TRUE CHRISTIANITY AND THE ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE Luke 10:37; Romans 13:8-10; Galatians 6:9,10; 1 John 3:16 . The church in the world including our own today is quickly forgetting the Lord’s message on love. People are not able to come to worship with us and this goes unnoticed and nobody cares. Instead of making follow ups at it was in the early days, we go on with our business of passing judgment on innocent souls. It is my prayer that the church will return to the drawing board and do the first works in Jesus Name. True Christianity means practical love and not attendance of a good church. Who is your neighbour? The Lord calls the victim of the bandits, “a certain man.” The fact that the victim of this gruesome act is a human being qualifies him to be “thy neighbour.” Many there are who have been wounded by sin and left half alive. There are others who are wrestling with the troubled sea of life within and outside our fellowships, calling for a helping hand. If we would show practical Christianity we must help them. The Lord enjoins us to do good to all men. But it calls us with a stronger appeal to be kind and good towards those who are the household of faith. Necessity is laid upon the brethren to care for one another, pray for one another, visit one another and love one another. Your Christian brother is your immediate neighbour regardless of racial, social or tribal differences. We should do for them what we would do for Christ if He were physically present with us. THE CONDEMNABLE ATTRIBUTES OF THE PRIEST AND THE LEVITE (Luke 10:31,32). “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side” (Luke 10:31,32). It is unfortunate that “religious men”, those in the service of the Great King, and by obligation expected to manifest His gracious caring attributes, should be charged with indifference. It is a contradiction in terms! Ministers of the gospel – house fellowship leaders, zonal leaders, women representatives, coordinators and pastors – are by virtue of their office and calling obliged to serve others. They are not to close their eyes to the physical and spiritual plight of those they are charged to lead and feed. The priest‟s office is a sacred one. They were chosen and set apart as holy vessels unto God (Exodus 28:1-3). By virtue of their calling they are to stand between God and the people. In the Old Testament economy the priest is to offer up prayers, thanksgiving and sacrifices for people. He becomes the people‟s representative in “things pertaining to God” (Hebrew 5:1). By the same token one would have expected the priest in this parable to discover in the ugly incident, a call to duty, a privilege to help the helpless. Unfortunately he did not. Coming down from the services at the temple, he forgot the acts of mercy, ignored the half-dead man‟s wants, and passed by on the other side. He steeled his heart against the charitable impulses, which the occasion should have evoked. He must have thought that as a priest, a touch on the half-dead would defile him. He forgot that the law was made for man and not man for the law. Why couldn’t the Levite and the priest stop by to help the victim of the robbers? “But go ye and learn what that meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance” (Matthew 9:13). Many times believers allow protocols and the call of duty to hinder them from rendering services to people in need. We are apt to give a tract more than a cup of tea, a message than a morsel of bread. Jesus was disappointed by the action of this priest. And the Levite was no better! The Levite toed the path of the priest though he came near to behold the victim of the bandits. One would have thought at first sight that for him to have made effort to go near, he was persuaded to help. But no sooner had he come near “and looked on him” than he went his way. What could have been his reason? After all, he came near, saw him, and beheld the damage done to his life! The priests and Levites, by their calling and service, were to preserve the laws of Jehovah in all its integrity and purity. They were to see that its requirements were duly complied with, dispense justice in accordance with its injunctions and pass on the law to posterity (Leviticus 10:11; Deuteronomy 17:18; 31:1-13). It is shocking therefore to see these ministers in the Levitical priesthood fall short of the requirement of the law. Whatever their reasons, their actions are inexcusable. But before we slam the door of judgment against them, are Christians in the House Caring Fellowship system not guilty of the same? They feel that their sanctification will diminish if they dine with the sinner or stoop low to serve. They think they will be less Christian if they weep and commiserate with the bereaved. The New Testament saints, like a Levite and a priest, are the called of God and are expected to exhibit Christlike love. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). God delights in mercy. He exalts service of love and justice above sacrifice (Proverbs 21:3). There are people who lay claims to sanctification and holiness but are devoid of God’s true love which finds expression in service and good works. This is a moment of self examination for everyone that calls on the name of the Lord.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 15:00:23 +0000