Let Love Continue
Hebrews 13 contains six virtues that characterize a Christian. The first virtue is love of the brethren. The writer to the Hebrew believers encouraged them to “let brotherly love continue” (verse 1). These Hebrew believers were facing various trials in their day – persecution for the Gospel. The theme of this book is the supremacy of Christ in all things. And, when we live out these six virtues, we are placing Christ above all other things that might try to invade our life.
The writer is pushing us to continue in love no matter what. While the Hebrew believers were facing trials, it is hard for us to understand what their circumstances were like. We do not know what it means to die for Jesus. We do not know what it means to be beaten or mocked as they probably were. Yet, as this world continues to age, and especially the United States, it will become more and more disagreeable with Christians.
We are starting to hit the tip of the iceberg in such areas as free speech. It is already a law in Canada that Christians cannot preach against homosexuality. It is considered a hate crime. So we need to be prepared that persecution is on the horizon. Maybe not right this moment, but it will happen in the years to come.
Therefore Christian, I urge you, as Hebrews 13:1 does, “Keep on loving each other as brothers” (NIV). We are to let our love for one another endure, be present, remain, and stand in the light of all that we will experience for Christ. It saddens me to read the blogs of so many within Christendom; you do not see brotherly love - you see fighting over various issues. And yes, I too believe that it is important to discuss theology and doctrine. But not to let the world see us fighting over it. So, I leave you with this first virtue of love. Seek today to love your brothers and sisters in Christ. For Jesus said, “Love one another just as I have loved you” (John 15:12).
posted by Julia @ 7:36 AM
14 comments
14 Comments:
Truly an inspiring WORD.
Thanks for the reminder.
How do we stand for doctrinal purity and remain loving at the same time? It's like loving the sinner while hating the sin: it's a hard path to blaze. Thanks be to God for illuminating our steps!
Julia, By the way I never told you what an excellent job you do on your commentaries. I really enjoy the fine work you do.And I agree we Christians need to express more love for one another than we do.But I must say without reservation that the Calvinist or other persuasion as some like to be referred to spend more time telling people how they can't be saved rather than spreading the gospel(good news) how they can be saved.I hope I do not offend anyone by saying this. But I think it needs to be said.
In reply to what Daniel Taylor said,Doctrinal purity is loving them.To state the word of our Lord, "the TRUTH will set you free" they first must know the truth.
HE also said the world would know
them by their love
Peter wrote to be ferverent in your love for one one another for LOVE covers a multitude of sins.
It will happen if we seek GOD and
ask HIM to show us wisdom in how to love.
A great way to find out about LOVE
is reading 1st Corinthians 13.
Thanks, Anonymous, for that fine advice! We must rest on Christ for guidance--alone, we will always fall into snobbishness and anger, as Julia mentioned regarding many "Christian" blogs.
JHPD, why would you think you need to say that about Calvanist? I must say without reservation that you worry to much about Calvanist and what you think they do or do not believe and what they do or do not do. I have told (probably more than you)and will tell many people how they can be saved. Of course, your comment is going to be offensive and really there was no need in writing it. So, you just need to stop being so tiffed at Calvanist people, love them as brothers and sisters in Christ, and stop worrying and be done with it. I promise, if you met me and knew me you would love me. Just ask Julia, she sure does (and she says she is not a calvanist)! Guess what, I love her back and don't care if she is or is not as long as she believes in Christ!
In response to the last comment I would like to say I agree,because I
So believe in the doctrine of GOD'S
SOVREIGN ELECTION.I have never been so busy telling people they can never be saved I would never do this,I too have witnessed to many people ,the down and out,the
the down right heathen,people on drugs,street thugs etc,In Romans
1:14 Paul calls them barbarians
Paul said I am under obligation to
both the Greek and barbarians.
I heard John Piper preach a message on this verse and ever since I look at them and the HOLY SPIRIT just seems to say" you are under obligation to them",
THIS IS SO THRILLING.Folks these are not nice little Sunday school people,I dare say most nice "church people " in our area would not talk to them and would probably ask them to leave chhurch if they showed up.
I have many to visit at my church.
I have no idea if they were saved or not. That is GOD'S business.
Finally a comment on the so called sinner's prayer.I was asked to sit at a dying woman's bedside at her request.She asked her family to leave the room.She shared that she did not know how one could know if they would go to heaven.I asked if she trusted CHRIST as SAVIOR.Some many years ago she had prayed for HIM to save her,but had no peace in her life and said she had not lived for HIM.I felt so burdened for her,I sat there sharing the GOSPEL with her.Calvanism was NEVER mentioned nor thought of!!
I do not know if she was saved or not. Some smily preachers visited her before she slipped of into eternity some where.I hope that they told her to trust CHRIST and not the prayer she prayed.
In response to comment # 7. I did not mean calvinist do not tell people how to get saved. They do, it just seems like they put a lot of restrictions such as do not walk the aisle, do not pray the sinners prayer, etc. I am sorry you misunderstood me.
comments to #7 again.Do not take it so personal anonymous.My comments are not meant to be taken personal.I love you with the love of the Lord as a brother/sister in Christ.We areon the same page.I am just stating my general disagreement with the calvinistic doctrine.I am sure there are many evangelistic calvinist out there.Believe me I know both sides of the issue very well.I know the calvinistic argument as well as the Arminian counter arguement. I choose to believe the Arminian side over the calvinistic side.It makes more sense to me.If I do not understand something then I usually go the other direction.The calvinist doctrine is too confusing for the average person to understand.I can almost guarantee you the average christian who claims to be a calvinist does not really understand what he/she believes.They just take some preachers word on it without attempting to find out on their own what the truth is.By the way preachers are split on this issue too.I just really have a hard time understanding why some preachers take the calvinistic view when it is so divisive and hard to understand.And so much scripture supporting the other view.
http://www.towersonline.net/story.php?grp=news&id=352
Please see this article at the above link, "Patterson, Mohler: Calvinism shouldn’t divide Southern Baptists."
Who in scripture prayed a sinner's
prayer?
Was there an altar call in the BIBLE??
JESUS told Nicodemus you must be born again.
Jesus told the rich young ruler to sell all his possessions and give to the poor.
Jesus confronted the woman at the well and scripture says that HE HAD TO PASS through Samaria.
Paul was struck with blindness and would never found the altar.
Zacheous climbed a tree to see JESUS.
GOD called Abraham from the land of Chaldeas.
GOD shut Noah and his family inside the ark.
In Hebrews chapter 11 we have the great list of the great cloud of witnesses I find no such altar call or sinners prayer.
I know of people who are on drugs,living in adultery,in jail,never set foot in a church,have no spiritual fruit,but some where along the way they prayed or walked an isle as a small child,BUT THEY GOT SAVED !!!???
Just because something is not in scripture does not make it right or wrong. Smoking pot or taking drugs is not in scripture either but we all know it is wrong.You can get saved driving down the road in your car or sitting home but if somebody wants to get saved by walking an aisle or saying the sinners prayer then I do not think we should discourage them from doing so.Believe me I know where you are going with this discussion. You think man can do nothing apart from God prompting him to do so.You may or may not be right.I would not stake my life on it either way.I do know different people are saved not always the same way. We are not all going to be saved like Paul on the Damascus road.But I do believe without a shadow of doubt we have to hear the Word of God before we can be saved.By the way how were you saved ? Look, we could go on and on with this discussion but we are not going to resolve the issue. I could give you an answer to every point you made but I am not going to. I am going to let you have the last word in this if you so CHOOSE to. I rest my case with the Bible and I hope you do the same.
Julia,
I have been thinking that you need to watch the # of comments concerning certain disagreements on your blog. We have been posting (me included) on this issue on several of the blog topics and I don't want lost guests to read all of them and get discouraged by Christians not agreeing on every thing (some things are just mysteries). Maybe we should just keep it down to discussing the issue on one or two entries.
Your writings are truly inspiring and I don't want to be a part of taking away from your commentaries on God's Word. Besides, no one is going to change their sides. And, that's okay. God bless and I know that we can all agree as children of God in: CHRIST ALONE. Nothing added to salvation. Repent and receive HIM wherever you are in what ever manner. I know that I got saved using a sinner's prayer at an alter call (and oh my gosh, I am a believer in election). I do agree with JPHD that sometimes certain people in certain groups go to the extreme and can make it like jumping through hoops for a sinner to get saved. In my mind, that is ridiculous because I believe that if the Holy Spirit is drawing them then give them opportunity to repent and profess. We just have to be careful not to let the devil get us too caught up in this issue and be a deterant to the real mission of spreading the good news!
I totally agree with comment #14
I had also thought the same thing.
I had a feeling that GOD might not
be pleased and after all,its not about us,ITS ALL ABOUT HIM!!! and
making much of JESUS.
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