trusted online casino malaysia
Realizing the presence, promise, and power of the Kingdom of God.
Crosfigell

A Coin with Two Sides

Holiness and love are inseparable.

By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.

  - 1 John 5.2, 3

It is when full of charity that one is holy.
    He walks in charity.
Every evil fears him;
    every good loves him.
He has honour upon the earth;
    he has glory in heaven.
Love God:
    everyone will love you.
Fear God:
    everyone will fear you.

  - Colmán mac Beógnai, Aipgitir Chrábaid, Irish, 7th century[1]

Every believer recognizes that holiness and love are important aspects of the life of faith. These days we tend to hear more talk about love than about holiness. Love is what matters; holiness – not so much. It’s nice if you attain it, but, since God loves you just the way you are, holiness is nothing to get too worked up about. Better just to concentrate on loving.

But holiness and love are two sides of the same spiritual coin, as Colmán mac Beógnai explained in his instructional poem, “The Alphabet of Devotion.” You cannot be holy and not love; you cannot truly love without being holy. Holiness issues in love; love is the manifestation of holiness in relationships.

This is because love and holiness are both the fulfillment of the Law of God. The Law is holy, Paul tells us (Rom. 7.12); and, as John notes, obedience to the Law yields the fruit of love. Holiness and love flow from the fear of God and love for God. Only as we continue in holiness and love can we have any assurance that we actually know the Lord. We will be perfect in neither of these in this life; nevertheless, we may expect to grow in both holiness and love.

So when are we holy? When we are loving God and our neighbors. How can we love God and our neighbors? By increasing in holiness through obedience to God’s Law. Why should we do this? Because fearing God and loving Him, we delight in His Law.

This seems so utterly clear from the Word of God, and yet it is still the case that many, many sincere believers are adamantly opposed to the Law as having anything to do with following Jesus Christ. God has redeemed and is sanctifying us in order that He might show His grace – love – through us, and love is the fulfilling of the Law.

Jesus was holy and we are to be holy like Him. Jesus walked in the commandments of God, and so must we (1 Jn. 2.1-6).

The Spirit of God is holy, and He is at work within us to transform us into the image of Jesus Christ, the Holy One (2 Cor. 3.12-18).

Jesus is also loving, and the first fruit of the Spirit is love. He Who calls and makes us to be holy, makes us loving as well.

The righteous person – holy and loving – meditates on the Law day and night, and hides it in his heart so that he will not sin against God (Ps. 1; Ps. 119.9-11).

Is daily meditation on the Law part of your regimen of spiritual disciplines? How do you hope to become holy and loving apart from meditation on the Law of God? Why not begin today to let the holy and righteous and good Law of God, which issues in love, feature more in your meditations on God’s Word?

The Law of God is the cornerstone of divine revelation. All the rest of the Bible takes its shape from the footprint God has set down in His Law. Read the Law and you’ll understand the rest of the Bible. As you read your Bible, it will help you to understand and obey the Law.

Continue daily in this, and you will grow in holiness and love.

Psalm 1.1-3 (St. Thomas: “I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord”)
How blessed are they that shun
Sin’s vain and wicked ways.
For them has Christ salvation won;
He loves them all their days.

God’s Word is their delight;
They prosper in its truth.
In it they dwell both day and night
To flourish and bear fruit.

Firm planted on the banks
Of God’s great stream of grace,
They raise unending praise and thanks
To His great glorious face.

I want to be holy, Lord, and I want to love like Jesus. Help me to make time for meditating in Your Law, and for reading all Your holy Word.

Meditate on God’s Law

Daily meditation on the Law of God contributes to growth in righteousness. In The Law of God, we have assembled all the civil laws of Israel under their appropriate heading of the Ten Commandments. Read and meditate on a page a day, and you will begin to discover how God’s Law can lead you to holiness, love, a better overall understanding of Scripture, and the fear and love of God. Order your copy from our online store by clicking here.

Please seek the Lord in prayer concerning whether He would have you join with others who support this work by their prayers and gifts. As the Lord leads, you can use the contribute button to share with The Fellowship of Ailbe via credit card or PayPal, or send your gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 19 Tyler Dr., Essex Junction, VT 05452.           

T. M. Moore, Principal
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

All Psalms for singing from The Ailbe Psalter. Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.



[1]Carey, pp. 233, 234.                                      

T.M. Moore

T. M. Moore is principal of The Fellowship of Ailbe, a spiritual fellowship in the Celtic Christian tradition. He and his wife, Susie, make their home in the Champlain Valley of Vermont.
Books by T. M. Moore

Subscribe to Ailbe Newsletters

Sign up to receive our email newsletters and read columns about revival, renewal, and awakening built upon prayer, sharing, and mutual edification.