Simplicity of the Message of Christ
1st John Chapter 3
Love One Another
11For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.
12Not as Cain, who was of that wicked one, and slew his brother. And wherefore slew he him? Because his own works were evil, and his brother's righteous.
13Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hate you.
14We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death.
15Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him.
16Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.
17But whoso hath this world's good, and seeth his brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him?
18My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue; but in deed and in truth.
19And hereby we know that we are of the truth, and shall assure our hearts before him.
20For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our heart, and knoweth all things.
21Beloved, if our heart condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God.
22And whatsoever we ask, we receive of him, because we keep his commandments, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight.
23And this is his commandment, That we should believe on the name of his Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, as he gave us commandment.
24And he that keepeth his commandments dwelleth in him, and he in him. And hereby we know that he abideth in us, by the Spirit which he hath given us.
Scripture Truth
IS scripture truth ever derived from one person only in the church?
While we believe that the Scriptures are nothing short of miraculous in their origin, we do not believe that laziness, indifference or misdirected zeal in the reader are thereby encouraged. Throughout the record we find continual exhortation to meditate, ponder, learn, read, study and compare, remembering always that we are dealing with holy things, and that spiritual matters cannot be handled with carnal instruments. We believe the principle enjoined in 2 Timothy 2:15 to be fundamental to all true interpretation.
We should discuss the word of God openly
'Rightly dividing the word of truth'
Mt 5:7 - Blessed are the merciful, because they will be shown mercy.
The apostle Paul wrote to the evangelist Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15).
