Faith without Love is an Empty Dream

"...ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness." -Jude vs. 4 [KJV]

From what the bee extracts honey, venomous insects will draw poison. The word of God, which is food to gracious hearts, is the sport and contempt of profane wits. An ungodly heart will convert the most wholesome truths of God’s grace into the most poisonous effects. There ever were such men: there are such at this day, who hold forth some of the most precious truths concerning the Lord Jesus, and the grace of God abounding to sinners in Him, and yet with these maintain the most damnable heresies: they are the fools who make a mock at sin (see Proverbs 14:9.) 

Personal holiness they hold in the greatest derision: they declare their sin as Sodom—‘Say unto the wicked, it shall be well with them. Tush! the Lord careth not about our walk and life: if we have lusts, better gratify them than burn with them.’ And they swallow up every unscriptural error in that damnable heresy, All men shall be saved at the last. One scarcely knows which to wonder at most, why such persons should preach at all, or why any who name the name of Christ can hear them. But Scripture must be fulfilled: “There shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts.” (II Peter 3:3.) 

I never knew but one instance of a person, who had joined himself to these vile Antinomians, that escaped from their soul-destroying doctrines. My soul rejoiced exceedingly, at receiving a visit from this aged disciple of Jesus, who, through precious grace, is brought back into the ways of truth and holiness. When the preacher asked him, why he had left him? he honestly answered, “Were I to hear you now, I should be almost ready to fill my pockets with stones, and stone you; for you had well nigh sent me to hell, with a lie in my right hand.” 

O, brethren! as you love the holy Jesus; as you value your precious souls; as you prize communion with God, peace of conscience, and joy in the Holy Ghost, beware of such ungodly men; keep at the greatest distance from them; maintain the utmost abhorrence of their hellish notions. Why, O why did the blessed Spirit convince us of sin, and lead us to Christ for salvation; but that we should love God, delight in God, enjoy fellowship with God, have no more to do with the unfruitful works of darkness; but walk before Him in righteousness and true holiness all the days of our life? 

Be assured, if your faith does not influence you to this, it is not the faith of the holy gospel; not a faith in a holy Jesus: it does not work by the love of Him; but is the faith of the ungodly, whose end is destruction, see Philippians 3:19. Faith without love’s an empty dream, It conquers not, the pow’r of sin: To live, the soul has but a name, If Jesus reigneth not within. Grant me, O Lord! renewing grace; Quicken my soul from day to day, To walk in love before Thy face, And mind not what th’ ungodly say.

-preacher William Mason (1724-1797 A.D.)

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