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PASTOR’S DESK – LOVE WITHOUT DISSIMULATION (Rom.12:9)

Beloved, welcome to the eight-month of the year of the FULLNESS OF GOD’S GRACE. It is the month of new beginning and God is calling us back to the basis of our faith in Christ Jesus – genuine love, for God is Love. 

The first question that sometimes spring up for so many, when they read the theme “let love be without dissimulation for God is Love” is how do I identify genuine love that is unfeigned and unconditional? Particularly when all they know about LOVE is defined by what they see around and not what they have carefully searched out to know the about the truth. The Bible tells us that “God is Love” (1 John 4:8). Simply put, love is the whole essence of the being of God Almighty. He expects us to express His whole nature and essence of love – just as He is.

Beloved, take a cue from God who is love personified. Searching through the pages of His word to mankind, you will discover the unconditional and overwhelming flow of love He has shown to us again and again. He loved us sacrificially while we were yet alienated from Him. “For scarcely will one die for a righteous man, yet perhaps for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth His love toward us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him” Romans 5:7-9. This is a definite evidence that true and unfeigned love is sacrificial and wrapped in the bowels of mercy.

The love parents have for children is close to true and unconditional love God wants us to have for one another. An alarming pervasive nature of man that has been in operations amongst humanity since time immemorial, and still very true today, is that, many whom we call friends may turn out not to be as friendly and loving as thought. They put on the cloak of deception – smiling and embracing outwardly but inwardly, condemning and despising you. This reveals that love is a matter of the heart and that is the core of where God searches our heart and tries our reins. In his letter to the church in Rome, Apostle Paul after examining the way and manner brethren related to one another and unbelievers alike in pretence, rebuked them and encouraged them to: “let love be without dissimulation, abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” Romans 12:9.

The theme for this month “let love be without dissimulation – for God is love” is no longer popular from the pulpit anymore but God is turning the search light on us, so that we can truly examine ourselves whether we are still on the right path of grace. Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen. 1 John 4:20. Beloved, let’s learn to love our neighbor genuinely as we do for ourselves.      

Shalom!

Prince David Oladeji