Alesaggio
12-12-2007, 01:28 PM
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We need to refresh our minds and hearts with the Biblical admonition --"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."
Who could argue that of all the things found in the New Testament, the principle that we should love one another should have a common and comprehensive approval from all Christians?
However, we must not forget that we also find a creed, an insistence on a very narrow, very specific, very inflexible doctrine concerning Jesus Christ.
We will find that a love of God and belief of a doctrine - a specific doctrine of faith - are linked together inseparably. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of the union of love and doctrine - who would argue with that fact?
The temptation that presses itself on some preachers is to abandon one or the other of the two things which the Scriptures repeatedly link together. And, so, some have abandoned their love for the brethren in order to guard, protect, defend, and proclaim the doctrine concerning Jesus. And, when this has happened, when they have let go of the commandment to love the brethren, there has usually been a fireworks display of havoc and heartless harshness to be found in the wake of this abandonment.
Then, of course, there are those who cannot hold love and doctrine together. If one places fellowship-at-all-costs then they may choose instead to abandon the doctrine. This seems to be prevlant today in Pentecost.
If abandoning Jesus' command to love one another leads to a wholesale destruction of good fellowship, then abandoning the Biblical doctrines of salvation, holiness and godliness leads to a wholesale destruction of churches. Those that abandon holiness doctrines to preserve so-called "unity" soon allow other doctrinal issues to be sacrificed in the name of "getting along."
Admitted - History shows just how easy it has been to fall off the horse on one side or the other - to proclaim the doctrine WITHOUT the love of the brethren, or to attempt to love the brethren BY AVOIDING so far as possible the doctrines which makes the Oneness faith the Church that Jesus Christ is building in this untoward world.
Then there are those that strive to love the brethren and preach the doctrine. May we all pray that we seek this Jesus like path! Jesus Christ IS the Perfect Union of Love and Doctrine.
Love You Brother -- But I'm Gonna Preach To You!
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We need to refresh our minds and hearts with the Biblical admonition --"Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear. And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."
Who could argue that of all the things found in the New Testament, the principle that we should love one another should have a common and comprehensive approval from all Christians?
However, we must not forget that we also find a creed, an insistence on a very narrow, very specific, very inflexible doctrine concerning Jesus Christ.
We will find that a love of God and belief of a doctrine - a specific doctrine of faith - are linked together inseparably. Jesus Christ was the perfect example of the union of love and doctrine - who would argue with that fact?
The temptation that presses itself on some preachers is to abandon one or the other of the two things which the Scriptures repeatedly link together. And, so, some have abandoned their love for the brethren in order to guard, protect, defend, and proclaim the doctrine concerning Jesus. And, when this has happened, when they have let go of the commandment to love the brethren, there has usually been a fireworks display of havoc and heartless harshness to be found in the wake of this abandonment.
Then, of course, there are those who cannot hold love and doctrine together. If one places fellowship-at-all-costs then they may choose instead to abandon the doctrine. This seems to be prevlant today in Pentecost.
If abandoning Jesus' command to love one another leads to a wholesale destruction of good fellowship, then abandoning the Biblical doctrines of salvation, holiness and godliness leads to a wholesale destruction of churches. Those that abandon holiness doctrines to preserve so-called "unity" soon allow other doctrinal issues to be sacrificed in the name of "getting along."
Admitted - History shows just how easy it has been to fall off the horse on one side or the other - to proclaim the doctrine WITHOUT the love of the brethren, or to attempt to love the brethren BY AVOIDING so far as possible the doctrines which makes the Oneness faith the Church that Jesus Christ is building in this untoward world.
Then there are those that strive to love the brethren and preach the doctrine. May we all pray that we seek this Jesus like path! Jesus Christ IS the Perfect Union of Love and Doctrine.
Love You Brother -- But I'm Gonna Preach To You!
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