the acts of the apostles-第92节

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to　all　classes。

The　apostle's　life　was　in　harmony　with　his　teachings。　The　love　for　Christ
which　glowed　in　his　heart　led　him　to　put　forth　earnest；　untiring　labor　for
his　fellow　men；　especially　for　his　brethren　in　the　Christian　church。

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Christ　had　bidden　the　first　disciples　love　one　another　as　He　had　loved　them。
Thus　they　were　to　bear　testimony　to　the　world　that　Christ　was　formed　within；
the　hope　of　glory。　〃A　new　commandment　I　give　unto　you；〃　He　had　said；　〃That
ye　love　one　another；　as　I　have　loved　you；　that　ye　also　love　one　another。〃
John　13：34。　At　the　time　when　these　words　were　spoken；　the　disciples　could
not　understand　them；　but　after　they　had　witnessed　the　sufferings　of　Christ；
after　His　crucifixion　and　resurrection；　and　ascension　to　heaven；　and　after
the　Holy　Spirit　had　rested　on　them　at　Pentecost；　they　had　a　clearer
conception　of　the　love　of　God　and　of　the　nature　of　that　love　which　they　must
have　for　one　another。　Then　John　could　say　to　his　fellow　disciples：

〃Hereby　perceive　we　the　love　of　God；　because　He　laid　down　His　life　for　us：
and　we　ought　to　lay　down　our　lives　for　the　brethren。〃

After　the　descent　of　the　Holy　Spirit；　when　the　disciples　went　forth　to
proclaim　a　living　Saviour；　their　one　desire　was　the　salvation　of　souls。　They
rejoiced　in　the　sweetness　of　communion　with　saints。　They　were　tender；
thoughtful；　self…denying；　willing　to　make　any　sacrifice　for　the　truth's
sake。　In　their　daily　association　with　one　another；　they　revealed　the　love
that　Christ　had　enjoined　upon　them。　By　unselfish　words　and　deeds　they　strove
to　kindle　this　love　in　other　hearts。

Such　a　love　the　believers　were　ever　to　cherish。　They　were　to　go　forward　in
willing　obedience　to　the　new　commandment。　So　closely　were　they　to　be　united
with　Christ　that

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they　would　be　enabled　to　fulfill　all　His　requirements。　Their　lives　were　to
magnify　the　power　of　a　Saviour　who　could　justify　them　by　His　righteousness。

But　gradually　a　change　came。　The　believers　began　to　look　for　defects　in
others。　Dwelling　upon　mistakes；　giving　place　to　unkind　criticism；　they　lost
sight　of　the　Saviour　and　His　love。　They　became　more　strict　in　regard　to
outward　ceremonies；　more　particular　about　the　theory　than　the　practice　of
the　faith。　In　their　zeal　to　condemn　others；　they　overlooked　their　own
errors。　They　lost　the　brotherly　love　that　Christ　had　enjoined；　and；　saddest
of　all；　they　were　unconscious　of　their　loss。　They　did　not　realize　that
happiness　and　joy　were　going　out　of　their　lives　and　that；　having　shut　the
love　of　God　out　of　their　hearts；　they　would　soon　walk　in　darkness。

John；　realizing　that　brotherly　love　was　waning　in　the　church；　urged　upon
believers　the　constant　need　of　this　love。　His　letters　to　the　church　are　full
of　this　thought。　〃Beloved；　let　us　love　one　another；〃　he　writes；　〃for　love　is
of　God；　and　everyone　that　loveth　is　born　of　God；　and　knoweth　God。　He　that
loveth　not　knoweth　not　God；　for　God　is　love。　In　this　was　manifested　the　love
of　God　toward　us；　because　that　God　sent　His　only…begotten　Son　into　the
world；　that　we　might　live　through　Him。　Herein　is　love；　not　that　we　loved
God；　but　that　He　loved　us；　and　sent　His　Son　to　be　the　propitiation　for　our
sins。　Beloved；　if　God　so　loved　us；　we　ought　also　to　love　one　another。〃

Of　the　special　sense　in　which　this　love　should　be　manifested　by　believers；
the　apostle　writes：　〃A　new　commandment

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I　write　unto　you；　which　thing　is　true　in　Him　and　in　you：　because　the
darkness　is　past；　and　the　true　light　now　shineth。　He　that　saith　he　is　in　the
light；　and　hateth　his　brother；　is　in　darkness　even　until　now。　He　that　loveth
his　brother　abideth　in　the　light；　and　there　is　none　occasion　of　stumbling　in
him。　But　he　that　hateth　his　brother　is　in　darkness；　and　walketh　in　darkness；
and　knoweth　not　whither　he　goeth；　because　that　darkness　hath　blinded　his
eyes。〃　〃This　is　the　message　that　ye　heard　from　the　beginning；　that　we　should
love　one　another。〃　〃He　that　loveth　not　his　brother　abideth　in　death。
Whosoever　hateth　his　brother　is　a　murderer：　and　ye　know　that　no　murderer
hath　eternal　life　abiding　in　him。　Hereby　perceive　we　the　love　of　God；
because　He　laid　down　His　life　for　us：　and　we　ought　to　lay　down　our　lives　for
the　brethren。〃

It　is　not　the　opposition　of　the　world　that　most　endangers　the　church　of
Christ。　It　is　the　evil　cherished　in　the　hearts　of　believers　that　works　their
most　grievous　disaster　and　most　surely　retards　the　progress　of　God's　cause。
There　is　no　surer　way　of　weakening　spirituality　than　by　cherishing　envy；
suspicion；　faultfinding；　and　evil　surmising。　On　the　other　hand；　the
strongest　witness　that　God　has　sent　His　Son　into　the　world　is　the　existence
of　harmony　and　union　among　men　of　varied　dispositions　who　form　His　church。
This　witness　it　is　the　privilege　of　the　followers　of　Christ　to　bear。　But　in
order　to　do　this；　they　must　place　themselves　under　Christ's　command。　Their
characters　must　be　conformed　to　His　character　and　their　wills　to　His　will。

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〃A　new　commandment　I　give　unto　you；〃　Christ　said；　〃That　ye　love　one　another；
as　I　have　loved　you；　that　ye　also　love　one　another。〃　John　13：34。　What　a
wonderful　statement；　but；　oh；　how　poorly　practiced！　In　the　church　of　God
today　brotherly　love　is　sadly　lacking。　Many　who　profess　to　love　the　Saviour
do　not　love　one　another。　Unbelievers　are　watching　to　see　if　the　faith　of
professed　Christians　is　exerting　a　sanctifying　influence　upon　their　lives；
and　they　are　quick　to　discern　the　defects　in　character；　the　inconsistencies
in　action。　Let　Christians　not　make　it　possible　for　the　enemy　to　point　to
them　and　say；　Behold　how　these　people；　standing　under　the　banner　of　Christ；
hate　one　another。　Christians　are　all　members　of　one　family；　all　children　of
the　same　heavenly　Father；　with　the　same　blessed　hope　of　immortality。　Very
close　and　tender　should　be　the　tie　that　binds　them　together。

Divine　love　makes　its　most　touching　appeals　to　the　heart　when　it　calls　upon
us　to　manifest　the　same　tender　compassion　that　Christ　manifested。　That　man
only　who　has　unselfish　love　for　his　brother　has　true　love　for　God。　The　true
Christian　will　not　willingly　permit　the　soul　in　peril　and　need　to　go
unwarned；　uncared　for。　He　will　not　hold　himself　aloof　from　the　erring；
leaving　them　to　plunge　farther　into　unhappiness　and　discouragement　or　to
fall　on　Satan's　battleground。

Those　who　have　never　experienced　the　tender；　winning　love　of　Christ　cannot
lead　others　to　the　fountain　of　life。　His　love　in　the　heart　is　a　constraining
power；　which　leads　men

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to　reveal　Him　in　the　conversation；　in　the　tender；　pitiful　spirit；　in　the
uplifting　of　the　lives　of　those　with　whom　they　associate。　Christian　workers
who　succeed　in　their　efforts　must　know　Christ；　and　in　order　to　know　Him；
they　must　know　His　love。　In　heaven　their　fitness　as　workers　is　measured　by
their　ability　to　love　as　Christ　loved　and　to　work　as　He　worked。

〃Let　us　not　love　in　word；〃　the　apostle　writes；　〃but　in　deed　and　in　truth。〃
The　completeness　of　Christian　character　is　attained　when　the　impulse　to　help
and　bless　others　springs　constantly　from　within。　It　is　the　atmosphere　of
this　love　surrounding　the　soul　of　the　believer　that　makes　him　a　savor　of
life　unto　life　and　enables　God　to　bless　his　work。

Supreme　love　for　God　and　unselfish　love　for　one　another　this　is　the　best
gift　that　our　heavenly　Father　can　bestow。　This　love　is　not　an　impulse；　but　a
divine　principle；　a　permanent　power。　The　unconsecrated　heart　cannot
originate　or　produce　it。　Only　in　the　heart　where　Jesus　reigns　is　it　found。
〃We　love　Him；　because　He　first　loved　us。〃　In　the　heart　renewed　by　divine
grace；　love　is　the　ruling　principle　of　action。　It　modifies　the　character；
governs　the　impulses；　controls　the　passions；　and　ennobles　the　affections。
This　love；　cherished　in　the　soul；　sweetens　the　life　and　sheds　a　refining
influence　on　all　around。

John　strove　to　lead　the　believers　to　understand　the　exalted　privileges　that
would　come　to　them　through　the　exercise　of　the　spirit　of　love。　This
redeeming　power；　filling　the　heart；　would　control　every　other　motive　and
raise　its　possessors

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above　the　corrupting　influences　of　the　world。　And　as　this　love　was　allowed
full　sway　and　became　the　motive　power　in　the　life；　their　trust　and
confidence　in　God　and　His　dealing　with　them　would　be　complete。　They　could
then　come　to　Him　in　full　confidence　of　faith；　knowing　that　they　would
receive　from　Him　everything　needful　for　their　present　and　eternal　good。
〃Herein　is　our　love　made　perfect；〃　he　wrote；　〃that　we　may　have　boldness　in
the　day　of　judgment：　because　as　He　is；　so　are　we　in　this　world。　There　is　no
fear　in　love；　but　perfect　love　casteth　out　fear。〃　〃And　this　is　the
confidence　that　we　have　in　Him；　that；　if　we　ask　anything　according　to　His
will；　He　heareth　us：　and　if　we　know　that　He　hear　us；　。　。　。　we　know　that　we
have　the　petitions　that　we　desired　of　Him。〃

〃And　if　any　man　sin；　we　have　an　advocate　with　the　Father；　Jesus　Christ　the
righteous：　and　He　is　the　propitiation　for　our　sins：　and