Love Pt 2

Eternity Online: John Edmiston (Editor)



Eternity-Inspiration for Thursday 9th October

Eternity Online Magazine October issue is out!
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Articles include:
Studies on the first three chapters of Ecclesiaistes
Church History And Sects
 A Christian View Of Romance 
Celebrating Life
The Stigmata 
A Communion Meditation
Jokes 
and heaps more....
Its at http://www.eternitymag.com


Love Pt 2

(1 John 3:16-18 NIV) This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. {17} If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him? {18} Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.
These verses puzzled me for a long while with their strong injunction "let us not love with word and tongue..." as verbal love is very important to me. Then, in church circles, I began to slowly realise what the apostle John meant. People who were verbally affirming and warm and lovely would frequently not actually DO much for others. They thought they were loving because they said loving things, everyone else thought they were loving. They sounded loving, but when real trouble came to people they seemed paralysed. Words for them solved everything and what words could not solve could not be solved.

Today we have reduced love to words. Praise, affirmation, prayer and bible study and sermons and evangelism are all wordy things. Real compassionate action based love is marginalised. Lets see what John the apostle says in verse 17.."If anyone has material possessions and sees his brother in need but has no pity on him, how can the love of God be in him?". The Greek word there is 'bios" and in this context it means "the things needed to sustain normal life". Food, clothes, money, petrol, gas, electricity, shelter. The early church was noted for its practical care for the poor in their communities. Agape love was intensely practical.
(Acts 2:45 NIV) Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need.

(Acts 4:34-35 NIV) There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought the money from the sales {35} and put it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need.
Love needs to be practical and needs based. We need to ask "What does my brother or sister in the Lord need today?" If we have it in hand then why not do a good deed and give the help that is needed? We reap what we sow, if we all we sow is nice words then that is all we shall reap. Lets face it, we do need nice words, but from time to time we need practical help too. Lets put love into action.

Lets conclude with a few verses from the apostle of practical Christianity - James...
(James 2:14-17 NIV) What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save him? {15} Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food. {16} If one of you says to him, "Go, I wish you well; keep warm and well fed," but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it? {17} In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.


Prayer:
Lord Jesus we need to learn to love in practical ways. Show us how to do this and help us to be practical, down-to-earth Christians who are useful, strong and compassionate. Amen.

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John Edmiston ([email protected])
Editor - Eternity Online Magazine http://www.eternitymag.com/
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