"Love Is Not A License"

"If ye love me, keep my commandments." John 14:15 

We have heard it taught that grace does not give us a license to sin. But love doesn't give us a license either. Just because God loves us unconditionally, and nothing separates us from His love, it doesn't mean that we can do anything we want to do, and it will still be all right because He won't stop loving us. That attitude speaks volumes concerning just where your heart is in regard to God.

 

The fact that God loves us always is not in question. It is whether you love Him or not that is the question. We can say we love God but that doesn't make it so, or mean we really do. Jesus said that the true evidence that you love Him is that you keep His commandments. In other words, if you do those things that He says to do and refrain from doing those things He says not to do-- this is the sign of your love for Him. How can you love Him if you are living "against" Him. You may say, "I am not against God. I believe in Him. I know He is real. I love Him". You are against Him when you go against His commandments. You are against Him when you live the way you want to live instead of the way He desires for you to live. You are against Him when you are living after your own fleshly, selfish, self-centered desires. You are against Him when you are living by your own standards instead of His standards. 

 

You can't live in adultery and fornication, you can't get drunk, cheat, lie, steal, abuse drugs, be immoral, use profanity, covet, etc. and say you love God. The Bible says that the truth is not in you. Truly loving Him means that you have turned your life over to Him. And when you turn your life over to Him, you become a new person. You start acting like and living like Him. You start walking in love-- love toward others and love toward Him. And love toward both is expressed in action. Love toward others means you are forgiving, kind, caring, compassionate. Love toward Him means you do what He says to do-- you keep His commandments.

 

Have a great day. Because God loves you unconditionally doesn't mean that you have a license to live anyway you want to live and it will be all right.

 

For further reading:

John 15:10

2 Corinthians 5:17

1 John 2:4; 4:20; 5:2