Resources/Articles
Too Cold
Some people look forward to ice skating and snow skiing in bitter cold. Others do not look forward to winter at all. When the first snowflake falls, some start calculating how many months before winter is over. In C.S. Lewis’ fictional world of Narnia, there was a hundred years where it was always winter. Life seems rather bleak when you have nothing to anticipate but cold weather.
There are many souls who are locked in winter. Their heart is waxed cold all the time. It would not matter what time of the year it is. It would not matter if they were rich or poor. They may be disappointed with life. Each day may be filled with despair. Their hearts are frozen to the blessings of God and His scriptures.
Lukewarmness is not the solution to a cold, faithless heart either. Jesus wrote a letter to the church at Laodicea saying, “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot. So because thou are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spew thee out of my mouth” (Revelation 3:15,16). Having a heart that is halfway committed does not in any way resolve the problem of a cold faith. Trying to be just religious enough to satisfy yourself is just enough to keep you miserable. When it comes to being a Christian, warm does not get the job done.
Cold hearts need heat. You could turn up the heat by preaching on the wrath of God and the expectation of hell. You could turn up the heat with an emphasis on the love of God. Maybe the joy in Christ would heat up a coldhearted faith, but why not look into the cause of a coldhearted faith? Matthew 24:12 describes the days leading to the destruction of Jerusalem by saying, “And because iniquity shall be multiplied, the love of the many shall wax cold.” Sin is what causes cold hearts. When sin dominates a person’s life, love for God and the truth have no regard and no place in the heart. It was a prevalent problem then and now.
Why would iniquity abounding make a person’s faith or love be less? Is their own iniquity what is meant, or the prevalence of iniquity around them? Were they - and are people today - gradually and subconsciously touched with the surrounding unbelief, or are they weakened and disheartened by the few number of believers and the apparent prosperity of sin?
The answer to the above questions should come from an examination of the words “iniquity” and “love.” The words translated “Iniquity” is anomia, which means “lawlessness.” It is the word translated “without law” three times in 1 Corinthians 9:21, twice in Romans 2:12, and “lawless” in 1 Timothy 1:9. Therefore, iniquity means behavior which acts without regard to law but acts upon permission from one’s own mind. When the mind of the flesh is approached by the law, it will most often refuse the instruction and commands of God. As a result, it will neglect to demonstrate love. Love is the greatest commandment of the law (Matthew 22:37), and those who say they love God must keep his commandments (John 14:15). With lawlessness in the heart, love will wax cold and faith will weaken or not be present at all. Romans 8:7 says, “...because the mind of the flesh is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can it be.” Love and faith find their place in the minds of those who indulge in sin.
The first epistle of John is a deep spiritual textbook on love and sin. They are two great powers which contend for the mastery of the earth. All mankind are found on one side or the other. 1 John 3:4 says, “Every one that doeth sin doeth also lawlessness; and sin is lawlessness.” Lawlessness can be described as a lack of interest in God’s law, ignorance of God’s law, a deliberate ignoring of God’s law, lack of love for God’s law, and a lack of perception of the necessity, holiness, and blessing of God’s law. Sin has such great power to take away the place where love and faith could dwell.
Consider the other power - love. What is love? 1 John 5:1,3 says, “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is begotten of God: and whosoever loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him...For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments...” This is a power greater than sin as illustrated in 1 John 3:9: “Whosoever is begotten of God doeth no sin, because his seed abideth in him...” The more we read, meditate, and practice the law of God, faith and love increases. As 1 John 4:4 says, “...greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.” Then 1 John 5:4 says, “For whatsoever is begotten of God overcometh the world; and this is the victory that hath overcome the world, even our faith.” Therefore, fix your mind and allegiance on the everlasting law of God. This will fill your heart not with a passive, flat, and powerless belief, but with a heated zeal to embrace the good works God prepared for us to follow.
When Christians abide in the doctrine, which converted them to Christ, their joy will be made full (1 John 1:4). People in the world will see genuine faith and not something superficial. The hearts of those who love and follow the law will have courage to face the criticism of the world and the trials of life. Those who commit to holiness will reflect the image God wants man to show to the world. It is imperative for faith and love to keep this picture fresh and clear. If we keep reading and diligently following all God asks of us and constantly seek to live in His divine love and righteousness, our hearts and minds will be drawn upward in the joy of the Spirit. Do not absorb the tension, strife, and stress of the world. You may not be able to control the moral or doctrinal settings of the world, but you can adjust your life to the teachings of God. The love of God will fill your heart and life and faith will be strong when you are consistently saturated with the light of the world - Jesus Christ.
