Quote:
Originally Posted by illusionznc
...But there is one word to sum all that up. (Love). In my heart, love sums up our entire existence, & under that love come many things, such as compassion, understanding & forgiveness. So when we judge that righteous judgment, we must do so with all the love, compassion, understanding & forgiveness that the Lord God Almighty has shown to us. After all, He loved us so much He died for us! Oh how so very much greater is He that is within us!
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I'll refer to you as "ZNC" if that's okay.
I appreciate your comments.
Love really is key to living the genuine Christian life. There is certainly the misappropriations and misapplications of the Biblical teaching on the doctrine of love. Love, of course, never tolerates or dismisses sin or wrong doctrine. And true love does not neglect the responsibility to preach the unfeigned word of truth, even when it vehemently contradicts a persons attitude or lifestyle. We should all endeavor to be "...
speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ:" (Ephesians 4:15).
We cannot ignore the clear and strong Biblical teaching on love. The word of God places a very high priority on it.
John 13:34-35 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
The words "
as I have loved you" takes us into a whole new realm of love, doesn't it? How has Christ loved me? This type of love exceeds my human ability and requires new "spiritual life" in Christ.
He must love in and through me. I admit, I cannot, and often do not, genuinely demonstrate Christ-like love for my brothers and sisters in Christ. In no way am I suggesting we get soft on the truth. My hearts desire is to see each of us place the priority that Jesus Christ places on love. May we each simply obey the written word of God.
1 John 2:10-11 He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
1 John 3:11 For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
1 John 3:14 We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
1 John 4:7-8 Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.
1 John 4:20-21 If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
1 John 5:1 Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
The key to possessing and demonstrating genuine love centers is in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Love Him, and you'll love others. The clearest and most visible mark of our true discipleship is the "love" we have for one another. May we each honestly examine ourselves and ask, "Do I sincerely love the brethren?"
Application of this truth will certainly clean-up a lot of our foolish and carnal judgment.
