Love Reproving # 3

 Love Reproving # 3

"This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out His commands." (1 John 5:2). Go back to the previous verse for the connection, "Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves the father loves his child as well." We love the brethren, because they have been made "partakers of the Divine nature" - it is that, and nothing pertaining to the old creation, which is the uniting bond. How that lifts us entirely out of the realm of nature, into the spiritual sphere! It is love for God - which produces love for those who bear His image. And what is the touch-stone of my love to God? Not rapturous feelings, nor beautiful words of devotion., nor heartily singing His praises  - but by keeping His commandments - John 14:15, 21, 24; 15:10. The strength of my love for God is to be gauged by the measure of my obedience to His Word. The same principle holds good in my relations with the brethren - love to them will be manifested by efforts to encourage them in the path of obedience - and that necessarily involves rebuking them for disobedience.

To come more immediately to the opening questions. "Is it possible to be too critical of Christians? nowadays?" Why the qualifying "nowadays"? Has God lowered His standard to meet these evil times? Is it permissible or expedient for me to compromise because the present generation is so lax and carnal? Do not the days in which our lot is cast, call for a clearer drawing of the line between the Church and the world? If so, should not this help to determine my conduct toward the individual?

We are mindful that large numbers hold the view that God requires less from people in degenerate times - but we know of nothing in His Word which supports them! Rather are such days the very time when the Christian most needs to show his colors, when shallowness and hollowness marks the religious profession all around, there is greater urgency for us to make manifest the reality that we are "strangers and pilgrims" in this scene. The Scriptures are just as much the Rule - and the sole rule for us to walk by - as they were for our more godly forebears. In the Day to come, we shall be judged by them as truly as they will be. If is never right to do wrong - nor to condone wrong.

John, the apostle of love, began his third epistle with these words, "The elder unto the well-beloved Gaius, whom I love in the Truth." What a needed word is this for today, when so much that passes for love, even in avowedly Christian circles, is nothing but a sickly sentimentality at the expense of the Truth. One of the outstanding cries in the religious world, is to this effect - "though we have differed in our beliefs and practices, let us now sink our differences and come together in love." When I was the pastor of a church in Sidney, I was regarded as a narrow-minded bigot, because on what Rome calls "good Friday" I refused to take part in an "ecumenical Communion service," where Fundamentalists, Liberals, Unitarians, and Evolutionists were invited to gather together, and thereby express "brotherly love" for one another. What a travesty and mockery! The wisdom which is from above is "first pure, then peaceable." (James 3:17). The more I am walking in the Truth and the more my brother is doing the same - the more cause have we to love one another.

It may be helpful to answer the opening question by changing the form of it - Is it possible to be too critical of myself? May I permit myself a certain amount of indulgence, exclude some part of my life from the control of God, be less strict about some matter than others? In the light of such verses as "Catch the foxes, the little foxes, that spoil the vines"; "Grow up into Him in all things, who is the Head, even Christ," "whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" - is there any difficulty in answering that question! If not, am I justified in countenancing a lower standard for others than I seek to apply to myself? Am I not required to love my neighbor as myself? And am I doing so - if I gloss over something in him which I know to be against his or her spiritual interests and can only work ill for him? If it is my plain duty to warn him against physical evils - then on what ground am I justified in being silent when I see spiritual danger menacing him?

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 4)

Love Reproving # 2

 Love Reproving # 2

This is one of the inevitable effects of the lopsided preaching of the pulpit, where the love and grace of God wee constantly proclaimed - while His justice and wrath were studiously ignored. God is "light" (1 John 1:5) as well as "love' (1 John 4:8), "holy" as well as "merciful", "severe" as well as "good" (Romans 11:22), and unless the balance is preserved between those two sides of the Divine character, not only will He be grievously misrepresented - but the most serious results will follow!

"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God - and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God" (1 John 4:7). Christian love is not a thing of nature - but is entirely supernatural. It is not a part of our "personality" or anything which issues from our "disposition," but is a Divine communication received at the new birth. It is neither a sentiment nor an emotion - but a holy principle which is spiritual in its origin, its nature, its characteristics, and its manifestations.

But alas, many of God's own children are today so ill-taught, so ignorant, and so carnal - that they are unable to recognize true Christian love when they see it in exercise. Their thinking is so much colored by the world, they are so much corrupted by mingling with hollow professors - that they mistake pleasant personality and cordiality - for spiritual love. They forget that some who make no profession at all, are naturally congenial, kind, warm-hearted, courteous, and sympathetic. Christian love is neither the milk of human kindness - nor creature congeniality. Much that passes for Christian love - is merely the amiability and affability of the flesh!

How are we to know when we truly "love one another"? When we feel our hearts drawn out to them because of their affableness, their charming demeanor, their "sweet" ways? NO! for appearances are deceptive. A winsome smile, a hearty hand-shake, a kiss - is no sign of the new nature - as Judas' kissing of Christ demonstrated. Nor does a polite demeanor or honeyed-mouth expressions prove anything to the point - rather does the Christian need to be doubly on his guard in the company of those who flatter him - ponder Proverbs 10:19; 26:28; Psalm 12:3).

Then how are we to know when we "love one another" - and when they love us? When we truly seek their highest good - when we aim at their spiritual well-being. The one who evidences the most spiritual love for me - is he who is ever seeking to promote my eternal interests - by wise counsels, by beneficial warnings, by timely rebukes, by godly encouragements.

And if I am spiritual - I shall love others for their piety, heavenly-mindedness, and faithfulness.

"Open rebuke is better than secret love. Faithful are the wounds of a friend - but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful" (Proverbs 27:25, 26). Ah, my reader, as little as you may like it - the one who "wounds" you the most - may be the best friend you have, and who has the most spiritual love for you. But the one who winks at your faults, is silent about your sins, and refuses to rebuke you for what is dishonoring to God - is your enemy and hates you!

Alas, what a low plane even the people of God are now living upon. Many of them are so easily ruffled - that with the least criticism of them - they are "hurt," and offended; which shows they have more self-love than the love of God in them. O for grace to say with the Psalmist, "Let the godly strike me! It will be a kindness! If they reprove me - it is soothing medicine. Don't let me refuse it" (141:5). "Rebuke a wise man - and he will love you" (Proverbs 9:8), how few of the "wise" are now left!

~A. W. Pink~

(continued with # 3)