The Lost Need a Savior, Not a Friend

14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said,

“I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them,
    and I will be their God,
    and they shall be my people.
17 Therefore go out from their midst,
    and be separate from them, says the Lord,
and touch no unclean thing;
    then I will welcome you,
18 and I will be a father to you,
    and you shall be sons and daughters to me,
says the Lord Almighty.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ESV

There is a huge difference between being a conduit through which God’s redeeming grace can flow to the lost and becoming, as Paul describes it, unequally yoked with them. It was Paul’s desire that the Corinthians be gracious and loving to all, but he feared that they would turn the love of God into tolerance and His graciousness into an inappropriate excuse to associate with the ungodly.

Paul had already witnessed their unacceptable handling of the man in their congregation who was having an affair with his stepmother. Rather than mourning over this man’s immoral behavior, they had arrogantly approved of it, allowing him to remain a part of their fellowship. But Paul read them the riot act, boldly stating, “You have become arrogant and have not mourned instead, so that the one who had done this deed would be removed from your midst.” (1 Corinthians 5:2 NLT).

Paul’s concern was that the Corinthians would interpret his appeal to grace as an invitation to accept anyone and everyone, regardless of their behavior or lifestyle. Paul understood that we must meet people where they are to share the gospel with them, but that the power of the gospel would not allow them to remain in that same state, unchanged. The good news of Jesus Christ is transformative and life-altering.

Associating with the lost is necessary if we want to share with them the hope available to them through faith in Jesus Christ. But Paul differentiates between casual acquaintances and unhealthy associations. His concern is when a believer develops a close, overly accommodating relationship with an unbeliever. This passage often gets applied to the marriage context, and rightfully so. But it has more far-reaching applications, covering everything from business partnerships to close friendships. The imagery Paul uses is that of a yoke, a common farming implement that teams two animals to pull a plow. The idea of being unequally yoked involved putting two different animals with different temperaments in the yoke together, such as an ox and a donkey. These two animals have different physical characteristics and personalities and would not naturally associate with one another. So, if they were yoked together, they would pull at different speeds and actually fight one another, making the work inefficient and unacceptable to the farmer. Their efforts would be wasted, and the farmer’s goal of plowing the field would be thwarted.

This is what Paul has in mind when he tells the Corinthians not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers; such a partnership is unacceptable and antithetical. He compares it to light and darkness or righteousness and lawlessness. Unbelievers, by virtue of their unredeemed state, serve a different master, so why would a follower of Christ willingly align themselves with a child of Satan? Yes, that sounds harsh, but the apostle John reminds us of its reality.

Dear children, don’t let anyone deceive you about this: When people do what is right, it shows that they are righteous, even as Christ is righteous. But when people keep on sinning, it shows that they belong to the devil, who has been sinning since the beginning. But the Son of God came to destroy the works of the devil. Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. So now we can tell who are children of God and who are children of the devil. Anyone who does not live righteously and does not love other believers does not belong to God. – 1 John 3:7-10 NLT

Paul is not suggesting that believers avoid all relationships with the lost; that would be impossible. In fact, in his first letter to the Corinthians, he clarified a statement he had made that had been misunderstood and misapplied.

When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. But I wasn’t talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. – 1 Corinthians 5:9-11 NLT

Paul warns them against developing or maintaining unhealthy alliances with the lost. To do so would be counterproductive and put them in a position where their allegiance to Christ would be strained and hampered. Paul reminds the Corinthians that they are the temple of God, and uses a variety of Old Testament texts to drive home his point. Just as God had chosen the people of Israel to be His people, believers have been hand-picked by God to be members of His family. They have been separated by and consecrated to God. So God expects them to disassociate themselves from the other nations that surround them. That is what Paul means when he writes, “Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord” (2 Corinthians 6:17 NLT).

The apostle Peter encourages us to consider ourselves as aliens and strangers on this earth, living as if we don’t belong here, because our real home is in heaven.

Dear friends, I warn you as “temporary residents and foreigners” to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world. – 1 Peter 2:11-12 NLT

We are citizens of a different Kingdom and answer to a different King, and while we are on this earth, we serve as His ambassadors, accomplishing His will by doing His work. That will become increasingly more difficult, if not impossible, if we align ourselves with those who do not share our allegiance to Him. As Paul wrote to the Corinthians in his first letter: “But people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them, and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15 NLT).

As children of God, we are to constantly submit ourselves to the will of God and serve Him at all times. But if we allow ourselves to become unequally yoked to a non-believer, either through marriage, friendship, or a business partnership, we will find ourselves in constant conflict. We will discover that our “plowing partner” has an agenda that competes with rather than complements our own. Rather than working together, we will fight one another, accomplishing little of God’s Kingdom work.

It is one thing to share the gospel with a lost individual, but it is another thing altogether to do life with them. We should love the lost and be willing to share the hope of Christ with them, but we must never forget that, in their unredeemed state, they are still enemies of God, living in rebellion against Him. Our goal should be their redemption, not a compromised relationship with them. Our purpose in associating with them is that they might know the love of God and be set free from their slavery to sin and death. But ignoring their sin just to enjoy their friendship is dangerous for us and, ultimately, a sign of a serious lack of love for them.

Father, we have to be very careful how we interpret and apply Your Son’s command to love our enemies. He wasn’t calling us to compromise our convictions or excuse their behavior; He was encouraging us to love them enough to tell them the truth about the gospel. That may require that we offend or upset them, and may have to face their wrath or rejection. But if we allow friendship to trump our calling to proclaim the good news, we do them more harm than good. By failing to tell them the truth about sin and their need for a Savior, we condemn rather than befriend them. The proverb is right when it states, “An open rebuke is better than hidden love. Wounds from a sincere friend are better than many kisses from an enemy” (Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT). Give me the boldness to speak truth even when it may result in the loss of a friend. Show me how to love well, never allowing compromise to supersede my commitment to Your Word and my calling to be an ambassador of the gospel. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Motivated By the Love of Christ

11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience. 12 We are not commending ourselves to you again but giving you cause to boast about us, so that you may be able to answer those who boast about outward appearance and not about what is in the heart. 13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him– 2 Corinthians 5:11-15 ESV

Paul has just told the Corinthians that a day is coming when all believers will stand before the judgment seat of Christ.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. – 2 Corinthians 5:10 ESV

It is that day Paul has in mind when he mentions “the fear of the Lord.” It is an awareness of the future judgment of our present actions that should create in us a sober-minded evaluation of all that we do in this life. As believers, we should carefully consider all our thoughts and actions, knowing that we will one day answer to God for all that we have done in this life since coming to faith in Christ. Paul told the believers in Rome, “Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God … each of us will give a personal account to God” (Romans 14:10, 12 NLT).

Paul was not saying that he feared the judgment of God in the sense that he might lose his salvation or lose his place in the eternal Kingdom. It was that he was strongly motivated not to do anything that might displease God on the day of judgment. He lived to please God and wanted to do His will — at all costs and at all times. He was unwilling to allow the opinions of men to alter his behavior in this life because he knew he would stand before the judgment seat of Christ in the next life. That is what led him to persuade others and prompted him to risk everything to save some. His reputation took a back seat to the message of redemption. What concerned Paul the most was what God thought of him.

God knows we are sincere, and I hope you know this, too. – 2 Corinthians 5:11b NLT

Over the life of his ministry, Paul had spent a great deal of time defending his apostleship. Unlike the original disciples of Jesus, he had not been there at the beginning of Jesus’ earthly ministry. He was not one of the twelve and had not been personally taught by Jesus. This led his opponents to argue that he lacked apostolic authority. To complicate matters, it appears that Paul had a less-than-impressive aura about him. He was evidently small in stature, unimpressive in appearance, and had gained a reputation for being a second-rate communicator. He even admitted as much in his first letter to the Corinthians.

I came to you in weakness—timid and trembling. And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:3-4 NLT

The only reason Paul defended his apostleship or said anything about himself that might come across as boastful was to silence those who kept trying to diminish his influence. Paul didn’t mind if people thought he was crazy, as long as he was being faithful to God. If he came across as crazy, it was only because he was obsessed with sharing the gospel with as many people as possible. When it came to the good news, he was “out of his mind.”

Paul said he was controlled by the love of Christ, which meant that everything he did was done out of gratitude and not for gain. He wasn’t in ministry for the money, accolades, power, or popularity. He couldn't care less whether someone thought he was crazy or sane, as long as they saw Christ in him. He was motivated by his love for the lost and his Christ-like compassion for believers, and his love for others was the direct result of God’s love for him.

The apostle John wrote, “We love each other because he loved us first. If someone says, ‘I love God,’ but hates a Christian brother or sister, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see?” (1 John 4:19-20 NLT). And how did God express His love? “God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him” (1 John 4:9 NLT). It was that sacrificial love that motivated Paul. Because of what Jesus Christ had done for him, Paul was willing to risk everything to tell everyone about the good news of salvation through faith in Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross.

He died for everyone so that those who receive his new life will no longer live for themselves. Instead, they will live for Christ, who died and was raised for them. – 2 Corinthians 5:15 NLT

God’s love for us required that Jesus die in our place. His death on our behalf made our new life possible, and that new life has freed us to live for Him, not ourselves. Our newfound capacity to live unselfishly should show up in our desire to selflessly share His love with all those we meet.

For the love of Christ controls us. – 2 Corinthians 5:15 ESV

Father, I hate to admit it, but I am controlled by a lot of things other than the love of Christ. I worry way too much about what people think of me. I spend too much time thinking about me instead of thinking about others. Far too often, I allow my pursuit of personal comfort to prevent me from   carrying out the commission Jesus gave me. But Paul reminds me that I should be motivated by Christ’s selfless love for me, not my selfish love of self. I have so much for which to be grateful and none of it has to do with my reputation, possessions, or personal accomplishments. My only value is found in Your unwavering love for me. You loved me so much that You sent Your Son to die in my place. You sacrificed Your Son so that I might be restored to a right relationship with You. And that undeserved and unfathomable love should motivate me to love others. It is the least I could do to show my gratitude and love for You. I no longer want to live for me. That is a path that leads to nowhere. It is a life that produces no fruit and little satisfaction. So, open my eyes to see the magnitude of Your love for me so that I might pour it out on others. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Tough Love

23 But I call God to witness against me—it was to spare you that I refrained from coming again to Corinth. 24 Not that we lord it over your faith, but we work with you for your joy, for you stand firm in your faith.

1 For I made up my mind not to make another painful visit to you. 2 For if I cause you pain, who is there to make me glad but the one whom I have pained? 3 And I wrote as I did, so that when I came I might not suffer pain from those who should have made me rejoice, for I felt sure of all of you, that my joy would be the joy of you all. 4 For I wrote to you out of much affliction and anguish of heart and with many tears, not to cause you pain but to let you know the abundant love that I have for you. – 2 Corinthians 1:23-2:4 ESV

Even as an apostle of Jesus Christ, Paul did not see himself as spiritually superior to the Corinthians. He viewed himself as their ally and an asset to their spiritual development. He claims, “we work with you for your joy” (2 Corinthians 1:24 ESV). He, Silas, and Timothy were tools in God’s hands, used by Him to assist the Corinthians in their growth and development. And despite the issues within the Corinthian church, Paul still believed they were firm in their faith. This made his decision to delay his visit easier, and he believed it was God's will.

But there was another reason he postponed his visit: to keep from causing them pain and sorrow. Evidently, Paul had made a second visit to Corinth sometime between his original visit when he helped establish the church there. It was on this second visit that he had to deal with particularly difficult circumstances in the church. He knew his arrival in Corinth had caused them great pain because being reprimanded is never easy, and having to be the one to call them out had not been enjoyable for Paul either. So, he says, “I decided that I would not bring you grief with another painful visit. For if I cause you grief, who will make me glad? Certainly not someone I have grieved” (2 Corinthians 2:1-2 NLT).

It pained Paul to reprimand those he loved. This reveals his pastor’s heart and his deep care and affection for the believers in Corinth. They were his children in the faith, and he had a deep and abiding love for them and felt a strong sense of responsibility for their spiritual well-being. 

Instead of paying them a potentially painful visit, Paul decided to write them a letter.

That is why I wrote to you as I did, so that when I do come, I won’t be grieved by the very ones who ought to give me the greatest joy. Surely you all know that my joy comes from your being joyful. – 2 Corinthians 2:3 NLT

The letter, now lost, was evidently quite blunt and caused Paul “great anguish” to write. Whatever he wrote had caused him great sorrow and left him in tears, but it was necessary and written in love.

It was Paul’s hope and desire that the Corinthians would take seriously the painful rebuke and loving reprimand found in his letter and do something about it. What he had written had been for their good, and he longed for them to heed his words and change their ways. Otherwise, when he did finally visit them, it would be another painful reunion.

While Paul cared for the Corinthians, he loved them too much to allow them to continue in sin. His affection for them was rooted in the love of Christ and in his knowledge that he was responsible to God for their spiritual welfare. Paul did not enjoy or take pleasure in hurting them; he simply wanted to see them enjoy all that God had in store for them. He desired that they experience all the full measure of the abundant life that Christ made possible by His death on the cross. Later in this letter, Paul explains the harsh tone of his previous letter.

I am not sorry that I sent that severe letter to you, though I was sorry at first, for I know it was painful to you for a little while. Now I am glad I sent it, not because it hurt you, but because the pain caused you to repent and change your ways. It was the kind of sorrow God wants his people to have, so you were not harmed by us in any way. For the kind of sorrow God wants us to experience leads us away from sin and results in salvation. There’s no regret for that kind of sorrow. But worldly sorrow, which lacks repentance, results in spiritual death. – 2 Corinthians 7:8-10 NLT

Paul found joy in their repentance, not in their happiness. To refrain from telling someone the truth just because you don’t want to cause them pain is not love; it is a twisted form of hate. To knowingly allow them to continue in sin would be cruel and make you an accomplice in their sin. You would be enabling their sinful behavior by remaining silent.

Too often, as Christians, our fear of losing face or friends keeps us from saying what needs to be said. But Paul believed that holiness was far more important than happiness. Our love for one another is best expressed in our unwillingness to tolerate sin in one another’s lives. Which is why Paul told the Colossian believers: “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom” (Colossians 3:16 ESV).

Jesus said, “If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him” (Luke 17:3 ESV). Solomon wrote, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend” (Proverbs 27:3 ESV). King David understood the value of the loving rebuke of a godly friend.

Let the godly strike me!
    It will be a kindness!
If they correct me, it is soothing medicine.
    Don’t let me refuse it. – Psalm 141:5 NLT

Tough love is tough to pull off because it is difficult to confront those we love. It caused Paul pain to say what he had to say to the Corinthians, but it was necessary. It was the godly thing to do. He told the Corinthians that he wrote his previous letter “to let you know how much love I have for you” (2 Corinthians 2:4 NLT).

When we care more for another believer’s holiness than for their happiness, we truly love them. When we’re willing to risk their rejection to bring about their repentance, we demonstrate our love for them. When we make their relationship with God a higher priority than their friendship with us, we are loving them as Christ loved us. As Solomon said, “Faithful are the wounds of a friend.” Strong words spoken from a sincere and loving heart may cause momentary pain, but in the long run, they will produce the fruit of righteousness.

Father, nobody likes to have their sins exposed or their faults pointed out, but the truth is that we are sometimes the last ones to see what is painfully obvious to others. Yet, most of us avoid confronting the sin we see in other’s lives because we fear rejection or suspect that they will point the finger of accusation back at us. However, our silence does nothing to change their behavior or assuage our responsibility to love them enough to confront them. Father, before Your Son began His earthly ministry, You sent John the Baptist to call the people to repentance. Even Jesus’ preached the same message, calling people to acknowledge their sinfulness and their need for a Savior. He is the one who said, “Healthy people don’t need a doctor—sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners” (Mark 2:17 NLT). He loved us enough to tell us the truth about ourselves. Then He went to the cross to pay the penalty we owed and provide a cure for our sinful condition. Give me the same passion to expose the sins in those I claim to love. Don’t allow me to let getting along to outweigh my responsibility to build up the body of Christ. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

What To Do While We Wait

15 Now I urge you, brothers—you know that the household of Stephanas were the first converts in Achaia, and that they have devoted themselves to the service of the saints— 16 be subject to such as these, and to every fellow worker and laborer. 17 I rejoice at the coming of Stephanas and Fortunatus and Achaicus, because they have made up for your absence, 18 for they refreshed my spirit as well as yours. Give recognition to such people.

19 The churches of Asia send you greetings. Aquila and Prisca, together with the church in their house, send you hearty greetings in the Lord. 20 All the brothers send you greetings. Greet one another with a holy kiss.

21 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. 22 If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. Our Lord, come! 23 The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. 24 My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. – 1  Corinthians 16:15-24 ESV

Paul wraps up his letter with a somewhat random and meandering closing. First, he recognizes three individuals, Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, who were among the first converts in Achaia, the province in which Corinth was located. Earlier in this letter, Paul indicated that Stephanas and his family were the only ones he had baptized in Corinth.

I did baptize also the household of Stephanas. Beyond that, I do not know whether I baptized anyone else. – 1 Corinthians 1:16 ESV

It seems that Stephanas and the other two had recently visited Paul and had been a source of encouragement to him. He was appreciative of their friendship and ministry and wanted the Corinthian congregation to treat them with respect. He uses these three men as examples of the kind of leadership to which the Corinthians should submit themselves. They were worthy of recognition and stood out to Paul because of their hearts for service and their attitude of humility as they ministered to him and their fellow believers in Corinth. 

Secondly, Paul sends greetings from the house church in Asia, which was meeting in the home of Aquila and Priscilla. Paul had struck up a friendship with this couple after meeting them in Corinth during one of his missionary journeys.

After this Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. And he found a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to leave Rome. And he went to see them, and because he was of the same trade he stayed with them and worked, for they were tentmakers by trade. – Acts 18:1-3 ESV

This couple had ended up in Corinth after fleeing Rome due to persecution. When Paul left Corinth for Ephesus, Aquila and Priscilla traveled with him and later settled in Ephesus, where they started a church in their home (Acts 18:18-20). Like Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, these two individuals were examples of the kind of disciples Paul sought to make wherever he went. They were selfless, and each had the heart of a servant. They were willing to open their home, share their resources, and give of their time to see that the gospel spread throughout the known world. And they used their trade as tentmakers to pay their own way. 

Paul gives his letter a personal touch by writing the final lines in his own handwriting. He had probably dictated the rest of the letter, but penned the last few words to validate that the letter was really from him. What he chose to write is interesting for its seeming randomness.

If anyone has no love for the Lord, let him be accursed. – vs 22

The grace of the Lord Jesus be with you. – vs 23

My love be with you all in Christ Jesus. Amen. – vs 24

He calls for a curse on those who reject the gospel, prays for God’s grace on the Corinthians, and expresses his love for them. It’s an interesting combination of thoughts, and sandwiched in between them is an appeal for the Lord’s return:

Our Lord, come! – 1 Corinthians 16:22 ESV

Maranatha was an Aramaic expression that became a standard greeting among believers in the early days of the church. Those in the church lived with a sense of the Lord’s imminent return. Their belief that His coming could happen at any time was a motivating factor in their lives, leading them to live with a sense of anticipation and eager expectation. For Paul, the world became a place divided into believers and non-believers: those who were saved and those who remained lost. And if anyone refused to love the Lord, Paul’s response was to let them be accursed. As violent and harsh as this sounds, Paul is simply expressing the sad reality of their condition due to their rejection of the Savior. They were already under a curse, which carried the penalty of death and eternal separation from God. Paul was suggesting that their rejection of Christ would result in their rejection by God. Christ’s eventual and inevitable return would bring bad news and an even worse ending to their lives. But for Paul and the other believers in Corinth, the return of Christ was something for which they could eagerly and faithfully anticipate.

The author of Hebrews reminds us that we should have no fear of death and that we should expectantly hope for the return of Christ.

Because God’s children are human beings—made of flesh and blood—the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could he die, and only by dying could he break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. Only in this way could he set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying. – Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT

In the meantime, while they awaited the Lord’s return, Paul prayed that the grace of Christ would protect them. And he would continue to love them, oftentimes in spite of them. He would continue to write them, sometimes to confront them but also to encourage them in their faith. He expressed his longing to see them face to face, so that he might personally strengthen them. As he wrote in his letter to the Romans, “I long to visit you so I can bring you some spiritual gift that will help you grow strong in the Lord” (Romans 1:11 NLT).

Paul ends his letter with four powerful reminders:

First, he calls them to continue in their love for Christ, and uses the Greek word phileo, which refers to brotherly love.  He seems to be calling for an intimate, familial kind of love relationship with Jesus. The author of Hebrews described this “brotherly” relationship between Jesus and all those who have been adopted in the family of God and share the privilege of calling Him Father.

So now Jesus and the ones he makes holy have the same Father. That is why Jesus is not ashamed to call them his brothers and sisters. For he said to God,

“I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters.
    I will praise you among your assembled people.” – Hebrews 2:11-12 NLT

Secondly, he encourages them to live with the end in mind, using the phrase “Our Lord, come!” as a reminder of the Lord’s certain return. This world can be a difficult place to live, but we can not only survive but thrive because we have the unwavering assurance that our salvation will culminate in our glorification when Jesus comes back.

Third, he mentions the undeserved and sustaining grace of Christ. This is the same way he began his letter. 

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 1:3 ESV

Gordon D. Fee writes, “Grace is the beginning and the end of the Christian gospel; it is the single word that most fully expresses what God has done and will do for his people in Christ Jesus” (Gordon D. Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians).

Finally, he declares his love for them but uses the Greek word agapē, which refers to a selfless, lay-it-all-on-the-line kind of love, demonstrated by Christ’s death on the cross.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8 NLT

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. – 1 John 3:16 NLT

Paul wasn’t talking about a sentimental, Hallmark card kind of love; he was declaring a deep and compassionate affection for them that wasn’t based on their loveliness or loveableness. It was the same kind of love that Jesus demonstrated to us.

We love each other because he loved us first. – 1 John 4:19 NLT

These were all on Paul's heart as he wrapped up his letter to the Corinthians, and they should be the passion and priority of every believer in the church today.

Father, I want to love Christ more and more deeply the older I get. I want to live with the end in mind, eagerly believing that He could return at any moment. I want to grow in my understanding of and appreciation for Your marvelous grace expressed in Jesus’ death on the cross for me. And I want to emulate Your love for me by sharing that love with all those who are my brothers and sisters in Christ. As daunting as those things sound, I know they’re possible because of the indwelling presence and power of the Holy Spirit. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Love On Display

1 Now concerning the collection for the saints: as I directed the churches of Galatia, so you also are to do. 2 On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come. 3 And when I arrive, I will send those whom you accredit by letter to carry your gift to Jerusalem. 4 If it seems advisable that I should go also, they will accompany me. – 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 ESV

Paul opens up this section of verses with the same words he has used throughout this section of the letter:

Now concerning the matters about which you wrote... - 1 Corinthians 7:1 ESV

Now concerning the betrothed... - 1 Corinthians 7:25 ESV

Now concerning food offered to idols... - 1 Corinthians 8:1 ESV

Now concerning spiritual gifts... - 1 Corinthians 12:1 ESV

Now concerning our brother Apollos... - 1 Corinthians 16:12 ESV

In each case, it seems he is either answering a question from the Corinthians or addressing a concern about the church's affairs. In this case, he is dealing with their role in assisting the “saints.” This is most likely a reference to the saints in Jerusalem and Judea. Luke describes the situation in the Book of Acts.

Now in these days prophets came down from Jerusalem to Antioch. And one of them named Agabus stood up and foretold by the Spirit that there would be a great famine over all the world (this took place in the days of Claudius). So the disciples determined, every one according to his ability, to send relief to the brothers living in Judea. And they did so, sending it to the elders by the hand of Barnabas and Saul. - Acts 11:27-30 ESV

The warning of a looming famine in Judea moved the believers in Antioch, Syria, to take action.  Primarily comprised of newly converted Gentiles, the church in Antioch decided to collect an offering to help the church in Jerusalem survive the pending famine, and they appointed Paul and Barnabas to deliver the gift. Under Paul’s leadership, this fundraising effort would expand to other congregations in regions such as Galatia, Asia, Macedonia, and Achaia. When the famine began, Paul was still traveling throughout these same regions, leading people to Christ and planting churches. His collection for the saints in Jerusalem was a long-term effort that encouraged Gentile congregations throughout the known world to participate, including the church in Corinth.

Paul had a strong desire to assist the believers in Jerusalem and the surrounding areas who were struggling during the time of famine. These believers, who were primarily Jews, were not only going without food but were also having to deal with persecution from their Jewish peers because of their conversion to Christianity. Paul had written to the believers in Rome, informing them about this international relief effort and his role in it.

At present, however, I am going to Jerusalem bringing aid to the saints. For Macedonia and Achaia have been pleased to make some contribution for the poor among the saints at Jerusalem. – Romans 15:25-26 ESV

He went on to say that the believers in Macedonia and Achaia were pleased to do it and even saw it as a debt they owed.

For if the Gentiles have come to share in their spiritual blessings, they ought also to be of service to them in material blessings. – Romans 15:27 ESV 

In the early days of the church, there was a need for community and mutual care throughout the body of Christ. The new, fledgling churches were commonly made up of individuals from the less affluent segments of society. Many who had come to faith in Christ had lost their jobs and been ostracized by their families. Some of the churches Paul helped found were better off than others, and he strongly encouraged them to use their resources to help those in need, both within their own local fellowships and in other cities. Paul would write a second letter to the Corinthians, encouraging them to support the needs of others, something they seemed to struggle with.

Now, brethren, we wish to make known to you the grace of God which has been given in the churches of Macedonia, that in a great ordeal of affliction their abundance of joy and their deep poverty overflowed in the wealth of their liberality. For I testify that according to their ability, and beyond their ability, they gave of their own accord, begging us with much urging for the favor of participation in the support of the saints, and this, not as we had expected, but they first gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. So we urged Titus that as he had previously made a beginning, so he would also complete in you this gracious work as well. But just as you abound in everything, in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all earnestness and in the love we inspired in you, see that you abound in this gracious work also. – 2 Corinthians 8:1-7 NLT

Paul was not above using shame as a motivator, comparing the Corinthians' apparent stinginess with the generosity of the churches in Macedonia. These congregations, while enduring their own “deep poverty,” were joyfully and eagerly giving to meet the needs of the saints in Jerusalem, even begging for the opportunity to do so. Twice, Paul refers to this as a “gracious work” and tells the Corinthians that generous giving is to be pursued with the same intensity and high priority as faith, speech, knowledge, or even love. In fact, meeting the physical needs of others is one of the greatest expressions of our love for others.

So Paul tells the Corinthians, “On the first day of each week, you should each put aside a portion of the money you have earned. Don’t wait until I get there and then try to collect it all at once” (1 Corinthians 1:3 NLT). He provides them with instructions on how to take up their collection, fully expecting them to participate in supporting the needs of the believers in Judea. He is not commanding them to do so, but he is fully expecting their willing participation. Why? Because it is God’s will and their willful involvement will provide evidence of the Spirit’s working within them. God has a heart for the helpless, hopeless, needy, and destitute. In the book of Micah, the prophet records what God expects of His people:

He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God? – Micah 6:8 ESV

The greatest expression of generosity and sacrifice Paul could think of was that of Jesus Christ’s willing sacrifice of His life.

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich. – 2 Corinthians 8:9 ESV

He gave His life so that we might live. He became poor, leaving the confines of heaven and taking on human flesh, so that we might become rich, enjoying our position as heir of God Himself. 

The body of Christ is meant to care for itself; there is no room for selfishness and self-centeredness. God blesses some so that they might be a blessing to others. But even those with little can assist those with even less. This is not just about redistributing wealth or creating a socialist society. It is about love, generosity, and a desire to express God’s love to those in need. In a second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul brought up their need to participate again.

You must each decide in your heart how much to give. And don’t give reluctantly or in response to pressure. “For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.” And God will generously provide all you need. Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others. As the Scriptures say, “They share freely and give generously to the poor. Their good deeds will be remembered forever.” – 2 Corinthians 9:7-9 NLT

The goal for Paul was generosity, a genuine, heartfelt, Spirit-inspired, love-based generosity that expressed the unity and community for which Christ died. Paul longed to see the churches to which he ministered experience and display the kind of love that characterized the days immediately after the coming of the Spirit.

All the believers were united in heart and mind. And they felt that what they owned was not their own, so they shared everything they had…There were no needy people among them, because those who owned land or houses would sell them and bring the money to the apostles to give to those in need. – Acts 4:32,34-35 NLT

Genuine generosity, Godly love, brotherly affection, selfless sacrifice, and compassionate care were to mark the body of Christ and give evidence of their relationship with Him. As Jesus told His disciples, “Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:35 NLT).

Father, generosity and love are not optional for Your children. As Your sons and daughters, we are to reflect Your character and display Your heart to the world around us as we lovingly care for our own. But our acts of selfless sacrifice should not be restricted to those who believe as we do or who attend our local fellowship. Jesus died for all men. His did not limit His love by offering it only to His own people. His gift of salvation was for all those living in spiritual poverty, and we are the beneficiaries of that love. But if we can't love and care for our own, our witness to the world will be ineffective. How will they know we are followers of Christ is we can’t manage to meet one another’s needs? We are a blessed people and most of us have more than we need or deserve. Through the power of Your Holy Spirit, remove our tendency toward selfishness and replace it with selflessness. May we love others as You have loved us. May we display a level of mutual care and concern that demonstrates to the world that we are Your children by making Your selfless, sacrificial love tangible and visible. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Love Defined and Displayed

4 Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant 5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; 6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. 7 Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

8 Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. – 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ESV

It is virtually impossible to read these verses without considering Paul’s description of the fruit of the Spirit found in his letter to the Galatian churches.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another. – Galatians 5:22-26 ESV

It is important to keep in mind that Paul’s discussion of love in 1 Corinthians 13 follows his discussion of the spiritual gifts. Those gifts, given by the Spirit of God, would most certainly reflect the fruit that He produces, including love. Operating under the Spirit’s influence and displaying a gift He has given, but without love, would be impossible. God is love, and the same is true of the Spirit of God. When we live under His influence, our lives will reflect His loving nature, and Paul describes what that love looks like.

It is patient – it puts up with a lot, including others' offenses against us. It doesn’t seek to get even or enact revenge.

It is kind – it acts benevolently. In other words, it manifests as tangible expressions of kindness and goodness toward others. Even to those who hurt us.

It isn’t envious – the actual Greek word means to “be heated or to boil with envy.” God’s kind of love rejoices with others, rather than getting jealous of what they have.

It doesn’t boast – It is impossible to love like God and grandstand at the same time. When godly love is in operation, it is other-focused rather than self-promoting.

It isn’t arrogant – God’s love requires humility, not pride. It doesn’t exhibit an inflated sense of self-worth.

It isn’t rude – you can’t say you love someone and treat them in a disrespectful or unseemly way.

It doesn’t insist on getting it’s on way – we can know we are displaying godly love when we aren’t out for our own good. His brand of love is selfless and sacrificial.

It isn’t irritable – when the Spirit’s love is operating in us and through us, we won’t be easily provoked. We will have resilience and a resistance to the words and actions of others.

It isn’t resentful – God’s kind of love doesn’t keep score or maintain a list of wrongs suffered, and it most certainly doesn’t seek to get even.

It doesn’t rejoice at wrongdoing – when we love like God does, we won’t approve of others’ sins, and we won’t find pleasure in sinning ourselves.

It rejoices with the truth – godly love is overjoyed when others do what is right. It allows us to rejoice alongside them, rather than being jealous of them.

It bears all things – Spirit-empowered love can endure all kinds of people and circumstances.

It believes all things – when we love as God does, it allows us to maintain our faith in all kinds of situations and among all kinds of people.

It hopes all things –godly love doesn’t become hopeless or defeated by what happens to us in this life. It remains hopeful in the face of difficulties.

It endures all things –despite what others might do or say, godly love patiently and persistently weathers the storms of life without giving in or giving up.

It never ends – the kind of love Paul is describing is long-lasting, not short-lived. There will never be a time when godly love becomes non-existent or non-essential.

But spiritual gifts have a shelf life; they will not always be needed or necessary. When Christ returns and establishes His Kingdom on earth, there will be no more need for prophecy, tongues, or the gift of knowledge because all will be fulfilled. God’s plan will be complete. But love will prevail and persist, because God is love. The permanence of godly love is why it should have preeminence in our lives, and when we operate under the Spirit’s control, we will display the characteristics of God’s love. Our spirituality will be marked by love, rather than envy, deceit, or provocation.

Godly love unites and never divides. It always flows out and never turns in on itself. Paul describes a life in which God's love flows through us to others. The apostle John provides a much-needed reminder of love’s source and its significance in our lives. 

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. In this is love, not that we have 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 also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us. – 1 John 4:7-12 ESV

It is God’s unwavering and undeserved love for us that should motivate our love for others. Jesus told His disciples, “As I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34 ESV). All those who have been the recipients of God’s love, as expressed through the gracious gift of His Son, should reciprocate by passing that love on to others. According to John, claiming to love God while failing to love others is not only hypocritical but also a sin.

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? – 1 John 4:20 NLT

If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? – 1 John 3:17 BSB

According to Paul, godly love is not only practical, but it’s also practicable. With the Spirit’s help, we can love others as God has loved us because His brand of love is tangible and applicable to everyday life. But our love is more than beneficial to others; it’s educational.  When we love one another as Jesus has loved us, we prove to the world that we are not only His followers, but that we are His agents of reconciliation to a lost and dying world. 

“A new commandment I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you also must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.” – John 13:34-35 BSB

Father, if we truly learned to love as we have been loved, the world would sit up and take notice. That kind of love is in short supply and desperately needed. And You have not only commanded us to love well, but You have provided the means to do so through the gift of Your Spirit. We have the power to love and more than enough opportunities to put it into practice every day. So, light a fire in our hearts so that we might reject selfishness and embrace the selfless, sacrificial love You have showered on us and share it with all those we meet — no matter how undeserving or unloveable they may be. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Pursuing Righteousness Instead of Rights

1 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are not you my workmanship in the Lord? 2 If to others I am not an apostle, at least I am to you, for you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.

3 This is my defense to those who would examine me. 4 Do we not have the right to eat and drink? 5 Do we not have the right to take along a believing wife, as do the other apostles and the brothers of the Lord and Cephas? 6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working for a living? 7 Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard without eating any of its fruit? Or who tends a flock without getting some of the milk? – 1 Corinthians 9:1-7 ESV

While Paul was on the issue of rights and the Christian’s need to die to them, he took the opportunity to address his rights as an apostle. There were evidently those in Corinth who were questioning whether he really was an apostle at all. Others may have been confused by some of Paul’s actions, because at times he did not appear to behave as an apostle.

Some of this had to do with how Paul handled himself when he had ministered among the Corinthians. Rather than allow the Corinthians to meet all his financial needs and provide him with food and shelter, Paul and Barnabas had chosen to work (Acts 18:3). Evidently, other apostles, like Peter, had a reputation for bringing their wives with them while doing ministry, and they expected the churches to cover their expenses as well. Paul didn’t fall into this category because he was unmarried. However, Paul’s point is that he had every right to expect the Corinthians to care for him while he was ministering among them. And if he had been married, he would have had the right to bring his wife with him and expect the church to pay her way. But just because Paul did none of those things did not make him any less an apostle of Jesus Christ. He met the criteria.

First of all, he had a personal encounter with the risen Lord and was commissioned by Him to take the gospel to the Gentiles. He was every bit an apostle as much as Peter, James, or John, and the Corinthians were living proof of his apostleship, because their lives had been changed because of his ministry.

Paul gives three illustrations from daily life to prove his right to expect compensation and care from the Corinthians. First of all, he uses the example of a soldier. No member of the military is expected to pay his own way, but he serves on behalf of the people, giving his time and, if necessary, his life in defense of his nation. In return, the citizens of that nation pay his salary and supply his needs for food, clothing, and shelter. It is a mutually beneficial arrangement.

The second illustration Paul uses is that of a farmer and his vineyard. No farmer in his right mind would plant a vineyard and not expect to benefit from the fruit that it yields. He is the one who tilled the soil, planted the vines, and harvested the grapes. As a result, he had every right to enjoy the fruits of his labors.

The final illustration Paul gives is that of a shepherd. To deny a shepherd the benefit of the milk his flocks provide would be ludicrous and unfair. He is the one who has provided for and protected the sheep, keeping them well-fed and safe; so he should be the one who enjoys the benefits of his hard work.

As will become evident later in this same chapter, Paul’s main concern was not regarding his rights as an apostle but about the integrity of the gospel. His primary goal was that the gospel remain unhindered in any way. That is why he and Barnabas had chosen to work rather than demand their rights and expect the Corinthians to cover their costs. These two men did not want the Corinthians to resent their presence or reject the gospel because of an unnecessary financial burden. So, they willingly relinquished their rights.

This goes back to chapter eight and Paul’s warnings about those in the church who were allowing their “knowledge” of right and wrong to cause their brothers and sisters in Christ to stumble. They were using their rights as an excuse to do wrong, and Paul was using himself as an illustration of how dying to one’s rights is sometimes the right thing to do.

At the core of the gospel is the message of love, specifically God’s love for mankind. He sent His Son to die in the place of sinful men and women, out of love. Jesus told His disciples, “Love one another as I have loved you” (John 15:12 ESV). In the very next verse, He gave what He believed to be was the greatest expression of love for another human being.

“Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” –John 15:13 ESV

And in keeping with His teaching, Jesus gave His life as the consummate expression of His love for mankind. The apostle John wrote, “By this we know love, that he [Jesus] laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers” (1 John 3:12 ESV). And that was the primary pointPaul was making in his letter to the Corinthians. Just as Paul had been willing to give up his rights and lay down his life for them, he was expecting them to do the same.

The gospel is not about rights, but about righteousness. It is about dying to self and living for God, which means loving those whom He has made in His image. God did not save us to make us isolated islands of self-obsession, where our rights rule the day. He saved us so that we might die to self and live for Him. And one of the best ways we can express our love for God is by loving those around us, sharing the gospel message of reconciliation in both words and deeds. Jesus Himself made it perfectly clear and simple when He said, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 15:35 ESV).

Father, demanding my rights comes naturally, but dying to them can be difficult and counter-intuitive. It seems to make no sense. In a culture that cultivates a what’s-in-it-for-me mindset, dying to self goes against our human propensity for self-protection and the pursuit of personal pleasure at all costs. Demanding our rights has become a sacrosanct, non-negotiable entitlement that makes us the center of our own universe. But Paul calls us to model our lives after that of Jesus. He demands that we practice sacrifice and selflessness, placing the needs of others ahead of our own. He calls us to love others more than we love ourselves. Just as Christ loved us. It’s not easy and it’s certainly doesn’t come naturally. But with the Holy Spirit’s help, even I can display the selfless love of Christ to others and prove that righteousness is far more beneficial than demanding my rights — every time. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Beauty of the Body of Christ

12 We ask you, brothers, to respect those who labor among you and are over you in the Lord and admonish you, 13 and to esteem them very highly in love because of their work. Be at peace among yourselves. 14 And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all. 15 See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone. 16 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. 19 Do not quench the Spirit. 20 Do not despise prophecies, 21 but test everything; hold fast what is good. 22 Abstain from every form of evil. – 1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 ESV

After providing the Thessalonians with some much-needed clarification and new information regarding the end times, Paul brings the focus of his letter back to the present day. The news he shared about the Rapture of the church and the Second Coming of Christ was intended to quell their fears and encourage them to build one another up. For Paul, the unity and mutual edification of fellow believers were essential to the health and vitality of the church. He told the church in Corinth, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose” (1 Corinthians 1:10 NLT).

He encouraged the believers in Rome to “Live in harmony with each other” (Romans 12:16 NLT). And he wrote to the believers in Philippi, charging them to conduct themselves in a manner worthy of the Good News about Christ and to stand together “with one spirit and one purpose, fighting together for the faith, which is the Good News” (Philippians 1:27 NLT).

Paul knew that unity within the body of Christ began with mutual respect and submission to those whom God had placed as leaders over the church. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul referred to apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers as gifts from God, tasked with equipping “God’s people to do his work and build up the church, the body of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-12 NLT).

The author of the book of Hebrews adds his own admonition to respect and submit to the God-appointed leaders in the church.

Obey your spiritual leaders, and do what they say. Their work is to watch over your souls, and they are accountable to God. Give them reason to do this with joy and not with sorrow. – Hebrews 13:17 NLT

Paul told the members of the church in Corinth to treat those who ministered among them with respect and “to submit to them and others like them who serve with such devotion” (1 Corinthians 16:16 NLT). So, when Paul tells the Thessalonians “to respect those who labor among you” (1 Thessalonians 5:12 ESV) and “to esteem them very highly in love because of their work” (1 Thessalonians 5:13 ESV), he is simply restating his firmly held belief in God’s authority structure for the local church.

It is important to remember that, when Paul wrote this letter, the church was still in its infancy. Through the evangelistic efforts of Paul, Silas, Barnabas, Timothy, Peter, and the other apostles, the gospel had spread like wildfire throughout the Roman Empire, and its rapid expansion had created a pressing need for leaders. The Book of Acts records that, on one of their many missionary journeys, Paul and Barnabas made many disciples and “they strengthened the believers” and “encouraged them to continue in the faith” (Acts 14:22 NLT). And Luke goes on to explain how “Paul and Barnabas also appointed elders in every church. With prayer and fasting, they turned the elders over to the care of the Lord, in whom they had put their trust” (Acts 14:23 NLT).

One of the primary responsibilities Paul gave to his young protégés, Titus and Timothy, was to appoint elders and leaders for the growing number of congregations springing up all over Macedonia, Asia Minor, Galatia, and Achaia. He told Titus, “I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you” (Titus 1:5 NLT). Paul advised Timothy what to look for when seeking out men to lead the church.

…a church leader must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? – 1 Timothy 3:2-5 NLT

These men should not be new converts to the faith, and their lives were to be characterized by a level of integrity that earned the respect of those inside and outside the church. As Paul told Titus, these individuals were God-appointed leaders who were to be held to a high standard.

A church leader is a manager of God’s household, so he must live a blameless life. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered; he must not be a heavy drinker, violent, or dishonest with money. – Titus 1:5 NLT

When these men taught, led, fed, encouraged, or admonished the flock of God, they were to be treated with respect and love by those under their care.

But alongside godly leadership, Paul recognized the need for mutual accountability and compassionate care within the congregation. The church was the body of Christ; it was an organism, not an organization. And Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand their mutual responsibility to care for and build up one another, which led him to write, “admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all” (1 Thessalonians 5:14 NLT).

In his letters to the churches in Rome and Corinth, Paul compared the church to the human body.

Just as our bodies have many parts and each part has a special function, so it is with Christ’s body. We are many parts of one body, and we all belong to each other. – Romans 12:4-5 NLT

The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 12:12 NLT

As in the human body, the diversity of parts was part of God’s plan for maintaining unity and vitality. Each member of the body of Christ had a personal responsibility to use his or her gifts for the good of the whole. There was no place for selfishness or self-centeredness. God designed the body of Christ to operate in a spirit of solidarity, not solitariness.

So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. – 1 Corinthians 12:6-9 NLT

Paul tells the Thessalonians that the love God expected them to express toward one another should consist of equal parts of love, admonishment, comfort, help, and patience. They were to pursue what was best for one another, putting others' needs ahead of their own. There was no place for disunity, dissension, lack of discipline, laziness, or self-centeredness in the body of Christ.

In fact, as far as Paul was concerned, Christ’s church was to be characterized by continuous rejoicing, constant prayer, and a contagious gratitude toward God for all that He had done. Paul makes it clear that these characteristics were in keeping with God's will for the church. When the body of Christ operates outside those parameters, it risks extinguishing the work of the Spirit in its midst. Ungodly behavior among God’s people is unacceptable and has the same effect on the Spirit’s power as water being poured on an open flame. When members of the body of Christ fail to live in unity and refuse to minister to one another with a focus on community, the Spirit of God is grieved.

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. – Ephesians 4:29-30 NLT

And, as if to illustrate all that he has just said, Paul warns the Thessalonians to “not treat prophecies with contempt” (1 Thessalonians 5:20 NET). This statement ties in with Paul’s teaching about the end times and his admonition to the Thessalonians to respect those who labor among them. Paul had provided them with new teachings about the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ, and, as difficult as these new revelations might be to understand, he expected them to receive them as coming from God. He invited them to “test everything” and to “hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21 ESV), but they were not to treat the words of God contemptuously. The Greek word Paul uses means “to make of no account.” While they were free to examine and test these new teachings, they were not to discard them simply because they were difficult to understand or hard to accept.

Much of what they were hearing was new to them. The Bible as we know it did not yet exist. Like many of the other letters Paul wrote, this one would eventually become part of the Canon of Scripture. Still, at this point in the church's history, the doctrines and theology with which we are now intimately familiar were still being determined and disseminated. This meant that the members of the local churches would have to trust leaders like Paul, whom God had placed over them. And, as Paul concludes in this section, it also meant that they were going to have to avoid “every form of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:22 ESV).

Paul expands on this thought in his letter to the church in Rome.

Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other. Never be lazy, but work hard and serve the Lord enthusiastically. Rejoice in our confident hope. Be patient in trouble, and keep on praying. When God’s people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. – Romans 12:9-13 NLT

The body of Christ is to be a living demonstration of unity, community, love, and mutual care, empowered by the Spirit of God and intended for the building up of the people of God.

Father, it is so easy to take the body of Christ for granted. I can tend to view it as an optional add-on to my faith experience, but You would give it a far higher priority. Along with marriage, the church is a divinely ordained institution that You created to carry out Christ’s great commission, but it is also the means by which we display and experience the fruit of the Spirit. The church is vital to a believer’s spiritual growth and the non-negotiable context in which sanctification and discipleship takes place in this life. Yes, it’s sometimes messy and far from perfect, but, as Paul told Timothy, “the church of the living God, which is the pillar and foundation of the truth” (1 Timothy 3;15 NLT). The church is where the love of Christ is to be displayed, the fruit of the Spirit is to be shared, and the transformative power of the gospel is to be demonstrated for the world to see. Give me an ever-increasing love for Your church and a passion to see it manifest Your glory in this world. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Law Worth Keeping

1 Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. 2 Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 3 For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. 4 But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor. 5 For each will have to bear his own load.

6 Let the one who is taught the word share all good things with the one who teaches. 7 Do not be deceived: God is not mocked, for whatever one sows, that will he also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up. 10 So then, as we have opportunity, let us do good to everyone, and especially to those who are of the household of faith.

11 See with what large letters I am writing to you with my own hand. 12 It is those who want to make a good showing in the flesh who would force you to be circumcised, and only in order that they may not be persecuted for the cross of Christ. 13 For even those who are circumcised do not themselves keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. 14 But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. 15 For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation. 16 And as for all who walk by this rule, peace and mercy be upon them, and upon the Israel of God.

17 From now on let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers. Amen. – Galatians 6:1-18 ESV

Our freedom from the law doesn’t give us a license to live according to our own standards. We are not free to live and do as we please. Paul uses this last section of his letter to let his readers know that their behavior needs to change. They were to live differently. But Paul was not suggesting some form of behavior modification brought about by mere human effort. The change he was looking for was to be the result of the Spirit's presence and work in them.

Rather than living selfishly and self-absorbed, they were to love sacrificially and selflessly. They were to care about the sins of one another, not so they could point fingers and make themselves feel better about their own righteousness, but to restore that brother or sister to the body of Christ. Paul told them to "share each other's burdens.” (Galatians 6:2 NLT).  When they did, they would be obeying a different law altogether, the law of Christ. It is a law of love and selfless sacrifice that requires us to put others ahead of ourselves, rather than compete with them to get ahead.

John Piper describes the law of Christ this way: "But when Christ summons us to obey his law of love, he offers us himself to slay the dragon of our pride, change our hearts, empower us by his Spirit, and fulfill his law" (John Piper, https://www.desiringgod.org/messages/the-law-of-christ). The old law could not change our hearts; it could merely alter our behavior, but never perfectly or completely. The law of Christ is driven by love and is focused on changing our hearts and modifying our behavior from the inside out.

Paul tells us, "If you think you are too important to help someone, you are only fooling yourself. You are not that important" (Galatians 6:5 NLT). This had been a theme of Jesus when He walked this earth during the three and a half years of His ministry. He was constantly teaching His disciples that life in His Kingdom was about placing the needs of others ahead of your own. It was about service, not being served. It was putting others first and ourselves last. It was about life within a community, not self-centered individuality.

On one occasion, He told a parable about the coming Kingdom of Heaven, using the illustration of a landowner and the caretakers of his vineyard. When the owner of the vineyard returned and paid his workers for their labor, some were upset that those who had been hired late in the day had been paid the same wages as those who had worked all day. Jesus concluded His parable with the rather cryptic message, “So those who are last now will be first then, and those who are first will be last” (Matthew 20:16 NLT). In His Kingdom, the status quo would be turned on its head. Earthly forms of classification and hierarchy will be done away with. 

While attending a dinner and observing the actions of the guests, Jesus gave the following advice to His disciples, “When you are invited to a wedding feast, don’t sit in the seat of honor” (Luke 14:8 NLT). He had watched as the guests jockeyed for the places of prominence at the gathering, hoping to elevate their standing among their peers. But He told His disciples,  “Instead, take the lowest place at the foot of the table. Then when your host sees you, he will come and say, ‘Friend, we have a better place for you!’ Then you will be honored in front of all the other guests” (Luke 14:10 NLT).

But His message wasn’t really about wedding feasts and displays of pride and hubris. He was giving His disciples a lesson about life in the Kingdom of God. That’s why He went on to say, “For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted” (Luke 14:11 NLT). 

While Paul had not been a disciple of Jesus, he was well-versed in His teachings, and he understood that salvation was far more than an individual event that restored a sinner to a right relationship with God the Father. It was about community and the radical renovation of the hearts and minds of those who belong to the body of Christ. Faith in Christ places believers in the body of Christ and empowers them to live as brothers and sisters in a loving and gracious atmosphere of selfless service. That is why Paul tells the Galatian believers,  "Therefore, whenever we have the opportunity, we should do good to everyone – especially to those in the family of faith" (Galatians 6:10 NLT).

Doing good to others and loving them as we have been loved by God; that is the nature of life within the body of Christ. It is about caring and community. It is about the fruit of the Spirit being produced in our lives for the benefit of others, not ourselves. We are being transformed by Christ so that we might be agents of transformation in the lives of one another. We are to love others as He has loved us, selflessly and sacrificially. We are to be instruments of change in the Redeemer's hands. As He works in us, He uses us to love the lost and lift up our brothers and sisters in Christ.

But the antithesis of the law of Christ is the lure of pride. We are constantly battling our selfish desire to make it all about ourselves. However, Jesus gave us the greatest commandment when He said, "You must love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, and all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. A second is equally important: 'Love your neighbor as yourself.' The entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based on these two commandments" (Matthew 22:37-40 NLT).

Love God. Love others. It’s as simple as that. But God knew that this simple request would prove impossible for those who still harbored their old, sinful natures. That is why He provided His Spirit to fill and empower His children to carry out His command. Because of the Spirit’s presence and power, we have the capacity to love God and others. And when we do, we have no reason to brag or boast because our love is a byproduct of the Spirit, not ourselves. It is His love in us flowing through us and influencing those around us.

The apostle John would have us remember that “We love each other because he loved us first” (1 John 4:19 NLT). He made our capacity to love others possible by loving us enough to send His Son to die on our behalf. But John goes on to provide a disclaimer. 

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. – 1 John 4:20-21 NLT

Father, I want to fulfill the law of Christ. I want to love as He loved. I want my life to be marked by selflessness, not selfishness. I want to lift the burdens of others, but sometimes I can become too consumed with my own cares and concerns. Help me to learn to take the focus off of me and place it where it belongs — on others. Help me to understand that your fruit, produced by Your Spirit in my life, is not for me but for others. Give me a growing desire to give my life away — willingly, gladly, and selflessly. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Do Unto Others

7 “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. 9 Or which one of you, if his son asks him for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? 11 If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask him!

12  “So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 7:7-12 ESV

Verse 12 contains what has come to be known as “The Golden Rule.” It is most commonly recited as “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” This moral principle is sometimes referred to as the ethics of reciprocity. But Jesus’ original statement is contained within the context of His Sermon on the Mount and is addressed to a large gathering of Jews who have been attracted to His messages and miracles. So, it is essential to keep verse 12 within the context of Jesus's message. It is not intended to be an isolated principle or a moral maxim for regulating behavior. This “rule” is intended to describe the lifestyle of the true disciple of Jesus.

Sitting in the crowd that day were His 12 disciples, the men who would spend three years sitting under His tutelage and absorbing all He had to say. The sermon He preached on the hillside was intended primarily for them. It was a primer on all that was to come due to His earthly ministry, eventual death, and resurrection. They believed Jesus to be the long-awaited Messiah and expected Him to set up His earthly Kingdom. They did not yet understand that He had not come to rule and reign but to suffer and die. And His death would pave the way for them to carry out every aspect of His sermon and fulfill every command it contained.

In His message, Jesus addressed all those who desired to be blessed or approved by God, which would have included every person in His audience. He wanted His predominantly Jewish audience to understand that their relationship with God was based on something other than their adherence to the Mosaic Law. Jesus was not discounting the law but simply exposing its inability to make anyone truly righteous in God’s eyes. 

Yet, Jesus told His eager listeners, “Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7 NLT). To them, this must have sounded like a list of obligations or duties they must perform. But Jesus described an intimate relationship with God the Father that provides His children with constant access to His presence. With three simple words: ask, seek, and knock, He was letting them know that all who are approved by God will enjoy a special relationship with Him that will be far greater than any earthly relationship they have known.

Some try to interpret these verses as evangelistic, turning them into an invitation to salvation. But if kept in their context, it is clear that these verses are not inviting anyone into a saving relationship with Jesus. Instead, they encourage those who have already been approved by God because of their faith in Christ to take advantage of their newfound relationship with Him.

“For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.” – Matthew 7:9 NLT

We can ask of God and receive from Him, seek Him and find Him, and knock, and He will open the door to us. Gone are the days of trying to gain access to God’s presence through vain attempts to keep the law. There is no longer any need to try to win God’s approval and get His attention through human effort or achievement.

These verses tie directly back to the opening lines of Jesus’ sermon. Those who are approved by God, even the poor in spirit, will be citizens of God’s kingdom. Though they will experience days of mourning in this life, they will receive comfort from God. And their willing submission to the will of God for their lives will garner them the earth as their inheritance. When they hunger and thirst for the righteousness of God, they will be completely satisfied. When they choose to show mercy to others, they will continue to receive mercy from God. And their purity of heart will allow them to see God in their lives. When they seek to be at peace with men and introduce them to the means to have peace with God, they will be recognized as the sons of God. And finally, any persecution they face in this life because of their faith will be well worth it, because they have been guaranteed a place in God’s kingdom.

All of this helps to provide context for Jesus’ recitation of “The Golden Rule.” He wasn’t giving behavioral advice or a principle for improving human relationships. Verse 12 is essentially a summation of all that Jesus has said, and acts as a bookend to verse 17 of chapter five:

“Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.”

These two verses comprise what is known as an inclusio, bracketing all that is contained between them and forming a single unit of thought. The over-arching theme has been Jesus’ treatment of the Law and the Prophets or the Old Testament revelation. Here, in verse 12, Jesus brings His thoughts to a conclusion, summarizing all that He has said in one succinct and simple statement: So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them. This is the law of love, and it supersedes and fully expresses all that was written in the law. Paul summarizes it well:

Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. – Romans 13:8-10 ESV

He simplified it, even more, when he wrote to the believers in Galatia:

For the whole law can be summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” – Galatians 5:14 NLT

And not long before Jesus went to the cross, He told His disciples “So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples” (John 13:34-35 NLT).

In our sinful, self-centered state, it would be easy to draw a faulty conclusion from His words that allows us to focus on what we want from others. In other words, if we want our back scratched, we will reluctantly scratch someone else’s back, expecting them to do the same to us in return. Our seemingly gracious actions would be selfishly motivated. The Book of James contains a powerful warning against this interpretation of verse 12.

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you are doing well. But if you show partiality, you are committing sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors. For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become guilty of all of it. – James 2:8-10

James specifically mentions one law in particular: The royal law. Then, to ensure they understood what he meant, he quoted the law for them.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself…” – James 2:8 ESV

In His Sermon on the Mount, Jesus affirmed this “royal law” when He stated, “Do to others whatever you would like them to do to you. This is the essence of all that is taught in the law and the prophets” (Matthew 7:12 NLT). Jesus was not recommending the practice of preferential treatment to get a preferred response. He was promoting the practice of equity and selfless love. We are not to love based on what we get out of it. Christlike love is not a form of quid pro quo where our love becomes reciprocal in nature. It is not a you-scratch-my-back-and-I’ll-scratch-your-back kind of equation. Yet the practice of partiality is almost always selfish and self-centered. 

But that is not the kind of love Jesus is talking about. He refers to a selfless kind of love that expects and demands nothing in return. It is focused on giving, not getting. The apostle Paul warned against turning the law of love into a self-centered mechanism to get what you want.

So if there is any encouragement in Christ, any comfort from love, any participation in the Spirit, any affection and sympathy, complete my joy by being of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind. Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. – Philippians 2:1-4 ESV

No one enjoys being hated, so why would we choose to hate others? There is no joy in being taken advantage of, so why would we treat someone else that way? If the idea of someone having an affair with your spouse offends you, it should also prevent you from ever considering doing the same thing to someone else. Jesus’ statement is intended to be other-focused, not self-centered. He was telling the Jews in His audience that the law was essentially about loving God and loving others, not themselves. Those who end up as citizens of His Kingdom will love as He loves. They will do as Jesus did, which Paul sums up in his letter to the Philippians:

Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. – Philippians 2:5-8 ESV

Jesus knew that the life of love and self-sacrifice to which He called His audience would not be easy. He was fully aware that His words were difficult to hear and that what He had been commanding them to do was impossible to pull off. The crowds who followed Jesus to the hillside in Galilee had been attracted by His miracles. They were enamored by His ability to heal the sick and cast out demons. There was something attractive about this man who could do the impossible. But now, they were hearing that He expected the impossible of them.

If they wanted to be part of God’s Kingdom, they would have to live radically different lives. Their status as descendants of Abraham was not going to be enough. Their adherence to man-made laws and religious rules could not win them favor with God. But faith in Jesus as their Saviour would radically alter their behavior and restore their relationship with God. It would allow them to ”do unto others” with a selflessness that mirrors that of Jesus. Jesus was not calling His disciples to practice partiality or to live with a what’s-in-it-for-me mentality. He was commanding them to love as they had been loved. The Golden Rule is nothing more than a summation of the law. Jesus put it this way: “Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34 ESV).

Love is the ultimate expression of all the Law of Moses. To not commit adultery requires love for the other person and their spouse. It is difficult, if not impossible, to murder another person if you love them as Christ loved you. To steal something that belongs to someone else reveals a hatred and disdain for that person, but we are called to love them. Love sacrifices and gives rather than takes. Love protects and defends rather than hurts. Love is the driving force behind all of the law. Paul reminds us that all of the laws are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does NO wrong to others. So one who loves as God intended, fulfills the law of God.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A New Commandment

34 But when the Pharisees heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered together. 35 And one of them, a lawyer, asked him a question to test him. 36 “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37 And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38 This is the great and first commandment. 39 And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. 40 On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:34-40 ESV

31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” – John 13:31-35 ESV

Jesus issued many commands during His earthly ministry, so the question becomes, which of these commands was he referring to when He said, “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you” (Matthew 28:20 NLT). The other question is whether these commands were meant for non-believers. In the Matthew 28 passage, Jesus clearly commands His disciples to “make disciples of all the nations,” indicating that the gospel message was intended to be shared with those outside of the nation of Israel. That is what Jesus meant when He said, “I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd” (John 10:14 ESV). His substitutionary death was on behalf of all humanity, not just the Jews. Yes, He was their Messiah but He was also “the Savior of the world” (John 4:42 ESV).

By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. – 1 John 4:13-14 ESV

Jesus commanded His followers to make disciples of all the nations but His commandments were to be taught to all those who placed their faith in Him as their Savior and Lord. So, it would appear that the commandments Jesus wanted to be taught were intended for His followers alone. They were for believers, not unbelievers. This view helps explain the rather perplexing language He used in His Sermon on the Mount.

Addressed to a predominantly Jewish audience, this lengthy message contained repeated references to the Mosaic Law and Jesus affirmed that He had not come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it. He told them, “Not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18 ESV).

“Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. – Matthew 5:19-20 ESV

Then Jesus dropped a bombshell on His Hebrew audience, telling them, “Unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:20 ESV). This idea must have stunned the crowd because they considered the scribes and Pharisees to be the spiritual superstars of Israel. They were the religious elite whose obedience to the Law was unquestionable and irreplicable. No one could live up to their standard of righteousness and, yet, Jesus was demanding that the average Jew do so if they hoped to enter the kingdom of heaven.

But Jesus wasn’t done. He went on to describe the old Mosaic Law in new terms.

“You have heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.’ But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment!” – Matthew 5:21-22 NLT

“You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” – Matthew 5:27-28 NLT

“You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven.” – Matthew 5:43-45 NLT

Jesus was upping the ante but He wasn’t adding to the Law; He was simply explaining the depth of its meaning. The Law was never about a set of rules to be obeyed; it was about the lifestyle and habits of those whose hearts belong to God. Rules don’t produce righteousness. Adherence to a set of regulations can never make anyone right with God. This is something the apostle Paul, a former Pharisee himself, understood about the Law.

Obviously, the law applies to those to whom it was given, for its purpose is to keep people from having excuses, and to show that the entire world is guilty before God. For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. – Romans 3:19-20 NLT

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. – Romans 8:3-4 NLT

So, when Jesus addressed His audience and explained the true meaning of the Law, He put the hope of righteousness out of reach for them. He set the requirements for entering the kingdom of heaven so high that it became unattainable. But Jesus wasn’t eliminating any hope of attaining a right standing with God; He was simply preparing to seek by a different means. Men cannot save themselves. Good works can’t produce righteousness. Obedience to the Law doesn’t earn anyone favor with God. That is why God told the rebellious people of Israel, “I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations” (Ezekiel 36:25-27 NLT).

The commands that Jesus expects His disciples to obey can only be kept through the power of the Holy Spirit. Just before His ascension, Jesus told His disciples they would receive a “power from on high” (Luke 24:49). He spoke of the Holy Spirit whom He would send to empower, guide, and instruct them after His departure.

“If you love me, obey my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth. The world cannot receive him, because it isn’t looking for him and doesn’t recognize him. But you know him because he lives with you now and later will be in you.” – John 14:15-17 NLT

Jesus knew that obedience to His commands would only be possible through faith in Him and with the help of the indwelling Holy Spirit. That is why Jesus told His disciples, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:3435 ESV). What made this commandment “new” was its emphasis on a kind of love that replicated that of Jesus. It was to be a selfless, sacrificial, lay-it-all-in-the-line form of love that was only possible with the help of God’s Spirit. Jesus demanded that His followers love one another but He provided them with the means for doing so.

When the self-righteous, law-abiding Pharisees asked Jesus to name the most important of the 613 laws in the mitzvot or Mosaic Code, Jesus responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV). Then He added, “This is the great and first commandment” (Matthew 22:38 ESV). This answer must have pleased the Pharisees because they believed they had faithfully kept that commandment. But Jesus added an addendum to His statement that quickly burst their bubble and deflated their pride.

“And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:39-40 ESV

He knew the Pharisees were arrogant, self-promoting attention seekers who looked down their noses at anyone outside their elite clique of self-proclaimed law-keepers. Jesus considered the Pharisees to be corrupt, prideful, and selfish. They were more concerned with their own privilege and position than with helping others.

But Jesus demanded that His followers exhibit a selfless kind of love that emulated His love for them. Jesus declared Himself to be the good shepherd who lays down His life for the sheep (John 10:15). The apostle John picked up on this theme when He wrote, “By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers” (1 John 3:16 BSB). The apostle Paul echoed this same sentiment when writing to the believers in Ephesus.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. – Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT

In his first epistle, John expanded on this life of love that Jesus commanded His disciples to live.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. No one has ever seen God. But if we love each other, God lives in us, and his love is brought to full expression in us. – 1 John 4:9-12 NLT

This kind of love can be faked but never replicated. It can only be produced by the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and, according to Jesus, it will be the primary evidence of true discipleship (John 13:35). Not only that but failure to love our brothers and sisters will negate any claim that we love God.

If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? And he has given us this command: Those who love God must also love their fellow believers. – 1 John 4:20-21 NLT

This “new” commandment emphasized the importance of love in God’s kingdom. That is why Jesus said love for God and love for others were the two greatest commandments, upon which “the entire law and all the demands of the prophets are based” (Matthew 22:40 NLT). As the Law clearly stated, love for God was non-negotiable.

“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.” – Deuteronomy 6:4-5 ESV

But Jesus was demanding and commanding a second expression of love for God – that of loving all those who bear His name and share a common faith in His Son. It is that kind of love that will give evidence of the Spirit’s presence and proof of a saving relationship with Jesus Christ.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Walk the Talk

1 Let brotherly love continue. 2 Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares. 3 Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body. 4 Let marriage be held in honor among all, and let the marriage bed be undefiled, for God will judge the sexually immoral and adulterous. 5 Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” 6 So we can confidently say,

“The Lord is my helper;
    I will not fear;
what can man do to me?” – Hebrews 13:1-6 ESV

The author ended chapter 12 with an exhortation to “be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken” and to “offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12:28-29 ESV). The same God who shook the landscape surrounding Mount Sinai and rattled the knees of the Israelites with His divine presence is our God and He has prepared a kingdom for us. So what should be our response? Proper worship, reverence, and awe. And to make it even more practical, in the closing chapter of his letter, the author illustrates what those things look like in everyday life.

Sometimes we’re tempted to make our worship of God an external show for others to see. We confuse worship of God with the intensity of our singing, the verbosity of our prayers, the selflessness of our service, or the generosity of our giving. But sometimes our love for God is best measured by our love for others. Worship of God that does not include love for others is hypocritical and insincere.

So, the author moves from grand descriptions of God as a consuming fire to a plea for brotherly love. “Let brotherly love continue” (Hebrews 13:1 ESV). Love for one another is an indispensable and non-negotiable requirement for anyone who claims to be a lover and worshiper of God.

At one point in His earthly ministry, Jesus was confronted by the Pharisees, who posed to Him what they believed to be a trick question. One of them, a lawyer, asked Him, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” (Matthew 22:36 ESV). His intent was to entrap Jesus. The question he posed was one that the Scribes and Pharisees debated regularly. They had numbered the laws of God and had come up with the staggering sum of 613, which they categorized into two groups, with 248 deemed positive and 365 designated as negative. Then they divided them all into two categories, the “heavy” or more important ones, and the “light” or the less important ones.

In the question they posed to Jesus, they were asking Him to give His opinion as to which of all the laws was the “heaviest.” And Jesus didn’t hesitate in giving His answer.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.” – Matthew 22:37-38 ESV

Love God AND love others. According to Jesus, those two commands encapsulate the entirety of the rest of the law.

So, it is no wonder that the author of Hebrews told his readers, “Let brotherly love continue.” But he took it a step further. “Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers” (Hebrews 13:2 ESV). This recalls the parable of the good Samaritan that Jesus told in response to another inquiry from a Pharisee. 

This man approached Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?” (Luke 10:25 ESV). In His inimitable way, Jesus responded with a question of His own, asking the man to tell Him what the law said. The Pharisee quickly replied, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind, and your neighbor as yourself.”

What Jesus said next must have surprised the learned Pharisee. It was not what he was expecting.

“You have answered correctly; do this, and you will live.” – Luke 10:28 ESV

Unsatisfied with Jesus’ answer, the man asked for clarification. “And who is my neighbor?” (Luke 22:29 ESV). That’s when Jesus told the story of the good Samaritan. In it, He described what it truly means to show hospitality and kindness to someone who is a stranger and in need. It involves sacrifice. It requires giving up your rights and a commitment of your resources. The author of Hebrews echoes the sentiment of Jesus’ parable when writes, “Remember those who are in prison, as though in prison with them, and those who are mistreated, since you also are in the body” (Hebrews 13:3 ESV).

Our love for God is best expressed by our love for others. The apostle John encourages us to compare the love Christ expressed for us with the way in which we love others.

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. But if anyone has the world's goods and sees his brother in need, yet closes his heart against him, how does God's love abide in him? Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. – 1 John 3:16-18 ESV

Love should permeate all of our relationships, including that between a husband and wife. A couple that truly loves one another, as Christ loved them, will find no place for adultery or immorality in their marriage. They will always want what is best for one another.

Self-obsession or self-love is the greatest detriment to loving others. When we love ourselves too much, we are incapable of loving others. We end up pouring into our relationships in a selfish attempt to get something in return. We give to get, and those relationships quickly become self-serving rather than selfless.

It’s interesting that, in this context, the author warns against the love of money. “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV). The love of money is self-directed. We love money for what it can do for us. And yet, to properly love others, our money may need to be involved. We may be required to let go of our resources in order to best express our love. It was James who said, “If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, ‘Go in peace, be warmed and filled,’ without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that?” (James 2:15-16 ESV).

Talk is cheap. Words cannot fill someone’s stomach or make them warm.

The walk of faith is to be future-focused, recognizing that the ultimate promise of God is our glorification and final redemption. We are to live with the end in mind. But our faith walk is also to be God-dependent. We are to spend our days on this earth with a constant recognition that He is our provider and sustainer. That is why the author reminds us to be content because God has promised, “I will never leave you nor forsake you” (Hebrews 13:5 ESV).

But not only are we to be future-focused and God-dependent, we are to be other-oriented. We are to live our lives with an outward orientation that puts the needs of others ahead of our own. When we love others, we are loving God. When we lovingly sacrifice for others, it is an act of worship to God. When we give up what we have for the sake of others, we are letting God know that we are dependent upon Him. All that we have comes from Him and is to be used for His glory and the good of others. Our constant attitude is to be, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” (Hebrews 13:6 ESV).

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Rooted In Love.

Ephesians 3:14-21

Then Christ will make his home in your hearts as you trust in him. Your roots will grow down into God’s love and keep you strong. – Ephesians 3:17 NLT

When Paul thinks about the mysterious plan of God for the church – the blending together of a wide variety and cross-section of humanity through the redemptive work of Christ – he can't help but fall to his knees in prayer to the Father. He understands that it was God who made it all possible. It was God who sent His Son to die in the place of sinners. It was God who expressed His own love to us while we were sinners, not after we got our spiritual act together. It was God who came up with the idea of the Church. It was God who sent His Spirit to reside within His people, empowering and enlightening them. It was ALL God.

So Paul prays that this very same God, who created everything in heaven and earth, would use the same unlimited resources He used to create the universe to empower His children with inner strength through His Spirit. He is praying for an intimate and intense relationship between God and His Church. Paul longs for them to experience in full what God has made possible through His Son. It is the life Jesus promised – life more abundant and full (John 10:10). The key word in Paul's prayer is "trust." As believers trust and put their faith in God, their roots will grow down into God's love and keep them strong. It is as we trust in Christ daily, that we learn just how much God loves us. We develop and experiential knowledge that is far better than simply academic knowledge. Reading about the love of God is one thing. Experiencing it is another. Reading about the power of God can be helpful. But experiencing it firsthand can be life-changing and faith-building.

Understanding the incredible depth of God's love is essential for the believer. To know God is to know His love, because God is love. The better we come to know Him, the greater we will come to appreciate His love for us. Trusting in Christ has a direct impact on our ability to know and experience God's love. God's greatest expression of His love for mankind came through His own Son and His death on the cross. And as we learn to trust in Christ, living our lives in keeping with His commands and according to His example, our spiritual roots will grow deeper and deeper into God's love – the very thing we need to sustain our lives on this planet. Paul prayed that they would understand the magnitude of God's love for them. But he also prayed that they would experience the love of Christ for them. The result would be spiritual maturity that manifests itself in fullness of life and power.

Paul's prayer conveys the idea of ever-increasing knowledge of God's love and an ever-growing understanding of all that God has made available to us through Christ's death and resurrection. In Paul's mind, there is no standing still, no status quo. We are to keep moving on in our relationship with Christ, growing in our understanding of His love as we trust in Him more and more. Salvation is just the start. We trusted Him for our forgiveness and redemption, but we must also trust Him for our ongoing sanctification and spiritual maturity. And Paul reminds us that, ultimately, God will get the glory because it is His power at work within us, that will accomplish His finished work in our lives – a transformation far more significant than we could ever hope or imagine.

Father, Your love for me is beyond comprehension at times. I can't fathom why You would love someone like me, but You did and You do. In love, You sent Your Son to die for me. You have lovingly placed Your Spirit within me. Your love placed me in Your family, the Church. Your love empowers me and protects me. Your love surrounds me. But at times, I still struggle with the feeling that I am unloved because I am unlovable. Help me understand how wide, how long, and how deep Your love really is. Amen.