Xanga Archives 02/26/2005

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

I've seen some interesting comments left on sites by "Christians" that I find very alarming. A lost soul, craving the love of Christ spews only hatred, because this is all she knows and this hate is returned by those who claim to love Christ.

Why would a lost person want to become like you, a "Christian", who acts no better than she. If someone spouts ugly or hateful things, should we reciprocate with vain and hurtful retaliations? Have we forgotten who we are?

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
~2 Corinthians 5:17

Have we forgotten how we became what we are?

But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
~Romans 5:8

Have we gotten so absorbed in our perfect little "Christian" worlds, that we are afraid to step out of our boundaries and give charity (love) to those who need it most?

And 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. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things...13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
~1 Corinthians 13:3-7;13

Is our love only good enough for those who will love us back? Based on that theory, God shouldn't love us, but he did and he does.

We love him, because he first loved us.
~1 John 4:19

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
~John 3:16

You were lost once and if God and/or others had this shared this thinking with you, then you'd still be lost.

Then drew near unto him all the publicans and sinners for to hear him. And the Pharisees and scribes murmured, saying, This man receiveth sinners, and eateth with them. And he spake this parable unto them, saying,

What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost. I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.

Either what woman having ten pieces of silver, if she lose one piece, doth not light a candle, and sweep the house, and seek diligently till she find it? And when she hath found it, she calleth her friends and her neighbours together, saying, Rejoice with me; for I have found the piece which I had lost.

Likewise, I say unto you, there is joy in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner that repenteth.

~Luke 15:1-10

To live by His example, then you must love the lost soul BEFORE they will love you in return.

... Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
~Matthew 22:39

For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church:
~Ephesians 5:29

He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.

~1 John 2:4