Any discussion of the Father's love for us would have to include reference to when Jesus was baptized and the Father spoke, "You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased." This public affirmation came at a crucial time for Jesus, for he was about to go into the wilderness for 40 days and would be subject to intense attack from Satan. Knowing his identity, and knowing the Father's love for him was absolutely necessary. There is a picture here of what it means to live loved.
When tempted with food, and asked to prove himself as the Son of God, Jesus simply dismissed Satan's suggestion, knowing his Father would provide for him out of the treasure of His love. He could choose obedience to "Man shall not live by bread alone" because he lived in the confidence that his Father's love for him alone was promise enough that his needs would always be provided.
When promised the kingdoms of the world, he could reply, "You shall serve the Lord only", not just because it was a command to be obeyed, but also because he knew the goodness and worth of the One we are commanded to worship. Why settle for anything less?
Finally, when Satan quotes scripture Jesus responds, "You shall not put the Lord your God to the test". I'm sure he was thinking, "What a stupid suggestion! Why would I want to put Him to the test anyway? For all eternity past He has loved me fully and perfectly, and I love him. Love doesn't require proof."
So, applying this to our lives, you can see the confidence and security that come from knowing the Father's love as a core conviction of our heart, and then living out that conviction moment by moment. Or said another way, abiding in Him with His love abiding in me. If I am truly living loved like this, why would I choose to sin, or why would I choose anything that is not of faith. I would know I can trust Him and therefore I would live in His confidence and security.
Too often we look at things like the example of Jesus in the wilderness and conclude this is what it looks like to be like Jesus, and so we attempt to live out that way. Sort of like looking at the fruit of the Spirit and determining to be more loving, more joyful and more peaceful, failing to realize these things are the outward fruit of something deep within. The characteristics of someone learning to live loved come as the result of holding a deep conviction that you are loved, to which you respond in love resulting in obedience. To turn it around and do the obedience part first in order to experience His love is to miss the whole point. The true pattern is something like this:
God initiates His love for us.
We respond to His love with love.
Out of our love for Him, we are obedient.
In our obedience we are abiding in and continue to experience His love.
As we experience His love we respond with love...
You get the picture.
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