the agape call

Sin can be defined in many ways, but to me, it's best defined as an act in which one separates himself or herself from God. This can be a blatant offense against God, an offense against one's self or against others. As we are all created in the image of God, every act of sin is against God.

If God is love, as the scriptures say, then what we are committing in sin is an act against love. We are separating ourselves and others from love.

I heard these words today:

"Sin is the belief that there is not enough love in the world for everyone"

When you believe that love from your Creator or life force is only afforded to you for a particular reason, so you therefore keep it to yourself or give it only to those who you deem worthy, you engage in sin.

Or, in turn, if you do not love yourself, you engage in sin.

However, the Gospel message is that the Son of God was sent to earth to die in exchange for our sins. His was called Emmanuel or "God with/in us"

What does it mean that "God is with us"? As I mentioned before, the scriptures tell us that God is love. (1)

So, the "good news" of the Gospel is that there IS enough love for all of us.

It is our job, as followers of Christ...love that came down to earth...to engage ourselves in this love. We are not to confine it and keep it to ourselves, but share it, so that we are no longer chained by the shackles of sin.(2)

1st Corinthians 13 gives an account of practicing this type of love (3). The Greek translation of the word for love used in this passage is agape. Agape is defined as the love that God has for his people. The word agape was later translated to caritas in the Latin language which is the root word for the English word Charity.

Therefore:

We are called to live charitably.
We are called to love selflessly, benevolently, giving everything away and expecting nothing in return.
We are called to love all of humanity regardless of creed, color, sex, or orientation.
In loving, we find worth in something.
In loving, we give each other value.
In loving, we save each other from sin.

The agape call.

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(1) 1 John 4:8
Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

(2)"The wages of sin is death" -Romans 6:23
The result of being unloving, hateful, unkind, selfish...is death of the spirit.

(3) Love
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.