The apostle of love, by inspiration, marveled, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God” (1 John 3:1). God’s love is so great that He gave His own Son so that we could be His children. John went on to write that this sacrificial love of Jesus Christ continues in each of us loving our brothers and sisters in Christ:

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. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. 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).

Love is absolutely necessary for us if we are to be God’s people. A car may have an efficiently-designed engine that can turn out tremendous horsepower, but if it does not have oil, then the results will be disastrous. Likewise, we can have very talented people, who possess tremendous knowledge, working in well-designed programs in the Lord’s church, but if there is no love, then failure will follow. Consider the Father’s love for us and how it translates to our love for one another.

Discipline – Proverbs 3:12 says, “For whom the LORD loveth he correcteth; even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.” Correction is an essential part of loving a child. There are no doubt cases of fathers who abuse children, just as there have been abuses of churches in their treatment of members. How should we react to this? When a good father hears of child abuse, he commits himself to lovingly disciplining his children, not allowing them to do whatever they wish. “Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby” Hebrews 12:11). Congregations where members are allowed to live in sin without correction are not loving the souls of individuals with the long-term results of eternity as the emphasis (1 Cor. 5:1-5).

Forgiveness – After a statement on how far God has removed our transgressions, Psalm 103:13 says, “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him.” Our heavenly Father is merciful. He wants to see us be reconciled to Him; He is pictured as the father who runs to meet the son who has come back home, takes the son in his arms and kisses him (Luke 15:20). As brothers and sisters in Christ, we should desire reconciliation with each other (Matt. 18:15-20). We have too many important tasks to accomplish for the Lord to remain at odds with one another.

Encouragement – Paul wrote, “as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children,” (1 Thess. 2:11). Paul was like an encouraging father to his converts (1 Cor. 4:14-15; 2 Cor. 12:14). Our Father in heaven has given us His word to build us up (Acts 20:32). Brothers and sisters in Christ should encourage one another daily to be faithful (Heb. 3:13; 13:22).  Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up (1 Cor. 8:1). As we grow in knowledge of the Lord, we should help others grow by building them up in the faith.

Take some time this week to consider God’s word. Thus, you can be filled with the Father’s love for you, and let His love empower you to love in the true, biblical sense — through discipline, forgiveness, and encouragement of your brothers and sisters in Christ.

-Mark Day

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To the Pharisees, “who were covetous” (Luke 16:14), Jesus described what happened after death to the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31). In earthly life, the rich man had refused to help Lazarus, a beggar full of sores who was laid at his gate. The dogs did more than the rich man to help Lazarus, at least they licked his sores (Luke 16:21). Lazarus was not an able-bodied man trying to sponge off others; he could not work, but had to be carried to the rich man’s gate. He simply desired to be fed with the crumbs that fell from the rich man’s table (Luke 16:21). Wealth is not inherently evil, nor is poverty inherently good; however, a self-absorbed life sets a course for the soul that leads to eternal ruin. In this part the book of Luke, Jesus has been speaking on neglect. In Luke 14:16-23, Jesus highlighted the neglect of responding to the invitation. Here he speaks of neglecting a man clearly in need whom the rich man could easily have helped.

After death the situations of these two are reversed, as Abraham, a great Old-Testament saint in paradise, explained to the rich man, “Son, remember that thou in thy lifetime receivedst thy good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things: but now he is comforted, and thou art tormented” (Luke 16:25). This was a reply to the rich man’s request for Lazarus to be sent with water to cool his tongue (Luke 16:24). It seems that even in torment the rich man’s self-centeredness remains. He wants Lazarus to be his servant, to fetch water for him.

The rich man had made Mammon (wealth) his god (Luke 16:13). Unlike Lazarus, the rich man is never given a personal name in this account. Perhaps this hints at the fact that he had established his identity on his wealth. When he left all his wealth behind at death, he lost his sense of self as well. We ought to take heed that we base our identity on God, Who never changes, but will live with the saved eternally after this short life on earth is finished.

Even the rich man’s request on behalf of his brothers turns out to be self-centered. He still wants Lazarus to be his servant, sent to warn his brothers (Luke 16:27-28). His plea also smacks of self-justification by suggesting that he, along with his five brothers, did not have ample opportunity to know what should be done to avoid torment.  Abraham responds with, “They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them” (Luke 16:29). The rich man is quick to dismiss this with, “Nay, father Abraham: but if one went unto them from the dead, they will repent” (Luke 16:30). To dismiss the Law and the Prophets—the Scriptures that had been written at this time—is also to dismiss the gospel of Jesus Christ, for the Law and Prophets pointed to Christ (Luke 24:27, 44). The rich man demands something more than the clear warnings of the Bible. He wants an unavoidable sign such as someone speaking from the dead. Jesus, the one who rose from the dead, told us to go to what is written in God’s word to have eternal life (Luke 10:25-26; John 5:39).

There are many today who follow the rich man’s steps. Sadly, their blame-shifting blindness to their own spiritual need will lead to the same eternal destiny if they do not wake up and repent. Their self-absorption will lead them to choose torment, to be free from God who calls them to repent and think about someone other than themselves.

-Mark Day

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