In this life, we get to choose to either love or hate someone. Something or someone will influence you to either love or hate someone. Love and hate can be introduced by a random act. If someone touches your heart with kindness, you will tend to be favorable towards them. If someone causes you to harm in any way, hate will prevail. You do have a choice in how you respond to what comes against you, either love or hate.
Matthew 5:43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, 45 that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? 48 Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.
Sadly, righteousness and sin aren’t perceived the same way, but they are the same as love and hate. If you sin, you are sinning against the very one you say you love, God. Sin is so prominent in the church that teaching has come out from that, a sinner saved by grace. This teaching keeps sin normalized, and keeps the follower of Jesus away from righteousness. In this sinner saved by grace teaching, they go as far as saying, “There’s no one righteous, not one.” Being taught this by someone keeps you away from knowing the truth and who sets you free from sin. Righteousness is the foundation of the Kingdom of God. It’s on this foundation that the church is to be built. Those who choose to follow Jesus are the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. They live to do what is good and right.
John 8:31 Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.” 33 They answered Him, “We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, ‘You will be made free’?” 34 Jesus answered them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.
Psalms 45:6 Your throne, O God, is forever and ever;
A scepter of righteousness is the scepter of Your kingdom.
7 You love righteousness and hate wickedness;
Therefore God, Your God, has anointed You
With the oil of gladness more than Your companions.
We see that there are two camps. One has love and righteousness in it. The other has sin and hate. I would like to add one more to both camps. To the one of sin and hate, I will add death to it. Living this way leads you to death. To the other of love and righteousness, I will add life. Choose which camp you want to belong to and which camp will you serve. Be blessed, my friends
Deuteronomy 30:15 “See, I have set before you today life and good, death and evil, 16 in that I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess. 17 But if your heart turns away so that you do not hear, and are drawn away, and worship other gods and serve them, 18 I announce to you today that you shall surely perish; you shall not prolong your days in the land which you cross over the Jordan to go in and possess. 19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live; 20 that you may love the Lord your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the Lord swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them.”
