Someone once wrote:
“I love Thee, I love Thee and that Thou doest know; But how much I love Thee, my actions will show”
My friends, the Lord Jesus knew that the great Apostle Paul loved Him. You see, Paul served the LORD with a Pure Heart. He did not simply confess that He was a Christian, a follower of Christ, HE LIVED IT. The Bible book, 2 Timothy, was written by Paul to a young preacher named Timothy. Paul is in the Mamertine Prison in Rome. His days are numbered. His death sentence has already been signed and he is waiting for the executioner to come and take him to his death. Paul is suffering, Timothy is suffering, the Church is under great persecution and they are suffering. In verse three Paul says to this young preacher and his young church… “I have served God out of a Pure Conscience.”
Webster’s dictionary defines Conscience as: “..the sense of moral goodness or blameworthiness of one’s own conduct, intentions, or character…” You don’t hear people talking about their conscience much, but you do hear people talk of their heart.
Dr. Billy Graham wrote: “When the Bible speaks about the heart, it refers to more than a source of strength and physical life. Metaphorically, the heart refers to a Person’s inner spiritual life. It encompasses your understanding, feelings, and will. It signifies the core of your personality.”
With that understanding, Paul could have written, “I serve God with a Pure Heart.” You see, the terms are interchangeable.
Why was Paul encouraging young Timothy? He knew that sometimes thru difficult days, we will hold to our beliefs, our convictions, but loose our passion and love for the Lord Jesus. Young Timothy was the pastor of the Church in Ephesus. This was a great Church. A church that was on fire for Christ, they were changing their city with the Good news of Jesus. Yet, 50 years later, we find the Lord Jesus sending a message to that church thru the Apostle John. The message is found in the Bible book, Revelation chapter 2. The Lord Jesus begins by bragging on them. He lets them know that He sees their good works, their labor , their patience. He lets them know that He sees that they cannot stand those who claim faith in God and yet don’t live it. He brags on them for their stand on the Word of God against those who teach false doctrine. However, in verse 4, the Lord Jesus says an alarming statement. Jesus says; “Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.”
It is possible to go to church, read your Bible, do good deeds to others and yet do them out of religion and not out of a passion and love for Jesus. My friends, don’t let that happen to you. But what do you do if you realize you are just going through the motions? In verse 5, the Lord Jesus says; “Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works…” In other words, ask for forgiveness and fall back in love with your Savior! In 2 Timothy 1:6; Paul says to; “…stir up the gift of God which is in you…” Get off by yourself and stir up your faith and love for Jesus.
C.S. Lewis once wrote: “On the whole, God’s love for us is a much safer subject to think about than our love for him.”
My friends, let’s love Jesus with all our heart and our actions will show it.
