What is Real Love?

All of us not only want to receive or experience real love, but deep down we also want to give to others real love, especially to those of the household of faith. Often our finite mind tends to make love mostly, if not all, about what we feel. Feeling loved is a part of true love for certain, but we human beings can be loved by God and never feel His love.

John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. (NKJV)

Does God love all people of the world? This verse of scripture answers with an affirmative yes. Does every person of the world receive and experience God’s love for them? The sad answer is no. God’s love is like the sunshine, it is always there, but many people stay outside of His great love for them by keeping up the barrier or wall that separates humanity from His love and that is sin. Every family has some form of dysfunction; therefore, all of us are products of the level of dysfunction we were raised in, however, through receiving Jesus Christ into our hearts can we experience God’s great love that is beyond our ability to understand.

Colossians 2:11-14 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (NKJV)

This is not an easy subject to speak about because we will never love fully as we should, but we must be willing to discover the true meaning of love as God defines it in His Word. When we hear someone say to another person, “I love you,” what are they really saying? When a person says it, do they mean they would willingly run in front of a truck about to run over that person and push them out of the way getting hit and dying in their place? Well, this is the love God has shown to the whole world.

Romans 5:8 God demonstrates His own love toward us that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. (NKJV)

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:6 “Love (God’s Love) takes no pleasure in wrongdoing, but takes pleasure in the truth.” (BBE) The same Apostle Paul also wrote this, Romans 1:32 Who, though they have knowledge of the law of God, that the fate of those who do these things is death, not only go on doing these things themselves, but give approval to those who do them. (BBE)  The Love that God the Father pours into the hearts of His regenerated, born-again, adopted sons and daughters through the Holy Spirit enables them to not take delight in others doing that which is in opposition to the Word of God and certainly they won’t approve of it. The love of God is so endless that I could write infinite pages and still it would be as if I dropped one drop of water into the Pacific Ocean. The Apostle John wrote that we (those who are born-again) should not love in just words, i.e., “I love you”, but in what we do for our brothers and sisters in Christ Body who are in need.  It is wonderful and a blessing to the poor unsaved man or woman when we help them, but our first desire should be to give spiritual and physical aid to our family members in Christ Body.

Listen to what Pastor Albert Barnes (1798-1870) had to say about God’s love, “Love does not rejoice over the “vices” of other people; love does not take delight when they are guilty of crime, or when, in any manner, they fall into sin. Love does not find pleasure in hearing others accused of sin, and in having it proved that they committed it. Love does not find a malicious pleasure in the “report” that they have done wrong; or in following up that report, and finding it established. Wicked people often find pleasure in this, and rejoice when others have fallen into sin, and have disgraced and ruined themselves. People of the world often find a malignant pleasure in the report, and in the evidence that a member of the Church has brought dishonor on his profession. A man often rejoices when an enemy, a persecutor, or a slanderer has committed some crime, and when he has shown an improper spirit, uttered a rash expression, or taken some step which shall involve him in ignominy. But love does none of these things. Love does not desire that an enemy, a persecutor, or a slanderer should do evil, or should disgrace and ruin him. Love does not rejoice, but grieves, when a professor of religion, or an enemy of religion - when a personal friend or foe has done anything wrong. It neither loves the wrong, nor the fact that it has been done. And perhaps there is no greater triumph of the gospel than in its enabling a man to rejoice that even his enemy and persecutor in any respect does well; or to rejoice that he is in any way honored and respected among people. Human nature, without the gospel, manifests a different feeling; and it is only as the heart is subdued by the gospel, and filled with universal benevolence, that it is brought to rejoice when all people do well.”

Scenario: You have a 42 year old brother addicted to crack-cocaine; he lies to you regularly, steals from you, and always wants money from you. Question: If you refuse to give him any money (knowing he will use it to smoke more crack and thus continue to kill himself) are you demonstrating to him real love or is real love to give him what he wants? The Apostle John wrote in 3 John to Gaius and said to him, “Gaius, whom I love in truth.”

Jesus Christ is love manifested in a human body. How did He demonstrate His love for people while He was on earth in the flesh? Our Lord was truly compassionate, but He was never enabling. Christ came to show compassion and love to all humanity by dying for our sins. However, His love is not enabling. Take the woman at the well, the Lord Jesus already knew about her status with other people in her community, especially being lowly regarded by the women. He knew what people thought of her as a woman. He knew about all the men she had slept with. He knew what she was seeking in all of her bed hopping. He brought her to a point where she was willing to confess her sin to Him. Once she felt brokenness and became contrite about her sin, our Lord immediately forgave her and gave her what she had been looking and longing for all her life and that was real love. For the first time in her life she knew real love, which all of her sexual encounters never brought her. Do you believe that she ran from the presence of our Lord (receiving His love in her heart) into the city announcing her encounter with our Lord to the men of that Samaritan city wanting to run back into the bed of the man she lived with?

I have never conducted this poll I am about to speak about, but I am not ashamed to say that I believe if you asked 100 people that were praying for someone with an addiction to heroin if they wanted that person forgiven by God and still bound by heroin or forgiven by God and delivered from the addiction, I believe with zero doubt in my heart that 100 people (that’s 100%) would answer delivered from the addiction by God and forgiven. This is what Christ salvation brings to every soul. Our Lord said, “I have come that you might have life that is superior in quality.”

Matthew 9:2-7 Then behold, they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Son, be of good cheer; your sins are forgiven you." And at once some of the scribes said within themselves, "This Man blasphemes!" But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, "Why do you think evil in your hearts? For which is easier, to say, 'Your sins are forgiven you,' or to say, 'Arise and walk'? But that you may know that the Son of Man has power on earth to forgive sins" --- then He said to the paralytic, "Arise, take up your bed, and go to your house." And he arose and departed to his house. (NKJV)

What would that prove? It proves that if you really desire to love (as God does) you want the people you love to be whole, healed, and you would want the absolute best for them. The Bible says the wages of sin (not some sin; all sin) is death (not life). Humanity has an enemy, and from the beginning he has and still is waging war against the Word of God. In the garden, he asked Eve, “Did God really say not to eat of every tree of the garden?” The desire of the enemy is to distort the true love of God found in Jesus Christ and repenting of sin and believing the gospel is the only way to receive real love.

Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law. (NKJV)

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Author of “Silent Assassins of the Soul”, coming soon for the Glory of God

What is the Social Gospel?

The phrase “social gospel” is usually used to describe a Protestant Christian intellectual movement that came to prominence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Those who adhered to a social gospel sought to apply Christian ethics to social problems such as poverty, slums, poor nutrition and education, alcoholism, crime and war. These things were emphasized while the doctrines of sin, salvation, heaven and hell, and the future kingdom of God were downplayed. Theologically, the Social Gospel leaders were overwhelmingly postmillennialist, asserting that Christ’s Second Coming could not happen until humankind rid itself of social evils by human effort.

For a Christian perspective on the idea of a social gospel, we need to look to Jesus, who lived in one of history's most corrupt societies. Jesus never issued any call for political change, not even by peaceful means. He did not come to earth to be a political or social reformer. The gospel Jesus preached did not have to do with social reform or social justice or political change. Rather than attempt to change governments and institutions, which are made up of people, Jesus came to change people's hearts and point them to God's kingdom. He preached the saving power of the gospel and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit.

Yes, Jesus showed deep compassion for the poor, the sick, the dispossessed and the outcasts of society. He healed them, but before taking care of their physical or emotional needs, he first took care of their spiritual needs. He was most concerned about the state of their souls and preached the gospel of repentance from sin through Him so they understood that their eternal destiny was far more important than their circumstances here on earth. Several of His parables conveyed this truth, including Lazarus and the rich man (Luke 16:19-31). The rich man, who had every possible social advantage, spent eternity in hell while Lazarus, the poorest of the poor with dire social needs, was comforted in heaven.

Social justice is based on the concepts of human rights and equality. The Bible supports social justice with regard to the plight of the poor and the afflicted, orphans and widows and people unable to support themselves. The nation of Israel was commanded by God to care for the less fortunate in society. Jesus told us to care for those who are hungry and thirsty, who are sick or in prison, the outcasts of society (Matthew 25:34-40).

Jesus reflected God's sense of justice by bringing the gospel message to the lower rungs of society. The wealthy also need to hear the gospel message, but it is noteworthy that the well-to-do, the upstanding and respected members of society are less likely to see their utter spiritual bankruptcy before God and embrace the message of the gospel.

Christians are under a personal obligation to love their neighbours as they love themselves (Matthew 22:39). We have a responsibility to be good stewards of our own wealth because all wealth comes from and belongs to God. Christians should take a God-centered approach to social justice, not a man-centered approach. We see Christ Jesus as our Saviour. When He returns, He will restore justice. In the meantime, Christians are to express God's love and justice by showing kindness in practical ways to those less fortunate.

by Author, Unknown

The Wide Road and The Narrow Road

Matthew 7:13-14 Go in by the narrow door; for wide is the door and open is the way which goes to destruction, and great numbers go in by it. For narrow is the door and hard the road to life, and only a small number make discovery of it. (BBE=Bible in Basic English)

The words we read above are not just the inspired writings of the Holy Spirit through Matthew (and they are such words), but they are the words of our Lord Jesus Christ speaking while on the earth as the God-Man. During a little over one full year, I drove 18-wheeler trucks over the road in this country. I found myself on all types of roads, from interstate highways to state highways and even rural roads. I found the roads that were wide to be the easiest to navigate and also they would always have the most traffic on them. However, the narrow roads were hard and difficult to navigate and I would always find little to no traffic on them. I can vividly remember one trip through Colorado where I encountered a very narrow road in the mountains that was very dangerous and hard to drive. I had to be attentive to every sharp turn and watch my gages constantly. I had to leave all other things as the radio, sightseeing, eating and drinking, etc. in order that I might fully concentrate on the narrow mountain road I was on to avoid disaster.  

Our Lord is telling us that many people will travel the wide spiritual road that appears to lead to eternal life, but it does not, while at the same time few people will find the narrow spiritual road to life in Him because it requires us to forsake all and follow Him. It is not enough for someone to tell you that you are a Christian, but it is more important for you to know it for yourself. Church membership, attendance, baptism, etc. can never give a soul the assurance of their eternal condition. I never met any of the following people below, but I found these quotes from them. I included these in this piece that my Lord Jesus told me to write because many well-meaning people want to see all people saved. I want to see all people saved. Most of all God wants to see all people saved. However, only through Jesus Christ can any person be saved.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (NKJV)

PETER KREEFT (professor of philosophy at Boston College): “We can and should investigate and learn from the wisdom in other religions” (Peter Kreeft Ecumenical Jihad p.79). “Allah is not another God...we worship the same God”(Peter Kreeft Ecumenical Jihad p.30). “The same God! The very same God we worship in Christ is the God the Jews-and the Muslims-worship.” (Ibid. p. 160)

ROBERT SCHULLER (Crystal Cathedral): “We know the things the major faiths can agree on. We try to focus on those without offending those with different viewpoints, or without compromising the integrity of my own Christian commitment” (USA Today, March 23, 1989.) “It's time for Protestants to go to the shepherd [Pope]. Schuller has stated “if he came back in 100 years and found his descendants Muslims, it wouldn't bother him....” (Robert Schuller, comments on the Papal visit, LA, 1987) "The Christ Spirit dwells in every human being, whether the person knows it or not." (Robert Schuller, Possibilities Magazine, Summer 1986, pg.12)

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come. (KJV)

You know while surfing the web, I came across the story of Carlton D. Pearson. It surprised me and saddened me all at the same time. He of course was at one time a highly respected and loved Pentecostal Preacher who stated that he received an epiphany from God that hell was not a place of eternal torment as he had been taught all of his life growing up in the Church. I could feel the pain and anguish in his words pouring out of his heart as he thought of his grandparents who were once faithful Pentecostal Pastors, but backslide into alcohol and a partying lifestyle and it made him mad with his grandparents and with God to think that they might be in hell. It is extremely difficult to remain here on the earth and not be sure if those you loved for so long and so much might not be with Jesus Christ, but instead confined to hell. I personally understand that grief and anguish of heart for those you loved so dearly. I often find myself wondering if some of my loved ones were truly born-again or not. However, I am confident that if they were born of the Spirit, it does not matter what took place at the end of their lives.

John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day. (NKJV)

John 10 27-30 My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand. I and My Father are one." (NKJV)

Everyone that the Father draws to Jesus Christ will be with Him forever. However, I believe the first mistake in Mr. Pearson’s belief was that his grandparents lost their salvation because they backslide into sin. I believe one of the most tragic teachings in the Church, any Church, is to teach that a soul redeemed by the Blood of Jesus Christ can lose that redemption. However, this can and does happen easily when we falsely believe that we play some part in our salvation. If we have our own faith to put in Jesus Christ, then we can take that faith away or lose our faith and be eternally lost. But the Word of God does not teach this and this incorrect teaching is what pushed Mr. Pearson to see God as cruel and insensitive and thus opened him to seducing spirits to speak lies into his heart. Mr. Pearson now believes in Universalism. It is the teaching that everyone will ultimately end up in heaven no matter what they believe or how they live here on the earth. It is true that all religions believe that they will be with God after death, but the God of their observance is not the One True God Jesus Christ as He is revealed in the Scripture, Old and New Testament. Universalism sadly is not true and it is not what our Lord Jesus Christ taught. 

2 Corinthians 11:3-4 But I fear, lest somehow, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, so your minds may be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted --- you may well put up with it! (NKJV)

The seducing spirits come with another Jesus (a false Jesus) of demonic origin imitating the true Christ (empowered by the spirit of antichrist already in the world) and pervert the gospel by undermining the justice of the true Christ Jesus. The other Jesus wants the love of God to overrule the justice of God. They both are equal and one cannot and will not overrule the other. Therefore, I encourage those brothers and sisters of mine in Christ’s Body to never be ashamed of the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I also would like to warn every soul reading this that does not have the assurance in their heart of intimacy with Jesus Christ to seek Him with all your heart and He (Christ) will give you the greatest gift, Himself and you will know that you know. Jesus Christ is infinite love and complete justice and He will never force your will. I pray that every soul reading this on the wide road to come over to the narrow road.

Sincerely in Christ,

Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

Temporary vs. Eternal

Mark 13: 1-2 Then as He went out of the temple, one of His disciples said to Him, "Teacher, see what manner of stones and what buildings are here!" And Jesus answered and said to him, "Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone shall be left upon another, that shall not be thrown down." (NKJV)

The fact that I went to college and studied Civil Engineering for 4 years has given me an ability to appreciate great building designs. I often watch some of the huge homes show cased on HGTV. It amazes me the time, effort, and money people will put into something that they will have only a limited time to enjoy. We even see this in some of the huge Cathedrals of worship built in various places around the world, some have been around for many years and some just recently constructed.

The disciples wanted our Lord to share their fascination and awe of the great engineering designs they (the Jews) had constructed over the years. They even placed an emphasis on the manner or type of stones used in their designs. The buildings must have been absolute engineering marvels. Of course our Lord Jesus was able to see 70 years into the future and tell them of the destruction of those great buildings at the hands of an enemy army. It was not that He knew these buildings would be destroyed in 70 years, but He knows His plans to destroy this entire earth and everything in it upon His second coming.

2 Peter 3:10-13 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore, since all these things will be dissolved, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be dissolved, being on fire, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to His promise, look for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells. (NKJV)

When we look at the great things on this earth and even the many things we deemed to be so wonderful and great through the eyes of our Lord we will gain a true and proper perspective on them. Later on in Mark 13 our Lord said, “Take heed, watch, and pray for you do not know when the time is, in the evening, at midnight, at the crowing of the rooster, or in the morning, lest coming suddenly He find you sleeping.” It is so easy to get caught up in the here and now (I am often guilty) and forget there is an eternity to spend. Let us be equally fervent in putting our time, effort, and money into seeing that those lost will hear the true gospel of Christ Jesus and that many headed for an eternity spent in hell will find the detour to heaven in our Lord Jesus Christ. I pray that I am not found sleeping by my Lord. How about you?

Sincerely in Christ, Clifford D. Tate, Sr.

A Raging Storm

Isaiah 43: 1-2 But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, And He who formed you, O Israel: " Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; And through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, Nor shall the flame scorch you. (NKJV)

The year was 1952 and though it was the heat of the civil rights movement, Allison was optimistic about her future in an uncertain world. She was finishing up her junior year at State College and looking forward to graduation the following year. She was very active in school being a part of many social clubs as well as student government. How often she would allow her mind the freedom to dream big things. She would be the first in her family to graduate from College and although she felt that pressure, she did not allow it to cloud her dreams. Despite all of her seemingly outward success, Allison carried a deep secret that she thought she could file away in the recesses of her mind and that would make it go away.

She was so much like many young women during that time period looking forward to meeting the man of her dreams and getting married and raising a family. Her Father (Thurgood) was a very strong willed and proud man and managed to work himself into a position to be in business. He always wanted the best for all of his children, but he realized that Allison had his will and determination to succeed. He taught Allison and her sisters, Cheryl, Sonia, Monica, and Bonnie to be independent and to never solely rely on a man to take care of them financially. Thurgood knew that many black men during that time needed to feel in complete control and authoritative in their homes because on the outside they were always made to feel as submissive boys no matter their age, experience, or education. This reality caused many black men to wilt under that pressure and eventually take it out in a very negative way on their wife and children.

On top of this reality of racism, there also laid dormant a hideous secret being covered up and silenced in many black families and it was child molestation. Black families would rather pretend these horrific things did not go on in their own families so most never spoke about them. In all candors, the black family from the 1619 (when the first Africans were brought to North America as slaves) to 1952 hardly ever had any serious or open dialogues about sex of any kind. To talk about these things to many showed weakness and during the period of slavery up to the segregated south and Jim Crow laws was not the way black folk should show themselves to a white dominated world.

Consequently, evil was allowed to fester for generations giving the enemy open access to the heart and minds of many black children. While many families were waging the war on the enemy (the devil of racism) on the outside of their families (against the racist hatred of whites), they were at the same time allowing the enemy to creep inside their families and destroy them from within.

Africans of all different dialects and from very different parts of the Continent united on those slave ships first to just survive the long trip and the tyranny of their white captures. This was a good thing a beautiful thing and it was strength they received from God. However, somewhere along the way after the emancipation proclamation and black people were freed from slavery to whites we lost our unity the close bond of families went away and was replaced by the very thing we seemed to despise in whites.

The insatiable desire to get things came in and stole that close family bond. Many a white families yielded their children over to the care and upbringing of a black woman known as a nanny. Many white children spent so much time being raised by that black woman they became attached to them as if they were their actual Mothers. Likewise many of those same black Mothers were so worn out physically and emotionally that they had little to give to their own boys and girls. Therefore, many young black boys and girls were left vulnerable and the enemy moved into the gap or absence by using Uncles, Aunts, older brothers, and sister prompting them to molest some of those children. Imagine the 7, 8, or 9 year old when this happens, how they could tell anyone let alone their Mother or Father. So they keep silent.

Therefore, inside the heart of that young child nestles anger, hatred, resentment, bitterness, and un-forgiveness. As the child grows, so does his damaged heart that has not be cleansed by the Blood of the Lamb. Such a heart will undoubtedly produce rage and other out of control behavior like sexual promiscuity, alcohol and drug abuse, failed relationships, and even a desire for the now adult to perpetrate the same abuse in children that they experienced.

“Trust in God and you will know

He can vanquish any foe;

Simply trust Him day by day

He will be your strength and stay.”

D. De Haan