When we talk of love people often think of the verses in 1  Corinthians 13:4-8 and in Matthew 22:36-40.  Let us look at those verses and see how we need to link them together.  1  Corinthians 13:4-8 says"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;  beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."   Matthew 22:36-40 says "Master, which is the greatest commandment in the law?  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.  This is the first and great commandment.  And the second is like unto it, thy shall love thy neighbor as thyself.  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets."  So then we are to love our neighbor as ourselves while not seeking our own but the will of God while rejoicing in the truth.  To rejoice in the truth with love would require that we show love to our neighbor in the truth.  We can not bear the burdens of the world BUT we must bear the burden of our neighbors soul IF we do not mention to them the salvation through the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  If you are a Christian then you know that someone showed you that love I am referring to.

The love I would like to talk about is the greatest love that we can have.  That is to teach and show the love that Jesus showed to us.  We are not going to feel the completed love of Jesus until we feel the heart of God.  The reason that God is not willing that any should perish is that He loves all people deeply.  They are His children.  All those on this earth are our family.  We all came from Adam and Eve through Noah and his family.  How is it then that we can pass a relative on the street and know that they are lost and yet not teach them.  How can we sleep at night?

If love is to be the main reason that we should go and talk to the people of the world, who are we to love? First we need to truly love God.  Then we need to love our neighbor.  (Matthew 22:36-40)  That even includes that person who hurt you years ago and even those who have committed heinous crimes.  Jeffery Domar is a good example.  According to reports prior to his death in prison, he became a Christian.  He perpetrated some of the most horrifying crimes of the century.  Someone had love for him and it is possible that he will be in Heaven when we get there (if we do).

Another way of thinking about it is to look at Gerard Letourneau's spiritual inventory.  Under Concern for Evangelism, score 13-00 he wrote "You can be thankful that not everyone has as little interest in saving the lost as you have or else you would not even be a Christian.  John 15:5-8 suggests that your fruitlessness will be grounds for rejection."

So then would it not be right to say that the love that we are to have is to be a total love.  A love that is not from us but one that allows God's love to flow through us to those who do not know him.  I have heard the following point made many times.  If we as Christians would put the same effort that we put in to winning a life long mate, into winning eternal souls for God, we would have a very large, and committed church.  We would only be doing the work that we are required to do by Matthew 28:19-20.

Why should we be allowed into Heaven if we have not followed the most important job requirements.  How can we say that we are loving God if we do not go forth and show love to our neighbors.  How is it that people today believe that we can rewrite the rules?  How is it that today we are way behind the efforts of those who preach falsehood.  Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons clearly have more 'Bible Studies' than most members of Christ's church.  This should be something that as individual members of Christ's church, as well as a church community, we are willing to start changing.  If God is "not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9)  then should we not feel likewise IF we love God and our neighbor?  And further since God does not want any to perish, if we are responsible for allowing someone to perish, by not talking to them about Christ, why should we not be held accountable.

"When in the better land before the bar we stand, How deeply grieved our souls may be;  If any lost one there should cry in deep despair, "You never mentioned Him to me."
 

BASICS  Reprinted from a tract created by an unknown student at Dorr Drive School of the Ministry, Rutland, Vt.   JESUS IS COMING -  Friend, WILL YOU BE SAVED?  To be saved, I must:  BELIEVE on the Lord Jesus Christ.  John 3:16; Acts 16:31; Hebrews 11:6  But faith without works is dead.  James 2:22,24; Acts 18:8; 8:12,37  REPENT -  Luke 13:3, 15:7; Acts 2:38, 17:30; 2 Peter 3:9 What is repentance?  1 Peter 3:11; 2 Corinthians 7:10 CONFESS -  Matthew 10:23; Mark 8:38; 1 Timothy 6:12,13; 1 John 4:15 BE IMMERSED -  Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:16; John 3:5; Acts 2:38,16:33,  8:36-39; Romans 6:4-6; Colossians 2:12; 1 Peter 3:21  To remain Spiritually alive, I must:  OBSERVE THE LORD'S SUPPER  John 6:53-58; Acts 2:42, 20:27  BE FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH  2 Peter 1:5-12; Matthew 24:13 Revelation 2:10, 26, 27, 3:10,21  After we know what we need to do then we need to make sure that other people get the same message.  This is not a all inclusive list of the scriptures that tell us what we need to do to be saved.  The first step is for you to put these things into practice in your own life, first.  Then go forth and tell everyone you know about the salvation offered through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.