Love can be defined as giving, building, and creating order, while hatred can be characterized as taking, destroying, and causing confusion. A builder invests adequate resources and effort in the initial stages of constructing a structure, up to the stage of completion. They carefully adhere to all the principles of construction, motivated by their love for the project. The builder pays attention to every detail to avoid any confusion. The structure is carefully maintained until it is no longer needed, due to its stage of dilapidation.
A farmer prepares the land before sowing the desired seeds. Once the crops begin to sprout, they are nurtured through cultivation and regular watering. When the crops reach the harvesting stage, the farmer selects the necessary corn and burns the unneeded stalks that no longer serve a purpose. Although the stalks may have looked attractive during the growing process, giving the farmer hope for a good harvest, they are discarded after harvesting. This illustrates the process of nature in the physical universe.
An unnecessary structure must be demolished, which signifies a rejection of its previous desirability. Destruction stands in contrast to construction and creation. The demolition process does not necessarily follow a specific order; for example, when a bulldozer is used to tear down a building, the method of destruction may appear random. However, a certain level of organization is necessary to prevent damage to neighbouring properties.
God’s love is described as everlasting. A similar dedication can be seen in a farmer who nurtures his crops, hoping to reap a good harvest in the right season. The farmer gives great attention to his plants, tolerating poor growth while ensuring that adequate fertilizer and pesticides are provided. He works hard to monitor the development of his crops. The key difference between God’s love for humanity and a farmer’s care for his crops is that the crops remain unaware of the farmer’s sacrifices. There is hope in humanity, as humans are created in the image of God.
The initial aspect of humanity reveals the formation of Adam, whose qualities are contrary to those that should reflect God’s image. The story of humanity, from Adam to Jesus, reveals a state of confusion that characterizes mankind. This is marked by birth, growth, and death before decomposition. Unlike animal species, humans grope in darkness, without protection. However, humans lived with a vague understanding of their being God. Out of a desire to connect with their Father, as aware of humans having fallen from grace, they turned to idolatry.
Through Abraham, God embarked on a preparatory process, akin to the farmer who undergoes the arduous task of cutting trees and ploughing the soil before sowing the seed. Through Abraham’s story, the Messiah is promised. In an infallible narrative, the story of Israel, comprising the descendants of Abraham, God’s law was first unveiled. As carnal as the Israelites were, they could not adhere to God’s law. The projection of that story reveals that humanity cannot attain salvation without divine intervention.
Rather than uphold the Law according to its original intent, the Israelites strayed and became lost among the Gentile nations. In contrast, the Jews remained vigilant, aware of the consequences of violating God’s laws, and sought to attract God’s favour. They sacredly preserved God’s promise of sending a Messiah to redeem humanity within their statutes. Although also straying from the statutes, due to the bad leadership by those governing them, they maintained the books of Law and the prophecy. The Jews were caught unawares by Jesus’ first appearance.
Jesus found the Jews corruptly practising the Law. The only solace is that He found a community from which to start His mission. He had to be born in Bethlehem of Judea, although His parents were from another town. The Bible shows that God created conditions that led to Jesus being born in Bethlehem. The story of humanity, from Adam to Jesus, serves as a religious narrative that is parabolic, designed to offer hope for human salvation. As prophesied, Jesus arrived at the right time. His sacrifice would open the floodgates to salvation.
He commenced His mission by selecting twelve disciples, whom He referred to as “apostles.” These apostles were instructed about God’s Kingdom, emphasizing spiritual principles rather than the physical realities that often ensnare humanity. The foundation of His teachings centred on the concept of dying to oneself to access spiritual truth. The apostles were intended to be pioneers and would eventually be joined by others before His second coming. He revealed the profound truth that there is no longer a need to fear death, as He came to break its enslaving chains. He employed the analogy of planting a seed and awaiting the emergence of new growth.
Now there were certain Greeks among those who came up to worship at the feast. Then they came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida of Galilee, and asked him, saying, “Sir, we wish to see Jesus.” Philip came and told Andrew, and in turn, Andrew and Philip told Jesus. But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honour” (John 12:20-26 NKJV).
Jesus’ statement foreshadowed what was about to happen to His body. However, it also served as a testament to the expectations for His followers. He showed the way, but His followers would need to follow His example. The main challenge lies in the human tendency to cling to the old, as people often prefer to preserve their current state rather than let go. To embrace the new, one must be willing to discard the old. This is the message Jesus was conveying: “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.” The revelation is that what is precious in a man is his spirit and what needs to be discarded is his physical body.
The opposite of love is hatred; what is not loved often faces destruction. However, careful consideration is necessary because, in the process of eliminating the unwanted, one may inadvertently lose what is desired. For example, when demolishing an unwanted property, it is crucial to exercise caution to avoid damaging the needed properties in the surrounding area. It takes a wise person to exercise caution in demolition activities.
Since Jesus left the Earth nearly two thousand years ago, God’s patience has been evident. He does not want to lose many people when the time of judgment arrives. God is understood as projecting a love that endures forever. But it is necessary to fully understand what it is for which He keeps His love ablaze. To illustrate the potential pretenders among those who might genuinely respond to the gospel, Jesus shared a relevant parable.
Another parable He put forth to them, saying: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field; but while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way. But when the grain had sprouted and produced a crop, then the tares also appeared. So the servants of the owner came and said to him, ‘Sir, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have tares?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ The servants said to him, ‘Do you want us then to go and gather them up?’ But he said, ‘No, lest while you gather up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather together the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them, but gather the wheat into my barn’” (Matthew 13:24-30 NKJV).
Jesus exemplifies God’s patience in dealing with humanity. The key point is that among the weeds, some individuals genuinely embody what God values. Just as a farmer diligently tends to his crops as they grow, his focus remains on the genuine corn. On an individual level, the emphasis is on the spirit, while the body is ultimately to be cast into the fire. However, on a broader scale, there are people among humanity who may not deserve redemption. At one point, the disciples specifically asked Jesus to explain the meaning of the Parable of the Tares. Jesus’ response provides a deeper understanding of how God interacts with humanity, intended for those who are truly willing to listen.
Then Jesus sent the multitude away and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” He answered and said to them: “He who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. The field is the world, the good seeds are the sons of the kingdom, but the tares are the sons of the wicked one. The enemy who sowed them is the devil, the harvest is the end of the age, and the reapers are the angels” (Matthew 13:37-39 NKJV).
The entire essence of Christianity is encapsulated in the above passage. Jesus is primarily concerned with the spiritual nature of humanity. Christianity, as it exists today, consists of those who recognize Jesus as Lord. It is not easy to identify the true believers among the various denominations. Some individuals are genuinely committed to the truth, while others are drawn to Christianity for the sake of enhancing their material blessings. It is important to remember that the physical body, which houses the spirit, ultimately needs to be discarded. Just as chaff is thrown away after winnowing, those who overly value their physical existence will perish alongside it. Christianity calls on individuals to abandon material values.
The statement “God is Love” is true but it emphasizes its significance on what is eternal. God is ruthless towards the perishable things of this world. The most interesting episode is what happens after the millennium. There would have been a perfect governing system, enabling prosperity for all peoples of the world for the entire millennium. It sounds unbelievable that some people would not be interested in that governing system. The source of the problem is documented as being Satan, as the problem starts immediately after his release from prison.
“Now when the thousand years have expired, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together to battle, whose number is as the sand of the sea. They went up on the breadth of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city. And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever” (Revelation 20:7-10 NKJV).
Here is an interesting exposition: God’s enemies were found among the Jews who had been entrusted with the Scriptural references. They interacted with Jesus in physical terms but found His teachings unacceptable. Eventually, they conspired to kill Him on the cross. During the Christian dispensation, referring to our time, millions of people attested to believing in Jesus. However, this did not mean that they accepted His teachings. Such people would be manipulating His name to enhance their attachment to material things of this world. While some among them would be saved, the majority would be projected to perish.
Another point of interest is that the most reprehensible sinners of this world are given more time to survive. Some interpret this as God being unkind to those affected by their evil deeds. However, God is not primarily concerned with the physical condition of humanity. He would rather give these individuals more time, hoping they might come to their senses. They live longer than their victims, whose physical death is regarded as a blessing. God’s patience continues up to the millennial reign. Satan will be removed until the allocated one-thousand-year period is over. At that time, God will have revealed what governing in an ethical environment implies.
However, truth requires a comparable magnitude. True justice would not be applicable as long as people are not given another side of humanity, where Satan’s influence is unleashed. John’s prophecy shows that many people will be attracted to Satan’s philosophy. This gives Jesus the easiest task of knowing who deserves to be in God’s Kingdom and who does not. God would not be exercising ruthlessness by casting those people into the lake of fire, nor would He be granting them a favour by compelling them into His Kingdom. Nevertheless, chaff ought to be cast into the lake of fire for the sake of preserving what is good.
Andrew Masuku is the author of Dimensions of a New Civilization, laying down standards for uplifting Zimbabwe from the current state of economic depression into a model for other nations worldwide. A decaying tree provides an opportunity for a blossoming sprout. Written from a Christian perspective, the book is a product of inspiration, bringing relief to those having witnessed the strings of unworkable solutions––leading to the current economic and social decay. Most Zimbabweans should find the book as a long-awaited providential oasis of hope, in a simple conversational tone.
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