Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Feigning, Swerving and Jangling


1 Tim 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 6 From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

The commandment, referred to in verse 5, is the command to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul and mind. Jesus told us that the commandment next to that is to love our neighbors as ourselves. So, the first command ends up causing us to obey the second and that takes place due to charity out of a pure heart and a good conscience.

However, a wrench gets thrown into the works when our faith is faked, or when we swerve away from the commandments to empty jangling, or babbling.

So let's knock off the fakery and and getting off track with talking about nothing and get back to loving God whole-heartedly and loving our neighbors enough to give them the gospel.

My God, I love Thee; not because
I hope for heaven thereby,
Nor yet because who love Thee not
Are lost eternally.
Thou, O my Jesus, Thou didst me
Upon the cross embrace;
For me didst bear the nails, and spear,
And manifold disgrace,
And griefs and torments numberless,
And sweat of agony;
Yea, death itself; and all for me
Who was thine enemy.
Then why, O blessed Jesus Christ,
Should I not love Thee well?
Not for the sake of winning heaven,
Nor of escaping hell;
Not from the hope of gaining aught,
Not seeking a reward;
But as Thyself hast loved me,
O ever-loving Lord.
So would I love Thee, dearest Lord,
And in Thy praise will sing;
Solely because Thou art my God,
And my most loving King.

Francis Xavier, 1506-1552

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