Oppositions To God's Love

Below, I will list a few of the oppositions to the love of God flowing through us.

#1 Hearers, Not Doers of the Word

James 1:22-25

22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

23 For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass:

24 For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.

25 But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.

Many saints have convinced themselves that it is acceptable to merely hear the Word without ever performing what is written. Their attentiveness to hearing the Word creates a sense of satisfaction. However, until we are fully convinced that we must be doers of the Word we receive, we will never recognize the urgency to change.

The root of this disposition is the absence of the love of God in the heart. Such individuals do not prefer God’s way; instead, they have chosen to incorporate their own way into salvation. Many ignore the severity of these actions, failing to recognize the serious consequences of modifying salvation to fit their personal preferences.

2 Timothy 2:25-26

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

The deception lies in believing that we can straighten ourselves out over time, relying on our own will. If that were true, there would not be people overtaken by sin. When we deviate from Scripture, we oppose the love of God and the essence of who we are.

God is love, and when we stray from His love, we oppose our true nature. Whenever we insist on doing things our own way, we are rejecting what we were created to be. Many fail to recognize the real consequences of this opposition, either overlooking or ignoring them.

However, if we begin to view the Word from the perspective of God’s intention—to create a family—we will grasp the gravity of this matter. God desires family members who reflect His nature, and no human effort or superficial offering can satisfy that desire. He wants us to be love, because that is His very nature.

#2 Unwillingness to Win Souls

John 7:38

He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

Rivers of living water are streams of ministry. They are not just about healing, raising the dead, or performing miracles—these streams are about bringing more sons and daughters into the Kingdom. When we deviate from Scripture, we deviate from genuine love. The heart of salvation, the gospel, and all of Scripture is love. Any departure from that is an attempt to insert our way into salvation, which is no salvation at all. Yet, many are deceived into believing otherwise.

The entire purpose of our existence is to exemplify God’s love so that His family can grow. God gave Himself 6,000 years to gather as many souls as possible. Our role in this is to fellowship with Him and become as He is, so that we can love people into the Kingdom.

1 John 3:16-17

16 Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

17 But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?

We should love people enough to go wherever and endure whatever is necessary so that the gospel may be preached, and more sons may be won for the Kingdom.

Wherever God leads us, we are called to go. He leads us into ministry, and when we deny that call, we are denying Him. God knows why He is sending us, what He can accomplish through us, and the souls He intends to bring into the Kingdom through our obedience. When we refuse His call, we oppose His love.

#3 Unwillingness to Suffer

Many allow the trials and tribulations they face to discourage them from rendering the love and purity that God demands. However, suffering plays a crucial role in shaping us into the sons that God desires.

Romans 8:35

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?

Paul prayed three times for his suffering to depart from him, but this was because he had not yet discerned that suffering refines and produces the kind of person God desires in His family.

#4 Unwillingness to Repent

If someone only feels conviction when confronted, it is not true conviction. That person’s focus is on pleasing men rather than God. Their unwillingness to repent before being confronted reveals a lack of love for God. Likewise, when a saint delays repentance by refusing to acknowledge their wrongdoing, it is because they have accepted their carnality as part of the Christian walk.

Furthermore, counseling sessions with these individuals often take hours because their true focus is on deceiving the counselor. They aim to convince the counselor that the disposition in question either does not fully apply to them or is not as serious as it seems. They believe they can continue living as they are, with a vague plan to change at some point in the future. However, this mindset is both erroneous and dangerous, as they unknowingly incur the wrath of God.

REMORSE - Deep regret or guilt for a wrong committed.

David is a great example of how one should respond to rebuke. When the prophet Nathan confronted him about his sins, David responded with utmost humility and brokenness before God, without any regard for his position as king.

In contrast, many saints spend time with counselors defending their way. They continue to argue and resist because they have not been convinced of their need to change.

2 Timothy 2:24-26

24 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient,

25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

26 And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.

What these unrepentant saints do not realize is that it takes the love of God to bring conviction to an individual. Repentance cannot be achieved through willpower; it is a gift of mercy granted by the power of the Holy Ghost. As they persist in pride and rebellion, they fail to see that they will remain abased until they come forth with true humility.

The humility required for repentance is outlined in James 4.

James 4:6-11

6 But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.

Once we walk in pride, God will resist us. However, if we manifest humility God will raise us up, influencing our heart with grace - the power to please Him.

7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.

The first step of humility is to submit to God through obedience. Those who walk in darkness already know where they have sinned against God and how they have manipulated His word and people to appear blameless. However, if we obey in truth, from the heart, discarding every facade, we will finally offer true resistance to the devil—and he will always flee from a heart submitted to God.

8 Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.

Draw nigh to God - The next step is to seek the Lord. Discard the distractions in your life that you have used to replace obedience to God and ministry. As we earnestly seek Him, God will respond by fellowshipping with us and restoring us.

Cleanse your hands ye sinners -Turn away completely from your sins. Where you have caused offenses in the lives of others or shed innocent blood, do your due diligence to reconcile and make things right. Strive to reverse the wrongs you have committed through sin.

Purify your hearts, ye double minded - Do not only change your actions—also change your thoughts. Ensure your desires align with the Word of God. Many fall into the trap of outward obedience while their hearts remain consumed with disobedience. True repentance requires a single focus and a united heart—a heart committed to pleasing only God.

9 Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness.

Do not take repentance lightly. Always keep in mind the severity of the fact that you can lose your soul at any time. Separate yourself from anything or anyone that distracts you from purifying your heart. Be sober and vigilant.

10 Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

If you walk in the humility described above, God will lift you up by hearing your prayers, forgiving your sins, and influencing your heart with the grace to walk holy before Him.

11 Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.

Do not let the enemy take advantage of your repentance. Do not speak evil of those who brought you the Word of God to purify your soul. Guard your heart and keep yourself from the poison of judgmentalism and the spirit that seeks to tear down those who came to save your soul. Speak well of them in your heart, and you will prosper in God.