"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold." (Matthew 24:12, KJV)
The New Living Translation says: "Sin will be rampant everywhere, and the love of many will grow cold."
Sin Destroys the Heart Sin destroys the heart and, by extension, destroys love. The Bible defines sin as the transgression of the law—specifically, the law of God, which is the law of love. No matter how minute, sin destroys something within us. As sin increases in our lives and the world around us, suffering of all types follows in its wake.
Sin is essentially selfishness at work. It is the desire to exalt the self and prioritize one’s own feelings, even at the cost of someone else. "Me, myself, and I" is the ultimate goal of sin.
Why do people commit sin? We often do so because we want to feel good, to be loved, or to gain something for ourselves. While it seems insane because sin leads to death, it is a human reality. No one commits sin because they want evil to come to them; people sin because, in our twisted and deceitful minds, we think it will bring about some form of good.
Take the sin of fornication, for example. A person may seek the pleasure of the moment without considering the long-term impact. Once the act is done, depression, sadness, emptiness, and guilt often follow, and the heart becomes hardened. Bitter arguments and blame arise where people were initially seeking pleasure. Sin is self-seeking, and it eventually leads to a "living death." It is no wonder that mental health issues are at an all-time high; selfishness is killing our souls.
Love Heals the Soul The aim of life is to love and be loved. God is love, and out of His abundance, He created us to enjoy His affection and share it with others.
What is love? Love is putting the well-being of another first. It is self-sacrifice. When I love someone, I seek to pay attention to them and understand how to best meet their needs. Love is not concerned with having its own needs met first; rather, it is in showing care to others that we awaken love in their hearts.
Love is not emotionalism. While emotions are a part of the experience, love itself is a deep principle of doing what is right and good, even when it is temporarily painful. It was painful for Christ to lay down His life on the cross, but He did it anyway because He loves us. Love is intentional. It is waking up in the morning and asking, "How can I best serve God and humanity today?"
Seeking only to be loved will eventually make us selfish and dissatisfied. Selfishness is the great enemy of love. Because love is not our natural default, it must be a daily choice—a choice to understand, focus on, and cherish the other person.
Love is spiritual. It is the lack of love that causes us to be restless in our pursuit of materialistic aims. Love brings rest, calmness, and peace. In our society of "spoiled princesses" and selfish pursuits, true love has become rare. Many see marriage as an idol, expecting it to bring them love even if they themselves are unloving. But marriage will not change a selfish person overnight. A husband who truly loves his wife will value her more than his own life, and a wife who loves her husband will support his leadership.
Genuine love heals. It begins when "my needs" stop being the priority. A kind word calms wrath; a good deed makes another feel appreciated. Love is intentional, and it requires us to slow down. When we are in a constant rush, we cannot notice the "fine print" of another person’s life.
This world may make you feel like just another number, but God sees you as if you are the only one who exists. Pursue genuine love from God and be a vessel of that love to others. As wickedness increases and hearts grow cold, let us ask God to keep our hearts warm, that we may be loving and lovable Christians, bringing healing to a broken world.
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