Topical Bible: Love to God: The Uncharitable, Without

◄ Love to God: The Uncharitable, Without ►

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In the Christian tradition, love for God is considered the greatest commandment and the foundation of all other commandments. The Bible emphasizes that genuine love for God must manifest in love for others, as these two are inseparable. The absence of love for others, particularly the uncharitable attitude, is a significant indicator of a lack of true love for God.

Scriptural Basis

1. Greatest Commandment: In the Gospel of Matthew, Jesus highlights the importance of love for God and neighbor: "Jesus declared, ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments” (Matthew 22:37-40). This passage underscores that love for God is intrinsically linked to love for others.

2. Faith Without Works: The Epistle of James addresses the issue of faith without works, which can be extended to love without action: "If one of you tells him, ‘Go in peace; stay warm and well fed,’ but does not provide for his physical needs, what good is that? So too, faith by itself, if it does not result in action, is dead” (James 2:16-17). This passage suggests that love for God, if not accompanied by charitable actions towards others, is incomplete.

3. Love as Evidence of Faith: The Apostle John writes, "If anyone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates his brother, he is a liar. For anyone who does not love his brother, whom he has seen, cannot love God, whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:20). This verse clearly states that love for God is demonstrated through love for others, and the absence of such love is a denial of one's professed love for God.

Theological Implications

1. Hypocrisy in Worship: The prophets of the Old Testament often condemned the Israelites for their empty rituals and lack of genuine love and justice. Isaiah records God's displeasure: "When you spread out your hands in prayer, I will hide My eyes from you; even though you multiply your prayers, I will not listen. Your hands are covered with blood” (Isaiah 1:15). This highlights that worship without love and justice is unacceptable to God.

2. The Parable of the Good Samaritan: Jesus’ parable in Luke 10:25-37 illustrates that love for God is expressed through acts of kindness and mercy towards others, regardless of social or ethnic boundaries. The Samaritan’s actions are a model of true love that reflects love for God.

3. Judgment Based on Love: In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus describes the final judgment, where the righteous are those who have shown love and compassion to the "least of these." This passage indicates that love for God is judged by one's actions towards others, particularly the needy and marginalized.

Practical Application

1. Charitable Actions: Christians are called to demonstrate their love for God through tangible acts of charity and kindness. This includes caring for the poor, visiting the sick, and supporting those in need.

2. Community and Fellowship: The early church exemplified love for God through communal living and sharing resources (Acts 2:44-45). Modern believers are encouraged to foster community and support within the body of Christ.

3. Personal Reflection: Believers are urged to examine their hearts and actions regularly to ensure that their love for God is genuine and reflected in their treatment of others. This involves repentance and a commitment to live out the love of God in everyday interactions.

In summary, love for God cannot exist in isolation from love for others. The uncharitable attitude is a clear indication of a deficiency in one's love for God, as true love for Him is always outwardly expressed through acts of kindness, mercy, and justice.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

1 John 3:17
But whoever has this world's good, and sees his brother have need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwells the love of God in him?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Love of God and Man
... do you say that we are not to love this fair and wonderful earth which God has made ...
Are not such thoughts unjust and uncharitable to your neighbours, to ...
/.../kingsley/all saints day and other sermons/sermon xvii love of god.htm

Christians, Temples of the Living God
... souls, cause you to return to your first love, help you ... that they are "the temple
of the living God." And O ... Say not I am uncharitable; the God of truth, hath ...
/.../selected sermons of george whitefield/christians temples of the living.htm

Latimer -- on Christian Love
... be known at the last day: but if we be uncharitable toward our ... shalt not commit
adultery," is contained in this law of love: for he that loveth God will not ...
/.../various/the worlds great sermons volume i/latimer on christian love.htm

The Realization of Selfless Love
... to grow pure; let the partisan cease from strife, and the uncharitable begin to ... of
them with dispraise, you are not governed by the Love which is of God. ...
/.../allen/the way of peace/the realization of selfless love.htm

The Love that Calls us Sons
... you ever looked at that great gift of love that God ... A child of God or a child of
the devil! Bitter words, narrow words, uncharitable words"as people call them ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/the love that calls us.htm

We Shall not be Curious in the Ranking of the Duties in which ...
... He whose sins are covered by God's free love, cannot ... to spread the garment of his
love over his ... Hatred stirreth up strife, all uncharitable affections, as envy ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/chapter iv we shall not.htm

Things which Defile
... of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, like the uncharitable and bitter ... to the
flesh, but which depraved imaginations excite, and love of God and their ...
/.../chadwick/the gospel of st mark/chapter 7 14-23 things which defile.htm

section i.
... conclusion, all is but that we all condemn, Self-love. ... Charity towards others, when
we are uncharitable to our ... not kill] is the Commandment of God, yet scarce ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/religio medici/section i 2.htm

The Witness of the Spirit
... by an inward consciousness; and Then, by love, joy and ... to keep our filial confidence
in God without the direct ... some of the proudest and most uncharitable of men ...
/.../wesley/sermons on several occasions/sermon 11 the witness of.htm

The Great Duty of Charity Recommended
... acting in this charitable manner, and considered it as a proof of your love to God,
the loving his members; you could not be uncharitable in your ...
/.../whitefield/selected sermons of george whitefield/the great duty of charity.htm