From Death to Life—from Life to Death

From Death to Life—from Life to Death

“Do not marvel, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death.”

Here we see, plainly and clearly, who has passed from death to life, and who abides in death. If we have loved a brother but love him no longer, we have passed from life to death. We cannot make an exception for anyone. We cannot love some brothers, but not others and still abide in life. “And in brotherly love, love to all men.” 2 Pet. 1:7.

“Then many false prophets will rise up and deceive many. And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved.” Matt. 24:11-13. Here we see that if we lose our love because of those who commit unrighteousness, we lose our life in God.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit.” 1 Pet. 3:18.

“Then Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.’” Luke 23:34. Stephen also prayed, “Lord, do not charge them with this sin.”

If Jesus had fallen out of love He would not have remained in God, and all salvation would have been lost to us. 1 John 4:16. That is how it will be with us, too, if we fall out of love. Then we, too, will lose our salvation. Many people become cold toward a person who is obstinate, or if he does something that touches their reputation which they think they have. They do not show any care for such a person in order to bring him to God. They do not abide in love so they can think about how they can help him. Many people think more about how they can call him to account for what he has done.

If we read in Colossians 3:11-15 we see how many kinds of people God has chosen and what we need to do to abide in love. We must forgive, just as Jesus has forgiven us. Then we can be in Jesus’ body together with them, and be thankful. If we do not understand what sanctification means to us, then we cannot manage to abide in love either. The one who says that he has no sin deceives himself, and the truth is not in him. 1 John 1:8. If we love the truth, we will also understand the exhortation in 1 Pet. 1:22: “Purify your souls in obedience to the truth, loving one another sincerely from the heart.”

There is a cleansing process going on among all those we read about—those who are God’s elect—if they understand the meaning of sanctification and if they know that they have sin. Then they will also have reason to be thankful to be one body together with the others. If our love grows cold, we will fall out of salvation. Nothing and no one can lead us astray if we abide in the love of Christ. If we read 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13 we will see that we will only be prepared to meet our Lord Jesus when He comes with all His saints, if we abide in love.