1 John 4:11-12
11 Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. 12 No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us.
New Living Translation
What is it that is in the life of a Christian that displays, testifies, and gives witness to the world of who God is? Is it divine power to heal and to perform miracles? Is it the display of great knowledge, wisdom and discernment? Or, is it the ability to speak God’s Word with great authority and charisma that penetrates the souls of those who listen?
In both bulletin messages of the last two weeks, they contained this quote from the Bible commentator Warren Wiersbe, “The lost world cannot see God, but they can see Christians; and what they see in us is what they will believe about God. If they see love and unity, they will believe that God is love. If they see hatred and division, they will reject the message of the Gospel.”
After reading this quote, which is full of Biblical principles, it should make us realize the responsibility we have as Christians to constantly be aware that our lives, words and actions are on display to a world that needs Jesus. In addition, much of what they will understand about God is that they will see and experience from what our lives as Christians displays.
As we have discussed in the last two bulletin messages, the “glory” or love that we have received from Jesus and our unity will tell the world much about who God is and about His love. John 17:22-23, 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: 23 I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
We learned last week that the love we received from Jesus is agape love, which is the fruit of the Spirit, which can only be present and maintained in the life of a Christian if there is constant and unbroken relationship with Jesus. John 15:4, Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
Hayford Bible Handbook definition of agape love gives us a great explanation of how agape love in Christians applies to others, Christian or not. “Agape denotes an undefeatable benevolence and unconquerable goodwill that always seeks the highest good of the other person, no matter what he does. It is the self-giving love that gives freely without asking anything in return, and does not consider the worth of its object.”
The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 tells us what agape love in a Christian looks like and how is it lived out in the life of a Christian.
When reading 1 Corinthians chapter 13 we must always take into consideration the context of Paul’s well known and used explanation of agape love. Keeping in mind the context of the previous and following chapters Paul’s emphasis here is, “…having spiritual gifts without God’s love amounts to nothing (vv. 1-3). The “most excellent way” (1 Corinthians 12:31) is the exercise of spiritual gifts in an attitude of sincere love (vv. 4-8). Love must be the guiding principle–the main motivation–behind the exercise of all spiritual expressions because love is the only context in which spiritual gifts can truly fulfill God’s purposes.”– Fire Bible.
Even though the context is the importance of agape love for the use of spiritual gifts, we can still use Paul’s explanation of agape love to help us understand what agape love in a Christian looks like and how it is lived out in the life of a Christian.
1 Corinthians 13:4-8
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast,it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking,it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. 8 Love never fails.
Keeping in mind that agape love is the fruit of the Spirit in the life of a believer, the characteristics of agape love does not appear instantaneously in the life of the Christian. It is a lifelong process of development that continually improves and becomes a normal part of the character of the Christian as we continually abide and grow in our relationship with Jesus. John 15:5, “I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit;”
What Paul told us in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 is what could be considered a bullet point list but he does not give us much of an explanation for each of the sixteen points. What Paul does to help us to understand some of the characteristics of agape love is, he tells us what agape love is, does, and what agape love is not, and does not do. By telling us the negative or opposite to what agape love is, he gives us a different perspective to help us to identify how agape love functions in our lives. In addition, when we read what agape love is not or does not do we must ask ourselves the question, what is the opposite of that negative aspect and how does that work in my life?
Accompanying this bulletin message is a chart of 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 to help us distinguish the characteristics of what agape love is and does, also what agape love is not, and does not do. However, we must remember there is a very big difference between just knowing what God’s Word says in contrast to doing and living God’s Word. When we experience in our lives the latter, God’s Word promises us that we will be blessed.
Pastor John
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:22-25, New Living Translation
