February 13, 2023
Regarding earth’s last days, Jesus said, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.” Matthew 24:12
There is an inextricable connection between God’s law and His love. Logically, it follows that there is an equal connection between lawlessness and lovelessness. If His church is to carry the message of God’s love to the world, is there anything more important than loving Him supremely? Humble obedience to Him, fueled by love and gratitude, is a quiet yet powerful display of love toward Him. But an even more powerful aspect to behold are the truly converted hearts and lives behind humble obedience: seeing Jesus honored, revered, loved and worshiped in spirit and truth. You can be sure that our enemy has made it his full-time job to interfere with that love relationship…
The three-and-one-half year ministry of Jesus (Romans 15:8) followed by the first three-and-one-half years of the fledgling church (Hebrews 2:3), fulfilled these prophetic words of Daniel: Then He shall confirm covenant with many for one week (Daniel 9:27a). This was the climactic week of the seventy weeks prophecy of Daniel 9:24. In the first half of that “week,” the covenant was confirmed personally by Jesus. Through His followers, He continued to confirm it to the Jews for the second half of the week in perfect fulfillment of confirming the covenant.
The tremendous feat of reaching the entire scattered Jewish world with the Gospel was accomplished, against all odds. The church was on fire with love for Jesus! God’s gracious provision of the promised opportunity to accept the risen Savior had been fueled by love for Him. Many accepted the Messiah (Acts 4:4). But, blinded by their traditions, much of the leadership united in opposition and rejected Him. Once their official pronouncement, as a nation, of their collective rejection of Jesus was complete (Acts 7:57), the seventy weeks prophecy came to its close and the Gospel message went wholesale to the Gentile world.
The first serious danger facing the infant church was not a threat from outside the church. Jesus addressed the problem thus: “I have this against you, that you have left your first love.” (Revelation 2:4) Oh, beloved, it is possible for our involvement in good things to move us away from the most essential thing! Without a constant and deepening love relationship with Jesus, even the good things we are involved in are marked—even plagued—with powerlessness to effect positive heart-change.
This indictment to the young church is a stunning reminder that our enemy does his most effective antichristian work inside the church among professed believers. Immediately following the second giving of His law, God’s will is restated thus: “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children.” (Deuteronomy 6:5-7a)