Music is one of my absolute favorite things. I have a tendency to listen to music almost all day, and you can usually find me singing along to "my songs". On occasion, however, I get stuck in a rut listening to the same artists or songs all the time, so I try to branch out and find music I have never listened to. Saturday was one of these occasions. As I was driving through the fantastic state of Nebraska, I happened upon a song called "Love is Still the Answer" by Jason Mraz. It is a catchy song, and though I was skeptical of what the conclusion of a secular song with such a title would be, I decided to listen through to the end. And I am glad that I did, because it made me think the way few songs do.
This song is one which shows the mindset of the world very clearly. The verses of the song ask questions many are asking:
Verse 1: The question is why, why are we here? To say our hello's and goodbye's and then disappear? This beautiful life, what is it for? To learn how to master peace or master war?
Verse 2: We all make mistakes, no, we're not perfect yet. Maybe God made us all from an accident. The question that sits on everyone's lips, Is why should we pick ourselves up and start over again?
And the answer is found in the chorus:
Well, there's only one answer that matters, Even if your heart and your dreams have been shattered. Whatever you want, whatever you are after, Love is still the answer.
So many people, even some Christians, are asking these same question. "How did we get here?" and "what is my life's purpose?" These are questions that would take a lot of time to answer sufficiently, so I am only going to focus on the answer that is given. The sad thing is that the answer Mr. Mraz gives is at least partially true. Love is the answer, but not in the way the world views love.
The world seems to see love as being tolerant toward others, and letting everyone do what "feels good" to the point of not telling them that what they are doing is wrong. They mistakenly consider lust to be love, and they live in such a way that their lives, and the lives of those around them, eventually become a wreck.
But God's Word shows love in a very different light. I John 5:2-3 says, "In this thing we are knowing (by experience) that we are loving the little children of God, whenever we may continuously be loving God and His commandments we are keeping. For this is the love of God, that His commandments we may be continuously keeping, and His commandments are not burdensome." [Literal translation]
Throughout I John, the author explains the "new commandment", which is to love (2:3-9) and to believe in Jesus Christ (3:23). The Greek word used for "love" in these verses is "agape", which is unconditional love with a concern for what is best for the other person. Contrary to what the world says, what feels good to someone is not always what is best for them. The kind of unconditional love mentioned here is not agreeing with everyone, nor is it tolerating their beliefs and lifestyles so that they do not feel bad about themselves. This unconditional love is the kind of love God has for us, a sacrificial love that He demonstrated by sending His only Son to die for our sins so that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life (John 3:16-17).
It is impossible for unbelievers to have this unconditional, self-sacrificing love, because only those who know Christ as their Savior can love others in this way.
"No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit . . . And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him . . . We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:12-13, 16, 19) [NKJV]
As I said before, Jason Mraz gave the right answer, in a way. However, he does not understand the truth about love and where love ultimately comes from. God is love, and we can truly love others only if we first experience His love through belief in Christ, resulting in His love being poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
That being said, what is the answer believers should give to the questions asked in this song? I would suggest that our answer should be to show others what love really is through demonstrating the love of Christ to believers and unbelievers alike, speaking the truth in love that that unbelievers might come to know the love of Christ for themselves, rather than living and dying in disillusionment and unbelief.
Verse 1: The question is why, why are we here? To say our hello's and goodbye's and then disappear? This beautiful life, what is it for? To learn how to master peace or master war?
Verse 2: We all make mistakes, no, we're not perfect yet. Maybe God made us all from an accident. The question that sits on everyone's lips, Is why should we pick ourselves up and start over again?
And the answer is found in the chorus:
Well, there's only one answer that matters, Even if your heart and your dreams have been shattered. Whatever you want, whatever you are after, Love is still the answer.
So many people, even some Christians, are asking these same question. "How did we get here?" and "what is my life's purpose?" These are questions that would take a lot of time to answer sufficiently, so I am only going to focus on the answer that is given. The sad thing is that the answer Mr. Mraz gives is at least partially true. Love is the answer, but not in the way the world views love.
The world seems to see love as being tolerant toward others, and letting everyone do what "feels good" to the point of not telling them that what they are doing is wrong. They mistakenly consider lust to be love, and they live in such a way that their lives, and the lives of those around them, eventually become a wreck.
But God's Word shows love in a very different light. I John 5:2-3 says, "In this thing we are knowing (by experience) that we are loving the little children of God, whenever we may continuously be loving God and His commandments we are keeping. For this is the love of God, that His commandments we may be continuously keeping, and His commandments are not burdensome." [Literal translation]
Throughout I John, the author explains the "new commandment", which is to love (2:3-9) and to believe in Jesus Christ (3:23). The Greek word used for "love" in these verses is "agape", which is unconditional love with a concern for what is best for the other person. Contrary to what the world says, what feels good to someone is not always what is best for them. The kind of unconditional love mentioned here is not agreeing with everyone, nor is it tolerating their beliefs and lifestyles so that they do not feel bad about themselves. This unconditional love is the kind of love God has for us, a sacrificial love that He demonstrated by sending His only Son to die for our sins so that everyone who believes in Him might have eternal life (John 3:16-17).
It is impossible for unbelievers to have this unconditional, self-sacrificing love, because only those who know Christ as their Savior can love others in this way.
"No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit . . . And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him . . . We love Him because He first loved us." (I John 4:12-13, 16, 19) [NKJV]
As I said before, Jason Mraz gave the right answer, in a way. However, he does not understand the truth about love and where love ultimately comes from. God is love, and we can truly love others only if we first experience His love through belief in Christ, resulting in His love being poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit.
That being said, what is the answer believers should give to the questions asked in this song? I would suggest that our answer should be to show others what love really is through demonstrating the love of Christ to believers and unbelievers alike, speaking the truth in love that that unbelievers might come to know the love of Christ for themselves, rather than living and dying in disillusionment and unbelief.
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