Anyone Who Does Not Love Remains in Death

1 John 3:14 "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love our brothers.  Anyone who does not love remains in death."

   Lord, throughout John's book, he gives me contrasts:
Believers do this--unbelievers do this
Believers teach truth--unbelievers teach lies
Believers live this way--unbelievers live this way
Believers truly love one another--unbelievers do not
Believers will enjoy an eternity with You--unbelievers will not


   He gives us so many ways to gauge not only our own standing in the Family, but also to be discerning of others within the church who say they are Christians but who, in reality, are not and have been placed there by our enemy to destroy themselves and to try to destroy the church as well.  It is impossible for an unbeliever to live the life of a believer because they are not a new creation and do not have You Holy Spirit within them to empower them.  They may try with all that is within them, but there will be evidence against them.
   In our day in the USA, and especially here in the South, but not exclusively, where church is a big part of "acceptable" social behavior, unbelievers who have been brought up in the church have been taught all of the "proper" church behavior and moral code but have never entered into a relationship of their own with You, are in the most danger of eternal damnation because they have been the most deceived.  They equate "churchianity" with true "Christianity".  However, just like me, they will not have God's standards as their own and will fall at some point.
   Lord, help me to live a watchful life so I might confront one of these deluded ones with the truth for their sake.  After all, I was once in their shoes too and am so glad someone confronted me.