By: Obed Pineda
In today’s world, it is not uncommon to come across someone who is of the opinion that a father who rebukes his child is cruel and unfair. This philosophy is usually justified by arguing that a child has his own identity and thus to chastise him is to strip him of who he really is and it is to impose upon him a personality selfishly molded to a parent’s liking. According to them, every person should be allowed to live their life as they so desire; even if this means allowing a person to waste it away. This terrible concept, shared by a vast majority of our world today, reveals the harsh reality that we live in a world where love has tragically been confused for tolerance. A world that ignores that “open rebuke is better than love carefully concealed” especially because “faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful” (Proverbs 27:5, 6, emphasis added). Indeed, ideas similar to this one better explains why the Lord stated, “Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” (John 14:27, emphasis added). The great Redeemer wisely warned His church that the version of peace and love the world offers is diluted and deceptive. The weeping prophet, too, professed Jehovah God’s lament at how this insidious malady had infected “from the least of them even to the greatest of them, everyone is given to covetousness; and from the prophet even to the priest, everyone deals falsely. They have also healed the hurt of My people slightly, saying, ‘Peace, peace!’ When there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:13-14, emphasis added). The travesty described by Jeremiah is one that is still being promoted today. Mankind continues to insist that to “turn a blind eye” is the best approach to maintaining the peace between people. It continues to proclaim that it is the most healthy way to exhibit love for one another. It is from the bowels of these venomous doctrines where promotional expressions such as “coexist” and “if you love me, you will love me as I am” have been bred and espoused. Although these phrases on the surface appear to be harmless, they actually expose the truth about the imperfect love the world offers. This manner of love is ineffective because it is not genuine; it is superficial. Remember that the inspired proverb assures that a friend whose love is true will wound when he openly rebukes an action that is harmful. If we were to love like the world suggests to love, then for the sake of keeping the peace, we would be required to silently witness a friend get hurt from his erred decision. For this reason, the apostle John inculcates “do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world – the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life – is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever” (1st John 2:15-17). It is wise to comprehend what the apostle, inspired by the Holy Spirit, is declaring in this Scripture concerning true love. First, it must be noted that the beloved apostle is making a comparison between two types of love; the love for the world and the love of the Father. John manifests the impossibility of wanting to love the world and God simultaneously, because these two forms of love are antipodal. Our Lord validates this by instructing “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24, emphasis added). Jesus explains that love is demonstrated through our service; obedience. Service is proof of love because it exhibits trust and fidelity. It is no secret that there is more probability to heed the counsel of someone we love in part because we do not wish to disappoint them. The opinion that loved one has of you is very important and thus you strive to preserve that relationship. Secondly, the apostle provides in his comparison the reward offered by the world and the reward offered by God. Holy Writ declares that the world offers transitory and temporary rewards because “ the world is passing away, and the lust of it.” God, on the other hand, offers an eternal reward because “he who does the will of God abides forever.” Upon putting the love of the world side by side with the love of God, it is evident that the world’s love expires. The world is incapable of providing an eternal love because it does not have the power to do so. Since worldly love will inevitably cease to exist, the Bible cautions that “to be carnally minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be” (Romans 8:6-7, emphasis added). When one loves the world, one is allured by and accepts lust in return; not love. In his ode to love, the apostle Paul teaches that “love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth” (1st Corinthians 13:4-6). Remember that according to society, love means to accept that which you do not agree with nor condone for the sake of peace, but is that not the very definition of seeking its own benefit? Humanity’s definition of love is to rejoice in iniquity by becoming tolerant of it in silence, but this equates to loving a lie; not truth. Verily, the unbelieving man is satisfied with a superficial love that will never be substantial. Those who settle for this denigrated type of love, are similar to Felix who suffered listening to God’s words because he “hoped that money would be given him by Paul, that he might release him. Therefore he sent for him more often and conversed with him” (Acts 24:26). This is especially true for those who prefer to be bribed with sermons and lessons that shy away from “righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come” because these lessons are too “judgmental.” Sadly, those who agree with this statement are those who have laid for themselves treasures where “moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Thus, the terrible truth about the love that the world offers is that it is not love at all; it is carnal lust. This is true because true “love never fails” (1st Corinthians 13:8a, emphasis added).