Which other scriptures emphasize maintaining love amidst growing lawlessness? Setting the Scene Matthew 24:12 sets the tone: “Because of the multiplication of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold.” Jesus warns that escalating lawlessness places believers’ love in the crosshairs. Scripture repeatedly circles back to the same theme: refuse to let love cool when sin heats up. Jesus’ Own Words About Enduring Love • Matthew 24:13 – “But the one who perseveres to the end will be saved.” • John 13:34-35 – “A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so also you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” • Luke 6:27 – “But to those of you who will listen, I say: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you.” Paul’s Urgent Reminders • Romans 12:21 – “Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” • Galatians 5:13-14 – “Serve one another in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in a single word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” • Galatians 6:9 – “Let us not grow weary in well-doing, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 – “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud… It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” • 2 Thessalonians 3:5 – “May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.” • 2 Timothy 3:1-5 notes the last-days list of sins, then Paul contrasts it in 3:10 – “You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my purpose, my faith, my patience, my love, my perseverance.” Peter and Jude: Love as Last-Days Priority • 1 Peter 4:8 – “Above all, love one another deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” • 2 Peter 1:5-7 – add to faith “brotherly kindness, and to brotherly kindness, love.” • Jude 20-21 – “But you, beloved, by building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God as you await the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to bring you eternal life.” John: The Apostle of Love • 1 John 3:14 – “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers. Whoever does not love remains in death.” • 1 John 4:7 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love comes from God.” • 1 John 4:20 – “If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ yet hates his brother, he is a liar.” • 2 John 6 – “And this is love: that we walk according to His commandments.” Old Testament Echoes • Proverbs 10:12 – “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.” • Micah 6:8 – “He has shown you, O man, what is good… to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” • Zechariah 8:17 – “Do not plot evil against one another, and do not love perjury, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” Warning and Promise in Revelation • Revelation 2:4-5 – “But I have this against you: You have abandoned your first love. Therefore keep in mind how far you have fallen! Repent and perform the deeds you did at first.” The church at Ephesus had sound doctrine yet cooling love. Jesus calls them (and us) to rekindle it before He removes the lampstand. Living It Out Today • Let Scripture heat your heart daily; love chills when truth is ignored. • Stay in fellowship (Hebrews 10:24-25). Isolation breeds coldness. • Keep doing good even when unreciprocated (Romans 12:21). • Pray Jude 20-21 style—Spirit-led prayer fans love’s flame. • Repent quickly when you sense love waning; return to first works (Revelation 2:5). |
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