Chapter 02 – Fruit Of The Spirit

Love – Fruit Of The Spirit

“The Fruit Of The Spirit Is Love . . .” (Gal 5:22)

     Whether we might admit it or not, most of us have decided that there are vital things to assure our salvation and Eternal Life, and things good and desirable, but not necessarily vital. No doubt this is true, but our difficulty is in determining which is which. What are the things that are absolutely, unequivocally necessary to salvation? What are the things that are good and desirable, but are not absolutely necessary to salvation?

      In our fellowship we have emphasized faith and baptism, based upon the “great commission” given the apostles by Jesus, and demonstrated by Peter in the first declaration of the New Covenant recorded in Acts 2, and especially verse 38.

We who have preached for some time have received some scorn by certain ones for emphasizing this statement by Peter. I’ve heard “water salvation,” and “baptismal regeneration,” and other terms. The story of Tyke Plummer. The two vans going to ACU lectureship.

So we have settled on faith and baptism as absolutely essential to forgiveness of sins. And so the Scriptures teach. But is this all that Acts 2 teaches?

Acts Chapter 2

      Peter goes into detail showing that Jesus was the predicted and anticipated Messiah. The great conclusion of the sermon is this:

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ" (v.36).

Not Only Christ, but Lord!

      Now these words are even more significant, because Peter not only proclaims Jesus as the Christ, but also Lord. Now there is a big difference between the two, and it is important that we notice them together as Peter puts them together. It is quite possible for one to believe that Jesus is the Christ (Messiah; the promised, anointed, crowned one), and yet not claim him as Lord. As a matter of fact, in the Scriptures we have incident after incident where this is true. For example, there were chief priests who believed on him but they would not confess him lest they be cast out of the Synagogue, for they love the praise of men more than the praise of God. They "believed," no doubt, but they did not accept him as their Lord.

      Now, it is important that we understand that this is for us as well as them. Not only are we to believe on him as the Christ, the Messiah, the anointed one, the one selected by God to bring forgiveness, salvation, redemption to mankind, but it is necessary for us to own him as master, as Lord, as the very controlling influence of our lives. Now this is what Peter is emphasizing. God has made him both Lord, and Christ. This very Jesus, whom you have crucified.

      What happened at this point? According to verse 37:

"Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles, men and brethren, what shall we do?"

Verse 38 - A Pivotal Verse

      And now verse 38, truly one of the most significant verses in all of Scripture:

"Repent, and be baptized," says Peter, "every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

Three Parts - Two Commands And One Promise

1. Repent: Change your mind. Concerning what? About this man Jesus being the Messiah, the Christ and Son of God. Repent of the wickedness you have done in taking his life.

2. Be Immersed: Be immersed into him for the remission of sins

3. Receive The Holy Spirit: And you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Faith in Jesus, baptism for forgiveness of sin, and the gift of the Holy Spirit. This is the process of salvation taught so beautifully in this 38th verse.

      He reminds them that there had been a promise of this, and it is to them, and to their children, and to them all that are afar off -- I think both by time and space, all the way down the years to here, and now -- even as many as the Lord our God shall call. (v.39). Hopefully millions and millions!

The Five Finger Exercise

      At this point it would be well, and I trust interesting, to study a little bit of what we refer to in our brotherhood as "restoration history." Most of us are familiar with the early restoration work done by several men, one of whom was Walter Scott. When Scott began in 1824 there were few disciples in America, and he wanted to reach the masses. He developed an approach that seemed to work well, and as a consequence of this thousands were baptized. Scott became known as the "golden orator," and after a few decades the disciples did not number in a few thousands, but many. By 1832 over twelve thousand people had been baptized into Christ, largely because of this one man, Walter Scott.

      One thing that he did was to take Acts 2:38 and make it understandable. He came up with what has become known in our history as the "five finger exercise." Scott had a way with people. He was very personable. He was the very essence of simplicity, even though he was a brilliant man and an extraordinary speaker. He had a unique way with children, and when he would go into a town to hold a Gospel meeting (in a school building usually, for if it were in a brush arbor, Scott, being usually the only one at that time interested in the meeting would have to build it himself) he would go to school. When school let out he would gather the children around him and say,

"Now, Johnny, what does it take for one to become a Christian?"

Then he would take out his fingers, and numbering off would say, "Believe, repent, and be baptized -- now that is what a man is to do. Then God gives him" -- and he would continue numbering off on his fingers -- "the forgiveness of sins and the Holy Spirit."

Now can you say that back to me?" And the children would say it back to him: "Believe, repent, and be baptized -- and this is what man must do -- and God gives remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit."

"That's right," he would say, and then to the children he would say: "Now go home and teach this to your mother and father and bring them to our meeting tonight."

This was most successful and helped him get many a mother and father to come and hear him in the Gospel Meeting.

      It is interesting that when the Campbells heard of his great success they came to investigate and upon seeing first hand what he was doing they concluded that he was just making preaching plain and easy to understand, and workable, and they gave him their undivided approval and blessing.

What Has Happened

      It is interesting to note what has happened to this five finger exercise in modern times. Probably all of us have heard it all of our lives. But have you learned it just as it has been described so far? Faith, repentance, baptism, remission of sins, and gift of the Holy Spirit? Now that is the way that Walter Scott lined it out. And this is what Acts 2:38 says. But how have most of us heard this? First, hear, then believe, then repent, then confess, then be baptized. This is the "Gospel plan of salvation," it is taught.

      One of the most interesting things about this is that these are all the things that man does. It is also interesting that we have made a step out of hearing, which would of course be obvious before one could believe, and we have made a step out of confessing, although it is not always mentioned in the Scriptures. Paul's conversion is an example. And without attempting to be tedious, technical, or argumentative, Acts 2:38 really does say :

"Repent and be baptized in His name, and you will receive the remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit."

      It is more remarkable that as we have changed this we have left out the Holy Spirit entirely. It is obvious that those who became disciples of Christ in the days of early America were taught that they would indeed receive the Holy Spirit. It is obvious that much of our preaching today does not so promise. And yet, to be honest in our preaching today we must either admit that the promise of God is still as it was once taught, or explain why it is not the same. Anything less would be dishonest, it would seem.

      The fact that many teachers, preachers and church leaders do not accept the fact of the gift of the Spirit has not kept multiplied thousands of saints from realizing that they have been wonderfully blessed by it. Yes indeed. They know beyond any doubt that they do have resources of power that the non-believer simply does not possess. Furthermore, it would seem a proven fact that when many fall away it is usually because they have lost sight of the tremendous power that was made available to them, the power that could have helped them overcome temptation.

Why Not

      Many of the objections to the doctrine of the giving and receiving of the Holy Spirit are based upon the fear that one would not distinguish between:

Possessing (having, etc.) the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9) and God (v.14; etc), which is not only promised but commanded for all believers (Eph. 5:18; etc.)

And having spiritual gifts that empowered one to perform extraordinary feats (Heb. 2:4; etc).

The former is for all men of all ages; the latter was provided by God for the Apostolic age and has not been promised or needed in these latter days.

Another fear is that one might too easily substitute carnal feelings (so often mistakenly called "leadings of the Holy Spirit"), for the revealed will of God of the Word.

We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that:

1. There is no conflict whatever between possession of the Holy Spirit, and,

2. Knowing and obeying God's law.

We furthermore believe that those who follow so-called "leadings" of the Spirit, when these "leadings" are contrary to the Scriptures, are obviously deluded. Acts 5:32 clearly teaches that God gives the Holy Spirit to "those who obey him."

The Fruit Of The Spirit

      Apparently many Christians feel that creating and maintaining the right relationship with our fellow man falls into the second category -- good and desirable, but not necessarily vital for one to be saved; not absolutely necessary to permit one to spend eternity with the Lord. Now, is this thinking correct? Or, are these who feel this way mistaken? What does the Word of God say. Now remember, we are interested in God's standard of righteousness, and not man's.

       We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that our attitude toward our neighbor generally, and our conduct toward him specifically, IS a vital matter. We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that one simply cannot be a Christian -- in the true sense of the word -- without imitating the life of the Christ in this respect. We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that one simply cannot be a disciple of the Lord -- in the true sense of the word -- without obeying the Lord's commands concerning love of brethren. We believe that the Scriptures clearly teach that one simply cannot be a child of God -- in the truest sense of the word -- without striving to acquire the nature of the Father. This means that there is a compelling urgency that we put on the right mindset toward our neighbor, and strive diligently to develop and maintain a right relationship with all brethren, and as far as possible with our neighbors in the world.

WHAT THE BIBLE SAYS

      I've heard it said by some who disagree with the above belief that preachers who advocate such are "getting soft" doctrinally. Preachers who teach such, so they say, are "getting away from the fundamentals." Is this charge true?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental than that without which "I am nothing." In those well known and oft quoted passages from Paul's great chapter on love, 1 Corinthians 13, he lists three great gifts. He says:

      (1) "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels," and,

      (2), "though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge," and,

      (3) "though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains" . . .

Now if I have these things but lack love, "I am nothing." The attitude of love then is fundamental, isn't it?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental than that without which all my work "profiteth me nothing." Paul says: "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned" - and yet, now note - "have not love, it profiteth me nothing." I gain nothing from all this sacrifice, from all this generosity - if I do not have love. The attitude of love then is fundamental, isn't it?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental than that without which I cannot "know" God. "He that loveth not," says John, "knoweth not God, for God is love" (1 John 4:8). The implications of knowing God are many. Surely knowing God is the same as having a Father-child relationship with God. Surely knowing God is being associated with the giver of life (John 5:26; 1 John 5:11,12; etc.), which is only in God. The attitude of love then is fundamental, isn't it?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental that that without which I am not "of God?" John says: "In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil; whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother" (1 John 3:10). The attitude of love then is fundamental, isn't it?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental than that without which it is apparent that I have not been "born again?" Jesus told Nicodemus that one would have to be "born again" if he hoped to see the kingdom of God. John says: "We know that we have passed from death unto life" - that is, we have been born again - "because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death" (1 John 3:14). Surely passing from death to life requires one to be born again. We know we have been born again because - now this is the way we can know for sure - because we love the brethren. Furthermore, John says: "Every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:1-3). The attitude of love is fundamental, isn't it?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental than that without which I can not possess "eternal life?" In the beautiful story of the "good Samaritan" Jesus himself teaches this truth:

"A certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? how readest thou? and he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbor as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live" (Luke 10:25-28). The attitude of love is fundamental, isn't it?

      In answer to this charge, what could be more fundamental than that without which I disobey the more important commandments. Jesus himself, in answer to a lawyer's question as to the "great commandment," said: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" (Matt. 22:37-39). The attitude of love is fundamental, isn't it?

    And so we conclude from this abundance of evidence that love IS vital to our salvation; that one who is void of love cannot be a Christian, cannot be a disciple of the Lord, and cannot be a child of God. The inevitable conclusion is that he is not saved, and cannot inherit eternal life.

What Do the Scriptures Say About Love

      It is surprising to many of us how much the Scriptures say about our relationship with our fellow man. It is extremely important that we study and know all that should be known of God's will on this subject. Obedience begins with knowing what the Lord has said.

1. Love Was A Major Commandment To The Disciples

      First, consider the apostles. Please re-read John 13-17. Jesus is just before being arrested and sent to the cross. He is giving them a “last minute” encouragement. Think! A basic principle of understanding Scripture is to know who is talking, and to whom he is talking. To his beloved disciples he says, “A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (13:34,35). A new commandment? How could this be? For God had from the beginning commanded his people to love one another.

      In 15:12-14 Jesus says, “This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.” Now they were determined to give careful attention to the Lord’s commandments. He had previously said, “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (14:15), and in verse 21, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.”

      While spoken in this instance to his select twelve, the truth was for all in his day, and surely in our day also. Did they remember what the Lord said about obedience? "Not every one that sayeth unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 7:21). Doing the will of the Father is surely the same as keeping the commandments of Jesus. If not, why not? And so, those who kept the commandments of the Lord Jesus then -- and certainly the same today -- are the only ones who "shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven." And again to his disciples and a great multitude, in Luke’s beautiful account in chapter 6, "Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). Doing the things the Lord Jesus says is surely the same as keeping His commandments. If not, why not? And so, those alone were to be true servants, and would enter the Kingdom, (for which Jesus taught them to pray) who keep His commandments.

      The disciples’ love for one another must have been heavily on Jesus’ mind, for he repeats the command again:

“These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me. If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloke for their sin. He that hateth me hateth my Father also” (15:17-23).

      Now, the kingdom of Christ is here and now. And, it goes without further saying that when our Lord speaks today through the Apostle’s Word, we must listen.

      John, the “apostle of love,” wrote: "Hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him" (1 John 2:3,4). For those who rationalize somehow that a man can truly love God and not love his spiritual brother, John says: "For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous" (1 John 5:3). "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? and this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (1 John 4:20,21).

      It would seem that some feel that some of Jesus’ commands are more important than others, as we have referenced above. We need to talk today about those things that we know to be vital matters of salvation. We need to talk about baptism for the remission of sins. (Mark 16:16). We need to talk about not forsaking the assemblies (Heb 10:24,25). Now those of us who try to love God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves would never deliberately forsake these assemblies where thankful brethren meet together to shout out praise and thanksgiving to Him. One would appear terribly ungrateful for the greatest gift of all time, were he to ignore the memorial feast ordained by the Lord Himself. We who do recognize both the commandment and the precious significance of the Lord's death would never forsake this memorial feast. We need to talk about these things for they too are included in Jesus’ "This is my commandment?" We need to talk about liberal giving to His work of carrying the Gospel to all the world; of caring for the poor and needy. We need to talk about, as Paul said to the Corinthians, those that sow bountifully will also reap bountifully; that we will be blessed in our liberality. Jesus said, "Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured you again" (Luke 6:38).

 Yes, it is important that we observe ALL of the commands of our Lord. Are some commandments more important than others? Did not James say: "For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all?" (2:10). As evidence, he continues: "For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law" (v. 11). And so, is not this commandment to love one's brother just as vital, just as essential, as the commandments concerning faith, or repentance, or confession, or baptism, or any other commandment? If not, why not!

2. The Bible Says That A Child Of God Must Love Even His Enemies.

      But someone might say, "I see why we should love one another. That is, brothers and sisters, and friends, and family. But the Lord commands, "Love your enemies." Now this is something else. How can we love an enemy? There is little doubt that most of us have wrestled with this problem. If I am expected to have the same feeling of affection for somebody that is my enemy, who is hostile and antagonistic to me, as I have for my friends and family, I would just have to admit that I am not able. I would have to be an altogether different person than I am. For most of us, this would just be impossible.

      Fortunately for us, the law of God never requires the impossible. The difficult thing is often required, but never the impossible. So, if the Bible commands it; if the Lord wants it, this means that we can and should do it. The Lord never calls upon us to do something or be something that we just are unable to do or be. How then can we "love our enemies?"

      It is unfortunate that our English word "love" does not adequately translate the different Greek words used in the original New Testament language. For example, there is "phileo," which indicates emotional love, feelings of warmth and affection, such as that that a husband and wife have for one another, or parents and children have for one another, or close friends have for one another. This word is never used in any passage where we are commanded to "love our enemies."

      In the instances where one is commanded to love his enemies, there is another word used. It is "agape." It is a word that means a selfless, mental, reasonable, willful love. The first word "phileo" always has within it the basis of selfishness. Nearly all emotional love must have this, not in a bad sense, but in the sense of being satisfied, pleased and gratified. You can hardly separate self from emotional love. But agape love means that a person respects, appreciates, and extends kind and merciful conduct toward the other person for the sole reason that it is right conduct for one striving to be a follower of Christ. This person may not necessarily, from a human emotional standpoint, want to do so. In fact, he may, from an emotional standpoint, want not to show any kind thought, word or deed. From a human standpoint he may not feel satisfied or gratified from his thought or deed. His satisfaction will come from knowing in his mind and in his spirit that he has done the right thing, and that the Lord will accept his thought or deed, and he will receive a blessing from his Lord from having done so.

      This is "agape" love. This is the love that is demonstrated in God so loving the world that He was willing to give His only begotten son to save the world. (John 3:16.) This is the love that the Lord requires of us when He commands us to love our enemies, although probably lacking the warmth and affection that one would normally and naturally give a dear one.

      As an example of a case of agape love that saved a marriage, I am reminded of the following example:

A husband had mistreated his wife over a long period of time, and strangely she had remained loyal and loving to him, and tried her best to be a good wife. Years went by and for some reason he repented and "came to himself," and began to live an altogether different lifestyle. He became kind and generous, and showered her with affection and attention. On more than one occasion he told her that she must have "loved him a great deal" to put up with him all during that difficult period. Over and over he repeated this until it became a source of irritation to her. And on one such occasion when he told her again how much she "must have loved him to put up with him all those years," in a weak moment she vented her irritation by saying: "You don't understand at all! I did not love you at all. I was disgusted with you and really wanted to hurt you. I really wanted to leave you and forget you. But I didn't because I was trying to be a Christian. I didn't love you at all, but I did love Jesus, and I knew He would want me to be a good wife, and that is why I did it. Do you understand now?"

We read somewhere of a woman who went to a lawyer to get a divorce from her husband. She seemed to hate him so much that she wanted to hurt him as much as possible. The lawyer gave her the following advice: "For the next six months," he said, "try to do everything you can for your husband. Think of his every need; do everything you can for him to fulfill his needs without thinking of anything in return. Then your husband will come to love you so much and become so dependent on you that when you leave him he will be crushed." Well, at the end of six months, the woman did not return to the lawyer. He happened to see her on the street about a year later and asked her how her project was coming along. Her reply was this: "Well, I carried out your advice, and I found that I fell more in love with my husband than I had ever been before, and I wouldn't leave him now for anything in the world."

      Now this example might well be an example of agape love in action, although the lawyer probably did not have such in mind. But the example is exactly what Paul might have meant when he said to the Romans:

"Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. . . . Recompense to no man evil for evil. . . . If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men. Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head. Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good" (Rom. 12:14-21).

3. The Bible Says That Love Of Brethren Must Be Sincere.

      A misunderstanding of the principles of Biblical love has caused many a person to become hypocritical in a show of emotion which was not actually felt. To feint a smile when within he does not feel it; to wish someone well when within he really does not desire it; to express affection when one really does not mean it; but done with a well-intentioned but misguided idea that this is what the Scriptures teach, is plain and simple hypocrisy. We are doing something to show that we have something that we simply do not have -- and this is hypocrisy.

      Dale Carnegie, by my judgment, wrote the most successful book on human relations that has yet been written, “How To Win Friends And Influence People.” One of the most often expressed criticisms of his work was that those who "give honest and sincere appreciation," as he urged them to do, did so to get something from the other person. No genuine thought was expressed; no genuine feeling of respect and appreciation existed, the critics said. Just a fabricated compliment that would flatter the ego and self esteem of the other and cause him to respond with some favor. It is a fact, known to all who were associated with the world famous course or knew Mr. Carnegie, that he zealously and frequently condemned such for what it was -- hypocrisy! He literally demanded that his instructors never do it, or teach it, or even permit it to be advocated in the talks of class members. I know this to be true, for I was one of them.

      But we've all seen many well-meaning brethren do exactly this very thing that Mr. Carnegie condemned, under the false idea that this is what the Lord commanded. He did not! We all have seen parents who made young children go hug and kiss one another to show they have "made up" after a fight. This can probably be justified for children, although I doubt that much repentance was felt at the moment. But I seriously question that it is proper for adults, unless there is a genuine feeling of regret and forgiveness.

      Paul says, "Let (agape) love be without dissimulation" (Rom. 11:9). One translation says, "be unfeigned." The R.S.V. says, "be genuine." Peter says, "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently" (1 Peter 1:22). The words "without dissimulation" and "unfeigned" come from the Greek word "hupokrisis," which means "acting of a stage-player, a pretender" (Vines). It is the word used of Peter in Gal. 2:13. Peter had done something that caused Paul to say that he "was to be blamed" (v.11). What had he done? He had acted hypocritically. He had pretended to believe one thing when he actually believed another, and acted one way one time and a different way another under the same circumstances. (See vs.11-21.)

      Now concerning this love of brethren, Paul says: Don't act hypocritically. Don't play-act. Don't pretend. Be sincere. Peter says: "Love one another with a pure heart, fervently." Have a pure and clean heart. Love zealously, warmly, earnestly. The idea of sincerity and earnestness is clearly urged.

      An objector will say: "Well, I guess I have to love my Christian brother, but I don't have to like him." Well, this is not exactly the truth.

      Paul says: "Let agape love be without hypocrisy . . . and . . . be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly (phileo) love; in honor preferring one another." Cultivate a kind, emotional, brotherly feeling toward other brethren, and actually take the lead, excel, in showing preferential treatment for the other.

      Peter says: "Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned (phileo) love of the brethren, see that ye (agape) love one another with a pure heart, fervently." He says to have a brotherly feeling toward others, and also, show the kind of love that Christ would show, out of a pure heart, and do it earnestly.

      In the passages above the two kinds of love are brought together. Agape love -- the mental, volitional concern of well-being for another, and the affectionate, emotional feeling, as we say, "liking," are bound together into one commandment. And, by different apostles, Paul and Peter.

      Misunderstanding of agape love, and believing that affection must be felt for all those we are commanded to love, has caused some at times to just ignore and avoid all except those whom they "like." These live in a twilight zone of not loving, but trying to not hate those whom they do not like. They are aware of such commandments as that of Paul, "speak evil of no man" (Titus 3:3). They know that John said that "whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer, and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him" (1 John 3:15). The Lord himself said that "he that despiseth you despiseth me, and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me" (Luke 10:16). So they must not be caught hating. They're "between a rock and a hard place" in this matter of fulfilling the commandment to love their brother.

      The mature Christian has learned the difficulty of taking Jesus at His word at difficult times. This is the real test of faith. Am I going to do what I know to do, in spite of the fact that I don't want to do it. Truth is known to have both the ability to harden as well as soften. One man stated that he had heard so many sermons on "love, love, love that it had made him hate, hate, hate." The conflict that comes about when we know to do good, but do not want to do good will cause many strange things to happen in our minds and in our hearts. Will Rogers is supposed to have said that he "never met a man he didn't like." Bette Davis has responded to this by saying that "obviously he never met Howard Cosell." Abraham Lincoln once said, "I do not like that man. I must get better acquainted with him." The magnanimousness of the great humanitarian is demonstrated in such statements.

      The right attitude and conduct is undoubtedly shown in Jesus' example from the Sermon on the Mount. While we might claim to misunderstand the Lord in many other matters, such could never be the case in such statements as the following. He says to his fellow Jews:

"Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbour and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketh his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? and if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so? Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect" (Matt. 5:43-48).

      It would seem impossible to love men individually and specifically, unless you knew them individually and specifically. We must however have the right attitude generally about all men whether or not we ever know them specifically. "Love the brotherhood," Peter said. (1 Peter 2:17.) But, when we are exposed to men in the common confrontations of life specifically, we are required to love them specifically. "Salute every saint in Christ Jesus," Paul said. (Phil. 4:21.) Salute means to greet, and pay due respects to. This love that is commanded is agape love, and is well expressed by Paul, "As you have opportunity, do that which is good to all men, especially to them who are of the household of faith" (Gal. 6:10). Treat all men well in all the inter-actions of life, and treat brethren especially well.

      But the objector will say, "I don't always know how to treat others." James' statement is probably valid to this point: "To him that knoweth to do good and doeth it not, to him it is sin" (4:17). And, although spoken in the context of giving to the work of the Lord, Paul says: "For if there be first a willing mind, it is accepted according to that a man hath, and not according to that he hath not" (2 Cor. 8:12). Rather than be concerned what we might do "if and when," we ought to do the best we can "here and now." But this leads us to our next point, that,

4. The Bible Says That Love Must Be Expressed.

      One of the great failings of mankind is in substituting abstract love, or thought of good will, for some specific expression in word or good deed. This is why someone has said, "It is easier to love humanity abstractly than some of our neighbors concretely." Certain it is that it has been easier to love enemies "generally" than some brethren "specifically." It is apparent that the Bible recognizes this dilemma. James uses this example:

"What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? Can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: show me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works" (2:14-18).

John uses the same logic concerning love:

"Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?" (1 John 3:16,17).

John continues by laying down a commandment principle: "Let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth" (v. 18).

It is all too easy to believe and preach -- and yet not practice -- what the Scriptures say about love. We know intellectually that we ought to love. We know that we ought to love all men. But as one man has said, "It is often easier to love even an enemy abstractly than a friend or neighbor concretely." And so we love "humanity" generally and then are unkind to our wife and children (friends, neighbors) specifically. We love "our country" abstractly, but speak disrespectfully, specifically, of our country's leaders and laws. We love "our government" abstractly but find fault constantly, specifically, with those who run it. As Shakespeare once said, "Consistency, thou art a jewel!" (It really is!)

      If the story of the good Samaritan teaches anything, and it surely does, it teaches the law of "specificity" -- the actualizing of principles, the doing of specific deeds as an answer to convictions held. This man from Samaria did not go back home and write a book on the evils of travel, or the crime wave that was rampant in the area. He did not berate the high costs of medical care, or the hypocrisy of the clergy. But he did stop, and he did help, the one specific man who needed help, that he had had an opportunity to help. And the Lord on the basis of this example has commanded all men for all time, "Go and do thou likewise." Obeying the law of love requires that we take our station in life and apply specifically the principles of God to those situations that we are confronted with each day. This is specificity. This is Bible. This is true Christianity!

The story is told of a preacher who began his evening sermon by saying: "Friends, I had planned an altogether different lesson for tonight, but because of an incident that occurred this morning on our parking lot I must speak to all of you on another subject. This morning as I left the parking lot I saw that a stranger had been run over by one of our cars leaving our building. And, to my dismay, when I came back tonight for our evening devotional, I see that he is still lying there, quite injured. Because of this incident I feel that all of you need a lesson on love and mercy."

      This failing of abstraction is beautifully expressed by John: "If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar." Now note that he does not say that he is mistaken; that he is deceived, but he says that he is a liar. This is hard doctrine, but because of the importance of the subject, John apparently feels that the point needs to be made. The man who does this thing is a liar. That is what he is. John continues: "For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also" (1 John 4:20,21).

      Love is the foundation for every fundamental principle that characterizes our life in Christ.

      First, love of God is the "first" and "great" commandment." So stated Jesus in his answer to the lawyer. (Matt. 22.)

      Secondly, love "fulfills" the law: "Owe no man anything, but to love one another; for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law. . . . love worketh no ill to his neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Rom. 13:8,10).

      Thirdly, love is the basis of our service to the Lord: "You have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another" (Gal. 5:13). I like another translation which says: "Only you must not let your freedom be an excuse for the gratification of your lower nature, but in love be slaves to one another" (Williams). And then follows the same conclusion expressed to the Romans, "All the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself" (v. 14). Williams says, "The whole law is summed up in one saying: You must love your neighbor as you do yourself."

5. The Bible Says That The Apostles Should Love "As He Loved."

      "This is my commandment," said the Lord to those that would carry the good news to the lost world, "that ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:12,13)

      It should be the goal of every Christian to become like his Lord. This is more than just a desirable alternative, or one of several options. It must be thought of as an imperative. Paul says, "If any man have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his" (Rom. 8:9). He commands, "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:5), and gives as an example of this mind the sacrifice of Christ upon the cross (vs. 6-8).

      This teaching that we ought to follow the example of Jesus is frequently expressed in our songs, one of my favorite being "O To Be Like Thee." It is divided into three parts:

      1.   First there is the expression of the desire:

"Oh to be like Thee, blessed Redeemer;

This is my constant longing and prayer.

Gladly I'll forfeit all of earth's treasures,

Jesus Thy perfect likeness to wear."

      2.  Next, the author enumerates some of the qualities of Christ we should seek to imitate:

Full of compassion, loving, forgiving, tender and kind,

Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,

Seeking the wandering sinner to find.

Lowly in spirit, Holy and harmless, patient and brave;

Meekly enduring cruel reproaches, willing to suffer, others to save.

      3.  The author concludes with a prayer:

Oh to be like Thee! blessed Redeemer, pure as Thou art;

Come in Thy sweetness, Come in Thy fullness;

Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.

      If the Bible had not mentioned that God was kind and considerate of us we would have known it anyway - life, love, marriage, children, friends, good things to eat and drink, fresh air, sunshine, rain, trees, animals, etc., etc., and on and on - all of these testify to a great and good God.

      However, it is in what the Scriptures do tell us that shows the unbelievable goodness of the Father. Paul one time used the term "unspeakable gift." He could not, apparently find adequate words to describe what God has done.

      The Scriptures tell us that God is love. He does not simply possess this quality of love; or have lovable characteristics; He IS essentially and totally the spiritual embodiment of all the word love could possibly mean.

      Nehemiah 9:17 tells us, "But thou art a God ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness." Paul speaks of the "exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us" (Eph. 2:7). John says that "God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son" (John 3:16)

      Now the Holy Spirit tells us that Jesus is exactly like God. "If you have seen me you have seen the Father," says Jesus. (John 14:9.) John tells us that "the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him" (John 1:18). Hebrews tells us that Jesus is "the brightness of His glory, and the express image of His person" (Heb. 1:3).

      And so we conclude that Jesus -- being like God -- is also good, and the predominant quality of his life was his consideration of others. If you want to know the extent of His love, look to Calvary. No other example need be considered!

      And now Jesus tells his disciples, "You love one another as I have loved you." Many years later Peter is to write to all saints, "He left us an example that you should follow his steps" (1 Peter 2:21). John says, "He that sayeth he abideth in Him ought himself also to walk, even as He walked" (1 John 2:6).

      Now the person that is void of love is wholly unlike God. So prominent is love in the attributes of God that the Apostle John says: "He that loveth not, knoweth not God; for God is love" (1 John 4:8). There can be no fellowship between the "God who is love" and a character without love; no partnership between a Father who gave away his most precious possession to save a sin-sick world, and sons who have little or no interest in saving others.

      In the following passages from 1 John 4 there are four vital thoughts. Let us consider them:

      1.   "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

      2.  Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

      3.  Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought to love one another.

      4.  No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us" (1 John 4:9-12).

The NIV states the first thought thusly:

"This is how God showed his love among us; He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live though him."

How was God's love manifested? In this was manifested the love of God toward us: This is how God showed his love among us: by sending his most precious possession to be sacrificed for us. John seems to be saying: Now this is an example of real love, not what we might show to Him as a response to his love, but what He showed to us. How can we somehow show appreciation for this tremendous gift? By showing the same concern for our fellowman. "Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." No one has ever seen God, but we have seen our brother. And if we love one another, this is the evidence that God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us.

      Now all this is from verses 9-12. But the thought is continued in verse 19: "We love him because he first loved us." And again, how can we show this love? "If a man say I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar; for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, that he who loveth God, love his brother also" (vs. 20,21).

      There are many situations in life where we are befriended in significant ways. And, rarely can we pay back our benefactor. Often because of the very nature of the gift it is impossible to do so, as when someone might save our very life. What can we do to show our appreciation for this grace?

     While living in Nashville many years ago a friend told me this account of his daughter. She had made her mark in the world, had earned a good bit of money, and came to her father and offered to pay back all that he had spent on her during all the years. Touched by her well-meaning offer, he helped her to see that no sum of money could possibly pay for all the thousands of deeds, the fearful moments during sickness, and love and concern for her safety on countless occasions. What could she now do to show her appreciation? My friend told his daughter to treat her children as well as she believed she had been treated by her parents.

      Few men have reached the height of fame and glory as that of our beloved Abraham Lincoln. In perhaps his best known speech, while dedicating a cemetery at Gettysburg, approaching the quality of inspiration itself, the President gives us answer. They had assembled that day to dedicate a portion of that great battle-field as a final resting place for those who had given their lives that the United States of America might live. But Lincoln saw something that was most beautiful that day, that is not unrelated to the demand for love of our fellowman today.

"But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate - we can not consecrate - we can not hallow - this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here."

      And so, what could those in the audience that day do, if indeed they could not "dedicate" nor "consecrate" that field? Listen carefully to Lincoln:

"It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us . . ."

      Pay God back for what he has done for us? Pay the precious Son of God back for the ordeal of the cross? Impossible! And yet, John tells us how God wants us to attempt it.

      “If we love Him, let us love one another!"

Conclusion

      My friend, do you expect to be with God in Heaven? With the blessed Saviour? Will you be there? Do you think you will be there if you have hatred in your heart toward others? Do you want these (in our audience) to be there too? Can you have any hope of being saved if you care not whether these are saved or not? If you do not love these here and now, can you love them should they be saved and be in Heaven with you? Think about it.

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