Few words have been used more inaccurately and loosely in recent years than has "love." With a great many people, it is but a synonym for moral laxity, weakness of character, a taking the line of least resistance, a quiet tolerating of what is felt to be wrong.
Multitudes of parents have supposed they were treating their children "lovingly" when they overlooked their folly, made excuses for their wildness, and refused to discipline them for disobedience. They have prided themselves on being "kinder" toward their children than the "stern measures" which were meted out to themselves in their own youth. But it is laxity--not love--which allows a child to have its own way. "He who spares his rod hates his son; but he who loves him, chastens him early" (Proverbs 13:14). Let those of our readers who have young children ponder Proverbs 19:18; 22:15; 23:13, 14; 29:15, 17, and remember, that those are the words of Him who is Love!
This same evil has held sway in the churches. Leniency and weakness have overridden righteousness and faithfulness. Instead of maintaining and enforcing the discipline which God's Word enjoins, the great majority of the churches have winked at even glaring sins, refusing to deal with those who walk disorderly. This laxity is misnamed love. A mushy sentimentality which shrank from "hurting the feelings" of others has ousted all concern for the glory of Christ and the honor of His house.
This is one of the inevitable effects of the lopsided preaching of the pulpit, where the 'love' and 'grace' of God were constantly proclaimed, while His 'justice' and 'wrath' were studiously ignored. God is 'light' (1 John 1:5) as well as 'love' (1 John 4:8); 'holy' as well as 'merciful'; 'severe' as well as 'good' (Romans 11:22). Unless the balance is preserved between those two sides of the Divine character, not only will He be grievously misrepresented, but the most serious results will follow!
- A. W. Pink
Monday, March 23, 2009
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Acts 17
24. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man 25. nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything.
Chief Dangers
"I consider that the chief dangers which confront the coming century will be religion without the Holy Ghost, Christianity without Christ, Forgiveness without Repentance, Salvation without Regeneration, politics without God, and Heaven without Hell."--
William Booth
William Booth
Monday, March 9, 2009
Christ's Coming
His [Christ’s] first coming was long looked for; yet the day not precisely known. He promised to send the Holy Ghost; yet his Apostles knew not the day when; but were commanded to abide at Jerusalem, till they were endued with power from on high; they must tarry the good hour.
Much less is the term of His last coming notified to any son of man. Let all our care be to find Christ in our hearts, before we seek Him in the clouds!
Thomas Adams, 1633
Amen!
Much less is the term of His last coming notified to any son of man. Let all our care be to find Christ in our hearts, before we seek Him in the clouds!
Thomas Adams, 1633
Amen!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Friday, October 3, 2008
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood!
To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. . . . Love is strong as death.—“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.”
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.—In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.—You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.—I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Rev. 1:5; Song 8:7, 6; John 15:13; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rom. 12:1
Many waters cannot quench love, neither can floods drown it. . . . Love is strong as death.—“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends.”
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.—In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.
You were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.—You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.—I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.
Rev. 1:5; Song 8:7, 6; John 15:13; 1 Pet. 2:24; Eph. 1:7; 1 Cor. 6:11; 1 Pet. 2:9; Rom. 12:1
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