The Truth About Love

Many people wonder what Christianity is about. The reason being is that Christians send mixed messages. Some send the message that you have to live your life by a rigid set of rules, others that no matter what you do, as long as you believe, you are fine. Now while this is a very mixed message, the reason behind both messages ultimately is love. The first group would argue that the rigid list of rules are there for our good, and by following them we will suffer less in this world. They are essentially saying "Don't put your hand in the fire" out of a loving desire to save us from the pain and suffering that accompanies being burned. The second group, out of love,
seek to ensure that you are comforted and healed from the pain resulting in being burned and that you are recieved with open arms.

Now while both of these positions are very noble; on the one hand to attempt to prevent you from pain and on the other to help you heal from the pain, they both can have devastating consequences. The problem with the first is that when someone makes the mistake of sticking their hand in the fire they yell "i told you so" instead of offering forgiveness and acceptance. The second group is attempting to show that everyone should be accepted, but the problem comes in when, out of love, they not only accept them but also accept their actions as right in an attempt show them love. Again this is noble and understandable but telling someone its okay to stand in the fire if that is the type of person that you are, is not only not helpful but also unloving.

I believe that there is some middle ground that can be found. If we take the good aspects of both of these views. We warn people that what they are doing will cause them pain, but as we are all humans we are going to mess up so when that happens to accept them with open arms letting them know that although we disagree with their actions we still love them! These two things are Truth and Grace and i believe they are key components of true love.

We must have the Truth to let people know that the things which they are doing will cause them pain or "if you put your hand in the fire you are going to get burned". And the Grace to do our best to help them in the path toward healing as best we can. The Grace to accept them as they are and the Truth to let them know there is a better way. A way that will ultimately give them more joy and more purpose in life, the more they attempt to submit themselves to their maker and try to live for Him.

This Love is representative of two key factors which are huge parts of God's character. The great dilemma is that God loves us yet we are a fallen race and sin against him constantly and even when we try, we fail. God's Justice demands payment for this sin, and this is out of his love for us and his respect of our decision to follow him or not. Yet he loves us too much to leave us in this hopeless state and so he made a way for us getting back in right relationship to him for those of us who would so desire. Another factor of his love is his Mercy, and by this he gives payment for our sins through the death of His(God's) own son, Jesus Christ, who was is in fact a part of Himself, that both God's Justice and His Mercy are both Appeased and we might be saved in the process, for his love is directed at us.