32. Thus we see the nature of the human heart without faith and the
knowledge of Christ; at bottom it is but the heart of a Cain,
murderous toward its neighbor. Nor can anything better be expected
from him who is not a Christian. The Scriptures repeatedly denounce
such faithless hypocrites as bloodthirsty and deceitful. "Jehovah
abhorreth the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." Ps 5, 6. "For their
feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood." Prov 1, 16. See
also verse 11. All mankind are by nature the children of the murderer
Cain. They are, of course, no better than their father. While Cain
was a man most magnificent, intelligent and wise, being the first
fruit born of those holy parents Adam and Eve, and in his superior
endowment with natural virtues infinitely superior to all who come
after him, he was nevertheless an unbeliever before God. Hence he
became the murderer of his brother.
III. "Hereby know we love, because he laid down his life for us: and
we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren. But whoso hath the
world's goods, and beholdeth his brother in need, and shutteth up his
compassion from him, how doth the love of God abide in him?"
33. These words delineate true Christian love and hold up the sublime
example, or pattern, of God's love manifest in Christ. Christ's blood
and death is God's own blood and death. Paul in Acts 20, 28, speaks
of God having purchased the Church "with his own blood." The heart of
man by faith receives and apprehends this sacrifice. Under its
transforming influence he is disposed to work good to his neighbor as
he has himself received good. He even jeopardizes his life to that
end, being conscious of his redemption from eternal death, and
knowing physical death powerless to affect his eternal life. But the
heart that fails to appropriate Christ's sacrifice is without faith
and insensible to God's love and eternal life.
34. John uses an illustration plain enough for anyone to understand,
and from which we may judge that the soul found wanting in small
duties will be deficient in great ones. According to the apostle, if
one possesses this world's goods and sees his neighbor want, he being
able to render assistance without injury to himself, and yet closes
his heart against that neighbor, not assisting him with even the
slightest work of love, how can the love of God dwell in him since he
appreciates it so little that he will not spare his needy brother a
penny? How can he be expected, then, to render a greater service--to
even lay down his life for his brother? What right has such a soul to
boast--how can he know--that Christ has laid down his life for him
and delivered him from death?
35. How frequently are such people to be found! Having this world's
goods and being able to help the needy, they close their hearts
against the unfortunate, as did the rich glutton toward poor Lazarus.
Where shall we find in imperial courts, among kings, princes and
lords, any who extend a helping hand to the needy Church, or give her
so much as a crust of bread toward the maintenance of the poor, of
the ministry and of schools, or for other of her necessities? How
would they measure up in the greater duty of laying down their lives
for the brethren, and especially for the Christian Church? Note the
terrible judgment that they who are devoid of brotherly love are in
God's sight murderers and cannot have eternal life.
36. But the merely selfish may well escape our censure in comparison
with those who not only close their purses to the poor but
shamelessly and forcibly deprive and rob their needy neighbor of his
own by overreaching, by fraud, oppression and extortion; who take
from the Church the property rightfully hers and especially reserved
for her, snatching the bread from her mouth, so to speak. Not only is
the papistical rabble today guilty of such sin, but many who would be
known as evangelical practice the same fraud with reference to the
parochial estates and general property of the Church, and, in
addition, tyrannically harass and torment the poor ministers. But oh,
how heavy and terrible the impending judgment for those who have
denied to Christ the Lord in his thirst even the cup of cold water!
IV. "My little children, let us not love in word, neither with the
tongue; but in deed and truth."
37. The world and the false Christians in word pretend great love;
but in practice, when love should manifest itself in deeds, it is
found to be insincere. So John admonishes that where our love is not
ardent enough to lead us to lay down our lives for our brethren,
however much we may profess Christ, that love is assuredly only a
vain show, a false pretense, wherewith we deceive ourselves and
remain in infidelity and death, and in a more deplorable condition
than those who are wholly ignorant of the Gospel. Therefore, let him
who would proceed safely and prove himself a Christian remember to
prove himself such by his deeds and works. Then men will know that he
does not, a murderer and liar, like others, follow the devil. They
will know, on the contrary, that he truly and with the heart clings
to the Word of God, having passed from death to life.
_Third Sunday After Trinity_
Text: 1 Peter 5, 5-11.
5 Likewise, ye younger, be subject unto the elder. Yea, all of you
gird yourselves with humility, to serve one another: for God
resisteth the proud, but giveth grace to the humble. 6 Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt
you in due time; 7 casting all your anxiety upon him, because he
careth for you. 8 Be sober, be watchful: your adversary the devil, as
a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: 9 whom
withstand stedfast in your faith, knowing that the same sufferings
are accomplished in your brethren who are in the world. 10 And the
God of all grace, who called you unto his eternal glory in Christ,
after that ye have suffered a little while, shall himself perfect,
establish, strengthen you. 11 To him be the dominion for ever and
ever. Amen.