The Three L's part 7
Three in one, right? Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Different aspects of the one true God. In the same way: Life, Light, Love. When we begin to understand those Three L's, we begin to really understand the nature of God. And in understanding HIS nature, we can understand OUR nature. Because they are one and the same. Look at 2 Peter 1:3-4 in the NLT, "By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires." Sharing His divine nature. Experiencing and enjoying Jesus's life by letting Him live His own life in us, and through us, and as us. Partaking of His Divine Nature by letting Him live inside us and come out through us. The best way I can say it is: Living in the light of love. That's what this super long Rant series, really, has been all about. Ephesians 5:8 (NLT), "For once youwere full of darkness, but now you have light from the Lord. So live as people of light!" I love that so much. People of light. Living in the light. His life is the light of men. "Living" His life by letting Him live it in us, and through us, and as us. Letting God love us and loving Him back by loving each other. It's all about love. When the Bible speaks of three other great things--faith, hope, and love--it makes sure to let us know that the greatest of the great is love. Love is the prism that everything else is filtered through. All of the fruit of the Spirit--love. Different aspects and different applications of love. All the different pictures of God--Spirit, consuming fire, light, life--are all love. Love is a consuming fire. Love is life. Love is light. Love is that Spirit. It's all love. The ultimate truth of the universe is "God is love and He loves you." That's why--and how--we can partake of His Divine Nature; He gave it to us. Wrapped us up in Himself. Drew us into Himself and planted Himself in us when He was lifted up from the earth on the cross. Gave us everything He is and everything He has when He laid His life down for us. Jesus said the greatest love a man can have is to lay His life down for his friends... and then He went to the cross and did just that. He gave us everything. He gave His life FOR us, but He also gave His life TO us. He gave us His heart, His Spirit, His name, His nature... His life. His abundant, everlasting, eternal, Resurrection Life of love! When it was dark and void God said, "Let there be light." He gave His only begotten Son. He injected love into the situation. And that's what brought us out of darkness. It is the GOODNESS of God, not the scariness of God, that leads men to repentance. You don't repent because you're afraid. You repent because you see the light. Repentance means thinking again about something in light of something else. Getting new information and making better decisions. When you know better, you can do better. That's why God reveals Himself to us (and in us, and through us, and as us). When we see Him as He is, we BE Him as He is. What you see is what you be. If you see love... you will be love. If you know and believe that you are full of God's love... that love will come out of you. It's too big and too good not to. So let the light shine. Live your best life. Let God love you and love Him back by loving people!