The Way of Love

“Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:7, ESV)

The final part of this passage discusses the benefits of committing to the way of love.  God gave us the need for love and supplies the love we need.  We must never seek counterfeits, seek out the only true love from God in Christ Jesus and the way of love will yield:

• Strength to bear all that will be encountered in this journey we call life.  The good and the bad.
• The ability to see beyond the physical world and believe with a powerful faith that give us the assurance of things not seen.  What we can see is pretty messed up and it is not getting better.  The way of love yields this belief that lets us see the beauty and goodness of God.
• Hope, life giving water for the soul.  We are created with a physical being and a spiritual being,  having the image of God in us.  Our spirit needs to hope in something sure and unfading.  This can only be found in the love of God. 

This journey toward our heavenly home that is called life can be long and seem like we are traveling up hill continuously.  Our willingness to continue must be motivated by a powerful desire.  Once we have encountered the love of God our desire will be insatiable for more and God will love us more to enable us to endure the long journey without wavering.

The Way of Love

“it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.” (1 Corinthians 13:6, ESV)

 This passage describes the U.S. today except in reverse.  We have become a culture without God and without any moral compass that rejoices in wrongdoing and rejects the truth.  There are no objective truths any longer.  Young adults have been taught for decades that truth is relative and only defined by the person.

Of course, we know that this is fundamentally wrong.  See how you feel one day when someone applies this truth in a literal way and steals your car.  Then there is a definite right and wrong.  Subjective or relative truth and morality has come about to justify the sexual immorality and the substance abuse rampant in the culture.  The argument goes no one is hurt and no one is offended so there is nothing wrong.  There are consequences with devastating effects from these decisions both personally and culturally.  Primarily the one who is offended by all our wrongdoing is God.  He sees every action, is aware of our thoughts and feelings, and knows the hurts they will cause. 

The way of love must be founded on not just accepting the truth of God’s word for our life but rejoicing in that truth.  The words of God speak the truth in love to our most basic need to overcome sin in our life.  Rejoice is a worship word.  Many rejoice or worship their sins, demand them as a right, justify them as a need, or hide them from the world.  The way of love is to seek ways to rejoice or worship the truth.

Accept God’s correction because it is right. 

Let God love us in giving the words of truth and life.

Believe that God wants better for us in the truth of His word.

If God’s word says don’t then we are not limited by this word, we are not prisoners in bondage because God says don’t.  Instead, we are set free, free from sin, free from the hurt, free from the conviction, free from the consequences, free to love and to be loved by God.  Worship the truth of God and live in the freedom from sin. 

The Way of Love

“or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;” (1 Corinthians 13:5, ESV)

Continuing from the previous verse scripture teaches that to know the true way of love, first the love of God and then to love others, we must learn to put aside self.  The main idol worshiped by humanity is the idol of self.  In the ancient days, the pagan gods were captured in images of stone, wood, and metal carvings.  The image was derived by the person.  The image reflected some aspect of man.  So the main image of idolatry is our-self.  When Eve was tempted in the Garden the temptation that she would be like God was what led her into sin. 

Scripture teaches us here that we must continue to fight against the desires of the flesh and self-interest to learn the ways of love.  We must fight the feelings of superiority over others that comes out as rudeness.  We must not believe that our way is the only way, we must submit first to God’s will and wisdom.  We should fight against the becoming irritable when we are not getting our own way, when others are taking advantage of us or we think they are taking advantage of us.  In most cases they are not it is only that our pride makes us think others are taking advantage of us.  Finally, one of the most common ways that we get caught up in ourselves is that we resent the lives of others that seem to have everything we want and desire.  All these ways of the flesh prevent us from experiencing God’s love for us and from loving others.  In turn our lives and the lives of everyone we encounter become fuller and richer because we have learned the ways of love.

The Way of Love

“Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant” (1 Corinthians 13:4, ESV)

There is a metaphor used a lot about being in God’s woodshed.  The woodshed from decades ago was a place of privacy located near the house but became symbolic as place of learning for children.  The woodshed was where a father would take his unruly and rebellious children to teach them the ways of God.  Proverbs tells us that to spare the rod is to spoil the child.  The woodshed is only a tool of God when the child encounters a true man of God in the woodshed.  A man seeking to live righteously under the ways of God.  True men of God are almost extinct in this day.  The woodshed is an evil place when a child encounters an abuser who takes out his anger on the child.  Under the right application of love what happens in the woodshed is not just discipline with punishment but teaching with words and love.  To be in God’s woodshed is a place that one would not choose but coming out though one is better than when one went in.

I say this because yesterday was a day in the woodshed with God for me and funny thing, I was not really aware of it until today.  You see if we are to learn the ways of love, we must unlearn the ways of self.  Everything where we are focused on our being, our life, our pleasure, our good, our happiness, ourselves.  If our sentences are filled with “I’s” and our conversations are about me then I am not ready to learn or accept the way of love.  The way of love must begin with humility and to surrender our desire to be ourselves.  We must become children focused on God and not ourselves.

For love to be patient and kind it cannot start with arrogant boasting of self.  We cannot be looking at others and wanting what they have. Self-interest destroys patience because we want what we want when we want.  Self-interest destroys kindness because kindness deprives us of time, attention, and resources that are needed to focus on ourselves.  Self-interest makes us like spoiled children having temper tantrums because we want what others have. How much or your energy is spent on thoughts of yourself, your will, your plans, your needs, or your desires.  This is a good indication that maybe a woodshed is your future.  Why?  Because God wants to show you the way of love.  Get over yourself and learn the true ways of love.

The Way of Love

“Love is …”

(1 Corinthians 13:4, ESV)

The first passages speak of the importance of love but what is love.  Without love we are nothing, gaining nothing from knowing God, and my life will be a noisy affair seeking the approval of others.  Love is an overused and confused word.  David Jeremiah tells of a story he heard, ‘I heard about a teenager who was asked what she thought love was and she answered, “Love is a feeling you feel when you feel that what you feel is a feeling you never felt before.”’¹  From that definition how do you feel  about love. 

God is gracious to define the way of love and a life characterized by love.  A question we all must consider.  Are we ready to set aside how we feel about love and ourselves to learn the way of love from God?

¹ Jeremiah, Dr.  David. A Life Beyond Amazing (p. 6). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.

The Way of Love

“If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3, ESV)

When you read scripture there is a repeating theme addressed in the New Testament many times and it has to do with works-based righteousness.  Paul, Peter, James, Jude, John and yes Jesus all addressed the deception that we can be good enough, do enough, if it is on our terms to meet God and define the relationship as a partnership. 

This reveals the underlying issue that people want to be in control.  The idea conveyed in this passage is that so many do so much and give so much and want people to see them for their own glory but will stop short of giving what is really needed and that is to love God first and then others.  To love with sincerity and compassion and commit to do all that God expects.  This sin leads people to barter with God.  I can make a deal with God that he cannot refuse.  I will give all I have except my commitment in love, I will sacrifice for those in need except the sacrifice of self.  Human nature and God’s common grace allow us to care for other people even if we do not love them and they know it. 

Remember these things we first must start with loving Jesus. 

““If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” (John 14:15, ESV)

“Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.”” (John 14:21, ESV)

Do we want Jesus to manifest himself to us then we must risk ourselves and love as God has loved you?

The Way of Love

“And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2, ESV)

The way of love is often construed to be a person who is favored of God.  That God would bring all of His power to bear on our lives,  Because of course He loves us, right?  This passage speaks of all the power of God that is given to His children for His purposes.  These are powers that are recorded in scripture given to great servants of God to lead and guide the people.  To bring about healing and hope.  We all would love this great gift of God.  So where is the point in this passage.  Anyone of any level of faith would love God if He gave us prophetic powers of healing, or infinite wisdom of God, or the faith to see the supernatural acts of God. 

Are we focused on loving the gift over the Giver?  Does our love of God come about because of what God can do and is capable of or does our love start with God alone?  No more, nothing less, simply a soul loving God.  This time of the year we love another man greatly because he brings gifts.  Is this the right way to love God.  People reject God because He has not acted in their life according to their expectations.  Like the spoiled child that does not get the gift they wanted on Christmas morning. 

If we are to be more devoted to God in love, then we must start with simply who God is.  Get in the word, see God, and love Him simply because He is.  Then when the powers of God are brought to bear in your life you will use them to magnify God and His glory.  A good place to get to know God is in the Psalms.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for his steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who alone does great wonders, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who by understanding made the heavens, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who spread out the earth above the waters, for his steadfast love endures forever; to him who made the great lights, for his steadfast love endures forever; the sun to rule over the day, for his steadfast love endures forever; the moon and stars to rule over the night, for his steadfast love endures forever;” (Psalm 136:1–9, ESV)

Can you love God simply because He is?

The Way of Love

“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1, ESV)

The Way of love is to speak truth in love, to be concerned first about our own life and that we are in the right relationship with God through Jesus and then to care enough for others to speak the truth to them about their life and relationship with Jesus.  If we have all the wisdom of men or even heavenly wisdom from above but try to apply those words in our own life or in others without love, then we are nothing but noise pollution in the world.

Genuine followers of Jesus are in such short supply because so many have been deceived into speaking words of God without love.  This is perceived by others as being judgmental.  What is truly interesting is that we speak the same judgmental words to ourselves.  I am a failure, life will never get better, there is no hope, I am too bad for God to want to redeem.  It seems that to feel better about ourselves we need to tear others down.  Church folk, not believers, are really good at this because they are frustrated from years in church and still feeling the weight of sin in their life.  They have never truly been converted by faith.

The words that must be spoken does not change.  Wisdom from God is the truth that we need.  But again, it is like medicine we have the medicine, but we need the prescribed method for applying the medicine.  The way of love is the method of application of words and truth.  Biblical love is understood best in this situation as being committed to another’s welfare above our own.  First, we must be quick to hear and slow to speak.  Next, we must remain humble and contrite not looking to be argumentative with God’s word but look for ways that they or you need to have the word applied to life.  Then, show them the love of Christ on the cross.  Look at each person, even your enemies, and say to yourself I would like to spend eternity with them when sin and brokenness is no more.  If you think this does not apply, then anything you speak is nothing more than disturbing the peace a.k.a a noisy gong and a clanging cymbal. 

“Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.” (Romans 12:10, ESV)

The Way of Love

“But earnestly desire the higher gifts. And I will show you a still more excellent way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31, ESV)

The way of healing begins with the healing of the members of the body.  Just released is a vaccination for Covid-19.  This vaccine does not function by strengthening the lungs, or by reducing fevers.  The vaccine works by strengthening individual cells giving them the knowledge they need to recognize the enemy virus and each individual cell whether in the eye or the foot is then enabled to protect itself from the virus. 

God has given the body the vaccine that is needed to overcome the sickness within the body.  The vaccine is love applied as prescribed by the truth of Scriptures.  The body is dying because many claim to love and to be tolerant and to be inclusive.  However, good their intentions may be and how much love they may have if not applied to the sins of life by the truth of God’s word as prescribed by God then healing will never happen in the body. 

People claim to know better than God in how to apply love to the problems of death and sin.  They do so by first denying the truth of God’s word and accepting the diagnosis of the great Healer.  Sin is sin according to this truth, pride, anger, gossip, fear, sexual immorality of all flavors (homosexuality, fornication, adultery, gender confusion), drunkenness of all flavors (addictions, substance abuse including nicotine, food, and any number of excesses).  Many church denominations have set aside the means of applying God’s vaccine of love to the disease in the body because they reject God’s authority in their life.  They start by using 1 Corinthians 13 the love chapter to justify the rejection of truth for “the higher gift” of love.  They start then by God is love and therefore reject the application of God’s love as prescribed by God and therefore they will never find true healing.  Desire God’s greater gift to love and to apply that love to your own life one member at a time.  The way to overcome this pandemic is not with the denominations or the megachurches but is one member at a time.  One believer at a time, making one disciple at a time. 

“If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together. Now you are the body of Christ and individually members of it.” (1 Corinthians 12:26–27, ESV)

Before Paul penned the familiar words of 1 Corinthians 13 Holy Spirit inspired him to lay the groundwork for the way of love.  In the preceding chapter God gives Paul the structure and layout for the church, the body of Christ.  How each child of God has been given a gift to use within the body and to care for one another. 

The centuries that have past since those days has left the body of Christ mutilated.  Unity in the body has been destroyed because truth has been neglected.  That is the truth of God’s word.  People have made their own religions and defined their own means of seeking God that are contrary to God’s word.  A common thought is that church is not needed to be saved, and it is not but being a member of the body of Christ is required.  Then there are those that have been hurt by the demons in church, we all know them they are disguised as sweet little old ladies who spew forth poison with their tongues.  How many are the stories true or not of people who have been treated harshly by a church member.

The way of love must begin with healing the body.  If we are called by His name and are part of the family of God, then we must function in the body to suffer and rejoice with one another.  To do life together.  Can the body survive separate but together?  No, at least not for an extended period.  God is calling His children to return to be once again members of the body of Christ and to know the way of love.  Ezekiel had a vision of bones that came to life as the bones reattached themselves to become skeletons, and muscle covered the bones, and then flesh.  It is time to know the way of love and love of God by living in the body.