Love - Bishop Sam Chidoka

John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life."

The above scripture is perhaps one of the most popular bible verses of all time. In one verse of scripture the whole essence or purpose of Christ's incarnation is explained.

This verse of scripture also shows us the true, meaning of love. In it, God gives us the best definition of love, which is giving. Christianity is a product of love. After the fall of Adam it took love for God to devise a new means of reconciling man to himself. And throughout the Old Testament, the messianic work of Christ was veiled and in the New Testament unveiled for all to see, read, believe and be saved. It took great love for Jesus to know what was ahead of him on the cross and still say "Not my will but yours be done" and went to the cross to give his life a ransom for many.

Most times we love those we need but it is instructive to note that God does not need man because he can raise stones to cry out in our place (Luke 19: 40), and He has innumerable angels worshiping Him day and night. Yet God commended his love to us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us. When you love someone or something, you would give your time, treasure or talent to that person or thing. Mere verbalization of love is not enough, to love is to give! To love is to sacrifice.

In his ministry on earth Jesus was always moved by compassion to minister to the sick and/or oppressed, Matthew 9:36, Mark 6:36, Luke 7:13. Compassion means pity, sympathy, mercy, love. It was from a heart of love that Jesus ministered, in other words he "gave" from a heart of love.

Everyone that is born of God ought to practice love because God our father is love. 1 John 4:8. Actually, God commands us to love, Mark 12:31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.

How do we love?

We love by first understanding and acknowledging it is the nature of our heavenly father and therefore should be our nature. The next level is to pray for the grace to love and then proceed to the practical by loving through giving! If you love your children, give you time an treasure to them, same for your husband or wife, your neighbours, even your enemies. we are commanded as children of God to love our enemies, Matthew 5:44.

Who should we love?

1. Love God: Loving God is reciprocating on His unlimited love to us. Mark 11:30. He first loved us before we ever thought of loving him back, so in response to His love, we love God first.

2. Love yourself: you cannot give what you don't have, hence the bible admonishes we love our neighbours like ourselves. it is humanly impossible to love another when we don't love ourselves.

3. Love your immediate family: You should love those around you. They are your first neighbours! Love your parents and siblings, love your spouse, love your children. If you cannot love these ones how can you now love the ones you don't know?

4. Love your neighbours: This is very clear from Mark 12:31, where we are commanded to love our neighbours.

As we love, we radiate Christ and heal the world one soul at a time.