The Lord said “Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me” (Matt 25:39). And we say, “If doing it for the least is good, then doing it for the mighty must be great.” But our Lord did not say it was so. “Then He said to the disciples, ‘It is impossible that no offenses should come, but woe to him through whom they do come! It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea, than that he should offend one of these little ones. Take heed to yourselves. If your brother sins against you,rebuke him; and if he repents, forgive him'” (Luke 17:1-3). It is not a good thing to be an offense, but to offend one newly coming to our Lord or one that comes seeking help from the body is evil.

We hold too tightly to doctrines that have no place in the doctrine of Jesus Christ to love one another. “Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away” (1 Peter 5:2-4). “But you, beloved, remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit” (Jude 1:17-19). These mockers mock what they themselves cannot know, being that understanding comes from the Spirit.

Doctrines of men concerning the order in which the Holy Spirit delivers gifts or what gift, if any, are displayed at the time a person is baptized in the Holy Spirit is vanity and has nothing to do with our Lord. The sign or evidence of the Holy Spirit is LOVE. No matter how much you out-spill unknown sounds from your person, if you do not have love then there is still no evidence of the Holy Spirit. An apple tree bares apples and even an uneducated person knows it is an apple tree. Mocking people, that know that love is evidence of the Holy Spirit, does not prove to anyone your wisdom or the presents of the Spirit. Not everyone will receive in the same order nor will they receive the same gifts. “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). How could it be that a gift that Paul said should be between you and God (1 Corinthians 14:28) could be evidence? True evidence is presented to everyone – LOVE.

We also want to claim that abstaining is a work. Abstaining from sin is not a work. Works are thing that we do and not things that we refrain from doing. Not having another god is not work, but love toward God. Not lusting after your neighbors wife is not a work – it is love towards your neighbor. Not abstaining is a work. Having another god is an action – abstaining from other gods is not an action. Having another god is hate towards God. Lusting after your neighbors wife is hate towards your neighbor. The doctrine of Jesus that claims love of God and love of your neighbor contains all the law and the prophets is truth. Abstaining from sin is love – it is not salvation any more that good works is salvation. But it is love – evidence of the Holy Spirit.

Do not be a mocker. Do not offend the young in Christ with doctrines that have nothing to do with the doctrine of Jesus to love one another. Receive Jesus Christ as your salvation and righteousness and receive the Holy Spirit and let the fruit of love be evident. Praise God and give glory to our Lord Jesus.