The Love We Owe Christ

The use of time reveals a person’s priorities. Many believers maintain a distant, functional relationship with Jesus, coming primarily for help and protection, rather than cultivating true fellowship. A woman poured costly ointment on Jesus out of pure love, and when the apostles responded with criticism, the God-man confronted those who followed Him only for physical provision.

The soul is corrupted by sin and incapable of producing unconditional love; only the born-again spirit, energized by the Holy Spirit, can manifest divine love. This is why “charity” in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 reflects God’s agape love. It is active, sacrificial, and closely tied to the love demonstrated in John 3:16, in which God the Father gives God the Son as a ransom for humanity.

Receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit transforms a believer’s capacity to love and Pastor John shared his journey from a performance-based, emotionally distant upbringing toward a Spirit-empowered genuine love for God.