The Truthfulness of Man
(Jn 21:15-23)
God is love (1Jn 4:8).
His love does not change.
His love is everlasting (Jer 31:3).
Faith is receiving Him and
The life of this faith is loving Him truthfully.
Different from animals,
Men confess, express, promise and vow their love.
As circumstances change, however,
Their feelings, even their love, change because
God alone is truthful and
His love alone is everlasting (1Jn 4:10).
Though Adam was in the Garden of Eden, an abundant place,
He was deceived by the enemy of God, the devil, and
Turned his back against God.
Nevertheless, God's unchanging love for man began to be revealed
When God called through Moses the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt (Ex 3:4).
Because their fathers received God's love,
They were delivered from Egypt, saved from death and chosen as a holy people,
They gladly received the Law, the commandment to love God (Dt 6:5).
However, as time passed,
They gave sacrifices and offerings only out of formality (Mal 1:8, Mal 1:13), and
There emerged hypocrites and self-righteous men (Mt 3:7, Mt 23:13).
Yet the sanctuary where the stone tablets were placed
Remained as God's love for them, and
Their love itself.
Hence, Jesus angered the Jews when He said,
"Destroy this temple and I will raise it again in three days (Jn 2:19).
However, He was referring to the death and the resurrection of the temple of His body,
Through which He would reveal the true love of the Father.
Jesus rebuked the Jews for
Not having love for God in their hearts (Jn 5:42), and
Angered them further by saying that
The tax collectors and the prostitutes will go to the kingdom of heaven before them (Mt 21:31).
As He died, Jesus said, "It is finished (Jn 19:30), declaring that He:
- Died according to the Father's plan made in the beginning and revealed His true love for the Father (Jn 17:23; Eph 1:4-9);
- Condemned the devil, the separator (Ge 3:4); and
- Died as an atoning sacrifice and revealed the Father's love for men (1Jn 4:10).
The Father raised Him
To the kingdom of the Son He loves (Col 1:13).
The Holy Spirit comes to those who
Received the love of God through the blood of Jesus and
Lets them love the Lord.
The man of the Spirit
Confesses his truth: that he is a sinner and that he truly loves the Lord (Jn 21:15-17).
This is because the measure of his love for Him is
The measure of the forgiveness he received (Lk 7:36-47).
Therefore, he follows the Lord,
Taking up his own cross (Jn 21:17-19) and
Goes out to feed the Lord's lambs.
O Lord,
Thank You for asking us something that we can answer.
Even if you ask 10 times or even 100 times, I will say,
I love You! I love You for I have sinned much...
This my truth! Amen.