Word abuse makes 'Love' suffer

In English it is a four letter word. However, those four letters embrace almost a catalogue of meanings. Today’s blog concludes the 5 imperatives of 1 Corinthians 16:13-14. The word in the Greek is agape and mostly translated love. In the Language of the New Testament love can come under four heading. Eros, Storge, Phileo and Agape express the range of emotional relationships which come under the umbrella of the English ‘love. ‘Let all that you do be done in love’ 1 Corinthians 16:14 NRSV

A man can love his wife and car in the same breath, we can love God or a pet frog or other things too numerous to mention. The English word for love suffers from 'word abuse'. In turn, it produces confusion of understanding.  How easier it would have been to have a range of words, as in Greek, to expound 'love'. So, when Paul expresses this final imperative what word was chosen from the Greek language? Agape! This expresses the highest and most noble insight into expressing love. Whilst it can embrace emotion the word defines love as independent to it. Such love causes the person to rise above personal preferences for the sake of another’s welfare, even as the inconvenience of the one showing agape.

When you read the epistle to the Corinthians it is evident that love was selective, lacking or misunderstood. That is why Paul went to lengths to compile that beautiful piece of love in chapter 13. Agape isn’t bounded by family, cultural or moral fences. It is an open expression of the agape shown to us through Christ and Calvary. This is why such love is costly, behind it and overshadowing it is the cross. It is so easy to get all enthusiastic about following Jesus, who doesn’t need what He offers. Trouble is the Lord puts a two letter word in from of our enthusiastic excitement. “If” is the word of choice and at the same time a sifter of the heart. For “if” points the individual to a cross, personalised and nonnegotiable! Any person who calls Jesus Lord and Saviour has shared in the crucifixion of Christ according to Romans 6. Then the holy Spirit takes that person to the ‘discipleship fitting room’ for the cross the person has been chosen to wear.

How does that relate to agape love in our lives? Primarily in subordinating personal comfort, preference and wisdom to the Master’s honour. This is more than bible reading and worship, important and essential though they be. Love for Christ confronts the personal cross in regards to relationships. In a sense there is often a wrestling match unseen by others except Heaven and the Devil’s realm, which is our Gethsemane. ‘Let all that you do be done in love’ sounds so spiritual and easy, that is until God calls upon you to do something distasteful.

Think about some of the scenarios possible. ‘Love your enemies,’ but they hate me! Pray for them, feed them, treat them with respect even though they are unrepentant. Justice they will face but we are not the judge, we are disciples. This applies to those with whom we disagree morally and with whom we may debate quite strongly. Fear of contagion may arouse disgust but Christ Jesus calls us to help them if they have needs we can meet. That isn’t condoning, it isn’t even liking the person. It is our obedience to Christ and the price expresses the cross placed upon us. It is allowing the Lord to call them to account at His time and place. It offers us an opportunity to witness to our Lord and Saviour.

Apply this principle of love and personal cross to your own scene and enjoyable relationships. Not always easy is it! Putting oneself ‘out’ for the sake of another can be costly and inconvenient. Why bother? It is the right thing. It is what the Lord delights in. It makes agape a reality (even though it may suffer a little from ungraciousness in the initial stages). It often metamorphoses into a blessing.

Paul concludes these five imperatives on the theme of love because without it the previous four won’t impress God. They will be without substance. They will be the sound of gongs and cymbals (Ch. 13).

In conclusion may I be permitted to rearrange just a little these five imperatives? 

‘Let all that you do be done in love.’ This will require you to ‘keep alert, stand firm in your faith, be courageous, and be strong!’

©Ray Hawkins29 Jan. 2017.

Love's deflation power.

Self-promotion is an art form today. It’s made easier with so much computer technology available. Such self-promotion may be advisable for job interviews but doesn’t do anything for personal relationships. In this part of 1 Corinthians 13 two close knit words are used to describe what Love isn’t. Boasting implies the flaunting of one’s abilities. Proud, or as the King James version has it, ‘puffed up’ implies vanity and self-deception. Both seem to arise out of Envy’s craving to be recognised, acclaimed, unrivalled. The aspect of Pride will be considered next.

The Corinthian believers had fallen into the spiritual snare of comparing their gifting and positions in the Church. “My gift is better than yours” smells of immaturity. Such childishness, as Paul alludes to in 1 Corinthians 13:11, was making a mockery of the Holy Spirit’s ministry. A grieved Holy Spirit does not produce a joyful saint. 

In relationships, self-promotion is the surest way to paralyse intimacy and cripple respect. Self-praise fills up the mind allowing no room to consider the needs or interests of others. It also breeds a form of loneliness, not always recognised, for few enjoy being around such an intrusive, careless, diseased ‘universe.’  Such a disease of the soul has unfortunate life-long consequences including, strife, resentment and disrespect. This fall-out from self-obsession is usually blamed on other things, or people.

The glory of the most excellent way is its ability to cure the “I” disease. If self-exaltation makes us deaf to the pain and needs of others, Love cleans out our ears. It helps us hear their tears and sighs. If self-adulation blinds, Love opens eyes to see how others are travelling. How does that come about? Love creates a sense of awareness of others whilst not denying the facts about personal ability or achievement. Love simply rearranges their priority. Now they see the worth of others. Now the mouth applauds their skill and achievements. This soul readjustment by the most excellent way begins with understanding who God is and what He has done.

In His presence we realise that no matter how important we think we are, in God’s sight we were slum tenements. The awesomeness of what He does in our life through our conversion experience is seen in what we are now called. We are Temples of the most High God. He has made us beautiful. That which the Lord has done for us, He can do for others. That old hymn still rings true today when it states, ‘Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.’ All within the community of grace are undeserved recipients of Christ’s favour and transformation. That’s an eternal remedy for ego’s ‘I’ disease. The one we should be boasting about is Jesus. (1 Corinthians 1:30-31.)

The most excellent way allows the Holy Spirit to unleash His word and influence through us without embarrassment. Love delights in the Lord. Therefore it can appreciate what He has made of others and equipped them to do. Through us, Christ in us ennobles others within our spheres of influence. He does this by His attitude and encouragement dominating our nature by our submission to Christ and His word. Mutual appreciation, intimacy and unity begins at that moment.

That’s the most excellent way!

Impossible Love.

 

1 Corinthians 13 is a wonderful testimony to Love. People use it in all types of situations and with varying degrees of sincerity. Little do they realise that what they are reading and hearing is a call to participate in the impossible. We have become so glib about the word Love that what the apostle Paul writes in this section of the Corinthian letter is not recognised for what it is… Impossible.
Impossible to express!
Impossible to keep!

To ponder this part of scripture with any seriousness should make us either depressed or desperate. We recognise our inability, no matter how earnest we are, in measuring up to what this Love demands and compels. Depression sets in when we try and try to meet its requirements and fail, fail, fail. To reach the desperate stage can be the beginning of living out, even tentatively, the wonder of the most excellent way. Desperation drives us to our knees and opens our hearts to trust in God’s grace. It moves us to live according to His Word. Maturity in spiritual disciplines and enjoying our Christian walk can be gauged from this moment.

Too many Christians live in spiritual denial. Unprepared to face their inconsistent spiritual life, unwilling to pay the price to change, they nod agreement to God’s commands yet walk contrary to them. 1 Corinthians 13 is for them worthwhile, yet unattainable, desirable but impractical, heavenly but not earthly reality. This attitude makes a mockery of a believer’s high calling in Christ Jesus to walk as He walked ( 1 John 2:6) However, to read the Gospels and witness Jesus in action makes us realise the most excellent way is, humanly speaking, an impossible Love.

The most excellent way is not a one off experience. It is not without slips, falls and wrong turns due to our personal weaknesses. Such an impossible Love is an ongoing discovery of knowing Jesus and living out that relationship in attitude and action.

 

To make that an excuse for low level Christian living is to accuse God of programming us for failure. That attitude in itself doesn’t inspire a person to want to know the Lord, or to have confidence in His word. Remember, God has no pleasure in hearing His people living as ‘gongs and clanging cymbals.’ There’s no gain to Him from His investment in us if our heart’s balance sheet adds up to ‘nothing.’  It’s not His desire at the end of the day to welcome into His presence a son or daughter to tell them their Christian life has been a failure. That would mean they also miss out on any commendation or reward.

We love the unlovely because Jesus does. His Spirit makes it possible in us.

We love the failed because Jesus does. Remember His love when we failed.
We love the antagonistic, indifferent, and difficult people because Jesus does.

In recent months we have witnessed or read of this impossible love being shown as Christ's people have loved the Lord and paid for it with their lives. The wonder that shines through their testimony is their forgiveness to their killers. That's the indwelling of Christ's powerful love overflowing to those who are about to murder them. Stories filter through about the impact this depth of love has had upon the lives of some of the oppressors.

We never know when we will be thrown into such a cauldron of opposition, oppression and hostility. How can we face such situations and at the same time offer love to those who hate? This means our responsibility is not to grit teeth and strive to be loving. That births disillusionment. We are to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus (2 Peter 3:18) in our everyday living.  His Love, by the power of the Holy Spirit, will then begin to flow ever stronger in and through us to the glory of our Lord.

God is not in the business of commanding the impossible and leaving His people to their own resources. His resources accompany His call. This means we have to be on the same wavelength with God to avail ourselves of His enabling. There are sixteen facets of the most excellent way. Their purpose let’s us recognise that we can have fellowship in its deepest, most meaningful intent. They are stressed so that the Body of Christ on earth, the Church, may bear true testimony to the Love of God. The outcome of this is life changing and a challenge to others of the love God has for us.  

The most excellent way can only be known and travelled through an open, maturing, knowledgeable, devoted relationship with Jesus. What is called for in 1 Corinthians 13 is answered in 1 John 4:19. ‘We love because He first loved us.’

That’s the most excellent way!

Ray Hawkins 2015.

 

The Most Excellent Way

Spirituality is defined by a number of action words. Love is one of these. It’s a response to a command more than an emotion. Another defining word is Paul’s imperative, ‘follow.’  He concludes his teaching about Love’s primacy in 1 Corinthians 13 by urging them to follow the way of Love! (1 Corinthians 14:1)

In the Gospels this word ‘follow’ comes through loud and clear. A disciple of Christ is one who has responded to the call of Jesus to “come, follow.” This is a journey through the experience of accepting Christ as Lord and Saviour. This takes a person into a new lifestyle. The implication of ‘follow’ is that the Lord is always ahead and bids us to catch up.

The word used by Paul to follow the way of love is more aggressive than a simple following. This is no meandering or casual stroll. It means to Pursue. He wanted the Corinthians to be determined, committed and zealous so as to catch up with Love which they had allowed to move on without them.

To pursue something requires a focus and a priority that allows incidentals to the main feature to be put aside. Pursuing Love is unending as it’s always ahead of us. As we follow the most excellent way, we’re shown opportunities to demonstrate, and test, our sincerity. Those occasions will highlight aspects of the sixteen facets of Love Paul had already mentioned in the love poem! Revisit them. An inability to remember the way the Lord wants us to respond, or the resources available to us, is a guarantee of misunderstanding the power and wonder of love.

What was outlined at the beginning of the love poem Paul sums up at the end of the passage! The Christian life is not a mental exercise nor a theory to debate. Christianity isn’t a passive faith. Christ calls men and women to a journey, to follow, to be and to act. In concluding the most excellent way’s impossible demands, the apostle called them to get out of their self-opinionated rut and pursue Christ and His Love.

Paul doesn’t knock the Corinthians desire for God to bestow various gifts of the Spirit. He had written earlier to remind them that such gifts are always and only at God’s prerogative. In the end result it doesn’t matter. When you’re in hot pursuit of the most excellent way, side issues are lost in ‘the dust.’ Let God do what He wants to do is the unconscious attitude of those focused on Christ. Disciples are under instruction to follow their Teacher. In turn, they must love, Love!

As the letter draws to its conclusion Paul wants to encourage his readers. He knows they are in for a hard time in the anti-Christ community and in their endeavours at reconciliation. ‘Be on your guard’, he wrote, ‘stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong. Do everything in Love.’ (1 Cor.16:14)

   By the time the letter had been read many of the readers or hearers could well feel like failures. And they were. They may have felt like Peter who had betrayed Jesus and then went and wept. Twice Jesus asked him, “Peter, do you Love (agape) me?” The third time Jesus asked him, “Peter, do you love me (as a friend, phileo)?”  Peter who wasn’t prepared to use the word (agape) for what is termed the most excellent way, replied “Lord, you know all things; you know that I love (Phileo) you.” (John 21:15-17). Jesus responded to that and in a sense recommissioned him.

Peter went on from that to live out the highest quality of Love (agape) by the grace of God within relationships and ministry.

Such a ‘Peter’ experience may well have gripped many within the Corinthian fellowship. The acceptance by Jesus of Peter’s reply and subsequent events in his life should have encourage them. It may well be a similar lifeline for us. We know we have failed to live out the high calling of Love. When called to get up and get going again we may fear further failure. The first steps towards pursuing the way of Love (agape) for us may well be our own personal yet timid reply, “Lord You know all things, you know I love (Phileo) you as my Saviour, Lord and friend.

The concluding words in the Corinthian letter tells them that despite of all their immaturity and difficulties, Paul knows them to be in the embrace of Christ. To them he sends his Love. ‘The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. My love (agape) be with you all in Christ Jesus.’ 1 Corinthians 16:23-24. K.J.V.

Christ would have us do that for each other too!

The power to do that is to have our love and affection settled upon Christ Jesus. Most, if not all powerlessness to love from a Christian perspective comes from failure to love Jesus as Lord. We will run out of the power of love if we slacken our faith and gratitude to Him. 1 John 4:19 holds the key: We love, because he first loved us.’

That’s the most excellent way! (1 Corinthians 12:31)