Written by Pastor Jack Wellman– Rick Warren
Unconditional Love
When God saves a person, it isn’t because they’re lovely; it is because He sets His love upon them. We who have repented and trusted in Christ meet God’s unconditional love at the foot of the cross, where He died for sinners like me and you. If His love were conditional, none of us would make it. Here is a good description of God’s love: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8), dying for us while still enemies (Rom. 5:10). None of us are good (Rom. 3:10-12, 3:23), but God is. Aren’t you glad God’s love is not conditional? You show this love by serving others, by praying for others, and by expressing God’s love in your life, not because they deserve it. In this way, you too show unconditional love.
Your Time Is Love
I believe we are all stewards. God gives us time, talent, and treasure. Time is money, so they say, and we have only so much time on this planet. So my question is this: How will you spend it? To whom will most of it go? Will it be in service for others, as God directs you, or to satisfy yourself? I have done far too much of the latter, but we are stewards of how we spend our time and will have to give an account of how we spent it when we see Christ. Your time serving is the currency you’ll have as rewards in the kingdom. Spend it all on yourself and you’ll have little rewards. Spend a lot on serving others and you will forward your time currency to heaven.
Your Expression of Love
Love is a verb more than a feeling. Surely we know that Jesus didn’t feel like going to the cross, but as an expression of His love, He voluntarily died to save sinners. Love is a verb; it’s what you do. Sometimes this love is expressed in witnessing to the lost. Are you going to have less regard for what others think about you and more regard for their eternity? You must be willing to offend in order to save. The most loving thing you can do is tell your family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers that if they step out of this life without Christ, they are eternally separated from God (Rev. 20:12-15). That is love.
Conclusion
We can impact the world in more than three ways but no less than three ways: by telling others about God’s unconditional love for those who repent and believe, by spending time serving others and not ourselves, and by unflinchingly sharing the good news of Jesus Christ, that only a relationship with Him can save them (Acts 4:12).
