LOVE
"Though I speak with the tongues of
men and of angels, and have not
charity, I am become as sounding
brass, and a tinkling cymbal."
(1Cor.13:1) (KJV)
I will like to read this chapter from the children's
bible because of its modern grammar:
"I may speak in different languages
of men or even angels. But if I do
not have love, then I am only a
noisy bell or a ringing cymbal.
I may have the gift of prophecy; I
may understand all the secret things
of God and all knowledge; and I may
have faith so great that I can move
mountains. But even with all these
things, if I do not have love, then
I am nothing.
And I may give everything I have to
feed the poor. And I may even give
my body as an offering to be burned.
But I gain nothing by doing these
things if I do not have love."
(1Cor.13:1-3) (NCV).
Sometime people talk about love, but what they
meant is "lust" in the world. Let's see what true
love really is. From the bible let's see a
manifestation of true love. The first example
that come to mind is the story of Jonathan the son
of king Saul, in his love for David. (1Sam.18).
"And it came to pass, when he (David) had
made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the
soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of
David, and Jonathan loved him as his own
soul." (1Sam.18:1).
Straight from that verse you must realize that
true love is not a fleshly manifestation. It must
be from the soul. That is not a lust.
"Then Jonathan and David made a covenant,
because he loved him as his own soul."
(1Sam.18:3). You should ask the question: why do
they have to make a covenant? There is a bonding
in true love that move people to make a covenant
like that.
"And Jonathan stripped himself of his robe
that was upon him, and gave it to David, and
his garments, even to his sword, and to his
bow, and to his girdle." (v.4)
The next thing we should learn is that "love
gives!" Jonathan gave his weapons and girdle to
David. That was the manifestation of this love of
Jonathan toward David.
However, I must say that love has often times
been seen to be one-sided. From this story of
Jonathan, it seemed Jonathan was the giver of
love, and David was merely receiving it, or
accepting it. This is similar to God's love for
us. God gives and gives, and gives again. We are
asked to love him back by simply accepting his
love. "For God so loved the world that he gave
his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in
him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(Jn.3:16).
Love gives of itself to whoever it loves. This
is the first thing we must take note of.
Yet the description in the book of Corinthians
said, "even if I give my money to feed the poor",
it shows still that one can give without having
love. Somebody can give without having love,
because love is of the heart, and not just the
outward appearance. For instance, a rich man
recently gave millions or billion dollars to the
united nations; was it because he so loves the
united nations? or he so much loves mankind?
there could be hidden agenda behind such jesture.
The bible said "though I give myself to be
burned": is it possible for someone to say "kill
me because of this fellow", and yet still not have
love for the fellow? How is that possible?
perhaps to show off! What then is love?
The bible said God himself is love! Love
therefore is a spiritual value. It has to be God-
given: agape love.
Let's see the attributes of love first of all:
"Love is patient and kind. Love is
not jealous, it does not brag, and it
is not proud. Love is not rude, is
not selfish, and does not become
angry easily. Love does not remember
wrongs done against it. Love is not
happy with evil, but is happy with
the truth. Love patiently accepts
all things."
Patiently accepts all things? that shows
humility.
"It always trusts, always hopes,
and always continues strong. Love
never ends." (1Cor.13:4-8)(NCV).
If someone says he doesn't love one fellow
anymore, it means it was not love in the first
place. Because love never ends.
Let me now read the epistle of love written by
Apostle John .
Beloved, let us love one another: for
love is of God ; and every one that
loveth is born of God, and knoweth
God. He that loveth not knoweth not
God; for God is love.
In this was manifested the love of God
toward us, because that God sent his
only begotten Son into the world, that
we might live through him."(1Jn.4:7-8.
Remember we said, love gives. God gave his Son
for us.
"Herein is love, not that we loved
God, but that he loved us, and sent
his Son to be the propitiation for our
sins.
Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought
also to love one another. No man has
seen God at anytime. If we love one
another, God dwelleth in us, and his
love is perfected in us." (v10-v12)
"And we have known and believed the
love that God hath to us. God is
love;and he that dwelleth in love
dwelleth in God, and God in him."
(v.16).
"There is no fear in love; but perfect
love casteth out fear: because fear
hath torment. He that feareth is not
made perfect in love." (v.18)
We must remember that love can be one-
sided. The giver will be heart-broken if
the other party rejects the love.
Similarly those that reject the love of
God toward them by rejecting Jesus Christ
are breaking God's heart. If you have
ever loved a man or a woman, and you
desired to befriend the person, and the
person rejected your love, do you
remember how it broke your heart?
Multiply that many times in order to
consider how God feels for those who
reject the Son of God.
Continue ...
"And this commandment have we from
him, That he who loveth God love his
brother also." (1Jn.4:21).
"For this is the message that ye heard
from the beginning, that we should
love one another.
Not as Cain, who was of that wicked
one, and slew his brother. And
wherefore slew he him? Because his own
works were evil, and his brother's
righteous." (1Jn.3:11-12).
"Whosoever hateth his brother is a
murderer: and ye know that no murderer
hath eternal life abiding in him.
Hereby perceive we the love of God,
because he laid down his life for us: and
we ought to lay down our lives for the
brethren." (1Jn.3:15-16).
There is obedience also in love. If
we really love God, we've got to obey
him. The Lord Jesus expressed this in
his statement:
"But that the world may know that I
love the Father; and as the Father gave
me commandment, even so I do."
(Jn.14:31).
The Lord Jesus was showing to us in this
statement that he laid down his life in
obedience to the commandment of the
Father, because he loved the Father.
Apostle Paul wrote also about Christ that
he "became obedient unto death, even
the death of the cross". (Phil.2:8b).
This is why I said there is obedience in
love. In similar manner the Lord said to
us: "if ye love me, keep my
commandments". (Jn.14:15).
We should apply this to ourselves. If I
love God I must obey him. If you love
your family, be obedient to the rules of
your family. Work toward the good of the
family.
"Let nothing be done through strife
or vain glory; but in lowliness of
mind let each esteem other better
than themselves.
Look not every man on his own things,
but every man also on the things of
others.
Let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: who, being in
the form of God, thought it not
robbery to be equal with God: But
made himself of no reputation, and
took upon him the form of a servant,
and was made in the likeness of men:
And being found in fashion as a man,
he humbled himself, and became
obedient unto death, even the death
of the cross." (Phil.2:3-8).
Love your family. Serve your family
with humility.
Get divine love:
How can we get this divine love into our
hearts?
The first thing to do is to pray for
those whom you want to love. Praying
for such people will soften your heart
toward them. If you always want to yell
and scream at the fellow, just keep
praying and blessing the fellow, and you
will see that your heart will become
kind and gentle toward the fellow. Pray
for the salvation of the person. Even
if your kids, pray for them constantly.
Secondly, the word of God gives love.
Sharing the word of God brings love
between the parties involved. The word
of God brings spiritual love between
brethren. When Jesus came to raise up
Lazarus, Martha met him but he asked
for Mary. Mary was the lady who always
sat at the feet of Jesus listening and
learning the word. The word bringeth
faith and love. And Christ is the word
of God, and God is love.
This divine love is very essential in
the body of Christ. When every
congregation has its own doctrine and
will not share the word of God, it is
hard for divine love to be between
believers. One way or the other, God
will have to force divine love by
bringing persecution upon the church.
When believers are suffering together,
they will be forced to forget their
differences and love one another.
If they believe that Jesus is "the only
way", this may be the one unity that
they have, and which may identify them
for the persecution. (Rev.13:7).
But we can still have divine love
without waiting for persecution to force
it upon us. We only need to surrender
to the precepts of the word of God.
I pray that the Lord will impart
divine love into our hearts and make us
be humble enough to surrender to the
precepts of the word of God and obey the
commandment of the Lord,in the name of
our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Bro. Julius Adewumi
Gospel Distribution Ministry
USA.