4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It does not dishonor others, 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. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. – 1 Cor.13:4-8
Many of us are familiar with this scripture (1 Cor. 13:4-8). By reading this, it’s clear on what love is and what it isn’t, right? Well, I’m going to share a little nugget that the Lord shared with me. He said to me: “Most people don’t have an understanding of what love is. Therefore, they’re not able to receive it or reciprocate it effectively & in the way that brings me honor.” So what is love based on 1 Cor. 13:4-8? First let’s address that the opposite of love isn’t hate but, it’s pride. Pride is the root for feelings of animosity, bitterness, hatred, jealousy, strife & everything evil.
1 John 2:15-17 (NASB) “Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For everything in the world–the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does–comes not from the Father but from the world. The world and its desires pass away, but the man who does the will of God lives forever.”
We know that God is the epitome of love; He is love and he hates pride. So, our expression of love towards The Father should be to oppose and hate the things God hates. 1 Cor. 13: 6 says, “love doesn’t delight in evil but, it rejoices in the truth”. Prov. 8:13 (NKJV) says, “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way and the perverse mouth I hate.” Verse 4 of 1 Corinthians 13 says love IS NOT proud but, it is kind and patient. Even when we think in our heart or speak out of our mouth, ‘I feel like I shouldn’t have to go through this; this is taking too long’, we operate in pride and God opposes the proud (James 4:6). Some things God wants us to go through for the purpose of pruning, training, correcting and discipling us, because of His love for us, we behave as if we’re above those things. “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” (Prov. 16:18).
Correction is God’s Protection
Chastisement is an expression of God’s love for us. He corrects & discipline us when we’re wrong in order for us live holy and righteously according to His will. When we reject chastisement, we reject God’s love. When we continue to live and behave as if we’re above correction and don’t need or want correction, it’s rebellion (pride) towards Yahweh.
Hebrew 12: 8 (NIV) If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.
Like any good parent, God is concerned about us and our well-being. He loves us too much to not correct and discipline us when need be. The punishment he gives is not from a place of malice or hatred; that’s not who He is. There’s no evil in God. The opposer deceives us by telling us that when we’re being corrected, we’re being disrespected because our “pride” and feelings are hurt. Don’t take this statement out of context but, God is not concerned about our feelings at the expense of us losing our soul. Most of the times, our feelings come from a place that is hostile towards God, our flesh (Romans 8:7).
Hebrew 12:6-7 (NKJV) “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, And scourges every son whom He receives. If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten?”
Rebuke a word that many interprets as judgement but, when it’s done through the love of God, it’s essential for our spiritual growth. When God reprimands or rebukes us, it’s also a way that he shows us that he loves and cares about us. When He reprimands us, He warns us of danger of the devour; our opposer and adversary. In today’s culture, the majority despises rebuking, rather it be in the open or in private. Many want to continue doing whatever it is that “they” want to do & it’s the presumptuous sin of people that causes God to rebuke (reprimand; reprove) us (Ezekiel 5; Hosea 5).
1 Tim 5: 20 “As for those who persist in sin, rebuke them in the presence of all, so that the rest may stand in fear.”
Titus 1:13 (NIV) “This saying is true. Therefore, rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith.”
Prov. 27:5-6 (NKJV) “Open rebuke is better Than love carefully concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.”
To withhold the truth, specifically God’s Truth, from someone IS NOT love. We cause harm to others and ourselves when we fail to warn them and tell them the truth. The Adversary deceives us with lies that chastisement and rebuking isn’t love and isn’t from God. Believing the lies of the enemy keeps us in our feelings; pride, that produces shame, resentment, rejection and rebellion. We continue to live and function in error, walking in darkness, when reject The Truth (John 1:1-14). The Love of God is truthful, faithful and it comes with correction (chastisement and rebuking). He knows what’s best for us better than we know what’s best for ourselves (Jeremiah 1:5; 29:11)
John 14:6 (AMP) “Jesus said to him, “I am the [only] Way [to God] and the [real] Truth and the [real] Life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.”
2 Tim 4:2-4 (KJV) “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.”
Love IS NOT telling someone what they want to hear to make their flesh feel good. Love IS NOT walking on eggshells so that you don’t offend people with The Truth. Love IS NOT condoning or partaking in sin. Love IS correction and protection. We can’t properly express or receive God’s love, agape’ love, without chastisement and rebuking. Keep in mind that our words are to be seasoned with salt; “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” (Col. 4:6) but, when we fail to speak what God says and live by what he says, we do ourselves a disservice. We become the victim of our own demise. God and His word are one and His word doesn’t change to pacify our feelings. He says what He means, and He means what He says, with love. (Heb. 13:8-25)
2 Tim 3:16-17 (NKJV)”All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
John 1:1 (NIV) “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
Empowered and Inspired 