Heralds Digest

"We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death." (1 John 3:14 NKJV) Pleasant actions are naturally believed to promote love among parties in any healthy relationship. Unfortunately, love based on the interpretation of the actions of parties is deceptive and superficial. Genuine love reflects the state of the heart of man; and it has little to do with the gift in the hands. Actually, the basis of love is the appreciation from the heart of the recipient or beneficiary of the greater love, expressed by the power of the cross of Calvary. Invariably, the absence of genuine love is the evident essence of regeneration of the heart.

"Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him." (1 John 3:6 NKJV) Intimate relationship among soul-mates enables the convergence of acceptable characters. Without exception, intimate relationship with Christ destroys every seed of unrighteousness in man. While association with Church and religious obligations can promote encouraging compliance in character, especially in terms of lifestyles and general social dispositions, the only evidence of an intimate relationship with Christ is righteousness. A sincere knowledge of the saving grace of God in man enables the power to struggle not with sin.

"And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure." (1 John 3:3 NKJV) Being the first work of grace, salvation delivers a sinful heart from the power of sin in order to commence a love relationship with Christ. However, salvation does not reduce or remove the attractiveness of sin. It is the appreciation of the love of Christ that constraints the heart in the path of righteousness. Love attracts soul-mates. And it is natural for a bride that hope to be with her soul-mate in an holy land to strive for nothing but holiness. While the pursuit of power and position depicts the existence of a love relationship between man and the world, the pursuit of purity represents the existence of a love relationship between man and Christ.

"Therefore let that abide in you which you heard from the beginning. If what you heard from the beginning abides in you, you also will abide in the Son and in the Father." (1 John 2:24 NKJV) Truth is truly true when its residency is maintained in the environment of lies. The truth about God' righteousness at Christ's expense is its ability to stand straight in the torrent of errors. God's grace is sufficient to keep any soul from sin, if the wholesome package of grace is allowed to control the heart of man. Unfortunately, many redeemed souls often abuse grace by sharing the residency of their hearts between righteousness and unrighteousness. Whereas, God's grace can only keep truth in the heart at man's approval of its residency permit.

"Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him." (1 John 2:15 NKJV) Since the subject of love is the matter of the heart, the heart of man remains the battleground between God and Satan. However, it difficult to understand the state of the heart unless what influences the heart is acknowledged. The scripture says " if anyone love the world, the love of the Father is not in him ". Obviously, the love of the Father and the love of the world lead the heart in different directions. Unfortunately, the overbearing influence of the world, which bother on self interests, often leaves a deficit of desire for the will of God. It is absolutely impossible to protect the interest of self and God simultaneously, without tearing the heart apart.

"But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes." (1 John 2:11 NKJV) Walking daily along the path free of offense is obviously impossible in this sinful world. Rather than engaging in wishful thinking, the best strategy provides a way of accommodating offenses without getting off the track of righteousness. While darkness or unrighteousness is a common lifestyle of sinners and unbelievers, hatred among the children of light is not a reflection of the power of grace. Irrespective of its seeming legitimacy, hatred clouds the pathway of the righteous from uprightness. Therefore, it is better to accommodate possible character fraud, and walk in a clear pathway; rather than to entertain hatred, and cruise along the cloudy pathway.

"But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin." (1 John 1:7 NKJV) Holy living is commonly alien to the system of this world. Most claims of perfection are found hypocritical or outrightly dishonest. Since righteousness comes through the grace of God, true fellowship is necessary for anyone who wishes to reflect the light of the gospel. The light may not necessarily attract the beauty of the world and its system, it rebukes the bitterness in every relationship. Unlike the sanctimonious pretence of holy living, honest living attains perfection through a daily illumination from the fellowship with the Lord Jesus Christ.