This is a continuation of yesterdays message. I want to begin by saying that I fear not for myself, but for my Great Grandchildren and their parents. You will see why.
This uprising of the social gospel has largely come about because we have refused to engage it on an intellectual level. So I will attempt to do that.
If this New Commandment that Jesus gave will save us, then why did He also need to die?
Mark 12:28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all?
What were the Jews and Jesus discussing that prompted this further discussion? You can read those preceding verses, but it concerned man’s future resurrection. There is more about this encounter over the resurrection in Luke starting in chapter 20 and verse 27. There it is giving even more perspective concerning what Jesus stated, but my focus is on this subsequent encounter with the Scribe who overheard this discourse.
Mark 12:29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: 30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. 31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
So Jesus makes clear that these commandments are the greatest. Yet He gives to His disciples a new commandment, which is just for us, His Disciples. Is it different? Listen:
John 13:34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another. (KJV)
It is a command that when kept will show the world (all men) something that could positively impact them: the believers (disciples) love for one another. It is meant to send a message to the world. It is not an instruction to love the world and the worlds sin, as is being understood by many. But it is the disciples commandment, and it does and should impact our love for our neighbor as well. who may be of the world.
We are to want for our neighbor the same things that we would want for ourselves. That does not mean that we want them living in debauchery. Not unless we really want that for ourselves also.
Now let’s continue with Jesus’ encounter with the Scribe:
Mark 12:32 And the scribe said unto him, Well, Master, thou hast said the truth: for there is one God; and there is none other but he: 33 And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices.
This resulting encounter with this Scribe confirms Jesus emphasis on love, but does Jesus see it as the be all end all?
Mark 12:34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question. (KJV)
You, who want only the social gospel and aim it at the acceptance of this worlds sin in order to prove your love for the sinner, and who consider this as being a loving jesture, I would hope that you would consider what is in these words of Jesus. And hopefully you will discern Jesus meaning. Ask yourself considering the distinction made between the two love commandments: “The greatest” versus “the new” as concerning love; and, who they are for, and why the distinction.
If a disciple is different than a neighbor, what makes them different? And if the keeping of the greatest commandments only gets the Scribe close to the kingdom, what is he still missing?
It is my firm belief that the social gospel will never make one a disciple of Jesus. Keeping the commandments will never make one a disciple of Jesus. And the love between the disciples will only get the attention of the world, it will not save the world. Making them disciples is the only thing that counts. Before we can fully understand that, we must become disciples. Why? It’s Jesus’ Holy Spirit in us, that is the only way for us to discern what Jesus is saying. He will teach us and lead us into all truth.
This is so important, because we are losing this country to liberal social gospel thinking. We evangelicals could be some of the reason. We do not as disciples love one another. We err gravely in that. We are divided politically and more importantly doctrinally. We no longer come to reason together, but instead come to win an argument. We have allowed our leaders to dismiss our thinking and to turn more worldly because we don’t stand together in love. As I read of this Democrat Party platform, I grieved over its content. You read it and ask God what should I do? I’ll not tell you what to do God will. I will say this: keeping both love commandments may not save you, but they just might turn our country back to morally neutral. And this could just save the nation.
And Then Messiah Shall Come 