You can't maintain a relationship for long periods without sacrificing some personal interest along the way and allowing someone else's needs or wishes to supercede that which we think we need. The world around us, as it has always done, places great emphasis on getting what one needs and not compromising one's personal desires etc. This of course will lead to the disintegration of every significant relationship that we have including the one that we might establish with God. There are extremes in the interpretation of what love is and how it behaves. Over the next several weeks we will be looking at the great love chapter, 1 Corinthians 13 and studying the terms used there more closely. We will also be looking at Biblical examples of the positive and negative in an effort to understand that what most people want to call love, falls far short of God's definition, and that lack of understanding may keep us from reaching an eternal home .
There are a lot of misconceptions about what love is, and what it is not. This is a concept that has been taken to such extremes by most religious bodies that it bears little resemblance to what the scriptures actually teach. In regard to the Lord's church, it seems that when a congregation reaches a point that they are working together and things are going well, it is not very long until the devil tries to find a way to destroy the harmony that has settled in. This is a basic lesson that we need to go over from time to time to realize and understand what love is and how we need to safeguard the Lord's body from the influence of the devil and the things that he tries to throw at us. He has an influence and will try to use it in any way that he can. Unfortunately he has our weaknesses and flaws to aid him if we are not careful.
"Though I give all my goods to the poor and give my body to be burned but have not love I am become as a tinkling cymbal or sounding brass..." (1 Corinthians 13.3)
There is a difference between doing good things for others and loving them. In the opening verses we find that it is possible to do great deeds and fall short of living up to what God expects of us. Genuine love precedes doing things for others and giving things to others. Doing these things is an extension of loving others, not a substitute for love, and this is where others lose the concept. Too many times "love" is measured by the deeds that have been done, especially if these have been above average. Christ talks about this describing the judgment. "Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (Matt 7.22-23). As Paul states in the opening verse, he could give all his goods and his body to be burned and still not have genuine love for others that God would have us to develop.
"... I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal" (1 Cor 13.1)
It is easy to act fraudulently in this area, or to act inappropriately, hoping that others will think well of us. Ananias and Sapphira had seen what others were doing and wanted some of the attention as well (Acts 5.1-10). To this end they fabricated a lie for the sake of being well thought of. We cannot judge what is in another person's mind, as only that individual and God are able to do this (1 Cor 2.11). God is not fooled. Ananias and Sapphira were struck dead for their attempt to lie to God. Had this not happened perhaps they would have gained the respect and attention that they wanted. God reveals their true intentions to us by inspiration and emphasizes His disdain for this action.
"And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing" (1 Cor 13.2)
Perhaps there are time when we feel satisfied that we are children of God. Perhaps we are quite pleased with the strength of our faith. But what is faith without the concern for those that we share that faith with? Paul wrote to the Corinthians because they had forgotten that God comes first in all things. He wrote to remind them that the gifts of the Spirit that they had were for a purpose, God's purpose, not theirs, and so their arrogance regarding these things was out of place. They truly were not spiritual (1 Cor 3.1-3). The misunderstanding that they had fueled disharmony and unacceptable service. In the pages of the two letters written to the Corinthians, Paul addresses almost every conceivable problem that can afflict a group of God's people. Trying to live a godly life means that we must cut ties with the culture that we are part of. This is a sizable task and many times we carry over those ideas into our service to God that reflect the social and political ideas of the world, not the scriptural attitudes that lead to unity. Over the next several weeks we will continue to look at this chapter. In our study we can ask ourselves some questions. We will be able to examine ourselves to see that we are in the faith as Paul instructed the Corinthians to do (2 Cor 13.5), and we may come to a better understanding of what God expects of us.
"...and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. (1 Cor 13.2).
Our knowledge of God's word, our apparent faithfulness to it, and our service that we give, means nothing if we do not comprehend what it means to love each other. Paul provides us with the means to do that.
TLC