Salvation without love?

While I am asking the Holy Spirit to give me wisdom in bringing this message, I am keenly aware of
the theological landmines I need to navigate to bring this message across… undistorted. The church
is so scattered by theological division that it is hard to even imagine how such a simple, yet crucial,
message can reach our hearts intact.

The array of theological persuasions out there is vast. For instance, the Calvinists or Reformers
believe that we are saved by God’s sovereign choice, while the rest of mankind is damned. The
Armenians believe that God gives all people the grace to respond to the gospel, but that God
chooses those whom He foreknew would respond to the gospel. Hyper-grace followers believes that
an instance of faith secures our eternal life and that a Lordship-gospel is a false, works-based gospel.
Hebrew Roots or Torah observers would agree that faith justifies us, but if we love God, we would
follow Christ in observing the whole Torah received by Moses.

Wesleyans believe that God’s goal of the gospel is to rid us of the depravity of sin so that we can live
in the Holiness of God. The Eastern Orthodox Church believes that the gospel restores the image of
God in us that was broken by sin, by us coming into communion with Christ. The Catholics believe
that baptism has imparted on us the grace of God, so that through penance for sins, we can partake
of the salvation found in Christ. The Universalists believe that Christ died for all and therefore all
people will eventually be saved, but that we can enjoy it now, through faith. Then there’s the Hyper-
faith movement that claims that Jesus’ work on Calvary is not only for our sins, but also for our
sickness and poverty; so that by faith we can be delivered from all of them.

There are plenty more views out there and I am aware that even these that I have mentioned; I have
not sufficiently covered all the intricate doctrinal differences and nuances. Then again, my attention
is only to give examples to allow you to appreciate the theological mind-field I had to navigate
through in preparing this message. So what I am about to say might bring about an “Amen” initially,
as it is clearly taken from Scripture. However, when I reinforce the point with even more Scripture, it
is then when those who are theologically entrenched might take offense. So, I ask you not to despise
this word as coming from an insignificant vessel such as myself, but to test these words and keep
what is good.

So, let me begin with John’s letter:

1Jn 3:14 We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who
does not love his brother abides in death.
1Jn 3:15 Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life
abiding in him.
1Jn 3:16 By this we know love, because He laid down His life for us. And we also ought to lay down
our lives for the brethren.
1Jn 3:17 But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart
from him, how does the love of God abide in him?
1Jn 3:18 My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (NKJ)

This passage seems to be quite clear. The love that John is speaking about is the Greek word
“agape”, which has a similar meaning to our English word “charity”. It is the kind of love that is
willing to sacrifice our comforts for the well-being of others. It can even reach the ultimate sacrifice,
as God demonstrated by sending His only Son to die for us. John says that if we don’t have this type
of love for each other, we still abide in death. John goes on further to write in:
1Jn 4:7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God
and knows God.
1Jn 4:8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love.
1Jn 4:9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son
into the world, that we might live through Him.
1Jn 4:10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the
propitiation for our sins.
1Jn 4:11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.
1Jn 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love
has been perfected in us. (NKJ)

John writes that, if we don’t love one another, then we don’t know God and God does not abide in
us. John then continues his point further in:

1Jn 4:15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
1Jn 4:16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who
abides in love abides in God, and God in him.
1Jn 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of
judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world.
1Jn 4:18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But
he who fears has not been made perfect in love.
1Jn 4:19 We love Him because He first loved us.
1Jn 4:20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love
his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen?
1Jn 4:21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother
also. (NKJ)

So John teaches that we may have boldness in the Day of Judgment if we love as Christ loves. We
should not be surprised by John’s strong words, as that is the same teaching he heard Jesus taught.
Jesus said in:

Joh 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that
you also love one another.
Joh 13:35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (NKJ)

A little later on, Jesus teaches:

Joh 15:9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love.
Joh 15:10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s
commandments and abide in His love.
Joh 15:11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may
be full.
Joh 15:12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.
Joh 15:13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

Even Mathew witnessed Jesus’ requirements for us to love one another in determining whether we
truly are His sheep.

Mat 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will
sit on the throne of His glory.
Mat 25:32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.
Mat 25:33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.
Mat 25:34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit
the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
Mat 25:35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a
stranger and you took Me in;
Mat 25:36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you
came to Me.’
Mat 25:37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed
You, or thirsty and give You drink?
Mat 25:38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You?
Mat 25:39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’
Mat 25:40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it
to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
Mat 25:41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the
everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:
Mat 25:42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink;
Mat 25:43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in
prison and you did not visit Me.’
Mat 25:44 "Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a
stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?'
Mat 25:45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it
to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’
Mat 25:46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal
life.” (NKJ)

Take note that in Mathew, Jesus speaks of ALL the nations that will stand before Him to be judged
whether they fall under the sheep camp or goats’ camp. James repeats Jesus' teaching in:

Jas 2:14 What does it profit, my brethren, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?
Can faith save him?
Jas 2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,
Jas 2:16 and one of you says to them, “Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,” but you do not give
them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?
Jas 2:17 Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.
Jas 2:18 But someone will say, “You have faith, and I have works.” Show me your faith without your
works, and I will show you my faith by my works.
Jas 2:19 You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!
Jas 2:20 But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?
Jas 2:21 Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar?
Jas 2:22 Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made
perfect?
Jas 2:23 And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “ABRAHAM BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS
ACCOUNTED TO HIM FOR RIGHTEOUSNESS.” And he was called the friend of God.
Jas 2:24 You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.
Jas 2:25 Likewise, was not Rahab the harlot also justified by works when she received the
messengers and sent them out another way?
Jas 2:26 For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also. (NKJV)

You might ask, but does Paul not teach us that we are justified by faith alone and not by works?
Context is important. Paul was speaking about the works of the Law, where James is speaking of the
works of love. There is therefore no contradiction between the two of them. Regarding the works of
love, even Paul writes in:

Gal 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working
through love. (NKJ)

After Paul taught the Corinthian church the importance and the true nature of love, he concluded by
writing:

1Co 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (NKJ)

The greatest demonstration of someone being a follower of Christ is not faith, but love.
Peter also teaches the same thing:

1Pe 3:8 Finally, all of you be of one mind, having compassion for one another; love as brothers, be
tenderhearted, be courteous;
1Pe 3:9 not returning evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary blessing, knowing that
you were called to this, that you may inherit a blessing.

So, to all of us who claim that we have faith, or that we are followers of Christ, or that we are born
of God, let us take caution. If we don’t love one another, then our faith and our claims are dead,
empty words and we don’t know God. We can quote our proof texts that seem to justify our
particular blend of Christianity, while doing Scriptural gymnastics with these clear instructions of
Jesus and His apostles. Are we so sure with our loveless hearts that Christ is not going to place us in
the camp of the goats when He judges the nations? Are we claiming there is no condemnation for
those who are in Christ Jesus, yet we do not live in Christ’s love for our brothers and sisters in Christ?

I’m challenging those who are social media warriors, but have no interest in forming a genuine
connection with the rest of the body of Christ.

Heb 10:24 And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works,
Heb 10:25 not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but
exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.

I’m speaking to those who feel superior to the rest of the Body of Christ, because they pray in the
right name and claim to truly obey Yahweh’s commandments, but then shun those who don’t
interpret the new covenant as they do?

Rom 13:8 Owe no one anything except to love one another, for he who loves another has fulfilled the
law.
Rom 13:9 For the commandments, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY,” “YOU SHALL NOT
MURDER,” “YOU SHALL NOT STEAL,” “YOU SHALL NOT BEAR FALSE WITNESS,” “YOU SHALL NOT
COVET,” and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, “YOU
SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.”
Rom 13:10 Love does no harm to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

I’m speaking to those who claim they are in the liberty of Christ and shun those who bind
themselves under the letter of the law:

Rom 14:13 Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather resolve this, not to put a
stumbling block or a cause to fall in our brother’s way.
Rom 14:14 I know and am convinced by the Lord Jesus that there is nothing unclean of itself; but to
him who considers anything to be unclean, to him it is unclean.
Rom 14:15 Yet if your brother is grieved because of your food, you are no longer walking in love. Do
not destroy with your food the one for whom Christ died.

I’m speaking to those who claim their superior doctrines over those who have not been illuminated,
as they are:

1Co 8:1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge
puffs up, but love edifies.

I’m speaking to those who have separated themselves from their brothers and sisters because they
have taken offence:

Col 3:12 Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility,
meekness, longsuffering;
Col 3:13 bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against
another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.
Col 3:14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection.
Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and
be thankful.

My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord; I am not claiming that I am an angel in the pursuit of
serving God. By no means. But let us not kid ourselves. This thing we call church, where we attend
our weekly religious clubs, being religiously entertained with motivational performers on a stage, yet
we lack love and good works towards each other, is not from God. Instead of being a family, the
church has become a religious business where success is measured in numbers attending and not
whether people are truly Disciples of Christ. God sees right through all our empty sermons and
doctrinal fads that are designed to tickle our ears, and so-doing, reinforcing our hardened hearts.

Do we hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church, or are we too entrenched in our doctrinal biases?
We need to repent and confess our hardened hearts and the blood of Christ will cleanse all our
unrighteousness read- 1 John 1:9-10; Rev 2:5). Then we need to live lives worthy of the calling we
have been called to, which is to love as He loves (read - Eph 4:1-3). If Christ is in our hearts, it won’t
be burdensome, for His Spirit writes this law of Christ not on hearts of stone but on hearts of flesh
(read - 2Cor 3:3, Gal 6:2). I pray we will take this word to heart. Amen.