"We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. 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."(I John 3:14-16)
There is no doubt that true believers, justified saints, those justified, redeemed, and sanctified by the blood and imputed righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ are in an unchangeable state of righteousness based on the UNCHANGEABLE RIGHTEOUSNESS of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is also no doubt, that in spite of this STATE in which they forever reside, they still bear in their bodies an Adamic nature that continually seeks to keep them blinded to all the blessing and benefits they have been afforded by their ONENESS with Christ. That being their case, they are many times filled with insecurity and doubt, fear and unbelief, prone to anger, pride, malice, envy, and every other sin that dwells in man by nature - "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not. For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do."(Rom.7:18,19) This is not an excuse for their remaining sinfulness, just the reality of their situation in this world. We CANNOT and we SHOULD NOT ever seek to use this truth to justify ungodly behavior, particularly as it relates to those who are of "like precious faith".
In the United States, (and probably in all cultures) we have a saying: "Blood is thicker than water", which we use to describe the unbreakable relationship with our earthly relations, i.e., Mom, Dad, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. In almost all cases, I've never seen many blood relatives who cannot in some capacity FORGIVE and even FORGET almost anything done to them or against them by their own FLESH AND BLOOD. Many who profess to believe God's Gospel, who claim they have rested in and that they rely exclusively on Christ's accomplished work at Calvary as their ONLY HOPE and CAUSE of salvation have and do forgive earthly relatives of grievous errors and evils committed against them by their EARTHLY friends and family. Yet many of those same professing believers allow things that are NON-ESSENTIAL to drive a permanent wedge between themselves and those who have rested in Christ as the "Lord our RIGHTEOUSNESS". Something is wrong with this picture! Forgive and forget when it comes to those who in fact HATE the true and living God, who reject Christ's righteousness ALONE as the ONLY HOPE and CAUSE of salvation, and yet be UNWILLING and UNABLE to forgive those who according to the definition of God's word are "BRETHREN"! I encourage you to prayerfully consider the Apostle John's words - ""We know that we have passed from death unto life, BECAUSE WE LOVE THE BRETHREN. 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."(I John 3:14-16) There is NO SCRIPTURAL GROUND or BASIS for the separation of "brethen", NONE! May the Lord cause us to see beyond outward appearance and judge matters after the Spirit, and not "after the flesh".
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