10/03/2020
Do we say that God abides in us, and yet we treat those around us with disdain? Do we say that we believe in the name of Jesus Christ, but can’t seem to love one another? If there is no love in us for our brothers; then we are fooling ourselves, and all we say that we have believed amounts to nothing.
“And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us.”
1 John 3:23 ESV
Words mean nothing without the actions that follow them, and which prove them to be true. It is one thing to know what the power of love is, and quite another to wield it. Many say they love, but too few actually do so. The virtues of so many virgins have been undone by three words of promise... “I Love You”... when in fact those words were later proven to have been hollow, and bore no truth. However, God’s Words are backed by His actions, and filled with truth. He does all He says, just as He promised His Holy Spirit, and His Spirit now abides in us.
“Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.”
1 John 3:24 ESV
There is a common saying that I have always liked, and it goes like this... “Talk the talk, walk the walk.” It implies that action must follow our words before they hold any meaning, and it leads us to a similar saying that is also true, and this quote goes like this “Talk is cheap!” Saying talk is cheap implies that there is no value in words without action. Scripture tells us this about faith and works, or words, and deeds, listen...
“But if anyone has the world’s goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God’s love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth.”
1 John 3:17-18 ESV
And...
“If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”
James 2:15-17 ESV
Everywhere we turn in the world today we see people filled with hatred, disdain, jealousy, and greed, towards their brothers, and neighbors. Many of these who behave in this way proclaim themselves to be moral, and even people of faith. We see Pastors who present themselves as “Christian” inciting hatred and violence, or condoning such actions, in messages from their pulpits. They speak of the virtues of love, and God’s Agape love, one week, and the next spew vile words. “Turning the other cheek“ has become “Turning the tables”, and people are turned against one another while cities burn and Satan smiles.
Jesus preached and taught something quite different; he taught loving our neighbors and our enemies alike. How could he send His apostle’s into the world to preach the gospel, and save souls, if He was sending them to people they disliked, or hated? Some interpret Romans 12:20 as using an act of kindness towards an enemy as a way of harming them or in other words... “Killing them with kindness”, but That is incorrect. During the time of Jesus there was a well-known act of repentance (performed early on by Egyptians) in which someone would carry coals on their head as a sign of penitence.
“To the contrary, “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head.””
Romans 12:20 ESV
To better understand this as a means of winning an enemy over to Jesus by goodness and love, rather than harming them as some believe, we need only read the next verse...
“Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.”
Romans 12:21 ESV
If we lash out, envy, distrust, hate, or in any way practice some action other than love towards our enemy, we have lost sight of the second great commandment, and started down a path of unrighteousness.
“And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.””
Matthew 22:37-40 ESV
So, how are we to speak... and to act? Are we ready easy to carry the bowl of burning coals on our heads as we ask God to change our hearts and forgive us? Have we become our own worst enemy?
Prayer:
Father, thank you for the grace, and love you have shown us despite the sin, and even disdain, that we have often shown for your Word, and commandments. Thank you for helping us to show contrition by feeding us your Word, and giving us the living water of Jesus, as you heap the coals of our remorse upon our heads. We ask for your forgiveness, as we lift our prayers to you in the name of Jesus. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our loving God who holds out the olive branch of Christ to us despite our sin. Praised be your name Lord for every act of love you show us, and for forgiving us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. Hear our prayers Holy Father, and see our transformed selves as we love our neighbors, and enemies, as ourselves. Help us through your Holy Spirit to behave in our lives as Jesus did in His, and in this way to one day stand before you with Christ... clothed in His righteousness. In this moment express your pleasure in us, and welcome us into your arms where we will praise and worship you forevermore.
Rich Forbes