Things that accompany salvation 6:9
9 beloved, we are confident of better things concerning you, yes, things that accompany salvation
The writer of this book saw evidences of genuine salvation in the lives of those to whom he wrote. I wonder what evidence we might look for? We would probably begin with their understanding of the truth and its orthodoxy. Perhaps we would then consider their involvement in church activities or the Bible version they used, but the writer does not mention any of these.
The writer contrasts these Christians with those that he has just described as being like thorns and briars – those who are ready for judgement. Some people are like thorns and briars – they always seem to scratch and irritate those with whom they come into contact – dishonouring God and hurting men. You can be sound in theology, heavily involved in Church activities, but still very prickly! Christians should not be like that.
Mt 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. 16 "You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? 17 "Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 "A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit.19 "Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 "Therefore by their fruits you will know them.
God is far more interested in our hearts and how we live than our theology, in some dry, academic sense.
Gal 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self–control.
Above all other characteristics the most important one that we should display is love:
1Cor 13:1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
So it is, perhaps, not surprising that the only evidence mentioned here is, the work and labour of love which you have shown toward His name, in that you have ministered to the saints, and do minister. However, there are two other characteristics that are mentioned that should also be present. These are:
• diligence/perseverance vv 11-12
• hope vv 18-20
(We’ll leave hope until next time, though.)
If we were on trial for being a Christian, would there be enough evidence to convict us? Are these characteristics, and the many others that should distinguish Christians, evident in our lives?
Your work and labour of love v10
Love to God
In Mt 22 Jesus was asked which was the greatest commandment in the law. He replied: 37 You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’38 "This is the first and great commandment. Christian love must begin with love for God and this verse begins there by talking about the love which you have shown toward His name.
Do we love God? We certainly should in response to His great love to us, shown supremely in His gift of His beloved Son – we love Him because He first loved us 1John 4:19. Not to mention His daily provision for us – food, clothing, homes, friends, family, the Bible … Have we thanked Him lately?
God honours those who love His Son. A rich man died and left no heirs. When his household goods were auctioned off, an elderly lady was the only one to bid for the picture of the dead man’s son. It had been greatly cherished by the dead man, because his only child had died at an early age. When the woman was asked why she wanted the portrait, she said she had been the boys nurse many years before, and had loved him dearly. When she got the picture home she examined it closely and noticed a bulge in the heavy paper at the back. making a small cut, she removed an envelope which turned out to contain the man’s missing will. It very clearly stated that he wanted to leave his property to the person who still held dear the memory of his beloved son.
Do we really love God? Do we like to spend time with him alone in prayer? Do we love to take that great love letter, the Bible, and read what God has written to us? If not, then how can we truly say that we love God?
Love to the Brethren
If we love God we will also love others. In Mt 22 Jesus went on to say: 39 "And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbour as yourself.’ 40 "On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets." In particular this love must extend to other Christians. Jesus, as He warned them that He would soon leave told them:
John 13: 34 "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 "By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."
John 15:12 "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. … 17 "These things I command you, that you love one another.
Jesus teaching obviously made a real impact on Peter and John who emphasised it in their letters:
1Pe 1:22 Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart
1John 3:11 For this is the message that you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another…23 this is His commandment: that we should believe on the name of His Son Jesus Christ and love one another, as He gave us commandment. … 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God…. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.
1John 4:20 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?
Paul was no less insistent:
Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law.
1Th 4:9 But concerning brotherly love you have no need that I should write to you, for you yourselves are taught by God to love one another
Work and labour of love
It is easy for us to say that we love God and other Christians, but is our love real?
A professor of psychology had no children of his own, but whenever he saw a neighbour scolding a child for some wrongdoing, he would say, "you should love your boy, not punish him."
One hot summer afternoon the professor was doing some repair work on a concrete driveway leading to his garage. Tired out after several hours of work, he laid down the trowel, wiped the perspiration from his forehead, and started toward the house. Just then out of the corner of his eye he saw a mischievous little boy putting his foot into the fresh concrete. He rushed over, grabbed him, and was about to spank him severely when a neighbour leaned from a window and said, "Watch it, Professor! Don’t you remember? You must ’love’ the child!" At this, he yelled back furiously, "I do Love him in the abstract, but not in the concrete!"
Is our love abstract or concrete? This verse talks of a love which works and labours. Love that exists only inside us is not real love. It must be translated into practical actions.
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food, 16 and one of you says to them, "Depart in peace, be warmed and filled," but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?... 17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
When we show kindness to our brothers and sisters v10 tells us that it is love which you have shown toward His name. Jesus made the same point: "And whoever gives one of these little ones only a cup of cold water in the name of a disciple, assuredly, I say to you, he shall by no means lose his reward." 40 "And the King will answer and say to them, `Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’ Mt 10:42
"I love you, Mother," said little John;
Then, forgetting his work, his cap went on,
And he was off to the garden swing,
Leaving his mother the wood to bring.
"I love you, Mother," said little Nell;
"I love you better than tongue can tell!"
Then she teased and pouted half the day,
Till Mother rejoiced when she went to play.
"I love you, Mother," said little Fran;
"Today I’ll help you all I can."
To the cradle then she did softly creep,
And rocked the baby till it fell asleep.
Then stepping softly, she took the broom
And swept the floor and dusted the room;
Busy and happy all day was she,
Helpful and cheerful as she could be.
"I love you, Mother," again they said,
Three little children going to bed.
How do you think that Mother guessed
Which of them really loved her best?
Diligence/perseverance vv 11-12
11 And we desire that each one of you show the same diligence to the full assurance of hope until the end, 12 that you do not become sluggish, but imitate those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.
It is amazing how "diligent" people can be in their hobbies. People spend hours jogging or gardening or collecting anything from stamps to bottle tops. In contrast we find it so hard to spend time and effort attending to our own personal holiness. We may be regular church attendees, but are we really exercised in our hearts as to how to please and honour God in our daily lives.
We may have known that in our early Christian experience, but often this cools as we go on. Prayer and Bible study no longer seem so important and there are so many claims on our time and energy. But God is not looking for sprinters who do well for the first few months or years. He wants us to be marathon runners who can go the full course not people that start well and then fizzle out.
Lu 9:62 But Jesus said to him, "No one, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God."
God wants us to persevere in the path of godliness. We have started so we should finish! We must confess our sins to God. We must exercise our faith and trust in Christ daily, as at the first. Instead of counting upon some past experience, we must maintain a present relationship with Christ.
Php 2:12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling
This demands perseverance. It involves patient searching the Scriptures, not for intellectual gratification, but to learn God’s will for us. It requires prayer, not to impose our will on God, but to bring our will into line with His and to fill us with the power that we need to put it into practice it.
A poor woman lived near C. H. Spurgeon’s house and was freezing in the cold weather. To help her, a friend ordered a supply of coal and had it delivered. A few minutes later the woman’s little daughter came out of the house with a small shovel, picked up a scoopful of coal, and took it inside. Spurgeon saw her do this several times, so he asked, Do you expect to get all that coal in with that little shovel?" Confidently she answered, "Yes sir, if l work long enough." Although the girl had a small tool, she had something that made up for it - perseverance. Equipped with only her small shovel, she knew that if she stuck with her task, eventually it would get done.
"Consider the postage stamp: its usefulness consists in the ability to stick to one thing till it get there." (Josh Billings) Perseverance is failing 19 times and succeeding the 20th.
Will we love God and our brothers and sisters in Christ? Will we be diligent and persevere, by His grace, in the coming year?
12 let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
