One God & One Lord

The following is quoted from The Unitarian Advocate and Religious Miscellany, Vol. 1—No. 1, January 1830. The text itself is quoted from “the late Bishop Watson.”

“What!” he exclaims, “shall the church of Christ never be freed from the narrow-minded contentions of bigots; from the insults of men who know not what spirit they are of, when they would stint the Omnipotent in the exercise of his mercy, and bar the doors of heaven against every sect but their own? Shall we never learn to think more humbly of ourselves, and less despicably of others? to believe that the Father of the universe accommodates not his judgements to the wretched wranglings of pedantic Theologues; but that every one, who, with an honest intention, and to the best of his ability seeketh the truth, whether he findeth it or not, and worketh righteousness, will be accepted of him? …

“If different men,” he afterwards adds, “in carefully and conscientiously examining the scriptures, should arrive at different conclusions, even on points of the last importance, we trust that God, who alone knows what every man is capable of, will be merciful to his that is in error. We trust that he will pardon the Unitarian, if he be in error, because he has fallen into it from the dread of becoming an Idolater, of giving that glory to another which he conceives to be due to God alone. If the worshipper of Jesus Christ be in an error, we trust that God will pardon his mistake, because he has fallen into it from a dread of disobeying what he conceives to be revealed concerning the nature of the Son, or commanded concerning the honor to be given him. Both are actuated by the same principle—THE FEAR OF GOD; and, though that principle impels them into different roads, it is our hope and belief, that, if they add to their faith charity, they will meet in heaven.”

This one ties in with my earlier article, “Ecumenical Thoughts,” so I’ll end it with the same words in which I ended that one:

Faith working through love, serving Jesus Christ, living in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit: this is the kingdom of God. Instead of bickering, biting, and devouring one another, let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

Is there not another class who may properly be named speculative Christians? Christians who profess to have attained a correct religious faith, but who do not exhibit a truly christian practice; whose evidence of discipleship proceeds from their lips, and not from their lives? If so, they do not comply with the injunctions of Christ Jesus. He has no where required a belief in any enumerated set of opinions as a condition of divine acceptance. Sincere obedience is his only test of a christian profession. “Ye are my disciples if ye do whatsoever I command you.” A good life is the only scriptural evidence of a saving faith. The only scriptural heresy is immoral conduct. Continual reference is made by him to the actions of men, and not to their speculative opinions. We are directed to judge of persons by their characters, and not by their creeds. And we are assured that God will render unto every man according to his deeds, and not according to his religious sentiments. A correct faith is indeed valuable. It is of great value, because it is more likely to produce correct conduct; and for this reason we should search for truth as for hidden treasures. But a correct practice is infinitely more valuable; because this is the sum and substance of the gospel requisitions; and this can be secured where the faith is erroneous. For every candid person will allow that there are obedient Christians in every sect; and no man can allow that all religious opinions of every denomination are true. Unreserved obedience is therefore the test of discipleship required by Christ; and without this, a belief in all the creeds in creation will not entitle us to his approbation and acceptance.

Quoted from The Unitarian Advocate and Religious Miscellany, Vol. 1—No. 1, January 1830.

This is actually the body of an email I sent to a friend back in October 2006. The subject of contemplative, or “centering,” prayer was recently brought to my attention again after hearing some young people talk about what they had learned at a Christian youth retreat from which they had just returned. They did not mention the words “contemplative” or “centering,” but were instead taught that they should be still and listen for God. The general idea seemed the same to me, so I searched through my email for items I may have saved on the subject. Instead I found one I wrote myself to a dear friend. Here it is.

Quiet is good. I often, when I’m in prayer, stop speaking and listen for a few moments. The difference is that in eastern meditation you are intentionally trying to clear your mind of thought (or sometimes concentrating your thought on one single thing or word) for the purpose of allowing the greater “whatever” to communicate with you. However, in the spiritual world that we know exists, such an emptying of our minds is only an invitation for evil (satan, demons) to enter into it and let us think that our “revelations” are from God. There is a reason God tells us to dwell on his word day and night.

The two Bible verses that are primarily used to support contemplative prayer are the following, and they are both used out of context! The first is —

• 1 Kings 19:11-12 NASB
  (11) So He said, “Go forth and stand on the mountain before the LORD.” And behold, the LORD was passing by! And a great and strong wind was rending the mountains and breaking in pieces the rocks before the LORD; but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.
  (12) After the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire; and after the fire a sound of a gentle blowing.

Where NASB translates “gentle blowing” in verse 12, the KJV translates it as “still, small voice,” which is the translation that contemplatives latch on to. But nowhere does the passage indicate that Elijah was meditating or being intentionally quiet for God to speak to him that way. In fact, he had just experienced an earthquake and fire! Those things certainly got his attention. Maybe his alertness to what was going on around him following those things, NOT a turning inward, is what allowed him to know that God was there in the gentle breeze. But let’s also not forget that God also appeared to and spoke to Moses in fire (the burning bush), not a gentle breeze.

God knows how to get your attention when He wants it. We can’t force Him to come to us on our grounds, our terms, how WE think is best (e.g., quiet meditation). Our awesome God is not a “force” that we can tap into by practicing certain techniques. He is in control, not us. Jesus taught us how to pray, and “quiet your mind” was not one of his instructions! He did often go off alone to pray and that is something we all should do, even if the place we go off alone to is our bedroom.

OK, and the other verse is this one —

• Psalms 46:10 NASB
  (10) “Cease striving and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.”

The KJV says “Be still, and know that I am God.” This is also used heavily by contemplatives. The NASB translation is more accurate with the meaning in context. It has to do with not striving for things in our own power, in our flesh, without depending on God’s help and guidance. It has nothing to do with emptying or quieting the mind for meditation. It’s about not forging ahead with our own plans, forgetting about God in the process, forgetting to pray and asking for His guidance. About not trusting Him. Settle down, chill out, the Lord is with us, He is our stronghold (which is basically the very next verse) —

• Psalms 46:11 NASB
  (11) The LORD of hosts is with us; The God of Jacob is our stronghold. Selah.

I hope this has helped you, dear brother. Pray daily for God to give you spiritual discernment, to know good from evil, truth from falsehood. That is a gift we all need.

I never thought I’d be having them, but I am. Ecumenical thoughts. I’m not talking about a universal ecumenism among religions of the world, to include Hindus, Buddhists, Wiccans, and Muslims. No, I’m talking about only within the realm of Christianity: those groups who believe in God the Father and His Son Jesus Christ. Those who proclaim Christ as Lord and the only way of eternal salvation.

I participate in online Christian discussion forums and it is truly sad to experience groups of people, all who call on the name of the Lord, accuse one another of the most vile blasphemies, declaring them not to be Christians or not to be saved, or that they belong to a “cult,” with disgust oozing from every letter of the word, even though both sides serve the Lord Jesus Christ. Each group, whether they be Catholic, Protestant, Reformed, Jehovah’s Witness, Mormon, Seventh Day Adventist, Pentecostal, Church of Christ, Christadelphian, Lutheran, Baptist, Biblical Unitarian, or even your generic “nondenominational Christian fellowship,” they all believe that they are the true church, the group that has the majority of the truth, the remnant church, the group most certainly headed for heaven. All the others are viewed as apostate or lost or pagan, but with the right teaching can be brought into the fold. And they all think the same thing about each other. It’s a jungle out there, folks.

Why all this diversity of belief? Part of it can be blamed on the accepting as scripture the writings of men and women who came well after the apostles and disciples of Christ, sometimes claiming to be prophets themselves, sometimes not. Even those who never made a claim to being a prophet or inspired of God, their writings have been elevated to that status by those who came after. The Jehovah’s Witnesses have their Watchtower Society, the Mormons have their Joseph Smith, the Seventh Day Adventists have their Ellen G. White, the Presbyterians and other Reformed groups have their John Calvin, the Catholics have their Pope. All of those groups also accept the canon of Scripture, the 66 books of the Bible, as the inspired Word of God. An amazing giant leap toward unity would be seen simply by forsaking ALL non-biblical sources of guidance. Phrases like “but according to Calvin’s Institutes…..” or “it says in the Desire of Ages that…” or “the Vatican council declared…” or “the prophet Lehi said…” or “according to the Nicene Creed….” Away with all extra-biblical pronouncements! If it is not in the Bible, you have no business enforcing it as a necessary doctrine for all believers or quoting these people as spiritual authorities.

Get back to the Bible and stay there. Yes, there will still be differences of interpretation, but at least everyone will have an agreed upon source of truth for productive discussion. And if we don’t see eye-to-eye on some things, we can still love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ, because when everything else is put aside, we recognize that we are all desiring to please God by serving His Son Jesus Christ.

But some will say, “but their conception of Christ is different than ours!” That may be so, and all cannot be right. If their conception is derived from the Scriptures alone, their intent is noble even if their conclusion is faulty.

• Mark 9:38-41
  38 John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us.”
  39 But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me.
  40 “For he who is not against us is for us.
  41 “For whoever gives you a cup of water to drink because of your name as followers of Christ, truly I say to you, he will not lose his reward.
• Romans 14:17-19
  17 for the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit.
  18 For he who in this way serves Christ is acceptable to God and approved by men.
  19 So then we pursue the things which make for peace and the building up of one another.

Let’s look here not at what the kingdom of God is NOT, but at what it IS: Righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit. He who serves Christ in that way is acceptable to God.

Is Christ formed in you? (Galatians 4:19) Or do you bite and devour one another?

• Galatians 5:13-16
  13 For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.
  14 For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
  15 But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.
  16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

The brethren who constantly bicker and make accusations back and forth because they don’t believe the same things about baptism or communion or hell or spiritual gifts or end time prophecy, I think they have turned their freedom into an opportunity for the flesh. It is the desire of your flesh that wants to war and bite and devour. You are using the Word of God as bait for your flesh. However, in the Spirit, love should be manifest always. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).

With the variety of beliefs out there, just those based solely on the Bible, I believe we are all pretty much on our own about searching the scriptures and coming to a knowledge of the truth. We can share what we’ve learned with one another. Some may be persuaded, some may not. But why do we judge one another over such matters? I’m not talking about sin, because we are to correct one another regarding sin. But regarding our understanding, to our own Master we will stand or fall. As my friend Paul Kelly says,

At the end of the day God knows who’s right and who’s wrong. We don’t. All we know is that we act and believe on what we read and what we’re told….and we try to make sense of that to the best of our abilities. Whether we’re right or wrong, apart from God, who can say? We just try to do what’s right in the best way we can.

Faith working through love, serving Jesus Christ, living in righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit: this is the kingdom of God. Instead of bickering, biting, and devouring one another, let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds (Hebrews 10:24).

• Colossians 2:9 NASB
  For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,

Yes, Colossians 2:9 says that all the fullness dwells in Jesus. And Colossians 1:19 says that God was pleased to have all His fullness dwell in him. Do these statements amount to a declaration that Jesus is God?

In Ephesians 3:19, Paul prays that all Christians would “be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God” (NIV) or that you “be filled up to all the fullness of God” (NASB).

• Ephesians 3:19 NASB
  and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

In Ephesians 4:13, Paul desires Christians to “become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ” (NIV). In other words, Paul’s desire for us (and it should be our desire for ourselves and other Christians) is that we attain to the same fullness that was in Christ - the whole measure that was in him.

• Ephesians 4:13 NIV
  until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.

Having the fullness of God does not make one God; it does not make Jesus God. Having the fullness is the goal of all who love God. It is the mark of a mature Christian.

Now let’s look at Colossians 2:9 again, but this time with the “rest of the story”–

• Colossians 2:9-10 NASB
  (9) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form,
  (10) and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority;

The word translated “complete” in verse 10 is just the verb form of the same word translated “fullness” in verse 9. The NIV translates the word properly as “fullness” in both places–

• Colossians 2:9-10 NIV
  (9) For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
  (10) and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority.

The fullness dwells in Christ and in him, we too are given the fullness. Is there anything that suggests it is one kind of fullness that is in Christ, but another kind in us? No, and we can let Paul remind us of that by showing again his prayer for Christians in Ephesians 3:19 –

• Ephesians 3:19 NASB
  (19) and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled up to all the fullness of God.

As the fullness of diety dwells in Jesus, Paul’s prayer is that the same fullness, the fullness of God, would fill us.

• Philippians 2:5-8 NASB
  (5) Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,
  (6) who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped,
  (7) but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.
  (8) Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Trinitarians want to believe that the above passage states that Jesus is God himself come into the world. But look at the introductory verse to this passage: Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus. Have this attitude. This passage is not some ontological statement that Jesus is God, it is a statement explaining to us the attitude Jesus had and that we should imitate him. Let’s dissect it, shall we?

First of all, a few questions:

Do trinitarians believe that they are a new creature in Christ? Of course they do.

• 2 Corinthians 5:17 NASB
  Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.

Do trinitarians believe that they are children, sons and daughters of God? Of course they do.

• 1 John 3:2 NASB
  Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.

Believers have been born again as a new creature, as a child of God. How are we, who were made as men and remain in the appearance as men, but are now sons of God, to act in the presence of men? THAT is what the Philippians 2 passage is instructing us about. And our perfect example is our Lord Jesus Christ. We, as sons and daughters of God who live among men and are in appearance as men, are to have the same attitude that was in Christ Jesus, the Son of God.

As Son of God, he existed in the form of God (verse 6). It is significant that in John 1:33 we are told that the Spirit would remain upon Jesus. This was not someone whom the Spirit of God would touch for a time or a season to utter words of God or perform a miraculous deed and then depart, but the Spirit would descend upon and remain upon this Son of God.

The Greek word translated “form” (morphe) refers to appearance only; it intrinsically does not embody the idea of total equality.

morphe (From Thayer’s Greek Definitions)
1. the form by which a person or thing strikes the vision
2. external appearance

Therefore, even though Jesus exhibited the appearance of God (e.g., by the works he did), he did not strive or desire to be equal with God.

Even though he was God’s Son, he would not grasp for equality with God. No, instead, though being yet found in appearance as a man (verse 8), he would humble himself and take the form of a bond servant to men (verse 7) in full obedience to God (verse 8). He maintained this attitude of servanthood to men and obedience to God to his death (verse 8).

We too, as those made as sons of men but re-born as sons of God (yet remaining in appearance as men) are to have this very same attitude. Is that so hard to understand?

• Galatians 3:26 NASB
  For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

• Ephesians 4:23-24 NASB
  be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

We have been born again of God and we are not to be puffed up or arrogant in that knowledge. No, we are to be humble servants of God, just as Jesus was in the days of his flesh (see Hebrews 5:7-8). We, though children of God, are still in the days of our flesh and must walk as Jesus walked.

I heard a preacher on the radio a day or two ago say that to “put on Christ” is the same thing as putting on “the armor of God” from Ephesians 6. Elsewhere, I read where someone said that to “put on Christ” was the same thing as putting on the “new self.” That made me curious to see if and how they all relate.

• Romans 13:14 NASB
  But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

• Ephesians 6:11 NASB
  Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. … through verse 18 …

• Romans 13:12 NASB
  The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

Notice that “put on the armor of light” (Romans 13:12) appears just two verses before “put on the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 13:14). I split them on purpose in order to tie in Ephesians 6:11.

How do the above verses relate to the verses about putting on the new self? Are there two ways to view the idea of putting on Christ? Or do they all really mean the same thing?

1. To put on the armor of light.

2. To put on Christ

3. To put on the full armor of God

4. To put on the new self

5. To clothe yourselves with Christ

(To “clothe” and to “put on” are the same Greek word. Many translations use “put on” in Galatians 3:27)

• Colossians 3:10 NASB
  and have put on the new self who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the One who created him
  

• Ephesians 4:24 NASB
  and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.
  

• Galatians 3:27 NASB
  For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

The meaning of Colossians 3:10 and putting on the “new self” is further defined in verses 12 and 14:

• Colossians 3:12 NASB
  So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience;
  

• Colossians 3:14 NASB
  Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.

Kind of sounds like the fruit of the spirit from Galatians 5:22-23, doesn’t it?

• Galatians 5:22-23 NASB
  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Similar attributes are also described as armor in 1 Thessalonians:

• 1Thessalonians 5:8 NASB
  But since we are of the day, let us be sober, having put on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet, the hope of salvation.

Which brings us back to the armor of God in Ephesians 6, which includes the breastplate of righteousness, the shield of faith, and the helmet of salvation.

Looks to me like it is all speaking of the same thing. To put on Christ is to put on the new self, to put on the armor of light, the full armor of God, and to walk according to the Spirit, exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit. (See also Romans 8:4, Romans 8:13, Galatians 5:25).

Have you put on the Lord Jesus Christ?

• Luke 16:16-17 NASB
  (16) “The Law and the Prophets were proclaimed until John; since that time the gospel of the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is forcing his way into it.
  (17) “But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one stroke of a letter of the Law to fail.

Verse 17 speaks of the difficulty, the unwillingness, of the Jews to depart from the Law to which they were married and enter the kingdom of God, the very thing to which the Law and the Prophets pointed: the coming of the Messiah, ushering in the kingdom of God. Jesus here was addressing the Pharisees specifically, who John tells us are “lovers of money” (Luke 16:14).

“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away” is an exageration to mark the difficulty the Jews would have. Jesus here is basically saying the same thing that he said in Luke 18:

• Luke 18:24-25 NASB
  (24) And Jesus looked at him and said, “How hard it is for those who are wealthy to enter the kingdom of God!
  (25) “For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

“For it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle…”
“But it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away…”

Both describe the difficulty of leaving one and entering another.

Note also that in Luke 16, Jesus follows up with a word about divorce and adultery:

• Luke 16:18 NASB
  (18) “Everyone who divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery, and he who marries one who is divorced from a husband commits adultery.

Every transgression is a betrayal of the Law; unfaithfulness to it and dishonoring to God. (See Romans 2:23-25, James 2:10.)

Likewise, he also follows up the same in Luke 18 with a word about leaving things (divorcing) to follow him (enter the kingdom):

• Luke 18:28-30 NASB
  (28) Peter said, “Behold, we have left our own homes and followed You.”
  (29) And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God,
  (30) who will not receive many times as much at this time and in the age to come, eternal life.”

The old must be completely left behind in order to fully embrace the new. They cannot be mixed without disaster:

• Matthew 9:16-17 NASB
  (16) “But no one puts a patch of unshrunk cloth on an old garment; for the patch pulls away from the garment, and a worse tear results.
  (17) “Nor do people put new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the wineskins burst, and the wine pours out and the wineskins are ruined; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

And to leave the old only to long for it and turn back to it is equally as disastrous:

• Luke 9:62 NASB
  (62) But Jesus said to him, “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.”

• 2 Peter 2:20-22 NASB
  (20) For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first.
  (21) For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them.
  (22) It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A DOG RETURNS TO ITS OWN VOMIT,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

For Jews, it was life under the Law that they had to choose to leave and follow Christ. For Gentiles, it is life in the world, a life ruled by the desires of the flesh. Both are wide paths to condemnation. Only in Christ, the narrow path to Life, can we be redeemed from the sins committed in the past. And all of us have sinned, there is no denying it.

• Romans 3:23 NASB
  (23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

• 1 John 1:8 NASB
  (8) If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us.

Do you want your old sins forgiven and forgotten? Do you want the power to deny the temptations of the world and of your flesh, the power to live righteously in this life?

• Titus 2:11-14 NASB
  (11) For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men,
  (12) instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age,
  (13) looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus,
  (14) who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.

Do you want the promise of eternal life?

• John 3:16 NASB
  (16) “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.

• John 14:6 NASB
  (6) Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.

If you are a Jew following the Law of Moses, do not turn your back on your Messiah, sent to you by God the Father. Read his words for yourself; let him speak to your mind and to your heart. If you are not a Jew, but just someone wondering about God, if he exists, pick up a Bible and start reading. The words of Jesus, who proclaimed the very words of life given to him by God, are contained in the four gospel records: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Read and pray. Ask God to lead you to the truth.

Jesus said that if you continue to learn about him through his word, if you believe him and follow him, then you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (John 8:31-32).

What a question! But for the child of God, it is a question with an easy and obvious answer. Love is supremely important! Here are some reflections on love from the scriptures.

Paul, in 1 Corinthians 13, puts it quite bluntly: Without love, dear Christian, you are nothing. You can be abundant in spiritual gifts or have faith that can move mountains, but without love, says Paul, you are nothing. You can donate to charity, feed the poor, or take any other action of sacrifice to help others, but if you do it without the motivation of love in your heart, it profits you nothing. Or to put that in the words of Isaiah the prophet, all your righteous deeds are as filthy garments (Isaiah 64:6).

Paul continues in 1 Corinthians 13 to describe the markers of love. If we have the love of God in our hearts, these are the markers of our character: patience, kindness, not jealous, not boastful, not arrogant, we will not act unbecomingly (in other words, we do not act outside the boundaries of love), we are not provoked to anger or improper action, we do not keep track of the times when someone wrongs us, and we do not rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoice in the truth.

He goes on to say that love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things, and that love never fails. Wow.

Some want to believe that this agape love that is to characterize the child of God is meant to apply within the body of Christ. In other words, it is how Christians are to be towards one another. This is true in a sense, as Paul writes in Galatians 6:10 that we are to do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. But do note that he wrote “all people.” Jesus said that we are to love even our enemies and to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us and pray for those who mistreat us (Luke 6:27-28).

The apostle John wrote that If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20). And if we can’t love our brothers and sisters in Christ, how can we possibly love our enemies? It begins with God, beloved. When we love God, we will love our brothers and sisters. And if we love God and we love our brothers and sisters, we will love our enemies.

Jesus said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” What are his commandments? Just read through the Gospels: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. They contain the words that Jesus wants us to keep. And his commandments are God’s commandments because “he whom God has sent speaks the words of God” (John 3:34) and Jesus said that he did not speak on his own initiative, but the Father who sent him commanded him what to say and what to speak (John 12:49).

Whoever keeps his word (the words of Jesus, the commandments of God), in that person the love of God has truly been perfected (1 John 2:5). By this we know that we love the children of God: when we love God and observe His commandments (1 John 5:2).

Peter speaking to Jesus, said, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life” (John 6:68). How right he was. Jesus himself said, “the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63).

• John 12:49-50 NASB
  (49) “For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak.
  (50) “I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.”

How important is love? The kingdom of God is promised to those who love Him (James 2:5).

We started by defining love from the words of Paul in 1 Corinthians 13, so let’s end with the very last verse of the same chapter:

• 1 Corinthians 13:13 NASB
  (13) But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

Happy New Year, everyone! May grace and peace be yours in abundance this year, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

A friend and brother in Christ pointed me this evening to an excellent article about Christian obedience. I thought it was so good that I wanted to share it with you. It is not exceedingly long and is easy to read. The author compares the teachings of Jesus, Paul, James, and John regarding obedience and redemption with the Reformation doctrine of sola fide (”faith alone”). For the relatively short article that it is, it is a real eye-opener. I hope you read it.