Love One Another
It’s vitally important the people of God stick together, love one another and seek to respect, enjoy, love, honour and trust one another.
Words are limiting. We often hear or read what a fellow believer says and shun them because we don’t agree. Arguing is pointless. But what about finding out what they mean… in case there is a truth in it you never saw before?
Support One Another
We who know Jesus are under attack. We who seek to stand in the gap for those not yet aware of the saving grace of Jesus are under attack. The first point of attack is division.
Character of Jesus, Character of the Believer
Righteousness and Love are the two-pronged character of God, the Father of Creation and humanity. He gives love and offers righteousness. But we can’t have one without the other. Society through humanism is offering love. We must also stand for righteousness and not be confused by the permissive love of society. Love without righteousness creates weakness.
Love and Righteousness
Righteousness without love is harsh and brutal. For centuries the Christian movement has had this error. Consider the Crusades and the Spanish Inquisition as examples. “Turn to Christ or die” and in some cases “Turn to Christ and we’ll kill you anyway” were echoed throughout countries in Europe and even into the Middle East – Jerusalem in particular.
But we cannot er to the other extreme — Love without Righteousness.
So often in society, an era moves to one extreme, only then to attempt to resolve through swinging to the other. This, I believe, is what has happened in recent years with some factions of Christianity. Some portions, in the name of love, are accepting behaviours and choices in the name of Love that are unrighteous… Some of these folk even becoming angry and reject those who continue to stand for the love and righteousness of God. Bitter division is not of the LORD. It is self-righteousness.
Matthew 24:12 says, “And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold.”
And in Mark 13:22 we read, “For false christs and false prophets will rise and show signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect.”
Hold Fast
We must hold fast to our faith but also to our principles in this world of sin and shame, so that the light, love and righteousness of the LORD stands firm, in us and through us. True love is sharing the full truth of the Gospel. There are certain standards that must be upheld, not in our own strength but through the power of God in us.
Division in the Body of Yeshua is wrong. We must overcome, rather than assume the worst and turn from one another. Remember, one way for the Truth of Jesus to be seen by the world is through our love for one another.
“By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” (1 John 3:16)
Let us not allow pettiness and misunderstandings, or differences of opinion divide us. Let us learn from one another in a spirit of humility, and embrace the common ground. Jesus is our Saviour. Father is our Creator. The Holy Spirit is our source of connection and power from the Father through Jesus. Let us rejoice together and be glad, for the glory of the LORD is risen upon us. We have much to be thankful for and much to express to show it:)
“Be glad in the Lord and rejoice, you righteous; And shout for joy, all you upright in heart!” (Psalm 32:11)
Amen.