The Proof You Are a Christian

The Proof You Are a Christian.

“We know, said John the apostle, that we have passed over out of death and into Life because we love our fellow Christians”. (1John 3:14) The question then arises; what is love? Jesus, in the book of Luke, gives us some ideas about that; “Give to everyone who asks of you. And from him who takes away your goods do not ask them back. And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinner’s love those who love them. And if you lend to those from whom you hope to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Highest. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore, be merciful, just as your Father also is merciful”. (Luke 6:30-36)

God has given us one whole chapter in the New Testament to make it clear to us what love is. That chapter is 1Corinthians 13. If we do not take serious note of that information we will not be living as God expects us to. A warning: your flesh (humanity) will not like what God teaches us in that chapter. The New Testament says God is love (1John 4:8) As Christians, we have Gods love in us through the Holy Spirit. “Now hope does not disappoint because the love of God has been poured out into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given unto us”. (Rom 5:5) Love is a Spiritual condition. Like me, it probably did not take you long to realise that your humanity does a bad job of loving God’s way. Love is a choice to live from our spirits. “The fruit of the Spirit is love”. (Gal 5:22)

I encourage you to keep the importance of living in God’s love, first among your spiritual priorities. Here are two ways I have discovered that help me to be love minded: Many years ago, Edwin Markham, a poet, wrote these words. “He drew a circle that shut me out – heretic, rebel, a thing to flout. But love and I had the wit to win; We drew a circle and included him in”.

Jesus appeared to a man named Star Daily, while he was in prison and in solitary confinement, in the early 1900’s. He had been a gangster who worked for Al Capone. He became a writer and a man of love. He wrote these words about God’s omnipresence, in his book ‘Love Can Open Prison Doors’: “We swim in an infinite ocean of love. To become increasingly conscious of our oneness with love, is the mark of exercising intelligent self-interest. To this end, we do not labour and strain in our search for love. It is above, beneath, and about us. It is seeking us”.

The apostle Paul said,” Make love your great quest”. (I Cor 14:1)