Welcome to the Hackberry House of Chosun. My name is Bob. I'm reading today from Luther's exhortation to brotherly love found in First John, and we're about halfway through that little message. Let's pick up the last half now. He says, in the same way does the world conduct itself today with reference to our gospel. For no other reason are we hated and persecuted than because we have, through God's grace, proclaimed His Word that recovered us from the blindness and idolatry in which we were sunken as deeply as the world, and because we desire to rescue others. That's the unpardonable sin by which we have incurred the world's irreconcilable anger and its inextinguishable hatred. It cannot permit us to live. We preach no other doctrine than faith in Christ, which our children pray and they themselves confess in words. We differ only in our claim that Christ, having been crucified for us and having shed his blood to redeem us from sin and death, our salvation is not affected by our own works or holiness or devotion. The fact that we do not regard their faithless worship equal to Christ himself, but teach men to trust in the grace of God and not their own worthiness, And to render him gratitude for his grace, this fact is intolerable to the world. It would be well for our adversaries if they would receive such teaching, since it would render them more than ever what they profess to be. Our superiors in wisdom, knowledge, reputation, a claim we're willing to concede. But Cain's works are evil and Abel's righteous. The world simply cannot tolerate the gospel, and no unity or harmony is ever to be hoped for. The world will not forsake its idolatry, nor receive the faith. It would force us to renounce the word of God and praise its Cain-like worship, or take death at their hands. And so John says, marvel not, brethren, if the world hateth you. For it is compelled to act according to the nature inherited from its father Cain. It would have all merits and concede to able none. The world comprises the exalted, the wise, the learned, the mighty. The Scriptures represent these as under necessity to hate and persecute the poor throng of the Church of Christ by reason of the good works done by them. They can under no consideration tolerate the idea of being taught by this despised and humble throng the doctrine of salvation through the grace and mercy of God alone, not through man's own merits. They cannot endure the teaching that their offering, the mass regarded by the papists as a work of superlative merit and holiness, their offering avails nothing before God. In the text, the nature of the world is portrayed for our recognition. And so to understand the world as to know What may be expected from it is essential and valuable knowledge for the Christian. Thus armed, he will not be dismayed and become impatient of suffering or permit its malice and ingratitude to mislead him to hate and desire for revenge. He will keep his faith and love, suffering the world to go its way if it refused to hear his message. The Christian should expect nothing better from the world than its bitter persecution in return for his good works and love. The church of Christ on earth, let him remember, is never to have an easier lot. He's not to judge according to show and appearance, thinking, oh, they are the great throng, the wisest and cleverest people on earth. How is it possible that they should all be in error and under condemnation? It is necessarily true that discipline and peace are impossible without the most excellent, exalted, erudite, clever people, royal, princely, noble in achievement and honor. Cain is never plain and lowly. He's always eminently clever, wise, holy, and in every way vastly ables superior. In fact, He must in himself represent all desirable things, as his name indicates. And the same characteristic is manifest in his children, who are ingenious in the invention of every variety of art. Deplorable the fact that a man of Cain's qualifications, born of godly parents and signally honored of God, should display such hatred and inhumanity toward poor Abel, merely because of God's word and Abel's faith. Such knowledge is comforting to the godly little company of Christians who are confident they have God's favor and they know it to be the occasion of their persecution. They have no protection and succor, but are exposed to the same fate as Abel. If they fare better, they may thank God for it, ever to abide in love toward God, whose love they have received and felt, and likewise toward men, their enemies not accepted. This was Abel's way. Could he have lived again? He would have kept his brotherly love for his murderer, forgiving him, even imploring God's forgiveness for him. Yes, we know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren. Love moves Christians. To abide in love should be the motive for us Christians. John contrasts it with the motive of the world in hating us, that is, its wickedness. The world's hatred of you, as John's words imply, is not strange. The contrast between you and the world is exceedingly great. Through its own evil works, unbelief, pride, contempt for the word and grace of God, and the persecution of the godly, the world has become by this time the victim of Satan and eternal death. It spurns all counsel and aid directed toward its rescue. Stiff-necked and hardened under evident condemnation by its own conscience, it has chosen to persist in its doom. But we believers in Christ, God be praised, are different people. We've come forth from death. We've passed through death and entered into life through the knowledge and faith of the Son of God who loved us and who gave himself for us. Such grace and goodness of God, says the apostle, should prompt you not to be offended and vanquished by the world's ingratitude, hate, and malice, and thus to cease from holy endeavor and become likewise evil, which, of course, will result in the loss of your treasure. It is yours, not by your own effort, but by grace alone. For at one time you, as well as they, languished in the kingdom and power of death in evil works, far from faith and love. Remember to comfort yourselves, therefore, with the thought of this great blessing and advantage you enjoy above the others? What if the world, abiding in death, does hate and persecute you who abide in life? Whom can its hatred injure? It cannot take from you the life which it lacks while you possess it, nor deliver you to death from which you have passed through Christ. When it does its worst, it may perhaps falsely slander you or deprive you of your property, or destroy your corrupt body, the final home of maggots, and in any event doomed to corruption, and thus, through the death of the body, help you gain true life. Thus, vengeance will be yours rather than its own. Yours will be the joy of being transplanted from death into life, whereas the world must abide in death. While they of the world think to deny you both the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of earth, they themselves lose body and soul. What more terrible retribution could their hatred and envy receive? For the sake of denying gratification to the devil and the world, and much more for your own welfare, you must not allow your persecutions to rob you of your peace and salvation, nor to lead you to lose your faith through impatience and desire for revenge. Rather, pity their wretchedness and doom. You lose nothing by their oppression. Yours is the gain, theirs the loss. For the slight grief inflicted upon you with reference to body and time, it shall dearly pay, both here and hereafter. How do we know we have passed from death unto life? John says, because we love the brethren. Just what does he mean? Is it not our doctrine that Christ first loved us, as John elsewhere says, and that before we ever loved him, he died and rose again for us? When we fully believe in our Savior's love, then our own hearts respond with perfect love to God and our neighbor. Why then does John say we have passed out of death to life because we love the brethren? Well, the explanation is found in the words we know. John says plainly, from the fact that we love the brethren, we know we have passed out of death into life. Love of the brethren is the test whereby we may ascertain who are the true believers. The apostle directed this epistle especially against false Christians. Many there are who extol Christ, as did unbelieving Cain, and yet fail to bear the fruit of faith. John's reference is not to the means whereby we pass from sin and death to life, but to the proof whereby we may know the fact, not to the cause, but to the effect. It is not sufficient to boast of having passed from death into life. There must be evidence of the fact. Faith is not an inactive and lifeless thing. When there is faith in the heart, its power will be manifest. where power is not in evidence, all boasting is false and vain. When the human heart, in its confidence in divine mercy and love, is thrilled with spiritual comfort and also warmed into kindness, friendliness, humility, and patience towards the neighbor, envying and despising none, cheerfully serving all, ministering unto necessity, even to hazarding body and life, that when this is the case, the fruits of faith are manifest. Such fruits are proof that the believer has truly passed from death into life. Had he not true faith but doubted God's grace and love, his heart would not prompt him, by reason of his love and gratitude to God, to manifest love for his neighbor. Where man has faith, and where he realizes God's infinite mercy and goodness in raising him from death to life, love is enkindled in his heart, and he is prompted to do all manner of good, even to his enemies, as God has done to him. Such is the right interpretation and understanding of John's expression, we know that we have passed out of death into life because we love the brethren. It leaves in its integrity the foundation justification, or deliverance from death through faith alone. This is the first element of Christian doctrine, granting that faith alone does justify. The next question is whether the faith is real or simulated, being merely a deceptive show, an unsupported claim. The clear information imparted by the apostles is that love, indeed, does not deliver from death, but that deliverance from death and the presence of life becomes a matter of sight and knowledge in that love has been wrought. With true faith, we must have come to the point where we no longer, like Cain in our pride and conceit, despise our neighbor, where we are not filled with envy, hatred, and bitterness, where we desire, and to the extent of our power, promote the interests of our neighbor and work him all good. John draws to a close by showing the opposite side of the picture in that he addresses earnest words that re-echo like peals of thunder to those who make the carnal boast of being Christians while destitute of love. He cites several facts as evidence that where love is lacking, necessarily faith and deliverance from death are absent likewise. Thus no opportunity is given for self-deception or a frivolous excuse based upon wordy boasting of one's faith. The reality of the inner life is known by the presence of love, which in turn attests the presence of faith in the heart. First, he that loveth not abideth in death. Here, in clear, decisive words, the conclusion is expressed that no man may boast of life unless he has love. If it is true that faith must be active, it is conversely true that the absence of fruitage demonstrates one's continuance in the old cane-like manner of existence, torpid and dead, bereft of solace in the experience of God's grace and life. Let no one presume to think that he has passed into life so long as he is devoid of love and the fruits of faith. Let him become serious and in alarm make ready to become a true believer, lest he remain in eternal death and under greater condemnation than those who have never heard the gospel. And secondly, whosoever hated his brother is a murderer. And you know that no murderer hath eternal life dwelling in him. Number 31, still clearer and stronger becomes the argument that lack of love means continuance in death. The stern and frightful judgment is here expressed that the unloving person is no better than Cain, the fratricide, the brother murderer. His heart is under the influence of deadly hate. and murderous malice against the brother who refuses to be subservient to his desires. Kindling rage will prove its existence by appropriate works unless restrained by the fear of disgrace and punishment. He wishes his brother nothing good, but rejoices in his misfortune. All this, however, is impossible for one who believes that he has been delivered from death. One who knows the wretchedness and misery of death from experience, but has entered upon life with its solace and joy, blessings he seeks to maintain. Such a person will desire for others the same blessing. He cannot rejoice in another's death. Therefore it is true, conversely, we know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. Hatred is natural. to human reason. This is point 32 in the message. Thus, we see the nature of the human heart without faith and the knowledge of Christ. At bottom, it is but the heart of a cane murderous toward his brother and his neighbor. Nor can anything better be expected from him who is not a Christian. The scriptures repeatedly denounce such faithless hypocrites as bloodthirsty and deceitful. Jehovah abhoreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man, Psalm 5, verse 6. For their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood, Proverbs 1, 16. Look also at verse 11. All mankind are by nature the children of the murderer Cain. They are, of course, no better than their father. While Cain was a man most magnificent, intelligent, and wise, being the first fruit born of those holy parents, Adam and Eve, And in his superior endowment with natural virtues, infinitely superior to all who come after him, he was nevertheless an unbeliever before God. Hence, he became the murderer of his brother. And number three, hereby know we love. Because he laid down his life for us, we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath this world's goods and beholdeth his brother in need, and shut up his compassion from him, how did the love of God abide in him? Point 33, these words delineate true Christian love and hold up the sublime example or pattern of God's love manifest in Christ. Christ's blood and death is God's own blood and death. Paul in Acts 20, 28 speaks of God having purchased the church with his own blood. The heart of man, by faith, receives and apprehends this sacrifice. Under its transforming influence, he is disposed to work good to his neighbor as he himself has received good. He even jeopardizes his life to that end, being conscious of his redemption from eternal death, knowing physical death powerless to affect his eternal life. But the heart that fails to appropriate Christ's sacrifice is without faith and insensible to God's love and eternal life. Point 34, John uses an illustration plain enough for anyone to understand and from which we may judge that the soul found wanting in small duties will be deficient in great ones. According to the apostle, if one possesses this world's goods and sees his neighbor want, He being able to render assistance without injury to himself and yet closes his heart against that neighbor, not assisting him with even the slightest work of love? How can the love of God dwell in him since he appreciates it so little that he will not spare his needy brother a penny? How can he be expected then to render a greater service, to even lay down his life for his brother? What right has such a soul to boast? How can he know that Christ has laid down his life for him and delivered him from death? Point 35. How frequently are such people to be found having this world's goods and being able to help the needy? They close their hearts against the unfortunate as did the rich glutton toward poor Lazarus. Where shall we find in imperial courts, among kings, princes, and lords, any who extend a helping hand to the needy church, or give her so much as a crust of bread toward the maintenance of the poor, of the ministry and of schools, or for others of her necessities? How would they measure up in the greater duty of laying down their lives for the brethren, and especially for the Christian church? Note the terrible judgment that they who are devoid of brotherly love are in God's sight murderers and cannot have eternal life, 36. But the merely selfish may well escape our censure in comparison with those who not only close their purses to the poor, but shamelessly and forcibly deprive and rob their needy neighbor of his own by overreaching, by fraud, oppression, extortion, who take from the church the property rightfully hers, and especially reserved for her, snatching the bread from her mouth, so to speak. Not only is the papistical, papistical, the pope's rabble today guilty of such sin, but many who would be known as evangelical practice the same fraud with reference to the parochial estates and general property of the church, and in addition, tyrannically harass and torment the poor ministers. But oh, how heavy and terrible the impending judgment for those who have denied to Christ the Lord in his thirst, even a cup of cold water. My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the tongue, but in deed and in truth. The world and the false Christians in word pretend great love, but in practice, When love should manifest itself in deeds, it's found to be insincere. And so John admonishes that where our love is not ardent enough to lead us to lay down our lives for our brethren, however much we may profess Christ, that love is assuredly only a vain show, a false pretense, wherewith we deceive ourselves and remain in infidelity and death and in a more deplorable condition than those who are wholly ignorant of the gospel. Therefore, let him who would proceed safely and prove himself a Christian remember to prove himself such by his deeds and works. Then men will know that he does not, a murderer and liar like others, does not follow the devil. They will know, on the contrary, that he truly and with the heart clings to the word of God, having passed from death to life. Amen. Martin Luther, an exhortation to brotherly love, perhaps a side of Martin Luther we have not been used to hearing. He's arguing here, but he's arguing for God's people to do the right thing. He's not a doctrinal argument so much. And so it should be for all of those who are men of God, women of God, to be arguing about these kind of things in particular, not just the doctrinal things, although they're all important to be defending. We have works of other great men of God on this site. We have much in the way of North Korea. We have studies of the Quran, Muhammad, prophecy through the Bible, commentaries, books, and so on and so on and so on. Please browse. Browse through here. Look on the word series. Just click on series and you will see there Many, many, many things that we've covered, and I think we have about 2,400 audios that you will find something in there that will bless you. Please visit my other website, falconertales.com. You check that out, see what you think about it. I would welcome your comments even. Well, this is the Hackberry House of Chosun. Lord willing, we'll talk again real, real soon. Bye-bye.