Sue J Love
Loyal
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,436
“Beloved, I am not writing a new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning; the old commandment is the word which you have heard. On the other hand, I am writing a new commandment to you, which is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away and the true Light is already shining. The one who says he is in the Light and yet hates his brother is in the darkness until now. The one who loves his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him. But the one who hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:7-11 NASB’95)
The commandments of God which we are to adhere to, as followers of Jesus Christ, are written down for us in the New Testament, as they apply to the New Covenant God has with his people Israel (both Jew and Gentile by faith in Jesus Christ). The Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, dietary, and circumcision laws were done away with when Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross, but God’s moral laws never ceased. Obedience to God’s commands, and death to sin, are still required by God.
So, if we claim that we are in the Light (in Christ, truth, righteousness), but we hate (detest, abhor, reject, mistreat, persecute, denounce, and do evil against) other people, especially fellow Christians or members of our biological families, then we are still in the darkness (sin, wickedness). But it is not hate to disagree with someone, or to correct error, or to confront them in their sin in order to lead them to repentance and to genuine walks of faith in obedience to our Lord’s commands, leading to holy living.
It is also not hate when we test the spirits to see if they are of God, and when we examine what preachers and pastors and others are teaching as the gospel, and as the Word of God, to make certain that what they are teaching is truth and not lies. It is hate if we ignore the lies and we let them pass and when we don’t warn others against the lies, and so they end up falling for the lies and rejecting the truth, and thus they end up in hell and not in heaven, but on the false promise of heaven as their eternal home.
And it is dangerous when we raise up certain people – preachers, pastors, evangelists, elders, missionaries, and certain politicians or people groups – to untouchable status to where we are discouraged from questioning them and what they teach, as though they are God when they are not God, but they are human like we are, not fully infallible, but subject to weaknesses and to believing and teaching lies, if they are not careful, and if they do not test what they are being taught to make certain that it is truth, in context.
But when this says that the one loving his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him, this is not speaking of human and fleshly “love” based in our feelings and emotions which will or which may compromise truth and righteousness in order to be loved and accepted by others, in return. The love being spoken of here comes from God, who is love, and it is based in moral preference, and it means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is godly, morally pure, honest, and faithful to God.
For we are to love even our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who mistreat us (see Luke 6:27-28). And to “bless” properly means to speak good and reason to others which confers what is beneficial. And this is used of God blessing people, so this isn’t just saying “nice” things to people to make them feel good about themselves, especially if those “nice” things are lies. It means to speak to them what is for their good, for their spiritual benefit, as from God.
So just because we are culturally “kind” and “nice” to people, it does not mean that we are those who are “abiding in the Light.” Just because we act in ways which are loving and kind to other people, it does not mean that we are in relationship with Jesus Christ. And just because we speak the truth in love to people, that many do not want to hear, but need to hear, it does not mean that we are being unkind, or unloving, or hateful. It is the ultimate of love to say to others what will save their souls from hell, if they will believe.
So, when we read a passage of Scripture like this, we must be cautious against interpreting the words according to human flesh, and human culture, and human tradition and values, and thus assume that if you are being nice to people, according to the flesh, that you are approved by God, but if you are confronting people in their sin, and calling for repentance, and for walks of obedience, that you are being legalistic, and thus you are not acting on behalf of God and his love and mercy. But you are, if it is done in love.
For the truth of the Gospel of God is that, by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in him, we must deny self, die to sin daily, by the Spirit (in practice), and walk (in conduct, in practice) in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in the power of God. For if sin is what we practice (deliberately and habitually), and obedience to our Lord and to his commands is not what we practice (deliberately and consistently), then we are not saved, and we do not have the hope of eternal life with God, regardless of what we profess.
[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
In Harmony
An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17
Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
Love Others, Do Not Hate
An Original Work / March 25, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
The commandments of God which we are to adhere to, as followers of Jesus Christ, are written down for us in the New Testament, as they apply to the New Covenant God has with his people Israel (both Jew and Gentile by faith in Jesus Christ). The Old Covenant liturgical, ceremonial, sacrificial, purification, dietary, and circumcision laws were done away with when Jesus gave his life up for us on that cross, but God’s moral laws never ceased. Obedience to God’s commands, and death to sin, are still required by God.
So, if we claim that we are in the Light (in Christ, truth, righteousness), but we hate (detest, abhor, reject, mistreat, persecute, denounce, and do evil against) other people, especially fellow Christians or members of our biological families, then we are still in the darkness (sin, wickedness). But it is not hate to disagree with someone, or to correct error, or to confront them in their sin in order to lead them to repentance and to genuine walks of faith in obedience to our Lord’s commands, leading to holy living.
It is also not hate when we test the spirits to see if they are of God, and when we examine what preachers and pastors and others are teaching as the gospel, and as the Word of God, to make certain that what they are teaching is truth and not lies. It is hate if we ignore the lies and we let them pass and when we don’t warn others against the lies, and so they end up falling for the lies and rejecting the truth, and thus they end up in hell and not in heaven, but on the false promise of heaven as their eternal home.
And it is dangerous when we raise up certain people – preachers, pastors, evangelists, elders, missionaries, and certain politicians or people groups – to untouchable status to where we are discouraged from questioning them and what they teach, as though they are God when they are not God, but they are human like we are, not fully infallible, but subject to weaknesses and to believing and teaching lies, if they are not careful, and if they do not test what they are being taught to make certain that it is truth, in context.
But when this says that the one loving his brother abides in the Light and there is no cause for stumbling in him, this is not speaking of human and fleshly “love” based in our feelings and emotions which will or which may compromise truth and righteousness in order to be loved and accepted by others, in return. The love being spoken of here comes from God, who is love, and it is based in moral preference, and it means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is godly, morally pure, honest, and faithful to God.
For we are to love even our enemies, to do good to those who hate us, to bless those who curse us, and to pray for those who mistreat us (see Luke 6:27-28). And to “bless” properly means to speak good and reason to others which confers what is beneficial. And this is used of God blessing people, so this isn’t just saying “nice” things to people to make them feel good about themselves, especially if those “nice” things are lies. It means to speak to them what is for their good, for their spiritual benefit, as from God.
So just because we are culturally “kind” and “nice” to people, it does not mean that we are those who are “abiding in the Light.” Just because we act in ways which are loving and kind to other people, it does not mean that we are in relationship with Jesus Christ. And just because we speak the truth in love to people, that many do not want to hear, but need to hear, it does not mean that we are being unkind, or unloving, or hateful. It is the ultimate of love to say to others what will save their souls from hell, if they will believe.
So, when we read a passage of Scripture like this, we must be cautious against interpreting the words according to human flesh, and human culture, and human tradition and values, and thus assume that if you are being nice to people, according to the flesh, that you are approved by God, but if you are confronting people in their sin, and calling for repentance, and for walks of obedience, that you are being legalistic, and thus you are not acting on behalf of God and his love and mercy. But you are, if it is done in love.
For the truth of the Gospel of God is that, by God-persuaded and God-gifted faith in him, we must deny self, die to sin daily, by the Spirit (in practice), and walk (in conduct, in practice) in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, in the power of God. For if sin is what we practice (deliberately and habitually), and obedience to our Lord and to his commands is not what we practice (deliberately and consistently), then we are not saved, and we do not have the hope of eternal life with God, regardless of what we profess.
[Matt 7:13-14,21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 10:27-30; Ac 26:18; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; Rom 12:1-2; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 1 Co 10:1-22; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-24; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-32; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:1-17; Tit 2:11-14; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Heb 10:23-31; Heb 12:1-2; 1 Pet 2:24; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6,15-17; 1 Jn 3:4-10]
In Harmony
An Original Work / September 2, 2012
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Based off Romans 12:9-21; 1 Peter 3:8-17
Love each other truly.
Cling to what is good.
Hate all that is evil.
Never lack in zeal.
Serve the Lord with fervor.
Joyful in hope be;
Patient in affliction;
Praying faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
Share with all God’s people
Who are found in need.
Do not be conceited.
Sympathetic be.
Love, and show compassion
In humility.
Keep your tongue from evil.
Peaceful you must be.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
God sees who are righteous;
Listens to their prayers.
But He’s against evil –
Is His to avenge.
Do not fear what they fear.
Suffer patiently.
In your hearts, make Christ Lord.
Serve Him faithfully.
Honor one another.
Live in harmony.
Love Others, Do Not Hate
An Original Work / March 25, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
