July 12th, faith, expels, guilt, greed, and fear.

The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere

fear, faith. 1 Timothy 1 5. Paul is aiming at love and one of the essential sources of this

great effect is sincere faith. The reason faith is such a sure source of love is that faith in God's

grace expels from the heart the sinful powers that hinder love. If we feel guilty we tend to

wallow in self-centered depression and self-pity unable to see little on care about anyone else's

need or we play the hypocrite to cover our guilt and so destroy all sincerity and relationships

which makes real love impossible or we talk about other people's faults to minimize the guilt

of our own which love does not do. So if we're going to love the destructive effects of guilt

must be overcome. It's the same with fear. If we feel fearful we tend not to approach a stranger

at church who might need a word of welcome and encouragement or we may reject frontier

missions as a vocation because it sounds too dangerous or we may waste money on excessive insurance

or get swallowed up in all manner of little phobias that make us preoccupied with ourselves and

blind us to the needs of others all of which are the opposite of love. It's the same with greed

if we're greedy we may spend money on luxuries money that ought to go to the spread of the gospel.

We don't undertake anything risky lest our precious possessions and our financial future be

jeopardized. We focus on things instead of people or see people as resources for our material

advantage so love is ruined but face in future grace produces love by pushing guilt and fear

and greed out of the heart. It pushes out guilt because it holds fast to the hope that the death of

Christ is sufficient to secure acquittal and righteousness now and forever. He brews 10-14.

It pushes out fear because it banks on the promise fear not. I am with you. I will strengthen you.

I will help you. I will uphold you with my righteous right hand as they afford you 110. It pushes out

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