GOD IS LOVE Devotion 33 of 34 A CLOSING THOUGHT When God, who IS love, resides in a person, what is said of love will be said of that person. The person who loves is himself a commentary on the Lord – a "living epistle" that is read of men. This, when John says "God is love," he at once begins to declare how THAT God is revealed. Primarily, He is made known in the sending of His Son into the world. Secondarily, He is revealed in the attitudes of brethren toward one another. – Tomorrow:
"He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love . . . God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him." (1 John 4:8,16)
"Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away." (1 Cor 13:4-8)
In order to better understand the expression "God is love," it is necessary to elaborate on the nature of love. This amplification is couched within the following considerations. (1) That the perfection of love is found in God Himself, not human expressions. (2) That the fullest display of this aspect of the Divine nature is seen most fully in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. (3) That our experience of the love of God is confirmed by our attitude toward His people.
With these things in mind, I draw your attention to the thirteenth chapter of First Corinthians. Here both the initiatives and responses of love, or "charity," are declared. They are not goals to be achieved, but realities to be experienced. This is not the proclamation of what love CAN do, but what it DOES – how it expresses itself, and how it responds to people and circumstances. All of these things flow out from God, who Himself "is love."
SUFFERS LONG. Other versions read "is patient." The word used here means to be long-spirited and forbearing. Love is able to wait for long periods, whether in forbearing difficult circumstances, or in anticipating the fulfillment of things to come. Love does not wear down easily under the bludgeon of affliction, persecution, or chastening. Love is more ready to forgive than to be filled with resentment.
IS KIND. The idea here is that of being benevolent, and showing oneself to be useful to others. Love is noted for its liberality, doing good to all men, especially those who of the household of faith (Gal 6:10). It seeks to heal rather than wound, and bring advantages rather than cause hardship and concern.
DOES NOT ENVY. Some versions read, "is not jealous" (NASB), and "is not emulous of others" (DARBY). Love is not made discontent by the prosperity or blessing of others. It does not wish to have what has been discriminatingly given by God to others. Love does not have a competitive spirit.
DOES NOT VAUNT ITSELF. Other versions read, "does not parade itself" (NKJV), "does not brag" (NASB), and "does not boast." Love does not draw attention to the itself, but to the Lord who gave it. Love does not move those possessing it to put themselves into the limelight. The person who loves is not ostentatious.
IS NOT PUFFED UP. Other versions read, "is not arrogant" (NASB), and "is not proud." Love does not move a person to be haughty, disdainful of others, swaggering, or big-headed. The loving person is not overly impressed with their own achievements and abilities, but is humble.
DOES NOT BEHALF ITSELF UNSEEMLY. When a person has love, he does not act rudely or inconsiderately, whether by thoughtless words or indecent actions. Love moves the individual to be principled in both word and deed. It rather constrains its possessor to engage in things that are "acceptable to God and approved of men" (Rom 14:8).
SEEKS NOT HER OWN. Other versions read, "is not self-seeking" (NASB), and "insist on its own way" (NIV). The meaning here is that the person who loves does not seek their own interests above those of others. They are not the center of their universe.
IS NOT EASILY PROVOKED. Other versions read, "is not provoked" (NKJV/NASB), "is not easily angered" (NIV), and "is not irritable" (NRSV). The person who has love is not like a ticking time bomb, soon to explode to the detriment of others. Rather, he is not easily pushed into anger or quickly moved to be vindictive.
THINKS NO EVIL. Other versions read, "does not take into account a wrong suffered" (NASB), "keeps no records of wrongs" (NIV), and is not "resentful" (NRSV). The idea is that love does not move a person to assume the worst, or assign the most unfavorable interpretation to what has been said or done. Also, such do not retain the memory of being abused or hurt.
REJOICES NOT IN INIQUITY. Other versions read, "does not rejoice in unrighteousness" (NASB), and "does not rejoice in evil" (NIV). The love that comes from God, who "IS love," entertains a certain abhorrence for wickedness, and can find no delight in it. Love cannot condone or delight in sin in any form, whether in the individual himself, or those about him.
REJOICES IN THE TRUTH. The love that comes from God causes the recipient to rejoice in the truth of God. It brings an appetite for the truth, a delight in perceiving it, gladness when it is brought to others, and gratefulness when it is embraced it in faith.
BEARS ALL THINGS. Other versions read, "always protects" (NIV), "has the power of undergoing all things" (BBE), "is always ready to make allowances" (NJB), and "never gives up" (NLT). Here the idea is being capable of sustaining all manner of burdens consistently and without distraction. When people cause heaviness to the one who loves, he is able to bear them, making charitable allowances for misunderstandings.
BELIEVES ALL THINGS. The one who loves is not gullible or naive. The things believed are those spoken by the Lord, not men. The person who loves has the capacity to receive whatever God says without making an attempt to explain it away, forget it, or ignore it. It always trusts God, and never doubts.
HOPES ALL THINGS. This does not describe a wishful attitude, but one which anticipates the fulfillment of everything God has promised. The person who loves also tends to expect the best from those who have named the name of Christ. There is certain confidence that God will complete the work He has started in them, and that they will mature to the glory of God.
ENDURES ALL THINGS. The "things" that are endured are those disagreeable to the flesh – things that hurt, causing pain and sorrow within. These are things that are not pleasant, yet over which the recipient has no power. Love brings the capacity to be resilient and unmoved by adversity, whether anticipated or unexpected.
NEVER FAILS. There is no time when love will cease to exist, and no challenges that drain it of its power. It is fully equal to every circumstance, whether good or evil, pleasant or offensive, enjoyable or chafing to the soul. In this particular word, the Spirit compares love to prophecies that will fail, tongues that will cease, and knowledge that will vanish away. Some have taken this to mean that God determined a point in time when miraculous things would cease. But here, the cessation of prophecies, tongues, and knowledge are not related to a point in time or the completion of the Scriptures. Rather, they are likened to love, or charity, which "never ends" (NIV). The objective of the text is to provoke men to preeminently pursue love, not gifts to which they are attracted.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I ask You to teach me to love Your people as You taught the church in Thessalonica.