Love AND Truth

[PATrobas]

Reminders - Love and Truth

            Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” ^{John 14:15} To love here is not to have a sexual attraction,  a strong affinity for someone or something, or to have a warm feeling of tender emotion. To love is action.  To love is to walk in the Spirit. To love is to walk by faith. To love is to walk in the truth of Scripture. The Apostle John used the word love 49 times in his writings, 23 times in 1 John alone. Listen to some of these familiar verses; “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,” ^3:11 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us,” ^3:16 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth,” ^3:18 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love,” ^4:8 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear… We love Him because He first loved us,” ^4:18-19 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.” ^5:3

           Sometimes we wrongfully equate obeying the commandments of Jesus as legalism. If we link the keeping of the law or the commandments as a means of salvation, then we would be correct to count it as legalistic, for it is written, “…for by grace are you saved by faith…not by works…” ^{Ephesians 2:8-9} But John is not speaking of how one obtains salvation. He is speaking to those who have been born again and that they are to walk in love and truth. 2 John 1:6 says, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” So, what are the commandments of Jesus that we are to do if we love Him? For us, His commandments are not written in tablets of stone, but rather they are the things He whispers in our spirits every day. They are the things He tells us to do moment by moment. “My sheep hear My voice…and they follow me.” ^{John 10:27}

Final Thoughts: As I said at the beginning, love is not a gushy emotion but obedient action. Love and truth go hand in hand. John cautioned the church to be careful not to receive or tolerate false religions or their teachers. He wasn’t talking about unsaved visitors to our homes but about those who purposefully come to your door, or come through your media device, bringing a false teaching or a false Gospel. Those who deny the deity of Jesus. Those who add works to the Gospel. He even went so far as to tell us not to invite them into our homes nor bid them “Godspeed” which means to bless them in their work. Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” ^{Matthew 10:16} Thus we see love and truth come together. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ^{John 3:16} “If any preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed.” ^{Galatians 1:9} Love without truth, or truth without love will make our message unbalanced.

[AdHoc]

34 minutes ago, PATrobas said:

Reminders - Love and Truth

            Jesus said, “If you love me, keep my commandments.” ^{John 14:15} To love here is not to have a sexual attraction,  a strong affinity for someone or something, or to have a warm feeling of tender emotion. To love is action.  To love is to walk in the Spirit. To love is to walk by faith. To love is to walk in the truth of Scripture. The Apostle John used the word love 49 times in his writings, 23 times in 1 John alone. Listen to some of these familiar verses; “For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another,” ^3:11 “By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us,” ^3:16 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth,” ^3:18 “He who does not love does not know God, for God is love,” ^4:8 “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear… We love Him because He first loved us,” ^4:18-19 “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments, and His commandments are not burdensome.” ^5:3

           Sometimes we wrongfully equate obeying the commandments of Jesus as legalism. If we link the keeping of the law or the commandments as a means of salvation, then we would be correct to count it as legalistic, for it is written, “…for by grace are you saved by faith…not by works…” ^{Ephesians 2:8-9} But John is not speaking of how one obtains salvation. He is speaking to those who have been born again and that they are to walk in love and truth. 2 John 1:6 says, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments.” So, what are the commandments of Jesus that we are to do if we love Him? For us, His commandments are not written in tablets of stone, but rather they are the things He whispers in our spirits every day. They are the things He tells us to do moment by moment. “My sheep hear My voice…and they follow me.” ^{John 10:27}

Final Thoughts: As I said at the beginning, love is not a gushy emotion but obedient action. Love and truth go hand in hand. John cautioned the church to be careful not to receive or tolerate false religions or their teachers. He wasn’t talking about unsaved visitors to our homes but about those who purposefully come to your door, or come through your media device, bringing a false teaching or a false Gospel. Those who deny the deity of Jesus. Those who add works to the Gospel. He even went so far as to tell us not to invite them into our homes nor bid them “Godspeed” which means to bless them in their work. Jesus said, "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore, be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.” ^{Matthew 10:16} Thus we see love and truth come together. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” ^{John 3:16} “If any preach any other gospel unto you than that you have received, let him be accursed.” ^{Galatians 1:9} Love without truth, or truth without love will make our message unbalanced.

 

You have written many good points. And it is true that sloppy affection will not do in this case. But I would respectfully like to counter that LOVE is an EMOTION and IS necessary to obedience to our Lord and Head. The Bible uses three different words for LOVE. "Eros" - the love that first attracts. "Philadelphia" - the affection for another person irrespective of connection to that person. And "agape" - the virile love owned by the nature of God who can even love His enemies.

Peter's service to the Lord was tested based on love. Twice does our Lord ask Peter if he "agapes" Him. And twice does Peter answer, "I Philadelphia" you. Peter had learned that he was not to trust himself and would not promise "agape". Our Lord Jesus appreciates this and so the third time our Lord asks Peter if he "Philadelphias" Him. To this Peter answers, "you know Lord." The Lord then requests that Peter serve Him AND His Flock based on this Love.

[Alive]

2 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

You have written many good points. And it is true that sloppy affection will not do in this case. But I would respectfully like to counter that LOVE is an EMOTION and IS necessary to obedience to our Lord and Head. The Bible uses three different words for LOVE. "Eros" - the love that first attracts. "Philadelphia" - the affection for another person irrespective of connection to that person. And "agape" - the virile love owned by the nature of God who can even love His enemies.

Peter's service to the Lord was tested based on love. Twice does our Lord ask Peter if he "agapes" Him. And twice does Peter answer, "I Philadelphia" you. Peter had learned that he was not to trust himself and would not promise "agape". Our Lord Jesus appreciates this and so the third time our Lord asks Peter if he "Philadelphias" Him. To this Peter answers, "you know Lord." The Lord then requests that Peter serve Him AND His Flock based on this Love.

I love this response.

:-)

Peter was being broken, to the point where he was learning he was nothing without the Lord.

Such an important and recurring theme of late…I am encouraged.

[R. Hartono]

Try a little love thats what mama used to say.

[PATrobas]

1 hour ago, AdHoc said:

You have written many good points. And it is true that sloppy affection will not do in this case. But I would respectfully like to counter that LOVE is an EMOTION and IS necessary to obedience to our Lord and Head. The Bible uses three different words for LOVE. "Eros" - the love that first attracts. "Philadelphia" - the affection for another person irrespective of connection to that person. And "agape" - the virile love owned by the nature of God who can even love His enemies.

Peter's service to the Lord was tested based on love. Twice does our Lord ask Peter if he "agapes" Him. And twice does Peter answer, "I Philadelphia" you. Peter had learned that he was not to trust himself and would not promise "agape". Our Lord Jesus appreciates this and so the third time our Lord asks Peter if he "Philadelphias" Him. To this Peter answers, "you know Lord." The Lord then requests that Peter serve Him AND His Flock based on this Love.

I don't disagree with you concerning Peter, but as I stated and was talking about here is all "agape". We cannot "agape" in the flesh. It is God's love manifested in us only as we walk in the Spirit. Neither can we do the work of God in the flesh, or do the commands of Jesus. It is God who worketh in us both to will and do.(Phil.2:13)...and We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.(2Cor.4:7). Thus was the point of my OP. Blessings.

[Mr. M]

30 minutes ago, PATrobas said:

We cannot "agape" in the flesh.

Peter teaches that to go from brotherly love to agapao, we must be born again.

1 Peter 1:

22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit

in sincere philadelphia, agapao fervently with a pure heart, 

23 having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, 

through the word of God which lives and abides [m]forever

[AdHoc]

15 hours ago, Alive said:

I love this response.

:-)

Peter was being broken, to the point where he was learning he was nothing without the Lord.

Such an important and recurring theme of late…I am encouraged.

Yes. The impetuous Peter learned a heart-breaking lesson - one we must all learn. We are nothing and our love is so fickle and subject to circumstances. WE need the Life of Christ to be able to satisfy Christ. He loves unconditionally. But He is a Man. He loves to be loved. Thus His question to Peter. Often, in a quiet moment, I tell the Lord how much I need His nature - if only to love Him with a worthy love. Like Ephesus, we may bend our backs in service. But do we love Him?

 

14 hours ago, PATrobas said:

I don't disagree with you concerning Peter, but as I stated and was talking about here is all "agape". We cannot "agape" in the flesh. It is God's love manifested in us only as we walk in the Spirit. Neither can we do the work of God in the flesh, or do the commands of Jesus. It is God who worketh in us both to will and do.(Phil.2:13)...and We have this treasure in earthen vessels so that the excellency of the power may be of God and not of us.(2Cor.4:7). Thus was the point of my OP. Blessings.

No contest. I agree. According to John 20:30-31 the point of the gospel of John is to get God's life into man. This life contains the sum total of our Lord's human experience. We can love, but it is not a virile love. Much better we, as you say, turn to, and depend on, His life. Copying Christ is one thing, but actually living out His life in us is the way.

9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. 10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. (Ro 5:9–10)

Here, the twofold salvation - one by His death and one by His life.

[Alive]

3 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

Often, in a quiet moment, I tell the Lord how much I need His nature - if only to love Him with a worthy love.

We have this in common, just as it should be.

When I was a young minister, I used to look forward to being an old man because I thought that this would be more my experience and other things, but the reality as I am now old--is more awareness of the lack. These things seem to the natural man to be contradictory--but they are not.

[AdHoc]

2 minutes ago, Alive said:

We have this in common, just as it should be.

When I was a young minister, I used to look forward to being an old man because I thought that this would be more my experience and other things, but the reality as I am now old--is more awareness of the lack. These things seem to the natural man to be contradictory--but they are not.

It is an interesting phenomena. After years spent serving and obeying our Lord, we are more dissatisfied than the earlier years. I was perturbed by this until I discovered that many brothers and sisters of fame and stature had the same experience. Those that took the time to investigate found out that it was not lack of growth that brought this feeling upon them. It was caused by a much more delightful agent. The closer one gets to Jesus - the brighter His light shines. But who can stand in that light?

[FJK]

21 minutes ago, Alive said:

but the reality as I am now old--is more awareness of the lack

Are you certain that what you are calling "lack" is not just an opportunity for endless an increase to take delight in and look forward to?