So then, Pete (?), what of the numerous Newer Testament references to squabbles that took place between fellow believers? Was their 'love' toward one another 'hot or cold'?
----- Original Message ----- From: "Pete" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: December 10, 2004 07:17 Subject: [TruthTalk] Love - hot or cold > > > > John Smithson wrote: > > > Do you not remember just how pro-David > > > Miller I once was? I Defended you and took > > > a great deal of abuse for that defense. > > > > Of course I remember how the Lord used you to defend me in a very similar > > misunderstanding involving other people. However, if you were doing this > > because you were "pro-David Miller," that would have been an inappropriate > > motive. Perhaps this is why we are where we are today. God does not want > > you or anyone else being "pro-David Miller." Our eyes need to be on the > > Lord only. We are but clay vessels that are used from time to time for > the > > Master's purpose. You know these things already. > > Hey All. > > I think this concept needs to be addressed. This thinking, if taken too > far leaves people cold. > > There are many scriptures that come to my mind about loving your neighbor > that I know you are all familiar with. > If you say, I do it for the love of God and not the love of the person, then > your position become cold and inpersonable. > > The gospel is a doctrine that talks about loving God, who says we must love > one another. > This means one another and not just embrasing a concept of love. > > Jesus spoke of love as something we do > towards other people and not just Him. If someone defends me because of me > and not because of the Lord, than that can be considered an act of love. > The love we receive from above > extends towards people. If I defend David or G or anyone else on this > forum, it is done because of my genuine concern for the person and not just > an act of mercy done through the letter of some teaching. Are born again > believer's born from above? Do we now possess the Spirit of God within us > to love another not out of duty, but out of our recreated spirits? This is > where we draw our love from. > > The attitude of "do it for the Lord" only is a bad philosophy that leaves > people > cold. If you are defended by someone because they care about you, that > shows love. It is an act out of our newly recreated spirit. It is a > response from what God has done in our lives. > > Paul states: > > 1Th 2:20 For ye are our glory and joy. > > YE, being the Thessalonians. > > I doubt if Paul would have said this if he truly didn't feel this way > towards the people and not just "the teaching" about love. Sometimes our > thinking becomes clouded in spiritual concepts and we lose touch with the > practice of doing things fearing our motives are wrong. I am not saying > that we should not judge ourselves in this respect, but we should not be > cold to one another and say, "I love you in the Lord" without having some > actual genuine concern for the person. This is hypocritical. > > Pete > > > ---------- > "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org > > If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed. > ---------- "Let your speech be always with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer every man." (Colossians 4:6) http://www.InnGlory.org If you do not want to receive posts from this list, send an email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and you will be unsubscribed. If you have a friend who wants to join, tell him to send an e-mail to [EMAIL PROTECTED] and he will be subscribed.
