CHARACTERISTICS OF DIVINE LOVE 3
(week 38/14)
OLUBI JOHNSON
1Corinthians 13:4-7 AMP: Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily. (5) It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong]. (6) It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail. (7) Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Last week, we saw that each Person of the Godhead: Father, Son and Holy Spirit is very humble. They submit to one another and to their written Word and so are not arrogant or inflated with pride; so who are we mere created beings to be proud because of what God (who is humble) gave us?
1Corinthians 4:7 NIV: For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?
Jeremiah 9:23-24 NIV: This is what the LORD says: “Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, (24) but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the LORD.
This week, we will look at:
Love (God) is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly.
Why?
Again, this is because God is humble and each Person of the Godhead treats the others with honour and respect. We are to do the same to ALL men using the fruits of the Spirit of goodness and gentleness.
1Peter 2:17 NIV: Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.
Romans 13:7-8 NIV: Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor. (8) Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
Love (God) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking;
Why?
God ALWAYS SEEKS THE OVERALL GOOD OF ALL MEN. God’s ways and rights are for the benefit of all. So we should not seek our narrow self-interest but rather the will and purpose of God, which ultimately will be for the good of ALL, INCLUDING OURSELVES! In other words, your self-interest is ALREADY taken care of by God in the interest of ALL others: when you are NOT self-seeking and look ALSO to the interests of others, God will take care of your interests!
Philippians 2:4 NIV: Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but ALSO to the interests of others.
Love (God) is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
Why?
God is forbearing and has the wisdom and self-control to give men space or time to repent when they do wrong so giving men the opportunity to be saved: we are to use the fruits of the Spirit of longsuffering and self-control to be the same way in our dealings with men:
Revelations 2:21 AMP: I gave her time to repent, but she has no desire to repent of her immorality [symbolic of idolatry] and refuses to do so.
2Peter 3:9 KJV: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
We will continue to look at more characteristics of divine love next week.
