Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly Akintayo Emmanuel Discusses the Principles of God’s Love

One of the most important — if not the most crucial — questions that a true follower of Christ must answer is: what are the principles of God’s love? According to Akintayo Emmanuel, the Overseer of God’s Remnant Assembly, which is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland, there is no need to spend years searching far and wide for this precious, transformative insight. As with all of life’s vital inquiries, the answers are abundantly available in the Bible.

“Perhaps because the Bible is so accessible — not just in churches, but now on the web as well — some people tend to take its instructions and insights for granted,” comments Akintayo Emmanuel, who in addition to his service at God’s Remnant Assembly is also President of G42-Global Reformers, The Bridge, and GRA Mission Squad, respectively. “Complexity and difficulty are very attractive to the ego. When things are so easily available, we tend not to give them much value. But those who dive deep into the Bible and fully immerse themselves in its teaching are always richly rewarded. It contains all answers and solutions.”

With respect to the principles of God’s love, Akintayo Emmanuel highlights three Biblical passages that brilliantly and beautifully illuminate this essential insight.

The Significance of Faith, Hope, and Love

1 Corinthians 13:13: “So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

The incredibly powerful message here is not that we can neglect faith and hope, and focus exclusively on love, says Akintayo Emmanuel. We must always cultivate faith and hope in our hearts, in our thoughts, and in our actions. However, what we must also bear in mind is that love is the leading and guiding hand, which ensures faith and hope flow in the right direction. Love must always be the captain of our ship , and in all ways.

God is Love

1 John 4:8: “Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.”

Another principle of God’s love — and one that many people struggle with at various points in their life — is that love is the means by which we connect with God and come to know Him, says God’s Remnant Assembly. We can be wholly obedient, generous, and virtuous in all other ways, but if we do not open our hearts to love and to be loved, then we bar the gate that leads us to God. Fortunately, it does not matter how long we have behaved this way. We can change in an instant. God is always loving us and will never stop.

Akintayo Emmanuel Says Love is God’s Law

Romans 13:10: “Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is the fulfilling of the law.”

There are two incredibly important insights in Romans 13:10. The first insight is that we must always love our neighbors, and this does not mean those who happen to live physically close to us. We are all neighbors with one another in this world. It is not in alignment with God’s principle of love to hold ill will towards someone who lives on the other side of the planet, says God’s Remnant Assembly. True, we may find their actions harmful or hurtful. But if so, we should pray that their heart opens to let God in, rather than condemn, judge and ridicule them.

The other insight, according to Akintayo Emmanuel, is that when we actively love — through our feelings, thoughts, words and actions — we fulfill God’s law in this world.