We've heard it so many times on the television that we've become desensitized to the impact of the words. Your ears have picked up on its dramatic affect on a relationship: someone looks at their spouse and says something like; "I don't know how or why it happened, we've just drifted apart. I don't love you anymore." What a masterful way for one to tell another, "I no longer care about you, just me." Maybe I'm being too harsh in my assessment, but it seems those words are popping up with way too much frequency lately, and in more places than marriages.
I was reading the words of Jesus this morning, words of warning that portray a diminishing affection on the part of most of his followers just before his calling of the bride. Matthew 24:12; "And because iniquity shall abound, the love of most will wax cold." Maybe I'm overeating, but that is a frightening verse.
Not to bore you with profundities, but I did a bit of word study on the verse and found some enlightenment. First, love = agape, or the genuine affection reciprocated between the Lord and his followers, a selfless, committed, sacrificial, unconditional love that has a well-spring in God loving us first. When we believed, that love was birthed in us and is to flow sweetly back to Jesus in a vibrant relationship. He said that at the end, and because of an increase of iniquity, that selfless love would grow cold. (I'll blogatize that in a moment.) It is the word iniquity that concerns me. It basically describes a transgression that is done with an attitude that is diametrically opposite of agape-love. It is to willfully disobey or go in the wrong direction. The meaning is clear: because of an increase of iniquity in the heart of the believer, his selfless and committed holy love will grow cold.
Now, it doesn't happen quickly. "Grow cold" is formed by the word psuchesetai, which implies a slow chill. That thought blows a chilly wind through my soul, mainly because I must search deep inside to see if the hot fervency of my own love for God has begun to cool. Then, if it has, I must ask myself what I'm going to do about it?
The verse shouts that there is a personal knowledge of the chilling effect of iniquity, but that the knowledge is being ignored. It is done to the peril of the believer. What horrifies me is the thought of seeing it happen!
A paradox is upon me. My understanding of scripture mobilizes me to believe for the greatest ingathering of souls the world has ever seen. I'm praying for it, desiring it, believing it will happen soon and that it has already begun. But I'm also painfully aware of the above named phenomenon....a chilly wind is blowing and every believer, every child of God, must cover his heart-love to keep it warm in fervency.
Temptation to pull back and "do our own thing" will increase. Opportunities to "go our own way" will show up out of the blue. Remorse for our disobedience will wane, if we let it, and the cold wind will blow. Sadly, many will be setting in church, in the presence of God, as it happens.
Someone emailed me with a thought.... If John McCain wins on November 4th, Jesus will come back. If Barack Obama wins, Jesus will come back sooner!
I'm more inclined to wonder what will happen if Jesus doesn't come back soon: What kind of fervor will believers live? Will the economic crises prove that money is the god of the land? Will the love of most grow colder still? Please, friend of mine, no matter what your persuasion or politics, find a way to return to the first, white-hot love for Christ that you had at the beginning, then, get hotter.
Pastor Jim
1 comment:
Good word!
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