It is a beautiful thing to look into the heart of God, which is love. I pray the prayer of Paul, that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith; that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the width and length and depth and height— to know the love of Christ which passes knowledge; that you may be filled with all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
The love of God in the New Testament is the Greek word "Agape".
Agape is defined as the love which springs from admiration and veneration, and which chooses its object with decision of will, and devotes a self-denying and compassionate devotion to it.
In the bible Agape (Love of God) is the nature of God (1 John 4:8), so Agape also represents absolute righteousness and absolute godliness (Galatians 5:14/Romans 13:8) no matter the cost it may face, even unto death. Therefore Agape is selfless, it is a love that is always true and cannot be moved by the fears and forces of this world, but abides forever.
In John 15:13-14 Jesus said "Greater love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends, if you do whatsoever I command you."
So here is the beginning of the understanding of love (Agape). God, that is Jesus, died for us while we were yet sinners(Romans 5:8), enemies of God. There are two points in this understanding of the love of God.
I. Mankind did nothing to earn this love
II. Love equals obedience in the language of God
First point, man did nothing to earn this love. As we learned in Romans 5:8 we were still in our sins and enemies of God when Christ died for us, but truth is that there is none born of Adam that is worthy, there is none righteous, no not one.
Let's look at a couple verses revealing the condition of natural man, born of Adam:
Romans 5:12-19 "12 Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned— 13 (For until the law sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed when there is no law. 14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come. 15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man’s (Adam's) offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many. 16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one (Adam) who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification. 17 For if by the one man’s (Adam's) offense death reigned through the one(Adam), much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore, as through one man’s (Adam's) offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man’s (Jesus') righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. 19 For as by one man’s (Adam's) disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man’s (Jesus')obedience many will be made righteous."
So we see that Adam passed on to all mankind the sin nature, basically stating that spiritually we were still-born, born spiritually dead. This is why Jesus explained to Nicodemus in John 3:3 "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
In his letter to the Ephesians Paul pointed out in chapter 2:1-3 "And you, who were dead in trespasses and sins, 2 in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, 3 among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others."
We were by nature children of wrath. We were naturally born of Adam and not of God, that is why we must be born of God, or born again. That is why Jesus went on to explain to Nicodemus in John 3:17-18 "17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
18 “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Notice that "he who does not believe is condemned already", this is because we are spiritually dead and need to be born again. Being born of Adam we have the sin nature only, we must be born of God.
Last scriptures in this point is Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
II. Love equals obedience in the language of God
Here is where God demonstrates His love before us so we have an example to follow. So when Jesus was telling His disciples that no greater love has man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends, Jesus was demonstrating His love toward us in His sacrifice, but He was also demonstrating His love for the Father in His obedience. The book of Acts 20:21 puts this double-edged truth from man's perspective this way "Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ." But let us first look at the second edge of the love of God in the sacrifice of Christ for us. As stated a moment ago, on the first edge Jesus demonstrated the love of God toward us, by dying for our sins. However on the second edge Jesus is going to demonstrate His love for the Father by His obedience to His commandment.
In the gospel of John 10:17-18 "17 Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. 18 No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father."
Notice two things, that the Father loves Jesus because Jesus is obedient to the fathers command, second notice Jesus was commanded by the Father to lay down His life.
Also in the gospel of John 14:31 we read "31 But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do. Arise, let us go from here."
Jesus is telling us so "that the world may know that I love the Father" He is keeping His Father's commandment. His obedience to His Father's commandment is demonstrating His love for the Father. Therefore in the language of God, love equals obedience.
Consider an anti-type of this truth in the story of 1 Samuel 15:1-3;9-11;17-23 "1 Samuel also said to Saul, “The LORD sent me to anoint you king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, heed the voice of the words of the LORD. 2 Thus says the LORD of hosts: ‘I will punish Amalek for what he did to Israel, how he ambushed him on the way when he came up from Egypt. 3 Now go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have, and do not spare them. But kill both man and woman, infant and nursing child, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.’”"...
"9 But Saul and the people spared Agag and the best of the sheep, the oxen, the fatlings, the lambs, and all that was good, and were unwilling to utterly destroy them. But everything despised and worthless, that they utterly destroyed.
10 Now the word of the LORD came to Samuel, saying, 11 “I greatly regret that I have set up Saul as king, for he has turned back from following Me, and has not performed My commandments.” And it grieved Samuel, and he cried out to the LORD all night. "...
"17 So Samuel said, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel? And did not the LORD anoint you king over Israel? 18 Now the LORD sent you on a mission, and said, ‘Go, and utterly destroy the sinners, the Amalekites, and fight against them until they are consumed.’ 19 Why then did you not obey the voice of the LORD? Why did you swoop down on the spoil, and do evil in the sight of the LORD?”
20 And Saul said to Samuel, “But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD, and gone on the mission on which the LORD sent me, and brought back Agag king of Amalek; I have utterly destroyed the Amalekites. 21 But the people took of the plunder, sheep and oxen, the best of the things which should have been utterly destroyed, to sacrifice to the LORD your God in Gilgal.”
22 So Samuel said:
“Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices,
As in obeying the voice of the LORD?
Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice,
And to heed than the fat of rams.
23 For rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft,
And stubbornness is as iniquity and idolatry.
Because you have rejected the word of the LORD,
He also has rejected you from being king.”"
In this story we see that King Saul was given a commandment by the LORD which he did not do exactly as He had commanded him, then we see how Samuel truly understood the heart of God and God's desire to see love through obedience, and Samuel wept all night. Lastly we see the question "Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to heed than the fat of rams." Truly Saul did not know the heart of God and the love of God or he would have loved God by obeying Him completely. Because of this failure the children of Israel were almost utterly wiped out. We learn in the story of Ester that a man by the name of Haman had pushed the King of Persia into creating a law to destroy all the Jews. The part that most miss is that Haman was an Amalekite. God knows everything, we should not doubt Him, but understand that He knows what is best and knows the future. As Jeremiah 29:11 put it "11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the LORD, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Paul said in the epistle to the Romans 8:28 "28 And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose." We must put our trust in Him, He loves us, He has thoughts of good toward us and not evil, He is working all things together for good for us who love Him. It is interesting also that King David learned from this, so that when he had sinned and the prophet Nathan was sent to him and he heard similar words from the LORD...
We pick up the story in 2 Samuel 12:1-9;13 " 1 Then the LORD sent Nathan to David. And he came to him, and said to him: “There were two men in one city, one rich and the other poor. 2 The rich man had exceedingly many flocks and herds. 3 But the poor man had nothing, except one little ewe lamb which he had bought and nourished; and it grew up together with him and with his children. It ate of his own food and drank from his own cup and lay in his bosom; and it was like a daughter to him. 4 And a traveler came to the rich man, who refused to take from his own flock and from his own herd to prepare one for the wayfaring man who had come to him; but he took the poor man’s lamb and prepared it for the man who had come to him.”
5 So David’s anger was greatly aroused against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this shall surely die! 6 And he shall restore fourfold for the lamb, because he did this thing and because he had no pity.”
7 Then Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD God of Israel: ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8 I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more! 9 Why have you despised the commandment of the LORD, to do evil in His sight? You have killed Uriah the Hittite with the sword; you have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the people of Ammon."..."13 So David said to Nathan, “I have sinned against the LORD.” And Nathan said to David, “The LORD also has put away your sin; you shall not die. "
Now David reacted differently than Saul and instead of giving some lame excuses, he confessed "I have sinned against the LORD". Is was at this time that David penned Psalm 51:
"1 Have mercy upon me, O God,
According to Your lovingkindness;
According to the multitude of Your tender mercies,
Blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity,
And cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I acknowledge my transgressions,
And my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned,
And done this evil in Your sight—
That You may be found just when You speak,
And blameless when You judge.
5 Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me.
6 Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts,
And in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom.
7 Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean;
Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8 Make me hear joy and gladness,
That the bones You have broken may rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins,
And blot out all my iniquities.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God,
And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me away from Your presence,
And do not take Your Holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation,
And uphold me by Your generous Spirit.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways,
And sinners shall be converted to You.
14 Deliver me from the guilt of bloodshed, O God,
The God of my salvation,
And my tongue shall sing aloud of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips,
And my mouth shall show forth Your praise.
16 For You do not desire sacrifice, or else I would give it;
You do not delight in burnt offering.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit,
A broken and a contrite heart—
These, O God, You will not despise.
18 Do good in Your good pleasure to Zion;
Build the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then You shall be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness,
With burnt offering and whole burnt offering;
Then they shall offer bulls on Your altar."
Now we can understand why God would say "a man after My own heart" when speaking of David. David knew to love God was to obey Him, and to be found short was to confess his sins and not try and hide them.
So the fact that Jesus was on the cross demonstrating His love for the Father by obeying His commandment is something that did not slip past Paul, he wrote to the church at Philippi 2:5-8
"5 Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, 7 but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross."
This is the same God, that is Jesus, who sits upon the throne in Heaven and the angels, the highest ranking who surround his throne have six wings, with two they cover their faces, with two they cover their feet and with the other two they fly in His midst and sing always "Holy, Holy, Holy is the LORD God Almighty, who was and is and is to come". Because they understand Whose prsence they are in, the awesome beauty of the LORD, they respectfully cover their faces and feet in His presence. Yet this God, who is so respected and loved "made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men, being found in appearance as a man, He (Jesus) humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross"! This is love, the love of God, absolute in righteousness, absolute in godliness, absolute in selflessness and by the way absolute in Victory! Reminds of the one scene in Passion of the Christ, by Mel Gibson where Mary is trying to follow Jesus along side as He is carrying the cross through the streets to Calvary. Jesus sees her and says "Mother, Behold, I make all things new"! That captures the essence of this awesome work of Christ so powerfully.
VIDEO CLIPS - The Passion - Part
Just in case you thought "The Passion" by Mel Gibson was too violent, let me say that he held out some of the torture, we did not see them ripping his beard out of his face in the movie, the movie only demonstrated some of the suffering, but certainly not all that He bore for us.
Jesus is calling for you to come <- VIDEO CLIP
With this truth before us, we can now further understand the parables Jesus gave to us in Matthew 13:
The Parable of the Hidden Treasure
44 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and hid; and for joy over it he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
45 “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, 46 who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.
First we must recognize something this parable is not, it not a parable about believers who give up everything to follow Christ, sweet, but remember our state before Christ, spiritually bankrupt, we have nothing to go an sell. No, the man is none other than Jesus who found a treasure hidden in a field. The field is the world, the treasure is you and I, and for over us He goes and sells all that He has and redeems that field. When speaking of His joy over us look with me at Hebrews 12:2:
"2 looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God."
Interesting that the author of Hebrews uses the same word "who for the joy", Jesus was looking at us and His deliverance for us, to steal the sting of death, "Who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame", Oh how deep is God's love for you and I! The same writer in the book of Hebrews also said "How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation"?
Now on to the next parable "the Pearl of Great Price", and because we have already discovered the treasure is you and I we quickly understand that "the Pearl of Great Price" is the church, the bride of Christ. Similar in so many ways to the first parable, why would Jesus say the same thing twice? Because in this second parable He reveals the gospel in the making of the pearl. It is said that a pearl is made when an oyster opens its shell and a foreign particle causes it injury it pours out of itself a nacre substance, some call mother of pearl, which changes the particle into something from itself. Now God who was injured by the sin of man, pour out Himself on the cross at Calvary and everyone who believes is transformed, a new creation in Christ, and let me suggest, into a Pearl of Great Price.
It is this love that motivates me, even in worship, as I think about it's culmination in the book of Revelation 5, where first here we see this scroll sealed with seven seals in the right hand of the Father. This scroll is none other than the title deed to the earth and all that is in it. It was first given to Adam in the garden when God had given Adam (man) dominion over every living thing and over the earth. Adam turned this title deed over to Satan when he disobeyed God and heeded Satan by taking of the fruit. Satan offered the title deed to Christ in the temptation of Christ when he offered Him all the kingdoms of the world. That's the enemy always offering what we want the quick way, without sacrifice, but not God's way. Jesus did not argue that Satan did not have the kingdoms of this world. So in Revelation 5 now we read with understanding:
"1 And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. 2 Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” 3 And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.
4 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it. 5 But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”
6 And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne. 8 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“ You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
10 And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 12 saying with a loud voice:
“ Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”
13 And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:
“ Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”
14 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever."
Amen, Worthy is the Lamb, our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us by His blood out of every tribe, and tongue, and people and nation! Only the church can sing this song, notice they also sing that Jesus has made us kings and priests unto our God. See here Revelation 1:5-6:
"5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.
To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."
How beautiful is the love of God!
For the last and final part in all of this some will say it is beautiful, then what is required of me? How does this apply in my own life? We started by pointing out in the book of Acts how it is written that we are to have repentance toward God the Father, and faith toward Jesus Christ for the Great thing He has done in dying for our sins and resurrecting for our justification. There is a third edge, Jesus wants us to follow Him, Jesus demonstrated His love for us by loving us unconditionally, even while we were still in our sins and enemies of God. Secondly Jesus demonstrated His love for the Father in His obedience to His commandment. Now let me demonstrate the practicality of Christ in His only commandment to you and I found in the gospel of John chapter 15:9-14:
"9 “As the Father loved Me, I also have loved you; abide in My love. 10 If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love, just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love.
11 “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may remain in you, and that your joy may be full. 12 This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends. 14 You are My friends if you do whatever I command you."
Do you want to be full of joy? Then keep this, His commandment, "that you love one another as I have loved you" says the LORD. He has loved us unconditionally, in absolute righteousness, in absolute godliness, in absolute mercy, so ought we to love one another. Let's see how John, the gospel writer expounds upon this truth in 1 John 2:
"3 Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 He who says, “I know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. 5 But whoever keeps His word, truly the love of God is perfected in him. By this we know that we are in Him. 6 He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.
7 Brethren, I write no new commandment to you, but an old commandment which you have had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which you heard from the beginning. 8 Again, a new commandment I write to you, which thing is true in Him and in you, because the darkness is passing away, and the true light is already shining.
9 He who says he is in the light, and hates his brother, is in darkness until now. 10 He who loves his brother abides in the light, and there is no cause for stumbling in him. 11 But he who hates his brother is in darkness and walks in darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes."
Again in 1 John chapter 4:
"7 Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8 He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 11 Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. 13 By this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. 15 Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. 16 And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him. 17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in love. 19 We love Him because He first loved us. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? 21 And this commandment we have from Him: that he who loves God must love his brother also."
How can we say we are God's children and not be loving? God is love, and as the nature of God is, so are we to be in this world. However we cannot love God physically because He is not here right? Wrong. The body of Christ is here, each believer a living stone in the living body of Christ. Consider this last verse in Matthew 25 where Jesus is pouring His heart out to the disciples so that they may truly catch the vision, the Kingdom of Heaven, the love of God:
"31 “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. 32 All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. 33 And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. 34 Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: 35 for I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; 36 I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me.’
37 “Then the righteous will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry and feed You, or thirsty and give You drink? 38 When did we see You a stranger and take You in, or naked and clothe You? 39 Or when did we see You sick, or in prison, and come to You?’ 40 And the King will answer and say to them, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me.’
41 “Then He will also say to those on the left hand, ‘Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels: 42 for I was hungry and you gave Me no food; I was thirsty and you gave Me no drink; 43 I was a stranger and you did not take Me in, naked and you did not clothe Me, sick and in prison and you did not visit Me.’
44 “Then they also will answer Him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see You hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to You?’ 45 Then He will answer them, saying, ‘Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to Me.’ 46 And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”"
"As you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, so you did it unto Me"! Do you know any child of God in need where you have ability to help? Are they hungry, and need food and you have plenty to share? Are they sick, and have no way to get medication because they are poor, and you have money to help? Are they in any need, where the LORD has laid it upon your heart? If we do this for one of the least of these, His brethren, we are doing unto Him. This is how we can love God in this world, by loving His children. We are also to love the enemy, but more importantly to love the body of Christ. If you are not in a position to help, perhaps you know a brother or sister who is and can seek their help for this child of God in need. Pray for them, pray that God would grant you opportunity to be in a position to love Him by loving others. This is very hard for me personally, I love God, yet I have not means to help as I would. I give when I do not have it to give, because God is so awesome! I want to love Him here and now by loving His children.
Next verse, for those who have gotten caught up in the gifts as if it were something to make one more godly or more holy. The gifts of the Holy Spirit are given for the purpose of building up (edifying) the body of Christ as Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus in 4:11-13:
"11And He gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ."
It is important to draw attention to "for the edifying of the body of Christ" since Paul also wrote to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 8:1b "Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."
In light of this study I will now draw upon 1 Corinthians 13 so we can see the context of the gifts, but before I do we must start with 1 Corinthians 12 to view the gifts of the Holy Spirit:
"4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord. 6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all. 7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all: 8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit, 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings by the same Spirit, 10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills."...
"27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. 28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues. 29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way."
The questions Paul ask are know as rhetorical questions, meaning the answer is no. Are all apostles? No. Are all prophets? No. Are all teachers? No. Are all workers of miracles? No. Do all have the gifts of healings? No. Do all speak with tongues? No. Do all interpret? No. As Paul said in verse 11 "But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills." So we are to earnestly seek the best gifts as Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:
"1 Pursue love, and desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy. 2 For he who speaks in a tongue does not speak to men but to God, for no one understands him; however, in the spirit he speaks mysteries. 3 But he who prophesies speaks edification and exhortation and comfort to men. 4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church. 5 I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied; for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues, unless indeed he interprets, that the church may receive edification."
So the best gifts refer to those which edify the whole body. I do not say that you should not seek the gift of tongues, I'm just pointing out that the Holy Spirit speaking through Paul "in a known tongue" says to the church 'for he who prophesies is greater than he who speaks with tongues". It is sad that I am having to point this out, but there are those who would flaunt that because they can speak in tongues they are saved an you who can't are not. This is not what the bible teaches. The purpose of the gifts is to build up the body of Christ. It is not self-centered, since the fruit of the Spirit is love, then the natural flow of the gifts is in love as well. Also, there are those who would suggest that the gifts of God have expired or are not needful for today, but I say we are equally needful today as the early church in edification.
Now here is 1 Corinthians 13:
"1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 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, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Last and final point. This love is not something we can do by ourselves. Paul said in Romans 5:5 "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us." As the LORD said "It is not by might, nor by power, but by My Spirit says the LORD". He has enabled us by His grace and the shedding abroad of His love in our hearts to walk in this love. I want to demonstrate this as Paul was writing to the church at Thessolonica 1:2-5a:
"2We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers;
3Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father;
4Knowing, brethren beloved, your election of God.
5For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Spirit,"
Not in verse 3 the phrase "labour of love", the word in the Greek for love is none other than agape. In verse 5 we see the source of this love is the power of the Holy Spirit. The Greek for power is "dunimei", where we get our English word Dynamite. The Holy Spirit is enabling us through Christ.
Philippians 1:6 "6Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ: "
Philippians 2:13 "13For it is God which works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure. "
Philippians 4:13 "13I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "
Hebrews 12:1-2 "1Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which does so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,
2Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. "
Our eyes need to be fixed on Jesus, not our own state, He began the work, He will enable us through, and will finish what He started in us.
Now may the LORD bless you and keep you, the LORD make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you. The LORD lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace. Amen.
