Now God Himself and our Father,
and our Lord Jesus Christ, direct
our way unto you. And the Lord
make you to increase and abound
in love one toward another, and
toward all men, even as we do
toward you: to the end He may
establish your hearts unblameable
in holiness before God, even our
Father, at the coming of our
Lord Jesus Christ with all His saints.
1Thessalonians 3:11-13
The word of God is abundant with the command for His children to love one another, not just in some philanthropic manner, or to feel as though you have been godly by some work, no, it is to love one another and this is an active work founded upon Who God is: LOVE! Do you want to be established holy, unblameable before God? If this is so, then love towards your brothers and sisters is one step towards one another. It is agape love, it is principled love, but it is love in action. This we do until Jesus Christ comes back with all His saints. It is God, the Lord Jesus Christ who is directing this, our steps, and only when we align ourselves with His will will we then actually be directed by God. This love towards our brothers and sisters extends to our world around us, that is, it is extended to all men, not some "love" as the world defines this word, no, it is the Love of God that is extended and we aid were we can, but most of all: We bring to our world the Gospel, and this is love in action.
Too often we are gorging ourselves in preaching, teaching, going to many Bible studies (don't stop, but realize why you are going), or special events, (Good but again what is the reason), and after all this: We go about as though we did not even go. Yes, we perform some sort of goodness, when it meets our need, (too often this occurs), but most of the time we are too busy trying to match "Mr. and Mrs. Jones" who seem to have more, or better things: i.e., car, home, toys, etc. and God has second place. Is this the will of God? Paul states: "Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought ot walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more. For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus. For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: that every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor; not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God" (1Thessalonians 4:1-5). The word "concupiscence" is not a word most commonly known or spoken so it is important to see what the Greek word μή έν πάθει έπιθυμίας: means: (as you can see it takes several Greek words for concupiscence), "not in passion of lust", lust is once again forwarded as a problem that must be overcome if one is to be blessed by God, and abound in His love. Lust does not necessarily mean "sexual" it means to want now whatever it is that you want and you do not want to wait, your passion for this thing is greater than your love for God, for your brothers and sisters. This world's culture does not care whether or not they are fornicators, they lust, they desire to be antinomous, to be their own empowered person and this is not an Authentic Christian's culture.
We who live here in the United States have a freedom that most of the world knows little if anything about. Too often we abuse this freedom. How? We put doing for ourselves ahead of others and this is not what Paul is teaching us to do and if we desire to be sanctified then we love as God loves. We can go on vacations, we can enjoy the benefits of this nation, but in everything what we allow in our lives must bring to God glory. It is our relationship to Jesus Christ that will give us the power to live within the will of God. Enjoy life, love God, and your enjoyment will have meaning greater than just some temporary feeling. God gave to you this world, enjoy it, help others to be able to enjoy it and this may mean that for a time you will have to roll up your sleeves, go to some dark place where people are hurting, and Christianity is either not allowed or barely allowed. Even there the beauty of God abounds, and your beauty of bringing the gospel, the aid needed, will be a beauty beyond your wild imaginations. God is good: you be good as God has called you to be.
Seek ye the LORD while He may be found,
call ye upon Him while He is near:
Let the wicked forsake his way, and the
unrighteous man his thoughts: and let
him return unto the LORD, and he will have
mercy upon him; and to our God, for
He will abundantly pardon.
Isaiah 55:6-7
Be an intentional Christian
Richard L. Crumb
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