2 Peter 1:5-7 And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;… I. THE PLACE CHARITY OCCUPIES. It is brought forward last in our text, not as being in itself independent of, and in order of time, subsequent to those which the apostle has before recounted; but it is exalted, because of its power to keep in unison all the other graces, as the knot completes and holds together the garland. The regenerate soul loves God in the first pulsations of his new-found spiritual life; and gratitude to the Redeemer who has bought him, prompts, early and continually, all his acts of obedience to God, and all his acts of kindly service to his fellow-man. But how is it related to, and distinguished from brotherly kindness? Whilst the latter regards mainly the principle of fraternal obligation to human nature, the former finds its chiefest scope and its highest object, in the filial ties binding man to his Father and God. The love of God subordinates and regulates all the outgoings of attachment in the renewed heart. II. We must now discuss THE TRUE NATURE OF CHRISTIAN CHARITY, AS DISTINGUISHED FROM THE SEMBLANCES THAT USURP WRONGFULLY ITS TITLES AND HONOURS. It is not, then, as the popular usage of the word would often make it — bare almsgiving. Neither is this grace a mere magnanimous disregard of all doctrinal variances, and a baseless assurance that all forms of faith are, if sincere, equally acceptable to God. No: the charity of the Scriptures loves the true God; and as He is the God of Truth, it loves, ardently and without compromise, His truth, unmitigated and unadulterated. Nor is evangelical charity connivance with sin. "Thou shalt love thy neighbour, and not suffer sin upon him, but in any wise rebuke it," said the law. "Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth," is Paul's language in his matchless portraiture of this grace. And, as in the nature of God, love to truth and holiness, is an attribute, having as its opposite pole, hatred to falsehood and unholiness; so, in each other true servant of God, the love of piety is necessarily detestation of impiety, and hatred for the workers of iniquity — not indeed detesta tion of their persons and souls, but of their practices, and principles, and influences. For the charity of the Scriptures is, first, love to God, the Creator and Source of all goodness — to the good amongst men, as bearing His regenerate image — and to the evil of our race it is a charity, that seeks to reclaim and restore. III. And now let us dwell upon SOME OF THE FRUITS WHICH CHRISTIAN CHARITY MIGHT AND SHOULD DISPLAY IN THE FIELD OF HUMAN SOCIETY. Its root is, then, in another world. It is, first, filial towards God; and then fraternal towards man as the creature of God. (W. R. Williams.) Parallel Verses KJV: And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; |
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