Morning Musings with the boys at breakfast...
Lavish Love introduced us to a gauge of observing who belongs to Christ. We learned that those who deliberately continued to sin are likely not of Christ. Following, based on 1 John 3:11-15, we will be shown another measure of a Christian.
John appears to have recalled Jesus's words which seem to be a very natural part of him, so much so, that they just roll off his tongue; so to speak. Jesus said, "This is how all will know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another" (John 13:35). In 1 John 3:11, John reiterates it by saying, "We should love one another."
John says, "NOT like Cain who killed his brother". He said Cain "belonged to the evil one and his actions were "evil". The brother Abel's actions were "righteous".
The true mark of being "brothers in Christ" will be that we love one another. This is how we ourselves will know it and how others will know it.
That which characterizes the non-believer is that the action will be evil, hate, murder (even in the thoughts) will be manifested and these people "remain in death". There will not be eternal life for such a person. This is grievous and sad.
Verse 15 of 1 John 3:11-15, says that "no murderer has eternal life". This is true whether a person murders another or themselves. Committing suicide is still a felony. (I do not say this to judge anyone, more of a warning. Know that God loves you very much. He wants to give you eternal life and an abundant life in Him through Jesus. Live.)
One of Jesus's commandments is "to love your neighbor as yourself" (Deuteronomy 10:12; Mark 12:31).
If you love yourself then you will love others so if you would kill yourself you would shew you do not love yourself. This would also say you "hate your brother". Even hating your brother is equated to murder, according to these verses.
It is noted that many shootings, such as in the case of Columbine School and similar other tragedies, the shooter (s) shot several others and ended up shooting themselves as well.
Could this not stem from hating themselves? They did not know and/or understand God's love for them. Conversely, when we love ourselves then we will love others and show we have God's love in us, be able to accept and love ourselves, not in a selfish way, and be able to then love others. The contrast is startling.
Someone by the name of Amy Carmichael, loved so much that she gave her life for many years to India and her peoples. Many a girl child was rescued and cared for and brought to Christ. This was God's love shining out through Amy motivating her actions for the good and betterment of others.
The main thrust is the love of God needs to shine in our hearts first, then radiate out to others; to love them and to show it by our actions towards them. do NOT harbor hate against anyone as it is considered murder. Love for our brother and sister-in-Christ is what should characterize us, and so show we have eternal life.
What is the quality or standard of our love for one another to be? 1 John 3:16-31 gives us the answer. We are to love as Christ loved us. How much did He love us? He loved us enough to die for us. That is to be the quality of our love for our brother and sister-in-Christ too. Love them enough to die for them if need be; to go that extra mile for them; to help each other in whatever need we may have. Have pity on each other, for pity's sake!
We must learn to love with our actions as well as with our words and tongue. In actions and in truth. Genuine help to give not to get. Pure motive behind the helping. If we have the material possessions then have pity on that person in need and give the help needed.
We will know if we are loving with good action when our hearts don't condemn us; when they don't tell us something in the 'doing' is amiss. God will know that degree of quality. The rest of us looking on will be able to take measure of others but most importantly, to examine our own hearts and thoughts and actions whether or not they measure up to God's standard of Christian living. Whether or not we belong to Christ in the first place. God is our Judge. Do you belong to Christ? Let us show that we do.
~ERC 2016~
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