Love is Selfess

Wow, what a long drought. I think I'm going to try as hard as I can to start posting on this again. I'm sure that there hasn't been many to check my blog, since it's been such a long time since I wrote. But, I want to start up again. I want to talk about my walk with Christ and the great things He's doing in my life!

First off, umm... there's soo much to say! So, I think I will write about what's happening in my life later. I want to post an atricle I wrote for a school essay that I did. I chose the subject I wanted to write about. The article is called "Love is Selfless". Enjoy!

In Christ, Kirsten

“Love”, it’s such a strong word with a deep meaning. But what’s true love? Love, as revealed in Scripture, is a complete self denial and a selfless attitude and heart. Yet, in today’s cultural world, it’s the absolute opposite. It’s a selfish, “I want this now” attitude. Love today means when you’re satisfied or when your needs are met. Love’s true meaning is found in Scripture, where “Love” is revealed as selfless and devoid of your own desires and wants.

Selfishness is condoned in the Bible and does not lead to love. In fact, selfishness leads to wrong, ungodly attitudes. It leads to a neglect of the poor. “But whoever has the world's goods, and sees his brother in need and closes his heart against him, how does the love of God abide in him?” (New American Standard Version 1 John 3:17). It also leads to greediness and no satisfaction. “And the dogs are greedy, they are not satisfied … they have all turned to their own way, each one to his unjust gain…” (Isaiah 56:11). Selfishness is inconsistent with Christian love. “…They who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf” (2 Corinthians 5:15). “[Love] … does not seek its own” (1 Corinthians 13:5). So, if selfishness is inconsistent with Christian love, it’s not love at all. “For where … selfish ambition exists, there is disorder and every evil thing” (James 3:16). We are told to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Matthew 22:39). A selfish person can’t do that.

Since we know that love is not selfish, then we can come to the conclusion that love is selfless and finds joy in others instead of themselves. “Let no one seek his own good, but that of his neighbor” (1 Corinthians 10:24). Love looks after the interests of others. “Do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others” (Philippians 2:4). Therefore, caring for others interests, needs, or feelings is selfless love. “It is good not… to do anything by which your brother stumbles” (Romans 14:21). “The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise" (Luke 3:11). This is the kind of love that a Christian is called to, a self denying love for people and mostly for God. Jesus says, “None of you can be My disciple who does not give up all his own possessions” (Luke 14:33). He says in another passage of Scripture, calling us to deny ourselves, “He who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.” (Matthew 10:38). Given that we are called to selflessness, we should be willing to obey this calling.

We know that true love is selfless from the example that Christ, love incarnate, gave us of His selflessness and self denial. He came to this earth not seeking His own desires or will, but His Father’s. “Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me and to accomplish His work” (John 4:34). Again, He says, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me” (John 6:38). Christ did not seek to please Himself. “… Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME’” (Romans 15:3). In fact, He didn’t seek His own, but gave Himself for His people. “For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, so that you through His poverty might become rich” (2 Corinthians 8:9). The love that Christ has for His Father and the love that He has for sinful humans shows His selfless nature and the greatness of His love. “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28). “Although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men” (Philippians 2:6-7).

Our love should be selfless, like that of Christ’s love for us. Our love is to be selfless in all situations; in friendships, family, marriage, and in our relationship with Christ. Our love is to be characterized by a selfless denial. Love truly is selfless and we need to not follow today’s “trend” of love and follow Christ’s perfect example of what love truly is. “Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, ‘THE REPROACHES OF THOSE WHO REPROACHED YOU FELL ON ME’” (Romans 15:1-3).