Too many times we associate the wrath of God with loveless, don't we? When God's wrath is kindled against the sinfulness of man, is that the absence of love? God is love (I John 4:7-8). God can never act loveless. The wrath of God is the form of love when He must chastise man! Just think about your own children. When they did things that were sinful and destructive to their lives or harm of others, did you chastise them because you were loveless? No! The chastising was your love for them to get their attention so they would change their attitude and heart. And so it is with God.
If we keep defining love as all embracing and never correcting, we have a very distorted view of love. We will have a distorted view of God! Didn't we learn that love never rejoices in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth (I Cor. 13:6)? Love always goes after righteousness. When it comes to brethren, sometimes we must chastise them if the continue in their walk of rebellion or godless behavior. Sometimes my brother or sister might want to revile others in the church. That must be stopped for the sake of love! It involves all. Sometimes a brother or sister might be a swindler or a coveter. Love deals with that. Too many in the church seem to think that we can't say or do anything against anyone because we don't want to hurt them or get them upset! Love is concerned for the eternal destiny! Love moves to chastisement to help them turn away from whatever it is they are practicing.
We need to stop making love out as some sort of 'touchy, feely' embrace that we all get along while turning our eyes away from the practice of sin. After all, if we correct someone and they are such workers in the church and that's the basis on which they are right with God, what does that reveal about our understanding of love? What does that say in our understanding of God?
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