In our culture today we experience much manipulation, those who attempt to make us feel guilty about doing what is right.
1 Peter 3:16 "and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ will be put to shame."
There are those who have reviled us for keeping to the highest standard for marriage according to God's principles in His Word.
There are those who revile us for preaching modesty in clothing.
There are those who revile us for standing against various wicked movies, false preachers, attitudes that don't honor God and much more.
We live in a world, within the apostate church, that loves their sin and will come against anyone who teaches the truth about God's judgement on these things.
The excuse these revilers use is that we are to "love" everyone, meaning in their mind, that we never challenge anyone to greater holiness, nor do we withdraw from those who refuse to obey God.
1 John 1:6 "If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth;"
Love never means to help believers enjoy their sin. God's love warns those who are in sin to bring them back to full fellowship with Him.
Titus 3:10 "Reject a factious man after a first and second warning,"
Hebrews 12:25 "See to it that you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven."
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who remains steadfast under trial, for when he has stood the test he will receive the crown of life, which God has promised to those who love him."
Isaiah 57:15 "For thus says the high and exalted One Who lives forever, whose name is Holy, "I dwell on a high and holy place, And also with the contrite and lowly of spirit In order to revive the spirit of the lowly And to revive the heart of the contrite."
Contrite: Having or show deep sorrow
Lowly: Humble and Meek
Meek: Patient and Mild
Love: Strong affecton
When we have a strong affection for someone, as we should for our brothers and sisters in Christ, we care deeply concerned about their spiritual well being much more than their temporary happiness or pleasure.
How do we love God's way?
1 Peter 1:22 "Since you have in obedience to the truth purified your souls for a sincere love of the brethren, fervently love one another from the heart,"
1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love abides in death,"
1 John 5:2 "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments."
Wow, did we see that? We love the brethren by obeying God. God never says that we love the brethren by ignoring their sin and just making them happy. He never says love the brethren by giving them what they want. Our love for the brethren must be based on our much greater love for God.
Luke 14:26 ""If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple."
Our love for God ought to be so great that the desires of any human being would never take precedence over God's desires. In most families today relatives dominate our actions much more than God's principles. We base almost all we do on what the family wants, negating God's desires to remain close with unsaved and disobedient family members.
Ephesians 6: 12 -- "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places [from on high]."
Our love should be greater and deeper than any form of human love. We love as God did, dying to self for the sake of others, even being willing to be rejected by them to be sure they had the warning that Christ is coming soon and their eternal soul is at stake.
Those who are believers must challenge one another constantly to greater holiness to be a blessing to God.
1 Peter 1:14-16 "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”
Ephesians 4:30 "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."
Those who are unsaved must be warned of the wrath to come, giving them the opportunity to trust Christ and be cleansed by Him, knowing that if they place their trust in Christ He will make them a new creation while snatching them from the fires of hell.
Romans 2:5 "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,"
Jude 1:23 "And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh."
Hebrews 9:27 "And just as people are appointed to die once, and then to face judgment,"
It's almost over now, not much time is left before Christ will return to take out His Bride. As believers our desire is that many more will place their trust in Christ before it is too late.
