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EDITOR: Wesley J. Ladwig
Editorial - July 1943
“Now over all these is love, which
is the tie of maturity.” Col. 3:14, C.V.
I am sure that that there are few Christians, indeed, who have learned
this great truth. In fact, it is still buried under the creedal dunghills since the
apostle Paul was called to rest. The proof of this lies in the many sects and divisions of
those who claim to be saints and the strife and disputations among and within these same
groups. So far in my experience I have found no exceptions to this rule. Why should this
be? It can be answered very briefly and accurately in few words: knowledge rather than
love has become the bond that binds all Christian groups together and this is true also of
those cliques within groups. Doctrine has become and still is the chief basis of Christian
fellowship. This shows that Christendom has not yet passed the stage of childhood or
immaturity in Christ, 1 Cor. 3:1. The maturity of Ephesians and Colossians hasn’t yet
been achieved; in fact, is yet hardly known.
I am not opposed to knowledge but I do sincerely believe that our
knowledge has been directed along the wrong line. We have made knowledge our god not only
to be sought after but held up as the chief objective of a Christian’s goal, the
center and focal point of our adoration.
How far this is from the purpose and objective of Paul’s letter to
the Ephesians! Here the apostle says:
“That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith: that ye, being
ROOTED and GROUNDED in LOVE, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the
breadth, and length, and depth, and height; and to know the love of Christ, which passeth
(transcends) knowledge, that ye may be filled with all the fullness of God (better: to be
completed for the entire complement of God),” Eph. 3:17-19.
We are to be rooted and grounded in love so that we might comprehend
with all the saints what is the breadth, length, depth and height of what love means; and
to know the love of Christ so that we can become completed. How well this harmonizes with
what Paul tells us in Colossians that love is the tie or bond of completeness or maturity.
One group particularly stresses the fact that we must know the breadth,
length, depth and height of God’s plan but the apostle is not talking about a plan
but love. When we know what love means and when we realize the great love of God and of
Christ, we are complete or have reached maturity. When we ourselves become complete in the
knowledge of the love of God and Christ, we become a worthy complement of God. Until we do
we are not full grown sons but children and children are irresponsible and cannot be
trusted with things that belong to adults. All doctrine and all knowledge should be held
in love.
One can hardly be a worthy complement of God who hasn’t fathomed
the love of God and His Christ. Anyone who hates his fellow saint hasn’t learnt love
and one who teaches that God is an eternal tormentor doesn’t know the love of God nor
the purpose of His Christ. How can those who hold doctrine as the rallying point of the
church comprehend the purpose of love! Isn’t it easy to see that all such would fail
to love their brethren much less their enemies and to do good (not evil) to all men as
they have opportunity, Gal. 6:10? How can such Christians extend the right hand of
fellowship to all who call upon the name of the Lord out of a pure heart, 2 Tim. 2:22?
They cannot, because not being grown up in love, they make divisions based on doctrines.
In our last editorial we quoted Paul’s explanation and inspired
definition of love, 1 Cor. 13:1-7. Here we have the rule for babes in Christ laid down.
But in Ephesians we come to not only the fruitage of that love which becomes mature but
also a knowledge of the love of God and Christ which transcends knowledge. If we know such
a love, we will bring all our knowledge and doctrines in harmony with the boundless love
of our heavenly Father and recognize no other bond or tie than our own love.
W. J. L.
