Truth + Love = A Real Christian
"Little children, let us stop just saying we love people; let us really love them, and show it by our actions"(1 John 3:18 - The Living Bible).
"It is possible to show love toward others, yet not be committed to the truth of God's Word. Such persons place love, acceptance, friendship, and unity above the truth and commandments of God. On the other hand, it is also possible for a person in the church to promote Biblical truth and defend its doctrines, yet not show love and concern for others. What God requires is that we demonstrate both love for His truth and love for others. We must speak the truth in love."
- The Full Life Study Bible, p. 589
Hear what is being said here.
There are three classes of people in the Church today.
The first class are those who are "showing love" toward others, yet they do not know the Word nor adhere to its dictates. In other words, they are walking in disobedience to the Truth. Yet, their main emphasis or drive seems to be - "love, acceptance, friendship, and unity" - at any cost.
The second class consists of those who study, research, memorize, and debate the doctrines of the Bible, yet they have not one ounce of love or concern for others.
Lastly, there is the group who loves and adheres to the Truth of God's Word - walking in its principles day after day and moment by moment - and demonstrating its effect on their hearts and lives through their fervent and earnest love for others.
We must have a love for God's Truth(enough to obey it) and a love for others - working side by side in our lives - if we expect anyone to classify us as a Christian! If we have one without the other - then it is time that we examine ourselves to see if we are truly in the Faith. Something is definitely wrong with our Christianity!
The Apostle John repeatedly linked truth and love together in his epistles. He used such expressions as - "whom I love in the truth"(2 John 1:1; 3 John 1:1),
"For the truth's sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever"(2 John 2),
"in truth and love"(2 John 3),
as well as "let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth"(1 John 3:18).
There is only one way to love others - and that is, to love them "in the truth."
What does this mean? It means to love them truly and heartily...be sincerely attached to them...and love them on account of the truth. It definitely is not a passing sentiment or something dependent on an emotional feeling. It is not a mere profession of love. Because of the truth that resides in his heart, the believer demonstrates the sincerity of his love through kind, tender, and merciful acts.
The Expositor's Bible Commentary explains it in this way - "Love requires more than idle talk or exalted theology. It demands simple acts, which anyone can see, that meets the needs of brothers and sisters in distress. Any _expression of love that fails here is not only empty but blasphemous."
These are rather "strong" words - wouldn't you agree? The truth is a "hard pill" to swallow at times.
When it comes to love - what do you have - idle talk and exalted theology or acts of love in helping a brother or sister in need?
Is your love for others "empty" and "blasphemous" or the "real deal"?
Besides John, the Apostle Peter also linked truth and love together in 1 Peter 1:22 when he said - "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently."
Peter taught us that sincere, genuine, pure, earnest, deep, warm, ardent, strong, and fervent love demonstrated in a Christian's walk is the direct result of him initially purifying his soul of all selfishness and hatred by obeying the truth. In other words, he heard the truth, obeyed it, and his heart was purified of all uncleanness, defilement, and corruption - resulting in a self-sacrificing desire to meet the needs of others.
The truth of God's Word purged the heart of all sin - issuing forth in an unhypocritical brotherly love.
Why is there so much phoney love in the Church today?
Peter implies that it is because the heart is not purged of all sin and selfishness through exposure to the Truth and the workings of the Holy Spirit.
Just how many are walking around claiming to be Christians - yet all they have is an "empty" and "blasphemous" profession because there are no selfless acts of love to follow it?
What about the equation of your walk with the Lord?
Does it look like this one - "Truth + Love = A Real Christian"?
Just remember - to the degree that you are embracing the truth of the Gospel in your life - and walking in it - will be the degree to which you intensely and genuinely love the brethren.
Anyone can say - "Love ya, Brother! Love ya, Sister!"
We close with this quote from the Jamieson, Fausset & Brown's Commentary - "When the venerable John could no longer walk to the meetings of the Church but was borne thither by his disciples, he always uttered the same address to the Church; he reminded them of that one commandment which he had received from Christ Himself, as comprising all the rest, and forming the distinction of the new covenant, 'My little children, love one another.' When the brethren present, wearied of hearing the same thing so often, asked why he always repeated the same thing, he replied, 'Because it is the commandment of the Lord, and if this one thing be attained, it is enough."
To love one another is indeed the commandment of the Lord. Have you attained it yet?
May God Bless His Word. Connie
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