Whatever happened to Love?

By: William F. Hill

'But love is what counts. Love is the greatest,' unfortunately, many who make statements like the above are not aware of what real love is. So many will say that to have all the right standards of holiness and to lack love is a waste. I agree.

1 Corinthians 13:1-7

"1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 3And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things."

A wise man told several of us young men years ago at our ordination service, "Go ahead and preach that hard message, young man, but make sure you can cry over it first." That sage advice has stood me in good stead at times. If you are like me, you have met those who had outward standards of holiness, but were mean and ugly in their spirit. I can only point back to (2 Corinthians 7:1) and remind all of us that it takes cleansing in both areas, flesh and spirit, to perfect holiness.

 2 Corinthians 7:1

"Having therefore these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God."

External holiness standards without love must as big a disappointment to the earnest seeker as the fig tree without figs was to Jesus.

Mark 11:12-14

"And on the morrow, when they were come from Bethany, he was hungry: and seeing a fig tree afar off having leaves,  he came, if haply he might find any thing thereon: and when he came to it, he found nothing but leaves; for  the time of figs was not yet. And Jesus answered and said unto it, No man eat fruit of thee hereafter for ever. And his disciples heard it."

We must state in all fairness, that many who believe in and practice holy living have not had much love shown to them by people who profess much love. Some believers in holiness have had the firmness of their dedication, and their lack of compromise mistaken for an ugly spirit. To all who really stand for holiness, I feel it necessary to exhort that you, above all others, must show love, or the cause of holiness suffers. It is important, however, that we know what love is. Many do not.

John 14:21

"He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and  i will love  him, and will manifest myself to him."

John 14:24

"He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me."

We must establish that love is not just some sentimental feeling that brings tears to our eyes or makes us want to hug everybody. Real love can be tested and proven.

1 John 2:3-5

"And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, i know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."

So you see the measurement of love goes far deeper than a sweet, syrupy feeling. A few years ago a defendant at a murder trial was asked by the judge what kind of emotion she had as she was stabbing her victim several times. Her reply was that she felt much love for her. That kind of love I can do without.

1 John 2:15

"Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him."

Here is another test. If we find ourselves attached to this worldly system we live among, we are in danger. We are not to love the amusements of the world. Most churches preached against worldly amusements years ago. Preachers in almost every denomination cried against drinking alcholic beverages, smoking cigarettes, attending to theatre and dance, gambling and sexual sins. Putting Christian words to rock and roll music and calling it Christian rock makes as much sense as putting Bible verses on cigarette packages and calling them "Holy smokes" or making the whiskey bottle in the shape of a cross and labeling it "Holy Spirits". There must be a separation from the evil system of this world if we are to please God and enter into heaven. There is a two-pronged test we can give ourselves to check out our standing with God.

1 John 3:10

"In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother."

It is extremely important that we know whether we are children of God or children of the devil. Most professing Christians will look at you with shock and dismay when you make a statement such as i have just made, but we must know where we stand with God, and there must be no doubt. In dealing with thousands of individuals over the years concerning their standing with God, i have received a variety of answers such as: "I think I am saved." "I hope I am saved." "I am trying to be saved, after all, no one can really know until the day of resurrection." I submit to you, that to wait until the day of resurrection to find out whether or not we are saved, is a very risky business at the least. We can know! To those who reply that their salvation and standing with God is sure I always like to ask the question, "On what do you base your answer?" Again, there are a variety of answers offered. "I was baptized when i was a baby", "I joined the church", I sing in the choir", i do good works, i have a good feeling." Let's go back to the Bible way of knowing of the sureness and certainty of our relationship with God.

1 John 2:3-5

""And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, i know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him."

We can readily see by staying true to the scripture that there is a sure and certain way of knowing of our relationship with God and with Jesus Christ. It is not based on feeling, or surmisings, or suppositons. We know that we know God if we do what God tells us to do. Thus we have part one of our two-pronged test to check our relationship with God. Part two involves the latter part of  1 John 3:10....

1 John 4:20,21

"If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen? And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also."

Those who hate people or even are prejudiced against them because of the color of their skin or because they are of another race, nationality or religion need to read above the vcrses and then fall on their knees in repentance. There can be no right relationship with God when we hate our brother.

1 John 2:10,11

"He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him. but he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darknes hath blinded his eyes."

So you see we can actually test our relationship to God by using this two pronged test of obeying God, and loving our brother. The amazing thing about this is that they work together. Some who have very high personal standards of holiness are very inadequate in their love. Holiness without love will cause a person to become a very bitter individual. Love, without holiness, will cause a person to be very giddy and shallow. There must be the two of these, holiness and love, together. Love is a test of true holiness. Holiness is a test of true love. We must stay in the scripture and not trust to our emotions, whims and fancies. these will only lead us astray. Talk about a powerful combination! Holiness, coupled together with love, cannot be conquered.