#33 Pure Love

From Meditations on the Epistles of John, by Samuel Froehlich

Now, if we expect the second coming of Christ just as certainly as we believe in His first appearance in the flesh, how must we then be prepared so as to appear with confidence and stand before Him without coming to shame? The answer is in First John chapter 2 verse 29:

If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.

We must have in us and bring with us the fruit of the first appearance of Christ, that we have died unto sin, live unto righteousness, love Him as our Bridegroom and keep His Word; then we can lack nothing. This is especially necessary in these last evil times, when Christ finds so little faith because, with unrighteousness getting the upper hand, the love of many waxes cold (Matthew chapter 24; Luke chapter 18), that few will be able to endure in faith, hope and love unto the end and therefore only few shall be saved, because they are not prepared as wise virgins, who have not only a burning lamp of knowledge of the truth and of faith but besides an oil vessel also—the unction and the bride—love—so as to always be assured of a new supply from above for their lamp, that if the Bridegroom tarries longer than we think and it would appear that God has forgotten us, our devotedness, faith and love would still not diminish. For if one had all faith and knowledge and had not love, it would still not help him to enter in the kingdom of Christ and of God, in which no impure or unrighteousness one has a share (First Corinthians chapters 6 and 13).

Pure love alone constrains us to no longer live for ourselves but for the Lord (Second Corinthians chapter 5) and consequently do righteousness for love's sake. Therefore we shall pray without ceasing and not become weary, for the higher unrighteousness rises, the nearer the redemption of the children of God is. That is the faith which righteousness brings about and which is powerful in love; for true love is strong like death and overcomes all things, that many waters of tribulation cannot quench it, and if one should give all his possessions in exchange for love, it would still be as nothing. That is why Paul says that if anyone loves not the Lord Jesus Christ, he is henceforth accursed (First Corinthians chapter 16), and Christ looks upon nothing as upon love, which at first is so tender and fervent that it can endure all manner of suffering for His sake and can sacrifice the visible (Hebrews chapter 10 verses 32 and following; Revelation chapter 2 verse 4):

But call to remembrance the former days, in which, after ye were illuminated, ye endured a great light of afflictions; Partly, whilst ye were made a gazingstock both by reproaches and afflictions; and partly, whilst ye became companions of them that were so used.

For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and an enduring substance.

Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee. because thou hast left thy first love.

and it shall afterwards not diminish, but increase and ever become more ardent, the more we learn to know Christ and approach His coming in glory.

Love does not come from us ourselves but is given to us by God the Father, and is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost as the pledge and the sealing of the hope of glory (Romans chapter 5): "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us," — that is the reason why we may be called the children of God!