Spiritual Love (12) - Love Rejoices with the Truth
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 10916 |
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November 25, 2012 |
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 "[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth." (1 Corinthians 13:6)
Senior Pastor Dr. Jaerock Lee
"[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth." (1 Corinthians 13:6)
If we love God, we don't act in unrighteousness, but in truth. Moreover, we rejoice with the truth. Love is an active expression of rejoicing with the truth.
John 14:6 reads, "Jesus said to him, 'I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.'" Just as spoken in the verse, the truth refers to Jesus Christ, and the truth is the gospel and the Word of God written in the 66 books of the Bible.
If we love God and receive love from Him, we can't help but rejoice with Jesus Christ and with the work of the gospel in which God's kingdom is extended. Then, what does it specifically refer to when it says that we rejoice with the truth?
1. To rejoice with the truth
1) It is to rejoice with the 'gospel'
'Gospel' is 'good news', it is the good news that we are saved through Jesus Christ and we will go to the heavenly kingdom. Throughout the ages and all countries, many people seek the truth. 'What is the purpose of life? What is valuable life?' To get the answers to these questions, they study ideas and philosophy, or they try to get the answers through religion. But no one can gain the truth and enter Heaven but through Jesus Christ who is the truth.
We've heard this gospel, accepted Jesus Christ, received salvation, and gained eternal life. Once we've been forgiven of our sins through the blood of the Lord and our future is moved from Hell to Heaven, we then can understand the meaning of life and live a valuable life. Therefore, it is something obvious that we can rejoice over with the gospel.
Those who rejoice with the gospel will diligently deliver it to others as well. They will fulfill their God-given duties and work faithfully to spread the gospel. 1 Timothy 2:4 says, "[God] desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." Because you know this will of God, you rejoice when people hear the gospel and saved souls are increasing in number by accepting the Lord.
But some people are jealous of others when they evangelize many people and bear great fruit. Some churches are envious of other churches when other churches are growing and giving glory to God. This is not 'to rejoice with the truth.'
If we have spiritual love in our hearts, then we will rejoice when we see the kingdom of God is being accomplished greatly. Also, we rejoice with somebody who is more faithful and bears more fruits than we as if it were our own fruit. We will rejoice together when we see a church that is growing and loved by God. This is the heart of rejoicing with the gospel, which comes from spiritual love.
2) It means to rejoice with everything that belongs to the truth
It is to rejoice with seeing, hearing, and doing the things that belong to the truth, such as goodness, love, and justice. Those who rejoice with the truth are touched even by small deeds of goodness. Moreover, because all the Word of God is truth, they confess that it is sweeter than honey. So, they enjoy listening to the sermons and reading the Bible all the time. Furthermore, they rejoice in practicing the Word of God.
For example, the Word of God says, 'Serve, understand and forgive,' and they joyfully obey the Word. Those who obey these words dislike hating, being envious and jealous, and judging and condemning others so much. So, those who rejoice with the truth will rejoice when other people are well-off. They are not jealous. It is unimaginable for them to think evil things such as, 'something should go wrong with that person,' or to rejoice because of the unhappiness of other people.
When they see something unrighteous happen, they mourn because of it. Also, those who rejoice with the truth love the heart that belongs to goodness such as unchanging hearts, truthfulness, and integrity. They rejoice with good words and good deeds.
Seeing these children, God will exult over them with joy just as said in Zephaniah 3:17 saying, "The LORD your God is in your midst, a victorious warrior He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy."
Is there anybody who is disheartened thinking that you don't really rejoice with the truth fully? You can check yourself, but you don't have to lose heart or be disappointed. If you try your best, the God of love considers even that effort as rejoicing with the truth.
3) It indicates to believe the Word of God and try to practice it
It's a rarity to find a person who can rejoice with only the truth from the beginning. As long as we have darkness and untruth in us, we may think of evil things or we may rejoice with unrighteousness, too. Only when we change over time through the Word and prayer and cast off all the untruthful heart, can we rejoice with the truth completely. Until then, we have to try hard.
For example, not all Christians feel, 'Oh, I am so happy to attend worship service.' In case of new-believers or those with weak faith, they may feel tired, or their hearts may be somewhere else. But the deed of coming to the sanctuary and attending the worship service is the effort of trying to obey the Word of God. It is also to rejoice with the truth. Why do they try this way? It is to receive salvation and go to Heaven.
We heard the word of the truth and we believe in God, we believe that there is judgment, and also that Heaven and Hell both exist. We also know that the rewards given to each one in Heaven is different. That is why we try more diligently to become sanctified and work faithfully in all God's house. Though you may not rejoice with the truth 100% yet, if you try your best in your measure of faith, it is to rejoice with the truth.
2. Blessing is given when we hunger and thirst for the truth
God's children don't rejoice in unrighteousness, but they rejoice with the truth. This is because only the truth has the amazing power to renew all things of us and make them beautiful.
To the extent that we listen to the gospel, that is the truth, and live according to it, we can be changed more perfectly into God's children. Our faces will shine with joy because we are filled with hope for Heaven and spiritual love. The more we are changed by the truth, the more love we will receive from God and other people. So our lives will become full of happiness.
We should rejoice with the truth. Furthermore, we should have a hunger and thirst for the truth. If you hunger and thirst physically, you will earnestly desire food and drink. When we long for the truth, we have to long for it this way, too, so that we can quickly change into people of truth. We have to live lives of always 'eating and drinking' the truth.
'To eat and drink the truth' is to keep the Word of God in our hearts and practice it. The Word of God, which is the truth, presents keys to solving difficult problems in our lives, secrets of blessing, and the way of salvation and eternal life. So, when we practice it, blessings follow us.
Dear brothers and sisters, if you really love God it will show outside. That is, if we just see and hear something about the truth, we will be glad and happy. So, people will say to us, "You look so happy." We will shed tears of thanks just thinking of God and the Lord and be touched just by little deeds of goodness and shed tears.
The tears that belong to goodness, such as the tears of thanks and tears of mourning for other souls will become beautiful jewels later to decorate each one's house in Heaven. I pray in the name of the Lord that by your rejoicing with the truth, evidences showing that you are loved by God will overflow in your lives.
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