A LOVE RESPONSE

Lesson 10 for June 9, 2012

SLAVES

RESULT

MOTIVATION

OUR MOTIVATION TO ACT

LOVE

LOVING SERVICE

OF CHRIST

GUILT

LEGALISM

OF SIN

MOTIVATED BY LOVE

“But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans, 5: 8)

How did God show His love toward us?

“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John, 4: 10)

What other examples show God’s care and love toward us?

“The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing”

(Zephaniah, 3:17 NIV)“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!” (Luke, 13: 34)

“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me”

(Revelation, 3: 20)

MOTIVATED BY LOVE

A LOVE RESPONSE“We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John, 4: 19)

Love can come only as a result of, and in response to, love.

Review 2 Corinthians, 5: 14-21 and remark how love acts.

1. It is irresistible.• “The love of Christ

constraineth us” (“compels us” NKJV and NIV)

2. It transforms us.• “Old things have passed

away; behold, all things have become new”

3. It gives us a specific mission.• “We are ambassadors for

Christ”

A LOVE RESPONSE

“Love can no more exist without revealing itself in outward acts than fire can be kept alive without fuel” E.G.W. (Testimonies for the Church vol. 1, No. 14, cp. 118 “Sympathy at Home”, pg. 695)

“Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them”

(John, 14: 23 NIV)Loving Jesus involves obeying His last order; the “great commission” (Matthew, 28: 19), not only the Ten Commandments.

Obedience to the great gospel commission for any other reason than the fact that we love is all but fruitless.

This is why loving Jesus is vital for witnessing and evangelism. Our love for God and our willingness to work with Him in the saving of souls is dependent upon our knowing Him.

MOTIVATED BY GUILTFor centuries guilt has been used to motivate people to action. For example: “If God has done so much to save us, how can we remain evangelistically inactive?”. What’s wrong in that reasoning?

God washes sin away from us and frees us from guilt for free. We must do nothing to pay Him. “And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace” (Romans, 11: 6 NIV). We don’t have to pay anything to God.

“Let no one take the limited, narrow position that any of the works of man can help in the least possible way to liquidate the debt of his transgression”E.G.W. (SDA Bible Commentary vol. 6, on Romans, 3: 20)

God doesn’t want us to be involved in witnessing and evangelism because we think we owe Him. Rather, He desires our connectedness to Him be such that it compels us to do the things that please Him and to be in tune with things that matter to Him.

Our love response to God can be disrupted and distorted by other reasons besides guilt; for example:

Fear of not being justified (Romans, 3: 19-20)

Pride and its variants, including envy, vanity and ambition (Philippians, 1: 15-17; John, 12: 43)

MOTIVATED BY GUILT

A LEGALISTIC RESPONSE

Every act that is not motivated by love depreciates what God has done and emphasizes what we must do.

That is legalism. That’s trying to be worthy of God’s salvation by obeying His will.

“He who is trying to reach heaven by his own works in keeping the law, is attempting an impossibility. Man cannot be saved without obedience, but his works should not be of himself; Christ should work in him to will and to do of his good pleasure. If a man could save himself by his own works, he might have something in himself in which to rejoice. The effort that man makes in his own strength to obtain salvation, is represented by the offering of Cain. All that man can do without Christ is polluted with selfishness and sin; but that which is wrought through faith is acceptable to God”E.G.W. (Review and Herald, July 1, 1890)

SLAVES OF CHRIST“…whoever commits sin is a slave [douloV] of sin… Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed” (John, 8: 34, 36)

Although slavery and freedom are opposite terms in our understanding; in Christ, they aren’t.

“Paul and Timothy, bondservants [douloi, slaves] of Jesus Christ…” (Philippians, 1: 1)

“James, a bondservant [douloV, slave] of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ…” (James, 1: 1)

“Simon Peter, a bondservant [douloV, slave] and apostle of Jesus Christ…” (2 Peter, 1: 1)

When we are freed from the slavery of sin, we become slaves of Christ.

That is, we stop serving the sin to serve Christ. We are consecrated, loyal and devout followers that serve the Lord selflessly.

“Those who put away iniquity from their hearts and stretch out their hands in earnest supplication unto God

will have that help which God alone can give them. A ransom has been paid for the souls of men, that they

may have an opportunity to escape from the thralldom of sin and obtain pardon, purity, and heaven... Those who frequent the throne of grace, offering up sincere, earnest petitions for divine wisdom and power, will not fail to become active, useful servants of Christ. They

may not possess great talents, but with humility of heart and firm reliance upon Jesus they may do a good work in

bringing souls to Christ”

E.G.W. (Our Father cares, August 8)