All Saints.

IT is the peculiar privilege and portion of God’s children to have the love of God shed abroad in their hearts, by the Holy Ghost which is given unto them. They know that they have passed from death unto life, because they love the brethren. None else can truly my, that they have experienced a saving change of heart. All who love God love the brethren also. There may be various degrees of this divine love, but still God’s love is “shed abroad” in the heart. Jesus only, has fully manifested its boundless extent. “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.” What searching words are these! “He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.” Again, “For he that loveth not his brother whom he hath seen, how can he love God whom he hath not seen.” The absence of this would show the absence of the knowledge of God.
This being so, how important it is that the children of God should exhibit this divine love in an unmistakable manner. The love of the Father includes all the redeemed. True brotherly love embraces all the brethren. Such is the compass and quality of Gospel love. We should guard against the counterfeit, and any feeling that would hinder our giving the right hand of fellowship to all the brethren of Christ. The language of Ruth to Naomi was, “Thy people shall be my people, and thy God my God.” Jesus said to Mary, “Go to My brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto My Father and your Father; and to My God and your God.” When the flowing forth of brotherly affection is confined to narrower limits than these, so that we cannot take into our hearts all that know and love Christ, we may well apply to ourselves this question, “How dwelleth the love of God in him?” If we love any because they belong to our party, and follow us, it is not a divine emotion, and, to say the least, is too impure to be worthy of the name of love. It is love in the flesh, having no heavenly character. “If ye love them that love you, what reward have ye?” We should regard and value our brethren, not on the ground of attainment, relative, or church connection; but because they belong to Christ. The name of Jesus is above every name, and has the first claim on our hearts (See Matthew 10:40-42; 25:35-4640He that receiveth you receiveth me, and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me. 41He that receiveth a prophet in the name of a prophet shall receive a prophet's reward; and he that receiveth a righteous man in the name of a righteous man shall receive a righteous man's reward. 42And whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall in no wise lose his reward. (Matthew 10:40‑42)
35For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: 36Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. 37Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? 38When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? 39Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? 40And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. 41Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: 42For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: 43I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. 44Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? 45Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. 46And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal. (Matthew 25:35‑46)).
How amazing is this divine love! It amounts to this, the Father loves the children as He loves His only begotten Son (John 17:2323I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:23)). Jesus loves them as the Father loves Him (John. 15:9). What a mystery! What infinite depths are here! Truly the love of God passeth knowledge! Should we not, in the words of Paul, salute all the holy brethren― “Grace be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity.” Such, indeed, should be the abiding atmosphere of our souls. In Paul’s Epistles he carefully maintains this universal brotherhood: he was emphatically the Apostle of unity. James enquires, from whence come wars and fighting’s among you? Come they not hence even of your lusts that war in your members? Paul salutes all saints, and sends love from all saints to all saints (See Romans 16:1515Salute Philologus, and Julia, Nereus, and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints which are with them. (Romans 16:15); 2 Corinthians 13:1313All the saints salute you. (2 Corinthians 13:13); Phil. 4:2222All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar's household. (Philippians 4:22); Heb. 13:2424Salute all them that have the rule over you, and all the saints. They of Italy salute you. (Hebrews 13:24)). He thus keeps up an unbroken family link. Though many failures existed among them, yet they were Christ’s sheep, and to be loved for His sake. He thus exhorts the Ephesian Saints, “Praying always, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all Saints.” He ceased not to give thanks for them, when he heard of their faith in the Lord Jesus, and love unto all the Saints (ch. 1:15). He thanks his God, that Philon was endowed with these two cardinal fruits of the Spirit which are so sweetly linked in scripture, ― faith in the Lord Jesus, and love to all Saints. He also thanks God for the Colossians, that they possessed them (Col. 1:22To the saints and faithful brethren in Christ which are at Colosse: Grace be unto you, and peace, from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. (Colossians 1:2)). Christ and His sheep are inseparably one. Our love to Him is measured by our love to them. “If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and His love is perfected in us” (1 John 4:1212No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. (1 John 4:12)). “By this shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Again, “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another: as I have loved you, that ye also love one another (John 13:3434A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. (John 13:34)).
Our lack in these days of true brotherly affection is very great: hence our lack of testimony to the world, our loss of blessing within, and the root of most of our sorrows, divisions, and shame. In early days it was remarked how much the Christians loved one another. The union of Christ’s sheep is very dear to His heart. It was the substance of His memorable intercession (John 17) just previous to His death. The care and feeding of them also filled His mind on the eve of His ascent to glory― “Feed my sheep”― “Feed my lambs,” &c. &c., lie pressed three times on Peter. The three epistles of John breathe the spirit of His Master. May the deep consciousness of our failures send us to the throne of grace, there to supplicate Him who is love, that we might be filled with love. He giveth more grace. He giveth liberally. Let us ask in faith, deeply feeling our need of this family affection. As we grow in love we rise above our differences and party walls. Then do we discover a beauty and value in the weakest lamb of Christ’s fold, which endears him to our hearts. Were we to regard God’s people more in relation to what they are in Christ, and less in relation to what they are in themselves, we should find our love so kindled and stirred up, that it would freely flow and entwine around all the beloved family. There is nothing more precious than brotherly love, and to experience these words of the Psalmist, “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psa. 133:11<<A Song of degrees of David.>> Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity! (Psalm 133:1)). I conclude with these remarkable words of the beloved John―” And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loveth God love his brother also” (1 John 4:2121And this commandment have we from him, That he who loveth God love his brother also. (1 John 4:21)).