AND THEN THERE WERE TWO
"In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest: Whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.” - I JOHN 3:10
This scripture is firstly about the imperative of LOVE. And more specifically, about the imperative of love expressed in TWO ways: both VERTICALLY (towards our Father), being accomplished by "He who practices righteousness". And love expressed HORIZONTALLY (towards our brother), being accomplished by "loving your neighbour as yourself". TWO defining and outward manifestations of LOVE. Wholly captured and contained in the TWO greatest commandments of all.
These TWO commandments encapsulate and embody the whole of the revelation of the divine will of God presented across TWO entire Bible testaments. And upon these TWO commandments also hang TWO things: "all the law and the prophets" - MATTHEW 22:40. The law and the prophets represent TWO other things. The SPIRIT and the LIFE of His extravagant LOVE. And that "If we LIVE in the Spirit, let us also WALK in the Spirit." - GALATIANS 5:25.
And of this all, God asks TWO things: firstly, that His Son fulfil them. ““Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” - MATTHEW 5:17-18. And secondly, of man, His other sons, that “whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” - MATTHEW 7:12.
And on these TWO commandments, man is wholly divided into TWO distinct camps. Upon these two commandments, man distinguishes himself as belonging either to "the children of God" or the "children of the devil". For God says, by our fruits we will be known. And this is so for there are also TWO trees. "Every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit." - MATTHEW 7:17.
So when it comes to the great separating at the final harvest by the winnowing fork into TWO between the WHEAT and the CHAFF (MATTHEW 3:12), let it be so that we are all found to be "DOERS of the word, not HEARERS only" - JAMES 1:22.
"Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen." - 1 TIMOTHY 1:17
God bless