God Not Kidding About Love!

Romans 15:17 Therefore, receive one another, just as Christ also received us, to the glory of God.

God is not kidding about loving others. That is the corollary to loving God. If one doesn't love others, he or she doesn't love God! I know... what does that verse have to do with loving? With love is how we are to receive one another because that's how Christ received us. Jesus was serious about his reception of us. He served himself to mankind. The sacrifice was himself. That was hard to do! Jesus asked that God pass His cup to another but accepted it for himself.. He was in agony because what was coming was serious business.

Receiving one another is also serious business. Human's were born to serve!

Genesis 31:15 Then the Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to tend and keep it.

Adam was to tend to God foremost because The Tree of Life was in the midst of the Garden. He was even to tend to the Tree of Knowledge, the Tree that deceived and made mankind an enemy. Likewise, representing mankind, Adam was to tend to all the surrounding trees - symbolically us. Adam was born to serve. He was to receive others, so that others could be served!

 1 Peter 4:10 (NKJV) As each one has received a gift, minister it to one another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. ¹¹ If anyone speaks, let him speak as the oracles of God. If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belong the glory and the dominion forever and ever.

The King James Version uses "serve".  We don't think about it but all Christians are born to minister! Ministers are those who do God's will - serve Him. We are to provide a glorious reception for God and others. Serving one another is an example of love. For God so loved the world, is not just a catch-phrase; we must love it too! Of course, that is not the earth, but those who inhabit the world. That's everybody without exception!

We make excuses of all types:

• That person wronged me. No doubt he or she did! That does not, however, exclude the enemy as an object of our love! Furthermore, you have wronged others. By using this lame excuse, you condemn yourself: Matthew 7:1  For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. Remember David? He thought that he was judging someone else but it was himself that he was judging, and he did so harshly.
• That person is different than me. That may certainly be true. Perhaps, though, it is you who are different! Knowing how spoiled Americans are with our wealth, South Americans, Africans, and Asians are different. However, it appears that they are more appreciative than what you and I are! We tend to look on the poor and down-trodden as lesser people. Proverbs 14:21 He who despises his neighbor sins; But he who has mercy on the poor, happy is he. We are to receive the poor even as the rich: James 2:1 My brethren, do not hold the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with partiality.
• Those people are less than I am. Most people of one group feel that way about another group. Indeed, division has been an issue since mankind was separated. Even Abraham Lincoln had this to say about negroes: There is a physical difference between the white and black races which I believe will forever forbid the two races living together on terms of social and political equality. And inasmuch as they cannot so live, while they do remain together there must be the position of superior and inferior. Lincoln perceived that people are different. However, he realized that on a spiritual level, God is not a respecter of persons! We are spiritually equal as we were all made in the image of God. It is to be noted that God is not a man of color, but an invisible divinity. He did appear to mankind as one of his chosen race. It's ironic that Jews have always been hated by everybody, even Christians, but Christ, although divine, was Jewish too! The "joke" is on the haters. We are to serve each other without regard to race, but that is not a ticket to abuse the service!
• Those people are different than me. To be honest, I saw others as peculiar most of my life. However, it is I who am peculiar: Titus 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. If Christians are not a peculiar people, we are not zealous in our service to others! We must be different than the world, but not hatefully different. Jesus said to his murderers, "Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do." Those peculiar people who stood by and watched the crucifixion should have known full-well because Jesus told them so in advance.
• Their culture is different.  I have always had a problem with diverse cultures. Why? Because they are different than mine. Being different doesn't make lesser. We can serve others who are different, but that neither elevates nor denigrates those who are culturally different. As a child living in poverty, my culture was much different than the affluent around me. However, my culture was not sinful but some are! I don't like black culture because that's not me. It's not the people I don't like but the rap music, dress, jive, crime, and so forth. Guess what? Many of them don't like that culture either! It is okay to be different, but not different with hatred. If others don't like my culture, I understand that. There is no rule that we have the same background, but only to love one another without regard to culture - or lack of it. The Jewish people shunned the Gentiles because they were ceremonially unclean. That was more prideful than righteous to be honest. Jesus ate with unclean sinners but never sinned. We can mix with those whose culture is different and still love them.
• Their religion is different or they are pagans. Just look at the Roman Gentiles. They were pantheists - having many gods, including Caesar. However, "God so loved the world", that he gave them the same opportunity to be his disciple as He did the Jews. Because we were dirtier, meant we had more to forgive, and with greater forgiveness, Gentiles loved him more than did the Jews. We must never give up on those of other faiths, but perform our job assignment - The Great Commission: Matthew:28:19-20 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations... Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you. That says to receive one another.  We receive by serving, and our job is to minister to all peoples. We are to tell the pagans about Jesus and his love!
• They are too sinful to be saved. That is our perception, and is because we don't have great faith ourselves! Jesus didn't come to save the righteous but the sinners. (Luke 5:32). Those forgiven the most sin, tend to love Jesus the most! (Luke 7:47). No one is too great a sinner to be saved! Paul was the "chief sinner", and he was blinded so that he could see. I tend to think that some of my loved ones are too far removed from God to change, but Jesus will receive those and I must too. Perhaps if my faith was greater, Jesus would honor my prayers more for those people.
• (Put in your own excuses here). We each have our own excuses for not receiving others, but multiple excuses do not make one valid reason. Jesus can drive out demons. What could be worse? Us - who are too obstinate to stare the demons in the eye and call on Jesus!

I speak as if I don't have prejudices and dislike. I never lie to myself. Why waste my time with self-deception when God sees what's in my heart. Everyone - even progressives, are prejudiced, but prejudice is not necessarily hateful. We can disagree with other's choices and still love them. The danger is prejudice so extreme that we hate the very soul of people. Without regard to which excuse we use to not receive others, doesn't legitimize hatred. I  can honestly say that my desire is that all should go to heaven because like God, I too, so love the world! We all must do that. There are no loop-holes!

Never, however, confuse yourself with the difference between loving and agreement. We are to love those who disagree with us, but that doesn't mean that we have to be in agreement! With how many of us humans did Jesus agree? Not many, because we are all sinners, and come short of the glory of God. (Romans 3:23). As such, we don't deserve reprieve but because of God's divine love for us, it is offered anyway! We must receive others as Jesus receives us - and we are without excuse.