True Love - from whence?

Where does TRUE, REAL LOVE come from? The answer is, from God. It is His gift to His own. John (sometimes called the Apostle of love) says ‘Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. (1John 4:7).

The way of LOVE, Paul called the excellent way (1Corinthians 12:31). God’s love, you see, isn’t the same as human love. God’s love cannot be made on the human level. His love is characterized by humility, obedience to Him and the sacrificing of self. It’s the way Jesus went.

Today, the commonly accepted word love means something quite different and far less than God meant it to be. For the majority of people, love is romance or sexual relationship. Now the love defined by Paul as the excellent way has quite a different meaning. It may be the word used in the popular songs of the day but real love is in short supply. That is why human love, based only on sentimentality and friendliness towards others, so often fails. It runs out when things get difficult.

God’s love is love that comes from Him and conforms to His attributes. We have no way of generating this love by ourselves. The Man who loved to perfection was Jesus. God’s love for His Son was to the full stretch (John 13).

You often get people saying ‘ I just cannot forgive’. That’s because usually they struggle with human love and just cannot do it. Now, if God’s love is shed abroad in your heart, it is His love that makes you keep on loving.

One of the interesting things about this classical chapter in 1 Corinthians 13 is that it is in the middle of the book where there is probably other problems. The Corinthian church was a gifted church but they had no love; they were jealous, proud. Although they had the gifts of the Spirit, they never displayed the fruit of the Spirit. Hence, everything else was out of joint.

The gifts Paul speaks of, e.g. speaking with the tongues of men and of angels, were nothing without love. It was just a noise; a gong or cymbal. Think of that! A man could have talks with angels yet be way out where love is concerned.

Jesus was once asked what was the greatest commandment. He said, and you know it well, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the greatest and first commandment.

The second is like it. The second is like it. You shall love your neighbour as yourself. On these two commandments depend the whole law and the prophets’.

Love is your highest calling. It’s the best and finest contribution you can make to God’s glory and the good of others. Whatever gift you may have, let it be controlled by God’s love. This love dwells in you if you are born of God. Ask the Lord to give you this precious gift and let it be seen in you.

Learn 1 Corinthians 13 by heart, then, with His help, practice it.

God bless you.
Emeritus

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