There are those who say they love God, yet they don't love those he created. This issue is a most serious one in regards to Christianity.
To clear up any misconceptions about Christianity, let's get one key issue resolved right now:
Those who say they love God, yet hate their brother, are living in a deception they must be delivered from by way of the truth - The word of God:
1 John 4:20
If a man say, I love God, and hateth his brother, he is a liar: for he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen?
1 John 2:9
He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother is in darkness even until now.
1 John 2:11
But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.
The longer you have anger and malice toward someone, the more callous your heart gets. That malice, if allowed to continue will fester and eventually reach a level that you now hate your brother.
Who is my brother?
I came to the conclusion years ago that my "brother" includes everyone in this world. From scripture you can easily conclude this.
Whether it is a stranger off the street or your blood relative, they are all our brothers.
It matters not their age, skin color or language. All are equal in God's eyes and we are never to raise one above the other in regards to stature. The wealthy of this world are not above the poor, even though that's the idea we get from listening to the media and the movers and shakers of this world. As a matter of fact, the rich of this world have more of a responsibility to help those less fortunate because they have the ability to do so where others do not.
Those of this world who are not God's people believe that a man's financial soundness makes him of more worth than those who are less financially sound. This is respect of persons. If we are Christians, We are not to have respect of persons:
James 2:1-9
1My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons.
2 For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment;
3 And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:
4 Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts?
5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him?
6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?
7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?
8 If ye fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself, ye do well:
9 But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors.
If you cannot love those who you SEE, how can you say you love God who you CANNOT see. Jesus said to us:
The Greatest Commandment:
Mark 12:
28 And one of the scribes came, and having heard them reasoning together, and perceiving that he had answered them well, asked him, Which is the first commandment of all? 29 And Jesus answered him, The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord:
30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment.
31 And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these.
John 13:34:
A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
1 John 4:21
And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also.
Let this thought burn deep into your heart: Those who love God will also love those he created.
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