CONTENTS.
Introduction.
1. EVERY MINISTRY IS PROFITLESS WITHOUT LOVE.
1.Spiritual gifts fail in their purpose unless they are accompanied by
love.
A. We can speak in the most beautiful tongues and yet have an empty soul.
B. We can have the gift of prophecy and yet be "nothing."
c. We can have the gifts of prayer and demonstration and yet be "nothing."
2. We can have a profound spiritual knowledge and yet be nothing.
3. Even the most sacrificial giving is profitless to us unless love is
the motive for giving.
4. We can even die a martyr's death, but without love it profits us nothing.
2. THE ATTRIBUTES OF LOVE.
1. Love suffers long, love is patient. "Makrothumeo" occurs
in Mt.18v26,29. Lk.18v7. 1Thes.5v14. Heb.6v15. James.5v7,8. 2Pet.3v9.
2. Love is kind.
3. Love is not envious.
4. Love does not vaunt itself, it does not orag or display itself.
5. Love is not puffed up.
6. Love does not behave itself unseemly, unmannerly, unbecomingly, or
disgracefully.
7. Love seeketh not her own, is never selfish, does not insist upon its
rights.
8. Love is not easily provoked or irritated, it does not fly into a temper.
9. Love thinketh no evil, is not mindful of wrong.
10. Love rejoices not in iniquity, it is not glad when others go wrong.
11. Love rejoices in the truth, and joyfully sides with the truth.
12. Love beareth all things.
13. Love believeth all things, it has no limit to its faith and trust.
14. Love hopeth all things, it is full of hope and never ceases to hope.
15.Love endureth all things it bears everything with triumphant fortitude.
3. THE ETERNAL NATURE OF LOVE AND ITS RELATION TO OUR PRESENT GIFTS AND
KNOWLEDGE.
a. Our temporary gifts and knowledge are partial experiences of God's
eternal power and purposes.
b. God produces love in us through our present Christian experiences.
c. Our present Christian experience compared with life in God's kingdom
of love.
d. The perfect day and kingdom of love for which God is preparing us.
1. When Christ comes we shall be known perfectly and know others perfectly.
2. When God's kingdom comes we shall know God perfectly.
3.Love, faith and hope will abide eternally in the kingdom of God.
INTRODUCTION.
The "More excellent way," or "more surpassing way,"
that 1Cor.12v31. tells us to walk in, is not the way of love severed from,
or separate and distinct from all other gifts, graces, attributes and
talents; it is love as the motivating force and guiding principle of all
these desirable and lovely things. It is certainly not what some would
have us think, love in opposition to the gifts of the Holy Spirit, it
is love as the guiding and guarding influence of the gifts of the Holy
Spirit. The "excellent way" that is spoken of is "a more
excellent way" than just desiring the gifts of the Spirit being sought
and used out of love for others.
If we desire spiritual gifts out of love for Christ and other people,
the gifts will automatically manifest themselves as the need for them
arises, if we are living close to God. Let us not desire spiritual gifts
just because they are good and remarkable, let us desire them because
we love the Lord Jesus and we want to see His will done, and because we
love people and want to meet their needs. If we desire spiritual gifts
so that we can build up our own denomination, or church, or even our own
name, we are desiring spiritual gifts for the very lowest of reasons.
Spiritual desire and love should go together, as 1Cor.14v1. tells us quite
plainly, "pursue love and earnestly desire spiritual gifts."
We see, then, that 1Cor.13. is an exhortation to use spiritual gifts for
loving purposes and with loving attitudes. Paul tells us the essential
attitudes of mind that are necessary to make the use of spiritual gifts
profitable, and the spiritual principles that have to be followed to obtain
a revival and keep a revival going on in the will of God. It is love alone
that will keep a Pentecostal revival, or keep us from receiving spiritual
gifts, or cause us to use God's precious gifts in the wrong way when we
receive them.
Paul in his "more excellent way" in 1Cor.13. is a discourse
on love in its relation to spiritual gifts. Paul is saying that love should
always be the directing force of spiritual gifts. Paul is certainly not
saying that we should despise spiritual gifts and prefer love, as some
would have us believe.( Many expositors take this chapter right out of
its context and speak of love quite separately from spiritual gifts.)
The position of this chapter is an embarrassment to many good Christian
expositors, on either side of its experience of which they know little
or nothing, and it is always difficult to write of an experience that
is foreign to you. However, 1Cor.14v1. tells us clearly why Paul wrote
this chapter on love, he said "follow after love and desire spiritual
gifts." 1Cor.13. is placed with and between the two chapters which
speak about the gifts of the Holy Spirit to emphasise the need of love
in the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit, and the need that love
has for the manifestation of these gifts; for without spiritual power
love cannot meet the needs of the Church or the world. Love is very often
powerless without the Holy Spirit's gifts and even His gifts can be profitless
to us without love. God knew that Satan would attack the power-house of
the Church, and He knew that it was on spiritual gifts and love that the
Church would fail most, and so through Paul He gives some direction and
advice on these great subjects. The oil of love is never needed anywhere
more than in the power-house of the Church.
Some may say, "You can seek for gifts, but I am going to seek for
love." But this is very foolish, for the Bible commands us to seek
after both love and gifts. Those who are seeking love from the God of
love will also seek HIS gifts. The fact that a person has spiritual gifts
does not mean that they lack love, and the fact that a person lacks spiritual
gifts does not mean that they possess love, indeed it may mean the very
reverse, for it is possible to follow after love and despise or criticise
spiritual gifts. If we really desire and follow after love we shall desire,
love and encourage spiritual gifts. These spiritual gifts are the gifts
of divine love, and the last thing we should do is to hurt and slander
our heavenly Father by disdaining or positively condemning the lovely
gifts that He has given. We are not glorifying God by extolling love at
the expense of the gifts that He has given.
Paul does not say in 1Cor.13. that the gifts are completely profitless
without love, he says that without love they do not profit the person
who possesses them or manifests them, they may certainly profit others
whose needs are met through them. e.g. a gift of healing or a prophecy.
It is not the gifts that are "nothing" without love, for they
are given by the God of love and are wonderful, it is the loveless possessor
that is "nothing." However, spiritual gifts ministered in love
profit both the possessor and the recipients of the gifts. We need to
remember that it is not only spiritual gifts that lose their value and
profit without love; knowledge of sacred things, gifts to the needy, and
even martyrdom are also profitless to us without love. Though spiritual
gifts may lose some of their value if they are manifested without love,
love is helpless without them. Love needs power to meet the needs of the
broken in heart, the sick in body and the oppressed. If we have love and
yet do not have the power to meet the needs of suffering humanity we shall
be completely crushed and broken-hearted. The gifts of the Holy Spirit
have a vital part to play in the ministry of love, for they are one of
the main channels of the love of God to a needy Church and world, as the
ministry of Christ and His apostles abundantly demonstrates.
The discourse in 1Cor.13. accepts the fact that there are difficulties
and dangers connected with the manifestation of spiritual gifts, but this
is unavoidable, power always has its dangers. However, nobody in their
right senses would say, "Let us do away with electricity, it is very
dangerous." We learn to use electricity properly and we should do
the same with spiritual gifts. Paul tells us in 1Cor.13. how to use God's
power and he tells us the qualities of character that will make the use
of spiritual power a blessing. We can desire spiritual gifts because they
are so interesting, inspiring, and beautiful, and this is quite proper,
however, Paul tells us that the best reason for desiring the Holy Spirits
gifts is because we love people and want to see their needs met. If our
desire for spiritual gifts springs out of a love for God and people we
will not go far wrong, and the lovely gifts our heavenly Father has given
will be the blessing that He desires.
There is a wonderful healing power and exceedingly precious fellowship
in mature Christian love. When a spiritually sick or oppressed Christian
comes into the fellowship of Christians who have had this beautiful love
and affection for one another they experience a wonderful healing balm
and comfort. There is an absolutely wonderful blessing upon a church where
Christians really love one another, but a church where love is lacking
and there is strife and division is a very unhappy place. Spiritual gifts
manifested with a loving care and thought for others will bring a beautiful
fellowship and blessing. Spiritual gifts manifested without this beautiful
mutual affection and love will not produce anywhere near the same effect;
indeed, with a hard and bitter spirit the effect may even be harmful.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit are intended by God to convey the lovely
warmth, compassion and concern and the lovely God of love to His children
and the world. The gifts of the Spirit are the gifts of the Holy Spirit,
they are the manifestations of divine love. The atmosphere of heaven will
be one of perfect love, and the atmosphere of a church where God reigns
will be one of perfect love, and it will be a veritable fortate of heaven.
Nothing that defiles will be allowed to enter and spoil the lovely atmosphere
of heaven, love, pure love, perfect love, will be the crowning beauty
of the kingdom of God, let us strive to make it the crowning beauty of
our churches. Let os make sure that we take heed to the qualities of love
that are described in 1Cor.13v4-8., and let us make sure that we regulate
the gifts of the Holy Spirit with these loving principles in mind.
The Greek word that is used for love in 1Cor.13. is "agapao,"
it is the word that the New Testament uses to describe the love of God
and Christian love. It is the love that God demands for Himself and our
neighbour. Mt.5v43,44. 22v37,39. It is the love of the new commandment
that Christ gave. Jn.13v34,35. 15v12. It is the love that the abounding
iniquity of the last days will cause to grow cold in the careless Christian's
heart. Mt.24v12. This is the love of God that is shed abroad in our hearts
after endurance in tribulation. Rom.5v5. It is the love of God which nothing
can separate us. Rom.8v39. It is the love that caused God to send His
Son to die for the world. Jn.3v16. It is the love that is the fruit of
the Spirit. Gal.5v22. "Agape" love is not just intellectual,
or an attitude of mind, it is a warm and fervent love, "see that
ye love one another with a pure heart fervently." 1Pet.1v22. Hos.11v8.
Lk.19v41-44. "Agape" love is, then, not only an emotion, it
is a standard of life, a warm and righteous attitude of mind, "a
deliberate assent of the will as a matter of principle, duty and propriety."It
is a matter of the heart as well as the decision of a benevolent and loving
mind.It is usually distinct from "philia," the love of emotion
and friendship, for "philia" speaks of a love that could be
fervent and tender and at the same time possibly short-lived and weak,
whereas without "agape" only speaks of a constant, unwavering,
practical love. A good example of the difference between "agape"
and "philia" is found in Jn.21v15-19., the Lord Jesus twice
asks Peter if he still lays claim to the constant, unfailing practical
"agape" love. Peter can only answer that bitter experience has
taught him that his love is only the fervent, tender but weak "philia"
love. When the Lord Jesus asks Peter if he loves Him with a "philia"
love, it breaks Peter, he said in effect, "You know my heart Lord,
and you know how broken it is because my warm but weak "philia"
love has failed you. I have professed more than I could perform, but from
now on I will perform before I will profess." The Lord Jesus comforts
His distraught apostle with the disclosure that his life would end in
a magnificent display of "agape" love, Peter would lay down
his life for his Saviour and His sheep, Jn.15v13., until that occurs he
is to follow Him and feed His sheep and lambs. Oh, the wonderful "agape"
love of Jesus for us. He accepts our "philia" love and transforms
it by His grace. No one can be a disciple of Christ without having a "philia"
love for Him. 1Cor.16v22.
We can see, the, that "agape" love in the New Testament speaks
of love and affection on the very highest level, whereas "philia,"
the love of emotion and friendship, is usually dependent upon circumstances
and it is only used to describe the very highest kind of love and affection,
e.g. the Love of the Father for His Son. Jn.5v20. The love of Christ for
Lazarus. Jn.11v3,36. Christ's love for the beloved apostle John. Jn.20v2.
The affection and love that the Father has for His beloved children. Jn.16v27.
So we can see that only on occasions "philia" is lifted from
the lower levels of secular Greek to the highest levels of divine love.
Another striking example of this is seen in Rev.3v19., where Christ says,
"as many as I love (phileo), I rebuke and discipline." The love
and affection of Christ do not change even when His disciples are unworthy
of it and are "wretched and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked."
The affection and love of Christ are constant to His brethren, as believers
we are always dear to Him, even if we may be a grief and disgrace to Him.
"Agape" love is not usually distinct from "philia"
love, the love of emotion and friendship, it is quite distinct from "storge,"
natural affection; and "eros" and "epithumia," illicit
sexual lust. "Eros is a passionate love, and in secular Greek it
is used almost entirely to describe love between sexes. However, the word
had degenerated to describe a lust that was evil. The New Testament nowhere
condemns sexual love as unholy or unclean, it says that marriage is honourable
and not defiling. Heb.13v4. 1Tim.4v3. The Bible only condemns sexual lust
and uncleanness, and this is what the word "eros" had come to
mean. In the world today there is an emphasis upon this kind of love,
the erotic is made to look the desirable and the good, the lowest love
is pictured as the highest, and much advertising and entertainment is
aimed at appealing to and stimulating the fleshly passions. Aristotle
rightly tells us that this passion is stimulated by the pleasure of the
eye, so we need to take care of "eyebath." The lust of the flesh
is stimulated by the lust of the eye. There are no decent ideas of love
in the word "eros," and this word is used in the New Testament
at all, however, the sin that it represents is condemned in many places
in the Scriptures, and in the New Testament "epithumia" is used
to describe evil "eros" love. How grand it is to come from the
evil and murky depths of "eros" love, to the pure and lovely
air of "agape" love, the word that describes the lovely love
of God and pure Christian love, which is far more beautiful and grand
than the best love that the world can conceive and achieve. Now let us
go on to consider the first main division of 1Cor.13..
1. EVERY MINISTRY IS PROFITLESS TO US WITHOUT LOVE.
1Cor.13v1-3.
Love is that beautiful virtue that gives value to everything that we do
It turns all that it touches into gold. This lovely quality of character
makes what we do valuable, precious to God and beneficial to man. Even
the excellent actions and the most lovely spiritual gifts lose their power
to bless as they should if love does not accompany them, and they can
become valueless and profitless to us if we do not manifest the gifts
in love. Let us now consider in detail these first three verses.
a. SPIRITUAL GIFTS FAIL IN THEIR PURPOSE UNLESS THEY ARE
ACCOMPANIED BY LOVE.
We can speak in the most beautiful tongues and yet have an empty soul.
The Holy Spirit can give us the most lovely languages to speak but if
they are not manifested in love we will not impart or receive any blessing.
Without love we are "but roaring brass and clashing cymbal."
We may have a great flow of language with perfect phonetics and diction,
but without love it will be hard and empty and it will chill instead of
bless. The tongues of men can be very beautiful to listen to, and the
tongues of angels are infinitely more splendid, but without love the most
beautiful and exalted of inspired language has a great emptiness and lacks
the power to bless. The Holy Spirit breathes into our heart and mind these
beautiful and exalted words He lades them with love and grace, but as
they go through the human channel they can lose this divine benediction,
the human personality can "sieve out" all the beauty, love and
tenderness that the Holy Spirit puts into His utterance. The beautiful
gift that God has given can be tainted and marred by the nature of the
person who manifests the gift and fails to bless as God desires. But how
beautiful an utterance in tongues can be when a person passes on all the
love, beauty and grace that the Holy Spirit breathes into His message,
it can bring the very atmosphere of heaven upon earth.
The word "sounding" is translated "roar" once in the
New Testament, and the word for "tinkle" can be translated "clash,"
"clanking," or "wail," as the word could be translated,
"roaring brass or a clashing cymbal." Some, however, would suggest
that "tinkling cymbal" should be translated "tinkling bell,"
suggesting that there is a hint of beauty in the sound. Others think that
Paul is referring to the piercing high not of the finger cymbals or castagnets,
Whatever this second instrument may have been, the whole impression of
this verse is of a hard and harsh noise without any depth or beauty, a
nose whose continual repetition is jarring and unpleasant. So the gift
of tongues which is given specifically to build up a Christian's character,
to strengthen spiritual life and form love, can fail to do these things
if we are living unconsecrated and careless lives. Christians who minister
their gift of tongues on this low level of unblessed noise are nearly
always Christians who speak in tongues in public and fail to use their
gift in their private time of devotion; for the Bile makes it quite clear
that the place where speaking in tongues should be manifested the most,
is the secret place of prayer, and if it is diligently used in private
prayer, a Christian cannot help but be blessed openly. 1Cor.14v2,4. Mt.6v5,6.
The gift of tongues is primarily for speaking to God in prayer, and the
use of this gift in the secret place, with a contrite spirit, will do
wonders for our spiritual life and character.
God has given the gift of tongues to His Church because it is absolutely
indispensable and necessary. God does not give any gifts that are mean
or paltry, they are all priceless, magnificent, good and beautiful, and
we should bow the knee to His wisdom, love and authority and we should
accept them all, including the gift of tongues. Who are we to criticise
the "good and perfect gifts" that our Father has given to us."
He is the Lord, let us recognise the value and importance of what He has
given. How dare we criticise His gifts, or neglect to seek them, when
He has commanded us not only to pursue after love, but earnestly seek
spiritual gifts as well? 1Cor.14v1. The proper exercise of the gift of
tongues in the life of the believer will enable the Lord to do His will
more perfectly in their life, for, as St. Paul tells us, it will build
love, faith and spiritual strength in the possesser of the gift. Indeed,
it is the one gift whose primary aim is the spiritual well- being of the
possesser, and more than any other gift, the gift of tongues will produce
spiritual strength, character and the fruits in the Christian believer.
For a Christian cannot prophesy, or manifest the other gifts of the Spirit
when he desires, and when he does it will nearly always be for the benefit
of others, but he can speak in tongues when he desires and be spiritually
edified as a result. So we can see that when Paul is speaking of prophecy
and the other gifts as being "greater gifts" than the gift of
tongues, he is thinking of public meetings of Christians, for Paul makes
it quite clear that the greatest gift for the personal edification of
the believer in his devotional life, is the gift of tongues. The diligent,
devotional and loving use of the gift of tongues in secret will result
in the other gifts being manifested in public. 1Cor.14v2,4,18. with 2Cor.12v12.
Paul the apostle spoke in tongues more than the verbose and talkative
Corinthians, but he did it mainly in private prayer so that he could edify
his fellow-Christians in public, this one one of the secrets of Paul's
spiritual power. So we can see that the determined and devotional exercise
of the gift of tongues can meet the need of the whole personality, it
can result in the mind being relieved from stress and the body delivered
from sickness, as well as the soul and spirit being renewed and the work
of God extended. For God the Holy Spirit comes to bring wholeness and
salvation to every part of the personality, and he manifests the gift
of tongues through us, the need of the whole personality can be met.
So we can see that the possession of the gift of tongues will not produce
a lack of love, it is given by God to produce love. Indeed, a lack of
this gift is far more likely to result in a lack of love and spiritual
power, for every gift of God and means of grace are essential for spiritual
progress and spiritual power. Opposition, scorn, ridicule, or even indifference
towards the gift of tongues show that a Christians love and obedience
of God's Word is lacking. 1Cor.12v31. 14v1,39. The contrite and devotional
use of the gift of tongues will produce a spiritual sweetness and spiritual
power that are unattainable without this gift. However, even this gift,
which is specifically given for the enrichment of spiritual life and the
building of character and love, will not profit us if we are unconsecrated
and there is malice and sin in our hearts. However, with love as our guiding
principle, we shall use the gift of tongues with real blessing and profit,
and it will not only edify ourselves, but the church as well. Any Christian
who uses this gift in love will indefinitely richer for its manifestation.
All Christians can know the inspiration, joy and blessing of prayer and
praise in "other languages," and this, according to 1Cor.13v1.,
can be in heavenly, as well as earthly languages. The Holy Spirit through
these languages causes us to pray or praise according to the will of God.
The Holy Spirit can bring our praise, needs and desires to God our Father;
He can cause us to give thanks, to worship, to bless, and even to pray
for needs that we do not know. It is God directing the prayer life of
the believer on the highest level. The whole effect of the gift of tongues
when manifested in love is to produce character, love, fruit and blessing.
We can have the gift of prophecy and yet be nothing.
Mt.17v20. 21v21. (outhineimi) not a nobody, but nothing absolute zero.
We can have tremendous divine truth given to us by the Holy Spirit, and
give that revelation with great power, and yet be nothing. We can have
words of wisdom and knowledge carried in the gift of prophecy, that span
the centuries, or even milleniums, and yet it may be no good to us, and
may fail to produce any Christ-like character in us. The fact that we
are channels of such marvellous manifestations does not necessarily mean
that we are in good spiritual condition, we can have a heart like Balaam,
a heart full of worldly ambition and devoid of love. You can have the
words and desires of God revealed to you, but lacking the emotion and
love of God they fail to bless as they should. It is not what you say,
but the spirit with which you say a truth that counts with God, the same
words from a loving heart and a hard heart are quite different in their
effect. The manifestation of the gift of prophecy, or any spiritual gift,
with a wrong motive or attitude, can produce and increase spiritual pride
and arrogance, and even if the spiritual and humble a constant watch has
to be kept on the attitude of the heart, for even the apostle Paul found
that abundance of spiritual revelation can lead to pride, and we read
in 2Cor.12v7-10. that the Lord had to take steps to counteract this.
So we can see that the gift of prophecy which God designed to build up
the Church, will fail to produce the full measure of good that God intends
if it is not manifested in love, for, as with all the gifts and Christian
activities, the channel can taint the manifestations of the Holy Spirit.
Notice that Paul does not say that the gift of prophecy is no good and
"nothing," he says that the person who manifests the gift without
love is no good and "nothing." The manifestation of a prophetic
gift in love brings untold blessing. It brings untold blessing to a needy,
sad, or downcast Christian, who finds God speaking to them and comforting
their sorrowful heart. It can also be used to exhort the Church and even
to convict and convert the sinner. 1Cor.14v3,5,24,25. Prophecy builds
up the Church and extends the work of God. It must not be confused with
preaching or teaching the Word of God, as good and desirable as these
ministries are, for Paul clearly distinguishes a prophetic ministry from
a preaching ministry in Rom.12v6,7., he plainly tells us that some Christians
have a definite ministry of prophecy.
The gift of prophecy is a very blessed manifestation of the Holy Spirit.
It can be a channel for words of wisdom and knowledge, it can reveal God's
desire to manifest the gifts of power and demonstration, i.e. the gifts
of faith, healings and miracles, in addition to its more normal use for
edification, exhortation and comfort. No wonder that the apostle Paul
directs us to "Make love your quest, and be eager for spiritual gifts,
but chiefly for prophecy."
We can have the gift of power and demonstration and
yet be "nothing." "Faith to move mountains."
1Cor.13v2.
We read in Acts.2v22. that signs, wonders and miracles can be a sign of
the approval of God, but here we read that a faith to trust God for the
outstanding or the ultimate in miracles, does not automatically mean that
we are pleasing to God, or have a godly character. We can have great healing
campaigns, experience great miracles, accomplish great things for God
and yet be "nothing." We can perform God's desire to meet the
needs of suffering humanity and yet have no real love for them, and though
the gifts are manifested may benefit the recipients of the gifts, e.g.
a gift of healing for cancer, it profits the channel nothing if the gifts
are not manifested in love. However, even if the channel is lacking in
love, the gifts of demonstration can be a great blessing, for they do
demonstrate the love and affection of God, but where the channel of the
gifts is full of the love of God, there is an additional depth, beauty
and blessing that is not possible if one is lacking this lovely quality
of character. We can see from Mt.7v21-23. that it is possible to backslide
and apostacise after a wonderful manifestation of the gifts of the Holy
Spirit, but this does not make the gifts of the Holy Spirit any the less
beautiful, it just reveals the perversity, wilfulness and wickedness of
the human heart. It is also very wicked to despise the gifts of the Holy
Spirit and teach against them. How can one have any real love for God
or men and do this? The gifts of the Holy Spirit are essential if the
Church is to fulfil the desires of the God of love, let us, therefore,
obey the Word of God and "make love our quest, and be eager for spiritual
gifts." 1Cor.14v1.
WE CAN HAVE A PROFOUND SPIRITUAL KNOWLEDGE AND YET
BE NOTHING.
A Christian may "understand all sacred and mysterious secrets and
possess all knowledge" and yet be "nothing." This is not
speaking of a person having a great knowledge of secular things, this
Scripture is speaking of a great knowledge of spiritual truths. One of
the most intellectual of all created beings was Satan himself, the Bible
says that he was, "full of wisdom and perfect in beauty," but
the Bible goes on to say that his wisdom was corrupted because of his
pride at this beauty, his lack of respect and love for God and his ruthless
ambition. Ez.28v12-20. Is.14v12,13. Paul tells us that it is possible
to know "all mysteries and all knowledge" and yet be devoid
of love, and we can have a full mind and yet have an empty soul. Even
the most vital and interesting truth can be dry and barren when it is
delivered from an empty soul. Even divine truth coming over the desert
of lovelessness loses much of its power to bless. A person may be able
to give a perfect discourse on the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit
and have little of either. We can have the doctrine of an experience and
yet not possess that experience, we can preach on love and have little
or no real love. Solomon was wise and had an immense knowledge, but he
had not got enough love for God or his people to stop worshipping his
wives idols. It is not knowing the truth it is obeying it that counts
with God.
Knowledge without love brings pride and arrogance, and a contempt for
people of less ability, privilege and gift. Jn.8v3 with Lk.6v20. We have
to serve the Lord with humility of mind, warmth of heart and many tears
to counteract intellectual arrogance. Acts.20v19. Paul states in 1Cor.8v1.
that, "knowledge puffeth up, but love buildeth up." Col.2v18.
The majority of the spiritual leaders of Israel were intellectually arrogant,
they sneered in contempt, "this people that no not the Law are cursed,"
Jn.8v3., but the Lord Jesus, who was "The Truth" and knew more
real truth than any of these arrogant leaders, said to the people that
they despised, "blessed are ye poor, for yours is the kingdom of
God," and he chose His apostles from them Lk.6v20. Intellectual arrogance
will in the end blind our eyes to the truth and keep us from experiencing
the truth. Jn5v44. with 9v39-41.
In saying these things we place no premium upon ignorance, the scriptures
rightly state that ignorance is a dangerous and undesirable thing. Heb.5v11-6v12.
What a blessing it is to listen to one who has both knowledge of spiritual
things and love as well. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart
and mind brings forth good things. There is a real power in knowledge
and there is a battle for people's minds going on in the world today,
for the leaders of the nations know that if you can get a person's mind
you have their life and support. The Lord Jesus came into the world to
capture the hearts and minds of people and win them over to the truth,
the truth that sets men free from the bondage of sin and Satan. How important
is the knowledge of the sacred secrets of God! They deliver the soul,
they feed the mind and spirit, they establish and sanctify the Christian.
This is why the ministry of a teacher is set so high in 1Cor.12v28., but
here Paul teaches us that if we have the ministry of a teacher at its
very highest level, it does not profit us if we are devoid of love, we
are an empty soul and are "nothing." The thoughts that we may
utter may be the eternal counsels, purposes and mind of God and of the
most tremendous significance and importance, but if we have no love in
our heart, then we are "nothing." Even the truth can fail to
sanctify us if we hold on to sin and malice in our hearts. Sometimes we
can think that because we say or preach a truth that it is part of us,
and yet the very opposite can be true. We not only have to preach truth,
we have to make sure that it is part of our experience, or we shall be
"nothing." A keen intellect is a good thing, and a proper understanding
of spiritual truths is most desirable, but we must make quite sure that
we have a loving heart as well as an able and well-instructed mind.
EVEN THE MOST SACRIFICIAL GIVING IS PROFITLESS TO
US WITHOUT THE LOVE THAT IS THE MOTIVE FOR GIVING.
Sacrificial giving to the extent of giving all that we possess will not
profit us unless love is the motive that drives us to do this. We can
give away ALL our earthly treasure and yet not lay up any treasure in
heaven. One can give out of a sense of duty, or for prestige, or even
with a contemptuous and condescending air. The way that God wants us to
give and not give is shown in Mt.6v1-4. Mk.12v41-44. Lk.21v1-3. 2Cor.8v1-9v15.
Our giving must come out of a love for God and a love for people, we are
warned about giving for praise or self-glory in Mt.6v1-4., the unostentious,
secret giver will receive an open reward from God. God not only notes
what we give, but how we give as well, He also notes what we keep for
ourselves after we have given. The widow gave all that she had out of
sheer love for God, though she did not know where her next penny was coming
from. Her gift was probably the smallest given, but in God's eyes she
had given more than all the other gifts put together. The Lord Jesus let
this dear little woman give her all, for He saw His Father's provision
waiting for this dear woman, "pressed down, shaken together, and
running over," perhaps He promptly dispatched a disciple with some
money to meet her need. Lk.6v38. Jn.13v29. The little woman gave all that
she had and received a great reward in heaven, however, Paul tells us
that we can give all that we have like the widow, and yet, unlike her,
it may profit us nothing. It is very necessary here to state that widows
who are poor should not be expected to contribute a tithe of their income
to God, under the law poor widows were to receive from the tithes given
to God. Ex.22v22-24. Deut.10v17,18. 14v29. 26v12-15. 27v19. Most of the
Christian giving recorded in the New Testament was to meet the needs of
the poor Christians. e.g. Acts.2v44,45. 6v1-7. 2Cor.8v1 to 9v15. 1Tim.5v16.
How blessed it is to meet the needs of the poor, or a need in the work
of God, such giving makes the giver more blessed than the recipient of
the gift. However, Paul makes it quite clear that we can make tremendous
sacrifices for the work of God and yet have little of real love for God
or His people. There is no substitute for loving people; it is not enough
to minister to people, or meet their need, we have to have a real love
for them. However, it is downright hypocrisy to say that we love people
and do not meet their physical need, if it is within our power to do so,
love will meet every reasonable need where it possibly can do so. 2Cor.8v9,13v13.
Obviously, the great needs of the world today could swallow up all the
income of converted Christians, so we need to follow the Bible rule to
give preference to the needs of Christians. Christian giving is to meet
a person's need, not their wants. Gal.6v2,5,6,9,10. It is necessary not
only to give to God's work and needy people, but also to have our giving
directed by the Word of God, the Spirit of God and a heart filled with
the love of God.
WE CAN EVEN DIE A MARTYR'S DEATH BUT WITHOUT LOVE
IT PROFITS US NOTHING.
A person can sacrifice their life out of a sense of self-glory instead
of out of love for the Lord Jesus. We are told by the Lord Jesus, Himself
a martyr, not to court persecution or death, "when they persecute
you in this city, flee ye into another." Mt.10v23. The needless sacrifice
of our life out of a sense of bravado or pride will bring us no eternal
reward or benefit. It is only martyrdom in the will of God and in the
path of Christian duty that brings a heavenly reward.
We can see very clearly from 1Cor.13v1-3., that it is not only the gifts
of the Holy Spirit that do us no good, or bring us no reward, if they
are lacking in love; a profound spiritual knowledge, sacrificial giving,
and a martyr's death do not benefit us either if we are loveless. However,
this is a point that the critics of the gifts of the Holy Spirit seldom,
or never, emphasise. How can one claim to possess love and emphasise love,
when they oppose and criticise the gifts of the God of love? If we love
God, then we should love His gifts. How will we feel when we meet our
heavenly Father if we have been criticising and opposing His gifts during
our time on earth? Will the Lord be able to say, Well done, thou good
and faithful servant"? If we do not possess love, we will find at
the judgement seat of Christ, that all the works that we have done will
not count, for "the fire shall try every man's work of what sort
it is." 1Cor.3v11-17. The only works that will abide the presence
of the Lord Jesus are works of faith performed in love. Mal.3v1-3. There
is no substitute for loving God and people; love is the quality of character
that gives value to all that we do, love makes all that we do precious
and valuable to God and man, and beneficial to ourselves.
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