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Love Not!

heartAs Valentine’s Day approaches we are given occasion to think more about the subject of love. It ought to be something we think about often, as it is a vital part of our existence. Most human beings thrive on the knowledge that they are loved by someone and can love others. Indeed, it is the very heart of the law of God, said Jesus (Matt. 22:34-40). God’s matchless love for us was manifested in His offering of His Son upon the cross (John 3:16; Eph. 2:4). Even though we were His enemies, He still offered His Son as a propitiation for our sins (Rom. 5:5-8; I John 2:1). However, while love is necessary and commanded, there are some things that we should not love!

The wise man Solomon said, “Love not sleep, lest thou come to poverty; open thine eyes, and thou shalt be satisfied with bread” (Proverbs 20:13). This wise instruction warns us against laziness. It is so easy to put things off, to think we have done enough, or think we have more time. But who knows what a day may bring forth, it is so like a vapor that appears only for a short time (Prov. 27:1; James 4:13-17). This day our soul may be required of us (Luke 12:20). A rest will come, but is not now (Heb. 4:1-11).

Jeremiah warned of the prophets that prophesy falsely and priests that bear rule by their means. And he notes that “my people love to have it so” (Jeremiah 5:31). How true it is that so many love to “heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears” who “turn away their ears from the truth” and turn unto fables (II Tim. 4:1-4). We must always be on guard against these false teachers who have gone out into the world (I John 4:1). No matter what we hear, and no matter who we hear it from, we must always search the scriptures and have a thus saith the Lord for all we do or believe in matters of faith and practice (Acts 17:11; II Tim. 2:15).

The love of money is also something that must be avoided, as it is leads to all kinds of evil (I Tim. 6:10-11). Money is not evil in and of itself, for we must work to have to give to those who are in need and provide for our own (Eph. 4:28; I Tim. 5:8). But when money is put ahead of everything else, when we pursue it to the point of covetousness, we are guilty of idolatry (Col. 3;5). Those who have coveted after it have “have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Finally, John warns us “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (I John 2:15). Our lives being very much like a vapor, we are only here for a relatively short time. No matter what we obtain in this life, no matter how many treasures we hoard, we cannot take this world’s goods with us (I Tim. 6:7,8). Our focus ought to be upon laying up for ourselves treasures in heaven, which are everlasting treasures (Matt. 5:19-21). We can obtain a crown of life if we but realize we are only temporary tenants of this mortal coil (II Cor. 5:1-4; Rev. 2:10).

So yes, let us love. Purely. Holily. Let us love only the things which God loves. But let not our love be misplaced. Just as we should always and only be ravished with the love of the wife of our youth and never desire to embrace the bosom of a strange woman (Prov. 5:15-21), may we always be only the bride of Christ and never be enamored of some gaudy, false doctrine or desire to embrace in our bosom some strange religious system or some cruel, tortured way of life (II Tim. 3:1-9). Such folly will be made manifest.

Eric L. Padgett