Authentic Love: Why You Can't Fake What You Truly Love

You Can't Fake What You Love

As human beings, we are wired to pursue happiness. We seek pleasure in everything we do, whether it be in our relationships, careers, hobbies, or even our faith. But can we truly find happiness if we do not love what we are pursuing? Can we fake our love for something?

The Bible teaches us that love is not just a feeling, but a choice. It is a decision to put the needs and desires of others above our own. We are called to love God and love our neighbors as ourselves (Matthew 22:37–40). But how can we love God and our neighbors if we do not truly love them?

John Piper, a well-known pastor and theologian, writes extensively about the connection between joy and love in his book, The Pleasures of God. He argues that we cannot find true joy unless we love what is good and right. In other words, joy and love are inseparable.

The Problem with Fake Love

Many of us have experienced situations where we have pretended to love something or someone. Maybe we have pretended to enjoy a certain activity to please someone else, or we have faked enthusiasm for a project at work. But when it comes to our faith, we cannot afford to fake love.

When we pretend to love God, we are essentially lying to ourselves and others. We may go through the motions of worship and prayer, but our hearts are not truly engaged. This can lead to a shallow faith that lacks depth and meaning.

Jesus warned against this kind of hypocrisy in Matthew 6:5-6: "And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you."

In other words, we should not pray or worship to be seen by others or to impress them. Our love for God should be genuine and heartfelt.

The Importance of Delighting in God

So how can we cultivate a genuine love for God? According to John Piper, the key is to delight in him.

Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart." If we find our joy and satisfaction in God, then our hearts will be aligned with his and our desires will be in line with his will.

But how do we delight in God? Piper suggests that we must first understand who God is and what he has done for us. We must meditate on his attributes, such as his love, mercy, and grace, and reflect on his works, such as creation, redemption, and sanctification.

When we truly understand who God is and what he has done for us, we will naturally delight in him. Our love for him will be genuine, not forced or fake.

The Dangers of Loving the Wrong Things

But what happens when we love the wrong things? When we pursue pleasure in things that are not pleasing to God?

James 4:4 warns us, "You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God."

When we love the world and the things of the world, we are essentially committing spiritual adultery. We are turning away from God and pursuing our own selfish desires.

Jesus also warns us about the dangers of loving the wrong things in Matthew 6:19-21: "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."

When we love the things of this world, we are storing up treasures that will eventually fade away. But when we love God and the things of heaven, we are storing up treasures that will last for eternity.

The Connection Between Love and Obedience

Another important aspect of love is obedience. Jesus tells us in John 14:15, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments."

Our love for God should result in a desire to obey him and follow his commands. This is not to say that we will always obey perfectly, but our hearts should be inclined towards obedience.

When we love God and obey his commands, we will experience the blessings of obedience. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 says, "And if you faithfully obey the voice of the Lord your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the Lord your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the Lord your God."

But when we disobey God, we will experience the consequences of disobedience. Galatians 6:7-8 says, "Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life."

The Ultimate Display of Love

The ultimate display of love is found in the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Romans 5:8 says, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."

Jesus loved us so much that he was willing to lay down his life for us. He took the punishment that we deserved so that we could be reconciled to God.

As we reflect on the love of Christ, our hearts should be filled with gratitude and love for him. We should be compelled to love others as he has loved us.

Conclusion

Love is not something that can be faked or forced. It is a choice to put the needs and desires of others above our own, and to delight in what is good and right. Our love for God should be genuine and heartfelt, not superficial or hypocritical.

When we love God and obey his commands, we will experience the blessings of obedience. But when we love the wrong things, we will suffer the consequences of disobedience.

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, and delight in him. As we do, our love for him and for others will grow and flourish.