1 Corinthians 4:20, “For the Kingdom of God is not a matter of talk, but of power (Actions). I particularly loved The Message’s translation of 1 Corinthians 2:6-9, “which beautifully gave a comprehensive explanation with a clear meaning of what it means to love God with our actions rather than our with our words only. It says:
MSG Translation: “We, of course, have plenty of wisdom to pass on to you once you get your feet on firm spiritual ground, but it’s not popular wisdom, the fashionable wisdom of high-priced experts that will be out-of-date in a year or so. God’s wisdom is something mysterious that goes deep into the interior of his purposes. You don’t find it lying around on the surface. It’s not the latest message, but more like the oldest-what God determined as the way to bring out his best in us, long before we ever arrived on the scene”.
God did love us with mere words, but through His actions by sacrificing His only beloved Son for our redemption from sin. Through His actions that demonstrated His love not with mere words but with His meaningful action. The love God is action, that was demonstrated and not just spoken. Our love for God is demonstrated through our lives, finances and not with ordinary word only. The bible reminds us that While we yet sinners Christ died for us, He did not demonstrate His love with words only. His actions gave substance to the word “love” for us through sacrificing Jesus for us. Romans 5:8, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”.
John 3: 16, For God so loved the world, that He gave His Son, and not just spoke His love to us. His actions demonstrated His love and gave power when He spoke that He loves us. God’s actions demonstrated through sacrificing His Son, gave meaning and Vitality to the word “love”. We cannot convincedly say we love God in words, without first demonstrating our action, by surrendering ourselves to His will. John 14:15 For the love of Christ constrains us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead”.
Words are considered cheap until they are backed with action. It is our actions that communicate our true intentions; and this gives our word legs to stand on honourable. Anyone can tell us that they love us and it would mean nothing except they back it up with their kind actions and deeds rather than words is what make words believable. Jesus told Peter, if you love me in word, convince me by proving with to me, through feeding my sheep (the brethren). John 21:15-17, “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep”.
God will trust or use a person who He has tested, by vetting them in trials. When God is convinced about your love, after testing you successfully, He will accept you as His own and also become your friend.
Example of those who demonstrated and gave Vitality to their love:
1. David loved not only in words but through his actions. 2 Samuel 6:14-15, “And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So, David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns.
2. The Disciples demonstrated and proved their love for Jesus through the cross they bore. Matthew 16:24-26 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?
3. Abraham wanted to sacrifice his son Isaac. Genesis 22:6-12, “Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and placed it on his son Isaac, and he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two of them went on together, 7 Isaac spoke up and said to his father Abraham, “Father?” “Yes, my son?” Abraham replied. “The fire and wood are here,” Isaac said, “but where is the lamb for the burnt offering?” Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together. When they reached the place, God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son.But the angel of the Lord called out to him from heaven, “Abraham! Abraham!” Here I am,” he replied.“Do not lay a hand on the boy,” he said. “Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son.”
.4. The widow who gave all she had as offering. Luke 21:1-4, “As Jesus looked up, he saw the rich putting their gifts into the temple treasury.He also saw a poor widow put in two very small copper coins. “Truly I tell you,” he said, “this poor widow has put in more than all the others.All these people gave their gifts out of their wealth; but she out of her poverty put in all she had to live on”.
5. Mary Magdalene gave prudence to her word of love, through washing, kissing and drying Jesus’s with her hair. Luke 7:37, “A sinful woman in the town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house. So, she brought an alabaster jar of perfumeand stood behind Jesus at his feet, crying. She began to wash his feet with her tears, and she dried them with her hair, kissing them many times and rubbing them with the perfume”.
Example of those who loved in words and actions:
1. Peter, who after many times told Jesus that he loved Him, denied at the first opportunity to save himself. His lack of action to demonstrate his word to Jesus. Luke 22:54-62, “Then they seized him and led him away, bringing him into the high priest’s house, and Peter was following at a distance. And when they had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat down together, Peter sat down among them. Then a servant girl, seeing him as he sat in the light and looking closely at him, said, “This man also was with him. “But he denied it, saying, “Woman, I do not know him.” And a little later someone else saw him and said, “You also are one of them.” But Peter said, “Man, I am not.” And after an interval of about an hour still another insisted, saying, “Certainly this man also was with him, for he too is a Galilean.” But Peter said, “Man, I do not know what you are talking about.” And immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the saying of the Lord, how he had said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.” And he went out and wept bitterly.
2. Jesus disciples who neglected Him when He was arrested in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Matthew 14:44-52, “ Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: “The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.” Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, “Rabbi!” and kissed him. The men seized Jesus and arrested him. Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear. “Am I leading a rebellion,” said Jesus, “that you have come out with swords and clubs to capture me? Every day I was with you, teaching in the temple courts, and you did not arrest me. But the Scriptures must be fulfilled.”Then everyone deserted him and fled. A young man, wearing nothing but a linen garment, was following Jesus. When they seized him, he fled naked, leaving his garment behind.
7 Things happen when we demonstrate our words in action rather than words to God.
1. He will use you to do His work. Jeremiah 51:20, “”You are my war club, my weapon for battle–with you I shatter nations, with you I destroy kingdoms”,
2. God will love you. 1 John 4:7-8, “Dear friends, let’s love each other, because love is from God, and everyone who loves is born from God and knows God. The person who doesn’t love does not know God, because God is love”.
3. Give a new name. Revelation 2:17, “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give that person a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to the one who receives it”.
4. Bless and favours you, Numbers 6:5, “the LORD make his face shine on you and be gracious to you
5. Protects you. Psalms 91:11, “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways”.
6. Empowers you. Acts 1:8, “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be [a]witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.
7. He will share His secrets with you. Genesis 18:16-19, “When the men got up to leave, they looked down toward Sodom, and Abraham walked along with them to see them on their way. Then the Lord said, “Shall I hide from Abraham what I am about to do? Abraham will surely become a great and powerful nation, and all nations on earth will be blessed through him. For I have chosen him, so that he will direct his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing what is right and just, so that the Lord will bring about for Abraham what he has promised him.” from Abraham?
Ways that we can demonstrate our love for God in actions and mere words.
1. Believing His word and promises.
2. Giving Praise and worship.
3. Giving with a cheerful heart.
4. Studying the Bible.
5. Obeying His laws and commands.
As children of God, we ought to love Him first with our hearts, mind and soul. That is out first actions, which we give then gives truth to our confessions of God’s love. It is crucial that we demonstrate our love to God in our actions and not in our words only, because it will lead us to become un-appreciative, overly familiar with God and the things of God. Through our demonstration of our love to God with our actions rather than words, we will appreciate the sacrifice that Jesus made for us. Until our love for God is proven through our actions, we cannot confidently come boldly before Him.
Praise God!
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