We Have Passed From Death Unto Life…

We Have Passed From Death Unto Life…

By the simple act, or thought, of hatred we are like a murderer. Hate is a strong word and should not be used, but if it be used we should know we are committing murder in the eyes of Jesus Christ. We are outside of Him and are outside of His love.

Marvel not, my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loves not his brother abides in death. ~ 1 John 3:13-14 KJB

We don’t want to be the walking dead. We want to be filled with the life and love of Jesus Christ. The way to do this is to love our enemy. How difficult is this for us to do? We could start with something easy, like loving our family. Loving people that we know, loving people that we are acquainted, loving people that we meet but do not pose any threat. If we can love these people – truly love them as a brother and sister in Christ – we can then begin working on loving our enemy. It’s all part of the process of transformation. Most of us are not Saul becoming Paul.

We should show mercy to all. We can show mercy in a number of ways. One way would be to share the Gospel, Jesus Christ, with someone. When we take time, not much time, to make a gesture, drop a verse – in our own words – and let that seep into the heart, mind and soul of another does the Father not provide the increase? We are sharing the Gospel and, therefore, showing mercy to another. We don’t have be a “Bible thumping holy man” in order to drop a verse or two that guides our life. We simply share and move on.

Jesus answered and said unto her, Whosoever drinks of this water shall thirst again: but whosoever drinks of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life. ~ John 4:13-14 KJB

We can show mercy through an act of kindness. When we see someone hurting, either physically, emotionally or spiritually, we can bring them comfort and care. We can come to their defense. We can take time out of our day in order to let them know they are loved, that someone cares and that not everyone has turned their back on them.

All of this is equal to forgiveness. Are we not actually showing someone a forgiving nature, the nature of Jesus Christ, when we do what has just been described? Are these not acts of forgiveness? Which is another act of mercy. Forgiveness may be the very definition of mercy. If we can forgive our “enemy” then we are, in fact, showing them next-level mercy.

Either the Scripture is the divine Word of God teaching us how to live and how to be a reflection of God, or it’s nothing more than a historical account of events.