TO BE ESTABLISHED IN LOVE
The Lord Jesus Christ sacrificed His own life to save mankind and established His true church through the Holy Spirit because of His love for us. Nevertheless, there is only one Spirit, one Lord and one body (i.e. the church).
The Bible records, “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12). Thus, anyone who wishes to gain eternal life must become part of the Lord Jesus Christ and be united with Him as one.
Eph. 4:4-7 4There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called in one hope of your calling; 5one Lord, one faith, one baptism; 6one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. 7But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift.
In the past, Peter was very worried when he heard the Lord Jesus Christ said, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me” (John 13:1-10). As such, it is unfortunate if we have no part with [Him] in the end despite being His followers throughout our lives.
John 13:8-9 8Peter said to Him, "You shall never wash my feet!" Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me." 9Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"
The Lord Jesus Christ said, “…abide in My love”. “If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love…”; He also said, “for without Me you can do nothing”.
John 15:9-10 9"As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love.
John 15:5 I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
We must obey the Lord Jesus Christ’s command if we want to become part of Him for those who disobey Him are nothing on their own.
Those who only call “Lord, Lord” will not become part of Him for they do not walk in the will of the Heavenly Father but “cheat [others] through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ” (Col. 2:8).
Matt. 7:21 Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
Matt. 15:9 And in vain they worship Me, Teaching as doctrines the commandments of men.' "
It is impossible for us to repent again if we choose to depart from the truth despite having been enlightened by the true light and having received the merciful grace of God as fellow partakers of the Holy Spirit.
Heb. 6:4-6 4For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.
Esau was originally one of God’s chosen people, but he despised his birthright and lost his heavenly blessing for one morsel of food (Gen. 25:34).
Although Korah and his company were the leaders among the chosen people of God, they devised evil plans and rebelled against Moses and Aaron. Consequently, they were punished by God for the earth opened its mouth and swallowed them (Num. 26:10).
Judas Iscariot was one of the disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ who failed to safeguard his heart from the evil devices of Satan. He was unrepentant despite being blinded by money and even betrayed his Master due to his love of money. Consequently, he suffered a gruesome death where his middle burst open and all his entrails gushed out (Acts 1:16-18).
These incidents are warnings and lessons to the future generations.
Apostle Paul said, “But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified” (1Cor. 9:27).
We were originally Gentiles with no part in the Lord Jesus Christ. Today, it is through His grace that we have been raised out of the dust to sit with princes.
Eph. 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,
John 15:16 You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask the Father in My name He may give you.
2Thess. 2:13 But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,
We must be grateful to God for pouring down His abundant grace upon us. We must make haste if we want to repay His grace that moves us to tears.
Do we want to follow the rebellious ways of the Jews who had forgotten God’s grace?
If we do not want to incur God’s wrath, we must remember to remain humble and never despise His grace which we have received freely.
1Pet. 1:13-14 13Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;
As fellow brethren, we must repent, strengthen ourselves and be God-fearing. We must pray to be enlightened of His Word lest we be tossed to and fro, and be carried about with every wind of doctrine.
Eph. 4:12-14 12for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ, 13till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,
Col. 2:6-7 6As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, 7rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving.
We must respect our fellow brethren by ministering one another in the Lord Jesus Christ and remain humble at all times. We must never blame others for our mistakes lest we end up “giving place to the devil” (Eph. 4:27).
Today, we must strive to work together in unity so that we can complete the divine works according to the effective working by which every part does its share. If every individual member can take heed when executing his mission, the body of the Lord Jesus Christ will be able to grow into maturity such that everyone can be established firmly in His love and be united with Him as one.
1Thess. 5:11 Therefore comfort each other and edify one another, just as you also are doing.
1Thess. 5:15-18 15See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all. 16Rejoice always, 17pray without ceasing, 18in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
Eph. 4:15-16 15but, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head--Christ-- 16from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
Gal. 5:14-15 14For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." 15But if you bite and devour one another, beware lest you be consumed by one another!
(The Holy Spirit Times – 20.03.1965 - ACTS-2023-0708)