The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1941-11-27
CHRISTIAN LOVE

LESSON TEXT-John 1884, IS; I CORN.
thians bib
GOLDEN TEXT-We love him, because he
first loved us.-I John 4:19.
Many important things enlist the
interest Of the Christian, but we
need to beware lest we neglect what
Jesus declared to be the first and
great COMMUNICATIVE we love
God; and its necessary sequel
that we love our neighbor. If love
is forgotten (and who can deny that
it often is in our day?), the very
foundations are shaken. We need
a revival Of Christian love.
1. Love-A Mark of DiscipIeship
John 1884. $50.
Do you want to know whether a
man is a Christian? Find out
whether he loves his brethren. Such
is the test Jesus gives in these
verses.
l. Commanded. It is the will
and purpose of God that the follow
ers of Christ should have a real love
for one another. 1t is not to be a
matter of impulse or chance, but
the love God has for us should con-
strain US to love one another. Thus
is love
2. Exemplifed. God has loved
us. He does love us. How infinitely
much is wrapped up in these simple
words! He even gave His Son to
die for us because He loved US
John 3:16). How then can we with
hold our love from Him and from
one another?
II. LOve-A Christian Grace Il
Cor. 13).
In a world where hatred prevails,
and is in fact glorifed, this chapter
needs to be read and reread. We
find that love is
l. Essential wv. 1-3). Life has
many excellent gifts and men quite
properly seek after them, How do
they compare with love, and what
do they amount to apart from love?
Glowing, angelic eloquence; the far
seeing eye Of the prophet; the at
tainments of knowledge and Gull
ture; mountaineering faith; lib
eral-hearted charity; martyr-like
self-sacriice-Without love they are
all as nothing. Apart from Christ
and His love operating in our
hearts and lives the worthiest at
tainments of men are vain and
empty. Love is the very essence of
satisfying and useful life.
2. Effective wv. 40. Does love
really work, or is this just fine
sounding but obsolete theory? 1t
works.
Think of the things in life which
irritate and depress us; then put
opposite them the qualities Of Chris
tian love as given in verses 4 to 7,
and you will agree that what this
world needs most of all is love.
Remember that talking about love
or reading about it or studying it
in the Sunday school will not make
it effective We must put it into
practice. Why not start now? You
will be surprised at the results.
3. Eternal wv. 8, 12). Many
gifts are only temporary in their
usefulness; in fact, almost every
thing that man makes or does
(apart from his service for God) is
transient. Even SO vital a matter
as prophecy shall one day find its
end in fulfllment. Hope shall
eventually find its longing expccta-
ton satisfied. Faith will be justified
in seeing what it has believed.
Childish things will be put away by
the full-groWn man, knowledge will
increase and darkness disappear
But love-love is eternal. 1t never
fails, and will never fail God is
love and God is eternal. From all
eternity and unto all eternity love
continues. Therefore, we agree
with Paul who in the verse preced-
ing this chapter Il Cor. 12:3D says
that while you may covet the best
gifts, here is the more excellent way
love.
Let us be clear about this. Love
is not a substitute for regeneration,
and certainly regeneration is no ex-
cuse for lack of love. Read John 10:
"a, IS again and remember that if
we are Christs disciples we will
count it high privilege to keep
this first and great commandment
of love.