Focus: Avoidable Anathema

Text: 1Cor.16:22

"If any MAN LOVE NOT the Lord Jesus Christ, let him be ANATHEMA Maranatha."

Paul signs off this letter with a very strong term - anathema, which in Hebrew is cherem. It refers to something or someone accursed, shut out, secluded, exiled, doomed, or devoted to destruction. Paul says, 'Such a person is cursed who does not love Jesus Christ.'

The choice not to love Christ has a damning consequence. No human is fit to live who loves self, vanity, pleasures, or the world rather than love Christ (2Tim.3:2,4; Ps.4:2; Jam.4:4; 1Jh.2:15).

It is impossible to love the world and God together, and as James said, Friendship with the world is enmity with God. To love Christ involves believing in, receiving, knowing, following, and obeying Him.

Loving Christ is rewarding just as not loving Christ is damning. Let's read a couple of Scriptures together.

Paul writes in Rom.8:28, "And we know that all things work together for good to THEM THAT LOVE GOD…"

Peter declares, "Whom having not seen, YE LOVE; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, YE REJOICE WITH JOY UNSPEAKABLE and FULL of GLORY" (1Pet.1:8).

David says, "I will love thee, O LORD, MY STRENGTH" (Ps.18:1). Again, he says, "The LORD PRESERVETH ALL THEM that LOVE HIM…" (Ps.145:20).

Daniel, in his prayer says God is "keeping the covenant and mercy to THEM THAT LOVE HIM" (Dan.9:4).

The psalmist says, "Let them also that love thy name be joyful in thee" (Ps.5:11). James describes the believers as "heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that LOVE HIM?" (Jam.2:5).

Paul, with his inspired pen, writes: "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for THEM THAT LOVE HIM" (1Cor.2:9).

In Eph.6:24, he says, "GRACE be with all them that love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity."

In 1Cor.8:3, he says, "But if any MAN LOVE GOD, the same is KNOWN of him."

Finally, in 2Tim.4:8, he says, "Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord… shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that LOVE his appearing."

You can see that loving Christ or not loving Him has stupendous consequences. Each believer has a responsibility to get as many people as possible to embrace the love of God and commit himself to loving Christ. The anathema of not loving Christ is avoidable. It is avoidable by loving Christ in reality and sincerity.

by Bishop Moses E. Peter