1 JOHN 4:20–21 – If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother.”
THEME OF THE DAY: IT JUST CANNOT BE. There are a lot of painful inevitabilities in living the Christian life. Here are few to remind us. We are going to sin against God. We are going to yield to temptations. We are going to experience discouragement. We are going to go through spiritual valleys. And we are going to be hurt by others and sinned against by others. It is the last way that ties us to today’s scripture.
One of the sad occurrences among professing Christians is the harboring of critical thoughts of another believer, especially toward those who ignore us, sin against us, hurt us or simply rub us the wrong way because of personalities. Such thoughts and attitudes will lead to resentment, envy, hurt feelings, and if we are not super careful, a hard heart, even an inward irritation or anger toward other believers. Now this is serious for a couple of reasons.
First, the ease by which our minds may quickly harbor critical thoughts and attitudes about other believers. Perhaps some of you might be thinking, “I am not getting it, Pastor Jim. I don’t ever recall having ill thoughts or a critical attitude toward other believers.” If that is you, I confess my envy, the sin of envy. I am not guiltless, but I thank God I recognize the temptation and seek to defeat it by renewing my mind with the truth that “All have sinned (me too) and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). But before we move on, and if you are not convinced how easy it is to think ungodly about another believer, how about that time another Christian failed you, sinned against you, or disappointed you? I think that will settle the matter!
But there is another serious issue with a Christian harboring critical and ill thoughts toward other Christians; it violates the law of love, and is so diametrically opposed to today’s scripture and love for other believers. To be perfectly frank, it just cannot be. No true Christian will be able to harbor unloving thoughts toward another believer, or display unloving attitudes and actions toward any of Christ’s sheep. It simply cannot be.
The Apostle John in today’s scripture, as in all of his first letter, is brutally honest with a clear contrast or we may say, “Either or” statement. This is his pattern throughout. In the opening chapter is one example, “If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth” (1 John 1:6). John says, “If you say you walk with the Lord but live sinfully, you are a liar.” The same is applied in today’s scripture concerning loving God’s people and loving God. Again, John speaks a contrast, “If you can be angry, harbor ill thoughts, be critical, and not show self-denying love to other believers, even those who hurt you, and yet you say, ‘I love God’, no, you don’t. You cannot. It is contradictory and self-deception.”
Take time and ponder this serious truth for our spiritual health in our relationships with fellow sinners turned saints. To love God and not His people in thought, speech, attitude, and action just cannot be.
PRAYER: “Father, truly teach me to love Your people as You love me and command of me.”
QUOTE: “We cannot harbor critical thoughts, and judgmental hearts to other Christians. It violates the law of love.”
Because of Him,
Pastor Jim