HEALING LOVE

Unless otherwise indicated, all scripture quotations are taken from the New American Standard Bible® (NASB), Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation.

Used by permission. www.Lockman.org

Ephesians 5:25-27

“Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

By transgressing, Adam did not only separate from God and damage himself, he also declared he had now become an enemy of God. And concerning his seeds the apostle said in Colossians 1:21: “And you, that were sometime ALIENATED AND ENEMIES in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled” (Emphasis added, KJV). At that moment, Adam began to form an alliance with the devil against God and His purpose. To frustrate the purpose of God has always been the plan of the devil since he was now rejected, having rebelled against God. The vessel through which God would establish His purpose therefore became a threat to him. So he advanced towards him and ensured that man, who was the vessel, allied with him so that they could frustrate the purpose of God together. Such was now the position of man against God. Therefore the destinies of men who forever remain allies of the devil will be the same with the devil’s. Regarding them the Bible says in Matthew 25:41:

“Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels.”

However, the purpose of God cannot be frustrated. The Bible says, “The counsel of the Lord stands forever, the plans of His heart from generation to generation” (Psalms 33:11). So God, in His mercy, chose to restore the man, who is His vessel, that the purpose of His heart may be established through him. 

Now, according to the position of the fallen man against God, we might naturally think the way God would restore him to Himself would be to threaten him to submission, discipline him or use any other similar way of restoration. But God, according to His infinite wisdom, chose the expression of His love for man as the best way to have him restored and reconciled to Himself. The world which with its dwellers came under the sway of the enemy now received the love of God. And John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.”

God did not just express His love to man after saving him, rather even before saving him. Romans 5:6-8 emphatically says, 

“For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”

What a great demonstration of love! By this have the hearts of many been won by God that they have willingly rebelled against the devil to partner with God for the establishment of His kingdom. Through this wonderful expression of love have many been delivered from mundane things to seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness. By this display of love, many are being healed of the affliction that befell man in the garden while they are realigning with God’s original purpose. 

This obviously was the reason apostle Paul recommended such love to be expressed by the husbands to their wives. It was by this love the church, which is now constituted by people who were once rebels, is formed and is being sanctified, cleansed, washed, that it might become gloriously presentable having been made whole from all wrinkles and spots. 

The only way to therefore win someone, who might even be your enemy, is by expressing the love of God. The same reason Jesus said in Matthew 5:44, “But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you.” For that is the only way a man can be completely healed and delivered from his rebellious nature to become obedient. 

Even the display of power cannot do what love can. A passage from the book of psalms provides us with great knowledge to clearly show us that even with the mighty manifestation of God's power, man still will not necessarily submit to Him. It reads: “Say to God, ‘How awesome are Your works! Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give FEIGNED OBEDIENCE to You’” (Psalms 66:3, emphasis added). The highest the display of the power of God can make out of His enemies is to make them pretend to be obedient but not truly obedient. This will be clearly seen during the Millennial Reign of Christ. For by the mighty descent of the Lord and His army, which is the church, will He put out the antichrist and his worshippers and the rest of the nations will be forced to submit to Him because of His display of power, for a thousand years. But we know according to the word of God that majority of the people will only pretend to be obedient, for when Satan will be let loose again, they will quickly rebel against Christ and join themselves with the devil to war against Christ and His saints. Then the fire of God will quickly descend from heaven to destroy them. 

Only the expression of God’s love can completely heal a man from his rebellious nature. It is only by this love man can be delivered from all vices to consecrate himself to God, not necessarily the fear of death or hell. Whoever comes in contact with this love will immediately become a slave of it. Just like Paul, who used to be so injurious to the church and beyond measure persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it was finally found laying down his life for the same church. Such can this love make out of one who is an enemy.