What Would Love Say?

SPEAK TRUTH IN LOVE

I recently read an article in a Christian publication (http://christiannews.net/2012/11/18/franklin-graham-mormonism-will-never-be-labeled-a-cult-again/) dealing with Franklin Graham’s decision to remove a note from their website that named Mormonism as a cult. His decision was not made because he believes their doctrine is sound, but because he didn’t want to shut the door to possibly ministering to a Mormon. In his opinion, to call them names (classifying them as a cult) is not helpful in keeping dialogue open.

In that same article John McArthur spoke:

[Mormonism] is a damning religious system,… It is so far from Christianity that it is more like paganism than Christianity.

Evangelicalism is in a desperate situation, and that is made manifest by its inability to distinguish who is a true Christian. We have abandoned any clear understanding of what it means to really be saved… We have no right to redefine [salvation] in our own terms in order to be be popular or in order to be accepted. True and historic Christianity has never been confused about what it means to be a Christian.

I am of the opinion that in our attempts to keep doors open and practice love, we have in fact shut doors and done anything but demonstrate true Biblical love. To muddy the waters of pure gospel truth with the idea that it is possible to have eternal life apart from the righteousness of God through His eternal Son, Jesus Christ, plus nothing, is to shut the door upon eternal life and to act in a most unloving manner.

How can it be construed as love to hide or confuse the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to keep dialogue open? Dialogue about what? What does such thinking hope to accomplish? Was Jesus unloving when He told the religious, well-meaning, Nicodemus that he must be born again? Would it have been more loving for Him to have encouraged Nicodemus to continue in his religious pursuits, just as he was?

The most loving things we can do for others is to lovingly communicate the truth! Eternity hangs in the balance. For those with whom we have already shared the gospel truth, we should live out that gospel in our relation to them. Do not bend your life to accommodate their wishes. Live your life with purpose to distinguish yourself as a Spirit-filled believer. 

The Spirit of truth blesses truth! Speak it and live it!

What is in a Greeting?

GO AHEAD, TRY IT!

I was recently confronted with a thought in a chapter of Love Dare (Kendrick, P&H Publishing Group), which addressed the matter of greeting your spouse. My thoughts expanded beyond simply greeting my spouse. Think about it with me.

The word translated “salute” and “greet” in our AV is found 49 times in the NT. At the close of several of Paul’s letters he gives a list of folks that he wished to be greeted. He often sent a general greeting from a church or churches. Friendly and kind relationships seemed important to Paul.

Jesus informs us that greeting your enemy is an evidence of genuine love: Matt. 5:47.

§  Jesus assumes that we will greet our closer relations, either bio-family or spiritual family.

§  Greeting others is a simple way to demonstrate love. Everybody can do it!

Four times in Scripture we find the direct exhortation to greet one another!

Ro 16:16  Salute one another with an holy kiss. The churches of Christ salute you.

1Co 16:20  All the brethren greet you. Greet ye one another with an holy kiss.

2Co 13:12  Greet one another with an holy kiss.

1Pe 5:14  Greet ye one another with a kiss of charity. Peace be with you all that are in Christ Jesus.

Greeting is the introduction to a relationship – this is where each personal interaction begins.

§  Paul and Peter agree that Christians especially should be guided by a holy affection for one another.

§  When we come together, there ought to be a spirit of love guiding us, which is manifested by a kind and affectionate greeting.

§  Our holy kiss may be a hand shake, or an hello with a smile and eye contact! There should be the sense communicated that we care, are engaged and find some satisfaction in relating as brothers and sisters in Christ.

§  Spirit produced fruit of love enables us to overcome fleshly weakness and self-focus to engage others primarily for their sake, not our own. (Phil. 2:4)

·       A proper greeting expresses interest in another.

·       A proper greeting opens the door for the possibility of meaningful conversation.

·       A proper greeting may be an encouragement to the one you are greeting! (We all know how it feels to receive a cold, aloof, and indifferent sort of greeting from someone.)

§  What if they don’t respond with equal affection? Love does not act based upon response – your demonstration of love, consistently demonstrated, honors Christ and will have positive effect.

Thinking about how we greet one another forces us to think beyond ourselves!

§  Forces our minds out of our small, limited world to consider the person we are meeting.

§  Forces our minds to think about how we might positively interact to God’s glory with others.

There are times in which our countenance betrays our pain, trouble, sorrow, difficulty, etc..  In such case, we need the affectionate greeting and attention of others. But this should not be the rule of our lives!

If greet one another with affectionate kindness is important in relation to brethren in Christ, and greeting our enemies with kindness a display of genuine love, how much more should this apply to our spouses?

§  How do you greet your spouse in the morning, on the phone, or upon returning home at night?                   

§  Do you think your spouse is encouraged by your greeting? Do you think he/she anticipates your show of kindness in your greeting? Do you look forward to a kiss reserved ONLY for him/her?

We all might be surprised at the improvement our relationships might enjoy if we took this simple Christian instruction seriously: greet one another with an holy kiss. Go ahead, try it! I dare you!