1 John 4:20-21: If someone SAYS, I love God and HATES his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from him: THAT HE WHO LOVES GOD MUST LOVE HIS BROTHER ALSO.
Christianity is a vertical and horizontal relationship. Our vertical relationship is with God and our horizontal relationship is with men. With Faith, we relate with God, with love, we relate with men.
Hebrews 11:6- BUT WITHOUT FAITH, IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
If God didn’t want you to relate with men, He would have just killed you the moment you got born again so you could be with Him only. Hence, your relationship with men is important.
Faith however is ineffective without love, if a man claims to have a walk with God but does not walk in love with men, He deceives himself. 1John categorized such people as liars. They SAY but they walk contrary. The fruit of your faith is love.
James 2:14- what does it profit my brethren if someone SAYS he has Faith but does not have WORKS? Can Faith save him?
Verse 17: Thus also Faith by itself, if it does not have WORKS, is dead.
One way to discern a true disciple of Christ is to check their love walk. John 13:35- By this all will know that YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU HAVE LOVE FOR ONE ANOTHER.
Hebrews 11:2 says ‘for By it (Faith), the elders obtained a good report. One of them was Abraham, the Father of faith himself. God gave him a promise, He had to wait for about 25years before it was fulfilled. Well, Abraham was the one that had to wait that long, God didn’t have to because He dwells in timelessness. Let us examine the Faith of Abraham and how it was perfected in love.
James 2:26- For as the body without the spirit is dead, so Faith without works is dead also.
So here was father Abraham, believing God for a son that God had promised, this was his 24th year of waiting, he was not weak in Faith, he constantly gave glory to God, not considering his body or the deadness of Sarah’s womb, Sarah on the other hand was full of conviction and assurance that God was able, to quicken her womb by the power of the spoken word. She saw how Abraham constantly rejoiced, her Faith received a quantum leap. The whole neighborhood who knew about Abraham’s change of name from Abram(Assumed father) to Abraham(Father of nations) were waiting to see what would become of him.(Romans 4:16-21)
This fateful afternoon, He sighted three gentlemen afar off, not knowing where they were coming from or where they were heading to. He ran to meet them and beckoned on them to have a drink and some food, have their feet washed, and also have some rest. Who does that to strangers???? Little did he know he was about to entertain angels.
The last time I checked, LOVE IS KIND. So with a simple act of kindness, the angels declared that what Abraham had waited to receive in 24years will be done in the next one year (Gen 18:1-22). A simple love walk can compress process, if you have been praying and not been seeing answers, kindly check your love walk. What if Abraham didn’t notice them, what if he was not hospitable? He would have probably had to wait some more years till he learns to walk in love. God does not skip process, His principle of faith remains the same. (Hebrews 13:1-2 Let brotherly love continue. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing, some have unwittingly entertained angels).
This week, be quick to express love to all, pray for people, show an act of kindness, LOVE is a fruit, by your fruit, men will truly know you belong to Christ. Extend the love of God to all, LOVE the brotherhood of God. Give to someone, (James 2:15- If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food and one of you says to them, ‘depart in peace,be warned and filled, but do not give to them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?) Be hospitable to all. And never forget who you truly are; A LOVE BEING! I love y’all.
