In these words of Jesus in Matthew 24:12 are seen the spiritual peril facing every professing Christian. The peril is evident because the word “love” is the Greek word "agape" that Jesus used to define those who have the companionship with the Spirit of GOD. This is the “love” that only comes from above. So, in this text of Matthew, Jesus is here referring to Christians whose love waxes cold. The evidence of the church’s lack of heaven’s love is seen in many from the “Religious Right,” conservative Republicans and professing Christians from all walks of life. A lot of churches today are being led into a cold and loveless religion, “having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof.” Paul finished this verse by saying, “from such turn away.” II Tim.3:5.

     The Bible gives invaluable guidelines on this subject. And by taking the Bible’s admonitions to heart, the Presence of the Spirit of GOD will remain in the soul, to comfort and guide—and in “the first resurrection” raise the repentant believer to everlasting life (Rom.8:11).

     After Christ’s resurrection, He showed the stark contrast between the two forms of government competing for the supremacy of this world. These two governments were perfectly illustrated in a conversation that took place between Jesus and His Apostle Peter. The theme of this passage defines the true meaning of love. Two different words for love were used in the original Greek text of this passage. Jesus used the word, agape to represent GOD'S manner of love, while Peter used the word phileo to represent Man's version of love. When we examine the meaning of these two very contrasting words (in light of the deeds of Christ verses the deeds of Peter) we become enlightened to the precious lesson that all people deserve to understand.

Beginning in the book of John, chapter 21, verse 15, we read:

"So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me [with unselfish love] more than these [the other disciples]? He saith unto Him [with his head lowered], Yea, LORD; Thou knowest that I love thee [with a limited, selfish love]. He saith unto him, Feed My lambs. He saith unto him the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me [with a love that will seek the other's well-being regardless of the cost to yourself]? He saith unto Him, Yea, LORD; Thou knowest that I love Thee [only with a futile love that exerts in vain]. He saith unto him, Feed My sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou Me [with merely a limited, selfish love]? Peter was grieved because He said unto him the third time, Lovest thou Me [with a failing love]? And he said unto Him, LORD, Thou knowest all things; Thou knowest that I love Thee [with the only love I am capable of]. Jesus saith unto him, Feed My sheep." John 21:15-17.

     A short time after this conversation came the day of Pentecost. On this great day for the human race the Apostles of Christ received the promise of GOD’S presence in their lives through the gift of the Holy Spirit; and accompanying His presence was heaven’s gift of ‘agape’ love. This free gift is offered to all. Said Christ, “If ye then being evil know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask Him.” Lu.11:13. Therefore, you and I, the weakest of the weak can demonstrate the same Love to our fellow man that drew GOD Himself to redeem a fallen race. It is this quality of Love that most of the people of earth are at war with, including most professed Christians, because agape demands the abandonment of sin; and freedom to sin has become more important to them than GOD’S deliverance from it. So, we need to come to terms with the boundaries the Bible defines as evidence of a truly noble and virtuous Christian life in a sinful world.

     When Jesus addressed the church at Ephesus He admonished: “thou hast left thy first love. Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.” Rev.2:4,5. In these words are shown how the Ephesian church began in the power of the Holy Spirit, but the debasing iniquity around them led them to abandon the beginning of their confidence in Christ and the Sacred Love He imparted to their souls. This all-too-common snare is a segue to the warning of the Apostle John: “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…Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him…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?” I Jn.2:211;3:15;4:20. There is a precious boundary to consider in this. The Bible distinguishes between our right to be angry and the uncontrolled passion of hatred that condones a violent heart. Of this Jesus said, “whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” Matt.5:22. And the Apostle Paul complimented the Saviour’s words when injustice is perceived: “Be ye angry, and sin not: let not the sun go down upon your wrath.” Eph.4:26.

     Let’s identify the key culprit evangelizing that living as a carnal minded Christian is acceptable service to GOD. Jesus said, "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits." Matt.7:15,16. Jesus then describes in the Day of Judgment how multitudes of unrepentant sinners come to Him claiming to have served Him. And His response: "I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." Ver.23. Jesus can have no association with those who chose sin over Him, and through their sinning ways the Spirit of GOD had no companionship in their lives.

     To distinguish GOD’S obedient church from the disobedient—the sincere servant of GOD from the one merely using GOD to satisfy a sinful ambition, one must allow Scripture to define sin and repentance, for this lies at the heart of the plan of salvation. And when we lay the foundation of Bible literacy to understand the plan of salvation we are blessed to discern the boundaries of GOD’S jurisdiction in the lives of men: where He has the right to bless and protect, and where He is legally helpless to intervene to protect His children from the jurisdiction of Satan’s snares of destruction. GOD’S legal framework to rescue humanity must be understood, for the many traps of Satan used to deceive men to keep them united with their sins (Eze.28:15,16; Rev.12:17), thus causing their ruin (Is.59:2) are not known in the world, and little understood within Christianity (Hos.4:6). Therefore, it is the primary goal of Satan to keep men ignorant to Scripture (Matt.22:29) and disobedient to GOD (I Sam.15:22). To accomplish this, Satan works to discredit Scripture, malign its lessons, and corrupt every trace of GOD’S intentions in how He deals with the sin problem. This is evident from Satan’s very first words recorded in the Bible: "Hath GOD said…? Gen.3:1.

     The Saviour closed His Sermon on The Mount by warning that multitudes of church ministers, evangelists, elders and laity alike will stand before Him in the day of judgment and fulfill His closing words, “Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you [I was never your companion while you lived in sin, leading others to follow your example (Matt.5:19)]: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matt.7:22,23. And if the multitude of church leaders fail to escape the condemnation of sin, what of their congregations who looked to them for guidance in the knowledge of salvation? “So then every one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Rom.14:12.

     Many verses of the Bible urge the believers to learn for themselves the Bible’s safe-guidelines, as the Apostle Paul admonished his beloved Timothy: “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” II Tim.2:15. And regarding the danger of entrusting your soul into the hands of another the psalmist urged: “Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help.” Ps.146:3. Even when the great Apostle Paul carried the Gospel of Jesus Christ to Berea it is written, “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.” Acts 17:11.

     There is obvious Scriptural and historical evidence showing that with the rise of the Christian movement in the first century Satan was countering every step of the spread of the Christian faith with his deceptive temptations into the vain imaginations of men. The Apostle Paul said that harmful influences were entering the Christian church in his day: “The mystery of iniquity doth already work.” II Thess.2:7. Paul discerned that the roots of apostasy were already taking hold and gave clear prophetic insight into the disgrace that would become an essential part of the ruling Christian church, whose history, under the pope of Rome, bears witness to the most gruesome acts carried out under the auspices of Christianity.

     So here we are today with the reality of this history and the continuing abuse from carnal minded (loveless) Christians. The greatest danger for people today lies in a simple fact: anyone who continues in sin is grieving away the presence of the Holy Spirit from their lives (Isa.30:12), for GOD can have no companionship with a man who perpetuates the transgression of GOD’S Holy Law [Isa.59:2]. And yet, the Apostle Paul witnessed to the superior joy that is found through the companionship of the Holy Spirit when he said, “grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.” Eph.4:30. That passage from the book of Ephesians warms the heart to follow the ways of GOD, for it is the cradling love of GOD dwelling in the human soul that softens the blow of life’s afflictions. This is why Jesus called the Holy Spirit “the Comforter” (Jn.14:26). Through life’s many afflictions, the presence of GOD’S Spirit will sustain one’s hope and peace. This is the same Spirit that dwelled in Jesus Christ (Rom.8:11), and is offered to anyone who will but ask (Lu.11:13) and believe that GOD’S power and love is sufficient to provide His abiding presence.

     But when men cherish any sin in the heart (Heb.10:26) the presence of Christ is forced to depart (Isa.59:2); and it is only “by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost” that the humble, believing soul can “walk even as he walked” and be the recipient of the Saviour’s promise: “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.” Jn.6:40.