#DailyDevotion Jesus Will Put Dung On The Faces Of Those Who Pit Love Against Pure Doctrine
September 26th
Read Mal 2:1—3:5
Mal 2:2-8 If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the LORD of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. (3) Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. (4) So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the LORD of hosts. (5) My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. (6) True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. (7) For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the LORD of hosts. (8) But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the LORD of hosts,….
It is a popular thing these days to pit Love against Pure Doctrine. Those who do this are children of Satan. Nothing but the pure venom of hell is such talk. Love comes from pure doctrine/teaching. The Lord God of the Holy Scripture cares about pure doctrine. What does the Lord say in our passage today? How does He see pure and false doctrine? To teach false doctrine is to curse the name of the Lord but to teach true doctrine is to honor His name. Those who teach false doctrine are cursed by the Lord. Jesus rebuked the offspring of false teachers. Jesus spreads dung on the faces of those who say, “Thus says the Lord” and are teaching falsely in His name, the name of Love.
Those who teach purely in Jesus’ name fear the Lord. He causes others to repent of their sins and fear the Lord as well. What is the fear of the Lord? Pro 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is hatred of evil. Pride and arrogance and the way of evil and perverted speech I hate.” To have pure doctrine is to walk with Jesus in peace and uprightness. The pastor who teaches purely guards knowledge and people should seek instruction from his mouth. The pastor who teaches purely is a messenger of the Lord of Hosts.
Now it is true that sometimes someone may have and teach pure doctrine and yet not have love. Such a one is a hypocrite. But no one may have the love of God and teach falsely for love flows from the Truth and not a lie. 1Jn 4:9-11 “In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (10) In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (11) Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”
Lord Jesus Christ, so give us your Holy Spirit that we may always speak the truth in love and may your great love for us so move us to love our neighbors and enemies as you have loved your neighbor and enemies. May no false teaching pass our lips and may our lives demonstrate your great love for us and all people. Amen.