. and that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love,
18. may have power to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,
19. and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.


The only way to comprehend God’s fullness, is by experiencing His love on a personal level. Through His love we die to our natural selves and become a new man “created“ in the likeness of God. We die to that which harms us inwardly, and to the things which cause us to offend others. We in short die to sin, and to the roots thereof. We can accomplish nothing of ourselves, but through the Spirit, we become new creatures in Christ.

(Ephesians 4:17-32)

17. Now this I affirm and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer live as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds;
18. they are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart;
19. they have become callous and have given themselves up to licentiousness, greedy to practice every kind of uncleanness.
20. You did not so learn Christ!--
21. assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus.
22. Put off your old nature which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful lusts,
23. and be renewed in the spirit of your minds,
24. and put on the new nature, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.
25. Therefore, putting away falsehood, let every one speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another.
26. Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger,
27. and give no opportunity to the devil.
28. Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his hands, so that he may be able to give to those in need.
29. Let no evil talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for edifying, as fits the occasion, that it may impart grace to those who hear.
30. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
31. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, with all malice,
32. and be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

“Forgiveness”​

Forgiveness is necessary in matters of acceptance, just as forgiveness is necessary in developing inner freedom. Without the ability to forgive, we can never come to know and understand the love of Christ. Without God’s love and an understanding that we all have our faults, forgiveness will remain out of our grasp. Both acceptance and forgiveness are an essential element in following in the footsteps of Christ. Most view forgiveness as being a benefit only to those we choose to forgive. It certainly benefits others, but when we forgive another’s trespass, we are more so freeing ourselves from our own spiritual chains. Whether the chains be resentment, bitterness, anger, pride, feelings of contempt, lust, envy, or whatever the force keeping us in bondage. When we forgive, we release ourselves from these forces. All of which prevent us from loving as Christ commanded. We often times, hold on to our “chains” as if our lives depended on them. What most are unaware of is that our very lives depend upon our ability, and willingness to break those chains and forgive graciously. (Matthew 6:14-15) It’s God’s love that enables the spiritual man to forgive without measure. Without forgiveness, we have absolutely no hope of becoming what God wants us to be.

 

[Gatekeeper]

“Acceptance”​

We each have our own individual personalities, our own individual strengths, and our own individual characters. We each also have negative aspects about ourselves. Often times, we meet with contempt, those whose negative aspects overpower their daily walk. This should not be a reality; to accept the entirety of others, is to accept the entirety of ones self. None are perfect; we all have our negative aspects, and we all sin. When we reject others, we are in effect rejecting ourselves. We should build others up in God’s love, and resist the temptation to break them down, and reject them. Spiritual freedom depends upon the acceptance of self and those we share this world with. We cannot fully accept who we are, until we can accept others for who they are. We cannot feel peace within ourselves when we are viewing those around us with contempt. No one is above another, nor is any one less than another. We are all the same; we “must” understand this truth, and learn to love without condition. When we allow ourselves to love without condition, we create the same unity and sense of equality that Christ Himself walked in. Christ died for us all and all are given the same opportunity to grow in His love.

“Equality”​

In order to fully accept others for whom they are, we must realize that all people are the same. When we judge others, or look down on them, we allow ourselves to think that we are better than they are. This couldn’t be further from the truth. The mistakes we make, and the lives we lead allow us to learn, and grow. We are all sinners, and we all fall short of perfection. We share the same world, we go through the same emotions, we go through similar trials, and we all make mistakes. We may not all be as comfortable as others, or in the same mental and physical conditions, but this doesn’t change the truth that all men are equal in the eyes of God. When we claim to be better than others, we become high minded, boastful, self-righteous, and overly prideful. This in turn creates a great conflict within us, and often times, damages the spirit of those we view as being less than ourselves. Every single person is an extension of God; we are what we were made to be. Most have the ability to learn from experience, and those experiences are more often than not, necessary for our individual and collective growth.
God views us all in the same light and His love is offered to all mankind. The difference is that those who embrace, and abide in God’s love, allow that love to guide them. Through that love, they become better able to free themselves from the forces that harm them inwardly. We should therefore, accept one another equally, keeping in mind that we all partake in the human experience, and that all are sinners. Absolute perfection is beyond any of us; we all fall short of his glory. Only Christ, being conceived of God’s spirit, was able to live a perfect life. By understanding this truth, we allow ourselves to have empathy, as well as compassion towards those who are bound in the ways of darkness. We come to realizes that they are blind to the freedom that comes from embracing the love, or spirit of God. When we do this, we become better able to forgive and accept no matter where others are in life, and no matter how much we feel we‘ve been wronged. We also become better able to forgive ourselves when we slip and do wrong to others, as we all do.

“Cross”

“When he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, “Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Mark 8:34) ​

Christ was crucified for our transgressions. Likewise, we are to crucify our own flesh, our natural selves, and be renewed in the spirit of our minds. (Ephesians 4:22-23) This is our cross; to crucify the old man and to put on the new in Christ our Lord. We must allow the love that He offers us to wash away our resentments, our bitterness, and our contempt for others, our jealousies, our selfish pride, our envious ways, and every other spiritual chain that binds us in darkness.

“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.”(Ephesians 6:12) ​

We wrestle against our own human natures, and the human nature of others. We wrestle against the spiritual forces of darkness that have rule and authority over us naturally. We wrestle against the powers that bind mankind in spirit. We wrestle against anger, bitterness, un-forgiveness, greed, lust, contempt, jealousy, envy, pride , fear, and every other spiritual force that destroys the inner man. These are the very roots of sin, through which every act against our Lord, ourselves, and our neighbors are committed . “

“Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”
(Ephesians 6:13-17)


“Purpose”​

God did not send his son to condemn us. He sent his son because He loves us, and wants us to be cleansed from the powers that keep us in bondage. Christ showed us what it meant to love and He showed us how to develop peace within through it. He was a shining example for all to follow; His testimony is still with us today, as is the spirit that He so passionately walked in. Let that love guide your steps; follow Christ with all your heart, and be made new in His likeness. He offers freedom from spiritual darkness, and the bondage that we so willingly and foolishly embrace. He offers to us life, and that we may have life in abundance. There is freedom in His word. Stand on that word, walk in it always, and follow Him.

“If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” (John 8:31-32)​