Discipleship Lifestyle
I know a lot about the likes and dislikes of my wife, Sheila, and I can claim that my knowledge concerning her is proof of my knowing her and loving her. But is it really?
If my knowledge does not empower me to embrace who she is and respect her desires, then I will not be empowered to express my love to her. For example, I may learn that she loves a certain color on the walls of a room in our house, but even though I possess the knowledge, if I go in and paint the walls a color she dislikes, have I communicated love to her? If I disregard what really matters to her, knowing she feels very strongly about it, am I expressing my love for her?
If she were to plant a bed of flowers in our yard because they bring her great joy and satisfaction, and I observed her happiness with them, what if I went out one day and mowed in a hurry and just cut down her flowers? Would I be expressing love to her?
Love is not about speaking words we’ve been taught to say. It is not about songs that move us emotionally in a moment. It’s not about warm and fuzzy feelings. Love will always call for action. Jesus knew this better than anyone, and that is why He said the following,
John 14:15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.
When we see a word like commandments we can get tripped up. But what if we brought this statement forward into the way we talk today?
“If you love me, you will not just hear what I am saying; you will listen closely and embrace my values as your own, which will empower you to make choices and take action in step with what they are.”
True Biblical repentance is not merely changing your mind to agree with something you are incapable of arguing against. It is changing your mind but it also involves an action.
Without action, it is not Biblical repentance. It is a mental agreement. Jesus never said to go and make converts who cannot argue with the truth and will agree but are never transformed. Jesus said, Mt 28:18-20
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Disciples walk in real repentance as a way of life because they are constantly seeking to know Jesus’ ways so they can adopt them as their own. Disciples who love Jesus are not merely interested in knowledge for the sake of knowledge. Their desire to know is rooted in a desire to conform to His image. His image is not His physical appearance. His image is His desires and actions, the things He cares about most. Love moves us to admire, respect, and imitate Jesus according to who He is and how He acts.
