THE LOVE OF MANY

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by AnthonyCope

by AnthonyCope

"And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many

shall wax cold."

(Matthew 24:12)

Chapter 6

The love of the world has always been cold, but the love of the brethren in Christ has waxed cold in this time of apostasy. I believe that is what Jesus was saying would happen in the last days. Why has the love of so many Christians waxed cold?

You see it everywhere you go. Christian against Christian. Fighting over every ounce of doctrine. Some even take it as far as to refuse fellowship over minor disagreements. This is not how it is supposed to be (see ch. 10). We should be edifying each other instead of tearing each other down. It is such a poor testimony to attack other Christians in any way, including verbal.

"Hatred stirreth up strifes : but love covereth all sins." (Proverbs 10:12). I know many Christians today live like we have no commandments but in fact, we do. We are to love God with all our hearts and love our neighbors (everyone). On these two commandments, Jesus told us to hang all the law and the prophets (Matthew 22:36-40).

God compares us hating someone with being a murderer in 1 John 3:15. It also says "no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." Do you want to be considered a murderer in God's eyes? If not, you need to learn to forgive and love even those who hate you. I am not saying it is easy but I am saying we are commanded to.

Another issue I see is many Christians acting more righteous than the lost sinners. Do you not know that we are all sinners and it is not our righteousness but Jesus' righteousness that saves us? We are to love one another with all longsuffering witnessing the gospel of Christ to all. Set your pride aside and treat others with kindness.

As Christians there is one thing we must stand united in always and that is the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). We should not cause strife or division among those who are solely trusting in the gospel. They are your brother or your sister. Christ is not divided and we are His body so we should not be divided.

The wicked will continue to do wickedly. We know their love is cold. We are not to let that keep us from preaching the gospel of Christ to all. You will run into people that refuse the truth and some that are downright hateful. Did that ever stop Jesus or the apostles? In Acts 14:19,20 they stoned Paul until they believed that he was dead. No matter how much the love of many grow cold, never stop preaching the gospel.

"For the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Galatians 5:14). The scriptures are very clear on loving one another. The best way to love someone is to lead them to the Lord Jesus Christ.

To show love to others, do not waste their time with vain conversation. "Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers." (Ephesians 4:29). Always be looking to edify others. You never know if that person or people will come to Christ. This is one area where Christians have fallen deep into apostasy. Vain conversation has taken over the church.

"But if ye bite and devour one another, take heed that ye be consumed one of another." (Galatians 5:15). Do not consume one another. We need to edify and love one another. Do not let your love wax cold. Walk in the Spirit and not after the flesh and love will abound (Galatians 5:16). This may sound like a lovey, message and that is because it is. Read over the new testament and see just how many times love is mentioned.

"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love." (1 John 4:8). The apostle John straight up lets us know that if you are without love, you are without God. It's that simple! So before you attack a brother or sister in Christ or even a lost sinner, you should examine yourself to see if you are going against the Word of God to please the flesh.

The Christian is to not be of the world. Yet the same hate that the world promotes is creeping into the church. We are the body of Christ. How could we allow hate to abound? We should rebuke all hate among ourselves and toward the lost. We are to hate the sin not the sinners. We are to be examples and Christ-like as much as possible. For example, would Christ condemn a brother for believing in a pre-tribulation rapture? I do not think so! You shouldn't either. (For those who do not know; pre-tribulation rapture means Jesus gathers those that are in Christ, whether dead or alive. He gives us glorified bodies and takes us out of here before the seven year tribulation. 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17, 1 Corinthians 15:51-57). "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?" (1 John 4:20).

More evidence of the love of many growing cold is the hatred toward the Jews. Even by many that claim to be Christian. They claim that they are fake Jews. This blows my mind and they get that idea from Revelation 2:9 and 3:9. Jesus is addressing churches here, not Jews. If you believe the Jews in Israel are not the real Jews, then you do not believe the Hosea prophecy came true (Hosea 6:2 also read 2 Peter 3:8). In that case you would be saying that the Bible is not true. I know the Jews blaspheme Jesus and do not believe He is the Son of God as a whole. However, there are many Jews that do. The apostle Paul tells us why the majority of Jews do not believe. "blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in." (Romans 11:25 b). Paul also tells us "I say then, Hath God cast away His people? God forbid." (Romans 11:1a). Do not hate the Jews brothers and sisters, for they know not what they do.

To my fellow brothers and sisters in Christ, do not let the world hating you discourage you from the faith. We were warned that they would hate us. Jesus said "If the world hate you, ye know that it hated Me before it hated you." (John 15:18). Stay strong in the faith no matter what and you will receive everlasting life through Christ Jesus. Let them hate all they want. Reward them with love (They will hate that).

Abound in love always! Edify one another and stand in the gospel of Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4), sharing with everyone. Let the world hate as it will and do not be sucked into that hate. We are to be separate from the world and that includes the hate it promotes.