I have an opinion, I wonder if you agree with me. I believe God is the strongest being in creation. I would imagine even atheists would agree with me if I put it this way: “You believe there is no God, but can you agree to say that if there is God who created the whole universe, this God would be the strongest, the most powerful being in all creation.”
The Bible testifies that God is the strongest being in all creation and identifies Him as “Love.”
So, God, the strongest being, the most powerful person is “Love.”
Love is the nature of God, His substance. We are human beings, but God is Love. We do not know what it means to be Love. We can love, but we are not love. Love as a being is God. In Jesus, God took human flesh, came and lived among us. Jesus said, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” Jesus is “Love embodied.”
Since God is the strongest being, and God is Love, then the measure of strength has to be the amount of love in a person.
Love in the Bible is not a feeling, it is the ability to build up; it is constructive power. It is willingness that produces good things.
In the Bible, Love is defined in I. Corinthians chapter 13. We will use the antonyms to define the weak, that is we will use the opposite of the qualities listed:
The weak are impatient, agitated, loud and violent. They are unkind, cold, cruel, antagonistic and harsh. They envy others and are self-centred, seeking self-fulfillment, holding resentment and hatred, in competition with others. The weak boast about self-importance, seeking attention to themselves and are self-absorbed, proud people with swelled heads. They are rude, abusive and insulting. They insist to be in control so that they can seek their own advantage. Therefore, they can be provoked and are irritable and easily angered.
They keep a record of wrongs of others, holding grudges and resentment, they devise evil against them. They take delight in inflicting injustice on others, and they hate the truth. They refuse to put up with things that bother them, do not trust God, do not have much hope about the future, unwilling to endure pain on behalf of others. The weak always fail, sooner or later.
Now, let’s look at the definition of the strong in the Bible which is the definition of Love. God’s character defines the strong:
The strong are patient, they are never tired of waiting, never giving up. They are kind, treating others with mercy, caring for others as they do for themselves. The strong do not envy, and are happy with others’ prosperity and do not compete with them, instead they support them. The strong do not boast and do not have a need to get the attention to themselves, instead they serve others’ needs to make them happy first. They are not proud, instead they are humble and in humility, treat others as more important than themselves, and build them up. The strong are not rude, instead they treat others with respect and proper regard. The strong do not seek their own advantage and do not need to be in control, instead they submit to God and put God in control. Therefore, they can not be easily provoked .
They keep no record of wrongs, not holding grudges, they do not devise evil against others. They love justice, the truth and loyalty. The strong never cease to have faith in God, never lose hope in God. For this reason they can endure pain and persevere in loving others. The strong never fails.
Last time I had written, “Only the strong can submit to God. God-centred submission requires commitment, determination, faith and perseverance.” Today we have defined that strong are people of Love, their character making them God-like people.
To the world, crucified Jesus appears to be weak. The Roman governor and Jewish religious leaders who had Him crucified appear to be in charge, and strong.
Those leaders who had Him crucified are long gone.
While He was nailed on the cross, Jesus, being strong, was filled with compassion and pity and He prayed for them, “Father, forgive them, they don’t know what they are doing.” God raised Jesus to life which we celebrate on Easter. Today, Jesus serves us from heaven by praying for us is inviting you and me to follow His example and be strong by loving and trusting God so that we may submit to Him.
Murat Kuntel is the pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.
