Christian Love

John 1.3:31, 35; I Corinthians 13:1-3

GOLDEN TEXT: “We love Him, because He first loved us.”—I John 9:19

IN THE chapter preceding the one in which our lesson is found, the apostle has recounted the various gifts of the Holy Spirit conferred upon the early church for its establishment and development. He closes the chapter with the exhortation that while esteeming all of these gifts, each member of the Church should covet earnestly the superior ones; and then he adds, “Yet show I unto you a more excellent way.” Our lesson pertains to this more excellent ambition which should actuate every child of God, namely the acquisition and development of the spirit of love, the spirit of the Lord.

In emphasizing the importance of this more excellent way, the apostle speaks of oratory in presenting the truth, of giving our goods to feed the poor, and of giving our bodies to be burned, etc. We are not to get the thought from this that these are unimportant privileges in the Christian life. Rather, we know from Jesus’ own teachings, as well as the teachings of the apostles, that we are to present the truth with as much ability as possible; we are to bestow our goods to feed the spiritually poor; and we are to present our bodies as living sacrifices. The point for which the apostle is arguing is that these privileges of the Christian must be actuated by the spirit of true Christian love, else they are not acceptable to the Father.

This is not the love which the apostle describes, nor is he addressing his language to the natural man. The love of which the apostle is speaking is that great principle of unselfishness demonstrated by God in the gift of His beloved Son to be man’s Redeemer, and further demonstrated in all the various features of His plan, which are leading up to, and will culminate in the everlasting blessing of all mankind.

Among other qualities of this divine love the apostle tells us that it is kind. Of our Heavenly Father Himself it is said that “He is kind to the unthankful.” Have I His spirit of kindness? Am I kind to my friends? Gentle? Courteous? Have I this mark of love pervading my actions and words and thoughts? These are questions which all professed followers of the Master may well ask themselves.

Love envieth not, the apostle says. This means that we should be able to rejoice when we see others prosper, even if for the time our own affairs be not so prosperous. This is generosity, the very opposite of jealousy and envy. The root of envy is selfishness. Envy will not grow upon the root of love. Love envies not, but rejoiceth in the prosperity of all that is good.

True Christian love tends to humility, that is, it vaunteth not itself, is not boastful nor puffed up. Boastfulness has led many not only into folly, but sometimes into gross sin, in an endeavor to make good the boast. The true spirit of the Lord is the spirit of a sound mind which not only seeks generously to esteem others, but also to soberly estimate one’s self, and not to be puffed up.

True love also is courteous and polite. It does not “behave itself unseemly.” Someone has defined politeness as being love in trifles. Politeness may be either a surface polishing, or it may he an expression of love in the heart. As Christians we are to have the heart love which will prompt us to acts of kindness and courtesy, not only in the household of faith, but in our homes and in our dealings with the world.

Love will be willing to permit some of our own rights to be sacrificed in the interest of others, for “Love seeketh not her own.” To have love in this particular sense means that we will be on guard against taking unjust advantage of others, and that we will prefer to suffer a wrong rather than to do a wrong—to suffer an injustice rather to do injustice.

True love is not easily provoked. The original Greek omits the word easily, and gives the thought rather that love does not become irritated or aroused to anger. Love enables its possessor to see both sides of the question. It makes of him a veritable philosopher, and gives him the spirit of a sound mind. One perceives by love that exasperation and violent anger are unbecoming and worse than that, injurious not only toward those against whom they may be directed, but injurious also upon one’s own heart.

To be easily provoked is to have a bad temper, to get worked up into a passion, where evil looks and evil words and angry sentiments are involved. This is wholly contrary to the spirit of true Christian love and whoever is on the Lord’s side and seeking to be pleasing to Him and to attain an overcomers position should jealously guard against this general besetment of our day.

Love thinketh no evil, the apostle continues. This means that it is guileless and is not suspicious of evil, not looking for faults in others or attributing to them evil motives.

Love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth. We should have the principles of right and wrong so firmly fixed in our minds, and be so thoroughly in accord with the right and so opposed to the wrong that we would not encourage the wrong, but rather condemn it, even if it brings disadvantage to us to do so.

Love also beareth all things, that is, it is impregnable against the assaults, of evil. Love resists evil, impurity, sin, and everything that is contrary to the great principle of unselfishness.

As Disciples of Christ we are in His school and the great lesson which He is teaching us day by day, and the lesson which we must learn thoroughly if we would attain the mark of the prize of our high calling in all its various features and ramifications, is the lesson of love. It takes hold upon and relates to all the words and thoughts and doings of our daily lives.

QUESTIONS:

What is the difference between Christian love and natural love?

Is there ever any valid reason for a Christian to be unkind?

That should be the motive back of all Christian activity?

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