Love For Christ Brings Love For One Another

Not as the world loves, but love God's Way

Our desire is the same as the desire of Christ, "that all would be saved", even though we know not all will, we must speak truth for those who might. We are not responsible for the results but we will be judged according to our obedience for our rewards.

We are living in the last days in which there is little time left to tell the truth about salvation and very few people who will listen.

We must be led by the Holy Spirit as to our calling and as we hear Him we must obey, even if no one else believes us or supports us.

1 Corinthians 12:15-26
15 If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. 16 And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? 18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.
19 If they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now there are many members, but one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, “I have no need of you”; or again the head to the feet, “I have no need of you.”
22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;
23 and those members of the body which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our less presentable members become much more presentable,
24 whereas our more presentable members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,
25 so that there may be no division in the body, but that the members may have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it."

When are in contact with born again believers we feel all the things they feel. We care about all the things they care about, we negate no one nor do we elevate ourselves above anyone else.

The only good in any born again believer is Christ, without Him no one is good. It is Christ we elevate not man, but we love one another because of Christ in each one. We can recognize the gifts and callings in one another because of Christ.

John 13:34-35 "…34 A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” "

The missing element in the modern Christian church is the love for one another, this is the reason we see apostasy growing exponentially, because there is no love for Christ and thus no love for one another.

Boast Only About Christ

Narcissists continually boast about those they wish to be like as though the glory of others belongs to them. If they can just rub elbows with those they love to boast about, they might be considered by others just like them.

When we are focused on Christ we will love everyone but be impressed by no one. Only Christ impresses us, He gets all the glory all the time.

James 4:16
"But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil."

The desire to be like other men because of their perceived greatness, is effectively boasting about yourself and the association with those whom you hold in high regard.

Stop it, stop elevating men begin to desire to be like Christ and He will mold you as you should be.

Galatians 5:22-23
"22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law."

Never Boasting About Self or Others

Stop boasting vicariously in someone else's accomplishments as though association with them will bring glory to yourself. Boast only in what Christ has done in and through all believers including yourself.

2 Corinthians 10:15-16 "15 not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, 16 so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another."

Keep going as led by the Holy Spirit without concern about what others are doing. Never claiming what they are doing as our own and never assigning their work to their own hand but rather to the hand of God.

Psalm 145:9

Proverbs 17:5-7

"…5 Better an open rebuke than love that is concealed. 6 The wounds of a friend are faithful, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. 7 The soul that is full loathes honey, but to a hungry soul, any bitter thing is sweet.…"

The #1 Way To Identify A Narcissist

Psalm 141:4-5
"4 Do not incline my heart to any evil thing,
To practice deeds of wickedness
With men who do iniquity;
And do not let me eat of their delicacies.
5 Let the righteous smite me in kindness and reprove me;
It is oil upon the head;
Do not let my head refuse it,
For still my prayer is against their wicked deeds."

When a "Christian" rages at our correction without any interest in learning why we say or do what we do, we may be engaging with a pretender. One who claims to be a Christian but has no interest in communicating around the truths of the Bible.

Here are some things we may see in those who want to be seen as a Christian but have no real interest in the things of God.

Mike Riddle in Defense of the Creation