ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE

Remember the old Beatles’ song, “All You Need Is Love”?  That’s true!  The all-encompassing commandment is to love God with all our being, which if truly done means we will also love others—made in the image of God—as we love ourselves.  Easy to say; hard to do. Yet, having received the grace of God, we have the motivation and might to extend that grace to others.  Ephesians 4:25-27 presents this challenge.

1.  BE HONEST. “Therefore, putting away lying, ‘Let each one of you speak truth with his neighbor,’ for we are members of one another.” (v.25). Understand, that “no man is an island,” as the saying goes. What we do impacts others—and may have far-reaching effects. I am to reject deception and embrace truth. Jesus declared that He was the incarnation of Truth, and since He abides in the Christian, we are to be truth-tellers. Gossip, innuendo, exaggeration, slander, and so forth are deceitful and demonic. Such words destroy relationships.  You cannot have a love relationship without honesty.

2.  BE SELF-CONTROLLED.  “‘Be angry, and do not sin’: do not let the sun go down on your wrath,” (v.26).  Anger is like an alarm system.  It arises when someone’s rights are violated—whether ours or another’s. You cannot stop anger from arising any more than you cannot jerk your hand back when you touch something hot.  It is not a sin to feel anger, but such a powerful emotion that it moves quickly to sin if we don’t deal with anger. Self-control is paramount, so that we respond properly. Yet, neither do we conceal anger, and let it fester. The issues that gave rise to it must be faced, or it will smolder, and ignite at another time.

 

3.  BE VIGILANT. “nor give place to the devil.” (v.27). Satan is always looking for an entry point to assault you, and you must be vigilant. Many times his attacks come through wrong attitudes and wrathful actions as we fail to love others. A lack of honesty in relationships opens the door to Satan who is the father of lies.  Exploding in anger is a manifestation of the Devil, who is the origin of murder—the ultimate expression of anger. Jesus spoke of both in John 8:44.

How we treat others really matters.  If we cannot love those whom we see, how can we claim to love the God we cannot see, Who made them in His likeness?

Sincerely,
Dennis Thurman

OBEDIENCE—JUST DO IT!

Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble….  (2 Peter 1:10)

There is no substitute for obedience in the Christian life.  If Jesus is Lord, then my duty is to submit to Him in all things.  The trajectory of my life is to be more and more in alignment with His will.  This is what is called for in 2 Peter 1:1-11.

We have THE RESOURCES FOR OBEDIENCE (v.1-4).  Some may protest that the expectation for obedience is too high.  “I’m only human!” is the excuse.  We are human—with all the fleshly frailties inherent—but Peter tells us we are not only human, we are “partakers of the divine nature….” There are supernatural resources at our disposal.  Reliance on Jesus brings all He is to bear on our situation—the infinite power of God.  There is promise after promise concerning these resources, and God is always faithful to His Word.  Ultimately, Jesus indwells us to live out His life through us!

Next, consider THE REACH OF OBEDIENCE (v.5-7).  God’s demand for obedience extends to every dimension of existence.  It is to be our diligent pursuit.  We are not to be passive, but passionate in seeking spiritual progress.  Peter uses terms throughout the text that speak of an abundant life!

The abundant life begins with “faith.”  Faith is the foundation upon which we build the Christian life, and is the cement by which we add each block of spiritual development.  We add to our faith, “virtue.”  This is moral excellence, which demonstrates the reality of our faith.  Then to virtue, we add “knowledge.”  We are called out of the darkness of ignorance about God into the light of knowing Him.  Each step of obedience opens up new horizons of understanding and with new understanding comes new vistas of obedience.  Knowledge leads to “self-control.”  Fleshly appetites—God-given drives, perverted by sin—are mastered by us, rather than the passions mastering us.  Self-control brings us to “perseverance.”  We keep moving forward in faith.  Even when we stumble, we get up and go on—pressing ahead in obedience.  Perseverance then yields “godliness.”  It is an attitude of reverence for God, which brings the action of response to God, resulting in our lives reflecting the image of God.  Godliness is expressed in “brotherly kindness.”  Devotion to the Father is manifested in a disposition of kindness toward His family.  That brings us to the pinnacle of spiritual development: “love.”  Since God is love, it is reasonable that those who follow Christ should have this quality in abundance.

Peter proceeds to show THE RESULTS OF OBEDIENCE (v.8-11).  We reap what we sow—and an abundant application of obedience will yield a bumper crop of spiritual growth.  There will be much fruit, and by that, we glorify God.  Each step of obedience brings us into greater fellowship with Christ—the things of this fallen world receding, and the beauties of eternity beckoning.  Our obedience furnishes a testimony of the reality of our faith—conduct giving credibility to our claims.  Then, some day, we can cross the finish line in victory, winning the crown for steadfast obedience!  Just do it!