"But as grace
strengthens, and the Gospel prevails in the hearts of Christians, love and a
spirit of unity increase with it.
Can Christians be
soldered together in unity, as long as they are not fully reconciled to God in
regard to their sanctification? The less progress the Gospel has made in our
hearts to mortify lust and strengthen grace, the weaker the peace and love
among us.
From the
contentions among Christians at Corinth, Paul concluded that they had not grown
in grace beyond the spoon-feeding stage. "I have fed you with milk, and
not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye
able. For ye are yet carnal" 1 Corinthians 3:2-3.he conceived their
behavior to be clear evidence. "For whereas there is among you envying,
and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men?" But as
grace strengthens, and the Gospel prevails in the hearts of Christians, love
and a spirit of unity increase with it.
We say "older
and wiser"-- when children are very young they quarrel and fight, but age
and wisdom furnish strength to overcome petty differences. For instance, in the
controversy between the servants of Abraham and Lot, Abraham-- the elder and
stronger Christian-- was determined, no matter what it cost him, to have peace
with his nephew, who was inferior to him in every way. And Paul is another
example. As a Christian who was head and shoulders above the others, he said of
himself, "The grace of our Lord was exceeding abundant with faith and love
which is in Christ Jesus" 1 Timothy 1:14.
Calvin points out
that Paul's faith opposed his former obstinate unbelief as a Pharisee; his love
in Jesus overcame the cruelty he expressed against Christians on his
persecuting errand to Damascus. He was as full of faith as he had been of
unbelief before; and as full of fire-hot love as he had been of hatred. This is
what I want you to see-- this pair of graces thrive and grow together; a
Christian who has abundant faith will also have abundant love.”
.”Quoted material from, ”The Christian in Complete Armour Daily Readings
in Spiritual Warfare” by Gurnall and James S Bell.
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