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August 1
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The Antidote for Sin
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“Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor. 16:14).
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The more you love God, the less you will sin.
Scripture and personal experience teach us that sin always has its consequences. When you harbor unconfessed sin, you dishonor God and forfeit the blessings and joy He desires for you. Prolonged sin might even bring His chastening through pain or illness.
That’s what happened to Corinthian believers who partook of the Lord’s Table in a sinful manner (1 Cor. 11:27–30). Paul warned the rest of the congregation to take careful spiritual inventory of themselves to avoid incurring a similar punishment. In chapter 13 he reveals the root of their problem, saying in effect, “Some of you are physically ill because you’re sinning. Start loving God and one another as you should and your ailments will disappear.”
Love is the antidote for sin. When a Pharisee asked Jesus which of the commandments was greatest, Jesus replied, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the greatest and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets” (Matt. 22:37–40). If you love the Lord and your fellow men, you won’t sin against them. That’s why Paul said, “He who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law. For this, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ Love does no wrong to a neighbor; love therefore is the fulfillment of the law” (Rom. 13:8–10).
Love is your highest calling and the greatest contribution you can make to others. But it’s possible to neglect it or misunderstand its characteristics. That’s why we’re going to spend this month exploring true love and how it functions. As we do, pray that your love for God and others will increase each day.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for a greater capacity to love Him, then demonstrate your love by obeying His Word.
For Further Study: Read 1 Corinthians 13, noting the characteristics of love.
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August 2
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A Hymn of Love
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“I show you a still more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31).
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Without love, spiritual gifts are meaningless.
First Corinthians 13 has been called a hymn of love, or a lyrical interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount—the Beatitudes set to music. It’s a beautiful portion of Scripture that comes as a breath of fresh air in a book dealing with one problem after another.
This chapter has often been isolated from its context, but its real power lies in the balance and correction it gives to the rest of the book. The Corinthians, like all Christians, had been gifted by God at the moment of salvation to benefit the church in a special way. But many were abusing their gifts, seeking prominence for themselves rather than ministering to one another. So in chapter 12 Paul discusses the concept of spiritual gifts, in chapter 14 their proper use, and in chapter 13 the need to use them in love.
Like many Christians today, the Corinthians forgot that spiritual gifts can operate effectively only in a person who is truly spiritual. They had the gifts of the Spirit, but they weren’t displaying the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), the first of which is love.
In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul begins, “If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.” Love must be the motive and driving force behind everything we do!
How has God gifted you for ministry? Are you using your gifts in love?
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to purify your love and make you a more effective minister of the gifts He has given to you.
For Further Study: Read 1 Corinthians 12. ✧ Who distributes spiritual gifts? ✧ Which gifts did Paul mention? ✧ What is their purpose?
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August 3
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Filling Up an Empty Word
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“I show you a still more excellent way” (1 Cor. 12:31).
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Biblical love is characterized by humility, obedience to God, and self-sacrifice.
In our society, love is a common word but an uncommon experience. Often those who use the word most understand it least. Many who think they’ve found love have really settled for something far less than God intended for them.
For many, love means a romantic or sexual relationship. While Scripture has much to say about intimacy within marriage, the word love takes on a different meaning in the New Testament. Even Ephesians 5:25 (“Husbands, love your wives”) doesn’t refer to romantic love.
Other common errors include equating love with emotionalism or sentimentality, or confusing it with a friendly spirit of tolerance and brotherhood toward others—often apart from any consideration for doctrinal purity or Biblical convictions. But Biblical love is none of those.
The “more excellent way” Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 12:31 is love that comes from God Himself and conforms to His holy attributes. We have no capacity to generate this on our own. The Greek word for that kind of love is agapé, and it is characterized by humility, obedience to God, and self-sacrifice. John 13:1 says of Christ’s love for His disciples, “He loved them to the end.” That literally means He loved them to perfection—to the limits of love. In verses 4–5 He demonstrates His love by washing their feet. Love is humble. It focuses on meeting needs.
In addition, love is obedient and willing to make sacrifices for others. Jesus said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). God made the supreme sacrifice for us in that He “so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son” (John 3:16).
First Corinthians 13 applies to Christians of every generation because we all face the danger of misusing our spiritual gifts. As we study this and other passages about love, ask yourself if your love is all that God wants it to be. If not, take note of what changes you need to make in light of what you’re learning.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for loving you. ✧ Ask Him for wisdom and grace to understand and walk in love.
For Further Study: Read John 14:23–24, noting how Jesus described those who love Him.
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August 4
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The Source of True Love
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“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God. … We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:7, 19).
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True love cannot be generated on the human level. It’s a gift from God.
Scripture often makes seemingly impossible demands of us. For example, Jesus said, “Love your enemies, and pray for those who persecute you” (Matt. 5:44). That’s easy to say, but how is it possible? Our natural tendency is to love our friends and hate our enemies. But Jesus said, “If you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax-gatherers do the same? And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same?” (vv. 46–47).
Israel viewed tax-gatherers as traitors and Gentiles as spiritual outcasts. Yet even traitors and outcasts show love and kindness to those who reciprocate. Jesus calls us to a much higher standard of love—one that is impartial, like God demonstrates when He “causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (v. 45). As we see from God Himself, it extends even to those who aren’t worthy: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8).
Despite generations of rebellion and slander against His holy will and name, God sacrificed His beloved Son, thereby providing the means by which sinners can be saved. Out of love, Jesus willingly endured the pain and shame of the cross and paid the price of our redemption. Now that’s divine love in action!
God commands you to love as He loves—impartially and sacrificially. That may sound impossible on the human level, but remember that God never requires you to do anything He hasn’t already enabled you to do. At the moment of your salvation, the Holy Spirit took up residence within you and began producing the fruit of love (Gal. 5:22). You don’t have to muster it on your own. All you have to do is invite the Spirit to take control, allowing Him to govern your thoughts and actions. As you do, His precious fruit will be multiplied in your life.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for the love of the Spirit He has placed within you. ✧ Ask Him for opportunities today to learn how to love more perfectly.
For Further Study: Memorize Galatians 5:22–23.
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August 5
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Languages Without Love
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“If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal” (1 Cor. 13:1).
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Love distinguishes true communication from useless chatter and meaningless noises.
Paul begins his discourse on love by stating the futility of languages without love. The Corinthians were enamored with the showy spiritual gifts, apparently to the neglect of those they deemed less spectacular (see 1 Cor. 12:12–31). One of the gifts they prized most highly was tongues, which was the Spirit-given ability to declare God’s truth in a language unknown to the speaker but known to others who heard.
Tongues were a sign to provoke unbelieving Jewish people to consider the gospel (1 Cor. 14:21–22). Its first occurrence was on the Day of Pentecost when the Spirit enabled those assembled in the upper room to proclaim the mighty deeds of God in the native languages of the Jews gathered in Jerusalem at the time (Acts 2:4–11).
The “tongues of angels” Paul mentions in 1 Corinthians 13:1 isn’t the gift of tongues, as some suppose. He was simply using an exaggeration to emphasize his point, saying in effect, “If I had the ability to communicate with angels, it wouldn’t do any good without love.”
In Paul’s day, the worship of Cybele and Dionysus, two pagan gods, included speaking in ecstatic languages accompanied by blaring trumpets, smashing gongs, and clanging cymbals. I believe Paul was drawing from that well-known practice to say that whenever Christians attempt to minister apart from the Spirit and His love, it’s no different than a pagan rite. It may look and sound like the real thing, but it’s meaningless and useless for any spiritual benefit.
You should take advantage of every opportunity to minister your spiritual gifts to others. But as you do, be sure it’s with love, in the energy of the Spirit, and in accordance with God’s Word. Then you’ll have maximum impact as Christ uses your efforts for His glory.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to convict you whenever you attempt to exercise your spiritual gifts without love.
For Further Study: Read Romans 12:1–21. ✧ What does Paul say about spiritual gifts? ✧ How are Christians to express brotherly love to one another?
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August 6
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Prophecy Without Love
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“If I have the gift of prophecy … but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).
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Love motivated God to communicate with fallen humanity. That must be your motivation too.
The word prophecy as used in 1 Corinthians 13:2 is the ability to publicly proclaim God’s truth accurately and authoritatively. It’s a greater gift than tongues because tongues were given as a sign to unbelieving Israel in the first century (1 Cor. 14:21–22), whereas prophecy instructs and edifies believers throughout the centuries. Paul said, “One who prophesies speaks to men for edification and exhortation and consolation [and] edifies the church” (1 Cor. 14:3–4).
Prophecy has two aspects: revelation and reiteration. When an Old or New Testament prophet received new information directly from God, that was revelation. Whenever that information was repeated through preaching or teaching, it was reiteration. For example, the sermons of Peter and Paul combine new revelation with a reiteration of Old Testament truth. That’s a common element in New Testament preaching.
With the close of the New Testament canon, direct revelation from God ceased. All preaching and teaching today is reiteration. New Testament prophets policed one another to ensure that every prophecy was truly from God (1 Cor. 14:32). Today Scripture itself is the standard by which we test someone’s message. As the prophet Isaiah said, “To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, it is because they have no dawn” (8:20).
Paul is saying in 1 Corinthians 13:2, “If I have the ability to speak direct revelation from God, or to reiterate divine truth forcefully and dramatically, but lack love, my ministry is meaningless.” In its broadest sense, that principle applies to every believer because we all are proclaimers of God’s Word. You might not teach a class or preach a sermon, but whenever you tell someone about Christ or share a Biblical principle, you’re reiterating divine truth. That’s why you must always “speak the truth in love” (Eph. 4:15). Then the Holy Spirit can empower your words to minister to others.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to help you guard your words, so that everything you say will be clothed in His love.
For Further Study: Read Deuteronomy 13:1–5 and 18:20–22. ✧ What tests did Moses give for determining false prophets? ✧ What punishment did false prophets receive?
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August 7
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Speaking the Truth in Love
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“If I have the gift of prophecy … but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).
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Love is an indispensable ingredient in the learning process.
I have the privilege of spending time each week with hundreds of young people who attend The Master’s College. As I observe their progress, I see the impact godly teachers have had on their lives, and I’m convinced that students learn best when they know that their teachers genuinely care about them.
Isn’t that true in any relationship? Don’t you respond more readily to those who love you and have your best interests at heart? That’s certainly true in ministry. Think of the pastors and teachers who have meant the most to you over the years. They’re probably the ones who have loved you and ministered to you in special ways.
Whether it’s a pastor, teacher, family member, or friend, whoever speaks to people on behalf of God must do so with genuine love and concern. That’s the positive side of Paul’s negative statement in 1 Corinthians 13:2. Jeremiah was such a man. He loved the people of Israel deeply and was grieved at their apostasy and impending judgment. “O that my head were waters,” he said, “and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!” (Jer. 9:1). That’s the spirit of a loving prophet, and this was typical of Jeremiah’s lament over his people’s sin.
Loveless preaching and teaching misrepresent God’s character and hinder the gospel; loving proclamation is winsome and effective. That doesn’t mean that all who hear you will respond positively; quite the contrary. The people of Judah didn’t listen to Jeremiah, so they incurred severe judgment. Similarly, some to whom you speak will politely reject what you say; others will react with hostility. But those who respond in faith will appreciate your loving concern for their spiritual well-being.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for those who have ministered to you in love. Seek to follow their example as you reach out to others.
For Further Study: Read Acts 20:19, 31, Romans 9:2–3, and 2 Corinthians 2:4, noting the things that prompted Paul to weep for the people to whom he ministered.
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August 8
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Balancing Knowledge and Love
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“If I … know all mysteries and all knowledge … but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).
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True knowledge is always governed by love.
Christians should never take knowledge for granted. The ability to learn about Christ and to grow in His truth is a blessing beyond measure. Paul prayed that we would be “filled with the knowledge of [God’s] will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col. 1:9). That’s what enables us to live in a way that pleases God (v. 10).
But knowledge must be governed by love, just as love must be governed by knowledge. In Philippians 1:9 Paul says, “This I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment.” In 1 Corinthians 13:2 he says that knowledge without love is nothing. That’s a God-ordained balance you must maintain if you want to be effective for the Lord.
In 1 Corinthians 13:2 Paul uses a hypothetical illustration to emphasize the importance of love: “If I … know all mysteries and all knowledge … but do not have love, I am nothing.” The Greek word translated “mysteries” in that verse is used throughout the New Testament to speak of redemptive truth that once was hidden but is now revealed. For example, Scripture speaks of the mystery of God in human flesh (Col. 2:2–3), of Christ’s indwelling us (Col. 1:26–27), and of the church as Christ’s Body (Eph. 3:3–6, 9).
“Knowledge” in 1 Corinthians 13:2 refers to facts that can be ascertained by investigation. It’s impossible to know every mystery and every fact in existence in the universe, but even if you did, without love your knowledge would be useless. Knowledge alone breeds arrogance, but love builds others up (1 Cor. 8:1).
Maintaining a balance of knowledge and love is a practical principle that influences the decisions you make every day. For example, if you have a choice between going to a Bible class or helping a neighbor with some immediate need, the better choice is to help your neighbor. You will have other opportunities to learn the Word, but it might be some time before you have a chance to show Christian love to your neighbor.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for the wisdom to keep knowledge and love in proper balance.
For Further Study: Read Luke 10:25–37. ✧ How did the lawyer try to justify himself to Jesus? ✧ How did Jesus illustrate love for one’s neighbor?
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August 9
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Faith Without Love
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“If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing” (1 Cor. 13:2).
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Loveless faith is useless faith.
In Matthew 17:19 the disciples came to Jesus wanting to know why they couldn’t cast a demonic spirit from a child. Jesus responded, “Because of the littleness of your faith; for truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it shall move; and nothing shall be impossible to you” (v. 20). He repeated the same principle in Matthew 21:21—“Truly I say to you, if you have faith, and do not doubt, you shall … say to this mountain [the Mount of Olives], ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ [and] it shall happen.”
Those passages have puzzled many people because they’ve never seen anyone move a mountain. But Jesus wasn’t speaking literally. Moving mountains would cause all kinds of ecological problems and would be a pointless miracle. The expression “able to move mountains” was a common figure of speech in that day, meaning “to surmount great obstacles.” Jesus was speaking of those who have the gift of faith—those who can move the hand of God through unwavering prayer.
The gift of faith is the ability to believe that God will act according to His will, no matter the circumstances. People with that gift are prayer warriors and tend to stand as rocks when others around them are falling apart. They see God’s power and purposes at work, and they trust Him even when others doubt.
But, says Paul, even if you have such faith, if you don’t have love, you are nothing. That’s a harsh rebuke, but it places the emphasis where it belongs—on our motives. The Corinthians’ motives were evident in their selfish pursuit of the showy gifts.
What motivates you? Remember, without love it doesn’t matter what gifts you have, how eloquent your speech is, what you know, or what you believe. Only love can validate your service to Christ.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for a greater capacity to trust Him and for the motivation to pray more fervently.
For Further Study: Read Hebrews 11, drawing from the examples of the people of great faith mentioned there.
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August 10
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Benevolence Without Love
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“If I give all my possessions to feed the poor … but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3).
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Love is characterized by self-sacrifice, but not all self-sacrifice is an act of love.
If you’ve ever donated to your church or another charitable organization out of obligation, peer pressure, legalism, guilt, a desire for recognition, or simply to earn a tax deduction, you know what it means to give without love. In our society it’s easy to fall prey to that kind of giving because the needs are so great and fund-raisers appeal to every conceivable motive. In addition, many cults and false religions encourage the giving up of possessions and other sacrificial gestures as a supposed means of earning God’s favor. But God is more interested in why you give than what you give.
Paul’s hypothetical illustration in 1 Corinthians 13:3 is that of someone who sacrificed everything he had to feed the poor. The Greek word translated “to feed” means “to dole out in small quantities.” Apparently this guy didn’t simply write out a check for a food distribution program; he was personally involved in a long-term, systematic program that would eventually consume every resource he had.
Paul doesn’t mention motives—only that this person lacked love. Consequently, the benefits of his benevolence were limited to the physical realm. Any spiritual benefits were forfeited.
Jesus, making a similar point, said, “Beware of practicing your righteousness before men to be noticed by them; otherwise you have no reward with your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 6:1). If your motive for giving is to gain the approval of men, their accolades will be your only reward. If you’re motivated by love for God, He will reward you abundantly (vv. 2–4).
When you give to the Lord, what is your motive? Do you want others to think more highly of you? Do you feel obligated? Those are subtle influences, so be sure to guard your motives carefully. Remember, the only acceptable motive is love.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to keep you sensitive to the needs of others, enabling you always to give out of genuine love.
For Further Study: Read Luke 18:9–14. ✧ How did the Pharisee’s prayer differ from the tax-gatherer’s? ✧ How did God respond to each prayer?
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August 11
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Martyrdom Without Love
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“If I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing” (1 Cor. 13:3).
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Wrong motives rob even the greatest sacrifice of its spiritual benefit.
So far in his denunciation of loveless ministries, Paul has addressed what we say, what we know, what we believe, and how we give. Now he comes to the apex of his argument—how we die. Many Christians have made the ultimate sacrifice of martyrdom, but even that is useless without love.
In Paul’s time, many slaves were branded with a hot iron to identify them as belonging to their master. For that reason, some interpreters believe Paul was referring to becoming a slave when he spoke of delivering his body to be burned (1 Cor. 13:3). Others think he was speaking of burning at the stake—a death that many Christians suffered at the hands of their persecutors.
Although death by burning wasn’t a common form of persecution until after Paul wrote to the Corinthians, I believe that’s what he had in mind in this passage. In verses 1–2 he used extremes to make his point: speaking with the tongues of angels, knowing all mysteries and having all knowledge, having all faith, and giving all one’s possessions to feed the poor. The horrible, agonizing pain associated with death by fire is consistent with those extremes.
Jesus called martyrdom the highest expression of love (John 15:13). But it isn’t always a godly or loving thing to do. Many people have died for lesser reasons. You may recall stories of the Japanese kamikaze pilots in World War II or, more recently, monks or students who burned themselves in protest of some political or social injustice.
Even Christians aren’t exempt from wrong motives. It is reported that many Christians in the early church developed a martyr complex, wanting to die for the faith so they could become famous like the martyrs before them. Many deeds that look sacrificial on the surface are really the products of pride.
If the ultimate sacrifice is useless without love, so is every lesser sacrifice. But love sanctifies them all. So let God’s love govern everything you do!
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Suggestions for Prayer: Memorize Romans 5:8 as a reminder to praise God for the sacrifice He has made for you.
For Further Study: Read Revelation 2:1–7. ✧ What strengths did the church in Ephesus have? ✧ What did the Lord say about its one glaring weakness?
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August 12
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Love in Action
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“Love is patient … kind … not jealous … does not brag … is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly … does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:4–7).
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Love is difficult to define, but it can be described by the behavior it produces.
Paul painted a portrait of the kind of love Jesus wants to produce in every believer. It is, in fact, a portrait of Christ Himself, who is love’s highest expression. Unlike most English translations, which include several adjectives, the Greek forms of all those properties are verbs. They do not focus on what love is so much as on what love does and does not do.
Set against the backdrop of the Corinthians’ self-promoting behavior, Paul’s words are a strong rebuke. He says in effect, “Love is patient, but you are impatient. Love is kind, but you are unkind toward those who disagree with you. Love is not jealous, but you envy those with certain spiritual gifts. Love does not brag, but you are proud of your theology. Love is not arrogant and does not act unbecomingly, but often you are rude and ill-mannered toward one another.
“Love does not seek its own, but you are self-centered. Love is not provoked, but you quarrel among yourselves. Love does not take into account a wrong suffered, but you hold grudges against each other. Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but you delight in one another’s failures. Love rejoices with the truth, but you distort and disobey God’s Word.
“Love bears all things, but you are defensive and resentful. Love is eager to believe the best about someone, but you are quick to assume the worst. Love never gives up and can tolerate incredible opposition, but you are weak and intolerant.”
Paul wanted the Corinthians to see the deficiencies in their love in light of the truth and then make the needed corrections. You and I must do the same. So as we explore each of love’s characteristics, ask the Holy Spirit to purify your heart so others will clearly see Paul’s portrait of love on display in you.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Read 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, substituting “Jesus” for “love.” Then praise Him for all His excellencies.
For Further Study: What does 1 John 3:13–18 teach about love?
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August 13
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Winning Through Non-retaliation
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“Love is patient” (1 Cor. 13:4).
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Love does not retaliate.
We usually think of patience as the ability to wait or endure without complaint—either regarding people or circumstances. But the Greek word translated “patience” in 1 Corinthians 13:4 refers specifically to patience with people. It literally means “to be long-tempered,” and it speaks of one who could easily retaliate when wronged but chooses not to.
That kind of patience is a spiritual virtue reflective of God Himself (cf. Gal. 5:22). It can’t be duplicated on a purely human level. But for Christians, it’s to be a way of life. Paul said, “I … entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing forbearance to one another in love” (Eph. 4:1–2).
God Himself is the supreme example of patience. Peter said, “[He] is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance” (2 Peter 3:9). Those who reject His grace are despising “the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience” (Rom. 2:4).
In the Greco-Roman world of Paul’s day, retaliating for a personal insult or injury was considered a virtue. Non-retaliation was interpreted as a sign of weakness. Our society is much the same. Our heroes tend to be those who fight back with physical strength or litigation. But that isn’t God’s perspective, nor was it Christ’s in praying for His killers: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34).
As you consider your own patience, remember that retaliation isn’t always blatant and forceful. It’s often subtle—like withholding affection from your spouse when he or she has wronged you, or withdrawing from a friend who has hurt you. But godly love never retaliates. It cares more for the feelings of others than for its own.
Remember the Lord’s patience toward you, and allow His Spirit to produce similar patience in you.
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Suggestions for Prayer: If you are harboring resentment toward someone who has wronged you, confess it to the Lord, and do everything you can to reconcile with that person.
For Further Study: Read Genesis 50:15–21. ✧ What fear did Joseph’s brothers have? ✧ How did Joseph react to their plea for forgiveness? ✧ How did God use Joseph’s brothers’ sin to accomplish His own purposes?
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August 14
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Showing Kindness
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“Love is kind” (1 Cor. 13:4).
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Kindness repays evil with good.
Two men going opposite directions on a narrow mountain trail met each other head-on. With a steep cliff on one side and sheer rock on the other, they were unable to pass. The harder they tried to squeeze past one another, the more frustrated they became. The situation seemed hopeless until one of them, without saying a word, simply laid down on the trail, allowing the other man to walk over him. That illustrates kindness, which doesn’t mind getting walked on if it benefits someone else.
The Greek word translated “kind” in 1 Corinthians 13:4 literally means “useful,” “serving,” or “gracious.” It isn’t simply the sweet attitude we usually associate with kindness; it’s the idea of being useful to others. It’s the flip side of patience. Patience endures abuses from others; kindness repays them with good deeds.
God committed the supreme act of kindness when He provided salvation for lost sinners. Titus 3:3–5 says, “We also once were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various lusts and pleasures, spending our life in malice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, He saved us.”
Jesus said, “Take My yoke upon you, and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart; and you shall find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy, and My load is light” (Matt. 11:29–30). The Greek word translated “easy” is translated “kind” in 1 Corinthians 13:4. Jesus was saying, “Trust in Me, and I’ll redeem you and show you My kindness.”
Since “you have tasted the kindness of the Lord” (1 Peter 2:3), you should be anxious to show kindness to others. That’s what Paul wanted the Corinthian believers to do. He knew they had the capacity, but they needed to repent of their selfish ways and allow love to dominate their lives.
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Suggestions for Prayer: The evil world in which we live gives abundant opportunity for you to express kindness to others. Ask the Lord to help you take full advantage of every opportunity to do so today.
For Further Study: Read Matthew 5:38–48, noting the practical expressions of kindness Jesus instructed His followers to pursue.
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August 15
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Overcoming Jealousy
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“Love … is not jealous” (1 Cor. 13:4).
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Jealousy thrives in a climate of selfish ambition.
Jealousy is an insidious sin that cries out, “I want what you have, and furthermore I don’t want you to have it.” It replaces contentment with resentment and spawns a myriad of other sins.
The Corinthians were jealous of one another’s spiritual gifts. First Corinthians 12:31 literally says, “You are earnestly desiring the showy gifts, but I show you a more excellent way.” The Greek word translated “earnestly desiring” is translated “jealous” in 1 Corinthians 13:4. It means “to boil” and speaks of the inner seething that comes from wanting something that someone else has. In 1 Corinthians 3:3 Paul rebukes them for the jealousy and strife that existed among them.
Paul knew what it meant to be victimized by jealous people. During one of his imprisonments he candidly wrote, “Some, to be sure, are preaching Christ even from envy and strife, but some also from good will; the latter do it out of love, knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel; the former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, rather than from pure motives, thinking to cause me distress in my imprisonment” (Phil. 1:15–17).
Paul’s attitude toward those who envied him was exemplary: “Whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice, yes, and I will rejoice” (v. 18). He wasn’t motivated by personal comfort or selfish ambition. He loved Christ deeply and wanted as many people as possible to hear the gospel. As long as Christ was being proclaimed, Paul was happy—regardless of his own circumstances or the motives of others. That should be your perspective too.
Love is the antidote for jealousy. When godly love governs your heart, you can rejoice in the spiritual successes of others, even when you know their motives are wrong. But if you seek prominence and selfish gain, you become an easy target for jealousy and resentment.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Confess any jealousy you might be harboring toward others. ✧ Ask God to deepen your love for Christ so jealousy can’t gain a foothold in your heart in the future.
For Further Study: Read 2 Corinthians 11:2. Is there such a thing as godly jealousy? Explain.
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August 16
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Exalting Others
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“Love does not brag” (1 Cor. 13:4).
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Love exalts others; pride exalts self.
Most of us shy away from people who have an inflated view of themselves or place themselves at the center of every conversation. Yet perhaps you too struggle with the temptation to spend most of your conversations talking about yourself. Even if you would never openly brag about yourself, might you at times secretly resent others for not acknowledging your accomplishments? That’s the subtlety of pride.
Boasting always violates love because it seeks to exalt itself at the expense of others—to make itself look good while making others look inferior. It incites jealousy and other sins. Sadly, boasting exists even in the church. That’s why Paul exhorted us not to think more highly of ourselves than we ought to think, “but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith” (Rom. 12:3). The context of that statement is spiritual gifts, which can lead to pride if not governed by humility and love.
The Corinthians were spiritual show-offs—each vying for attention and prominence. Consequently their worship services were chaotic. First Corinthians 14:26 says, “When you assemble, each one has a psalm, has a teaching, has a revelation, has a tongue, has an interpretation.” Apparently they all were expressing their spiritual gifts at the same time with no regard for anyone else. That’s why Paul concluded, “Let all things be done for edification.”
Their lack of love was obvious because people who truly love others don’t exalt themselves. They regard others as more important than themselves, just as Christ did when He humbled Himself and died for our sins (Phil. 2:3–8).
Boasting about our spiritual gifts is absurd because we did nothing to earn them. They don’t reflect our capabilities; they reflect God’s grace. That’s why Paul asked the Corinthians, “What do you have that you did not receive? But if you did receive it, why do you boast as if you had not received it?” (1 Cor. 4:7). That applies to physical capabilities as well as spiritual enablements. Everything you have is a gift from God. Therefore, “Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord” (1 Cor. 1:31).
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Suggestions for Prayer: Each day acknowledge your total dependence on God’s grace. ✧ Praise Him for the gifts He has entrusted to you.
For Further Study: Note what God has to say about haughtiness in Proverbs 6:16–17, 16:18, 18:12, 21:3–4, and 21:24.
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August 17
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Becoming an Effective Minister
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“Love … is not arrogant” (1 Cor. 13:4).
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Love is the key to effective ministry.
In 1 Corinthians 13:4 Paul says, “Love does not brag and is not arrogant.” We often equate bragging and arrogance, but in this passage there is a subtle difference. The Greek word translated “brag” emphasizes prideful speech or actions; “arrogant” emphasizes the attitude of pride motivating those actions.
The prideful attitudes of the Corinthians were evident in several areas. In 1 Corinthians 4:18–21 Paul says, “Some have become arrogant, as though I were not coming to you. But I will come to you soon, if the Lord wills, and I shall find out, not the words of those who are arrogant, but their power. … What do you desire? Shall I come to you with a rod or with love and a spirit of gentleness?” Apparently some thought they no longer needed his instruction. “After all,” they reasoned, “we’ve had the best teachers—Apollos, Peter, and even Paul himself [1 Cor. 1:12]; so what need do we have for more instruction?” The fact was, they had just enough knowledge to inflate their egos, but they were woefully ignorant of love (1 Cor. 8:1).
It was arrogance that led the Corinthian church to condone gross immorality: “It is actually reported that there is immorality among you, and immorality of such a kind as does not exist even among the Gentiles, that someone has his father’s wife [incest]. And you have become arrogant, and have not mourned instead, in order that the one who had done this deed might be removed from your midst” (1 Cor. 5:1–2). They were too prideful to confront and correct that situation, so they bragged about it instead. Even pagans wouldn’t tolerate that kind of behavior!
That’s a tragic picture of people so blinded by pride that they refused to discern between good and evil. Consequently, all their spiritual activities were counterproductive. They were gifted by the Spirit and even flaunted their gifts, but they lacked the love that transforms a gifted person into an effective minister.
Learn from the Corinthians’ mistakes. Never settle for mere spiritual activities. Let love motivate everything you do. Then God can honor your ministries and make them truly effective for His purposes.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to make you a more effective minister and to protect you from the blindness of arrogance.
For Further Study: What do the following proverbs say about pride? Proverbs 8:13; 11:2; and 29:23.
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August 18
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Treating Others with Consideration
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“[Love] does not act unbecomingly” (1 Cor. 13:5).
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Considerate behavior demonstrates godly love and adds credibility to your witness.
When I was a young child, I loved to slurp my soup. I didn’t see any harm in it, even though my parents constantly objected. Then one evening I ate with someone who slurped his soup. He was having a great time, but I didn’t enjoy my meal very much. Then I realized that proper table manners are one way of showing consideration for others. It says, “I care about you and don’t want to do anything that might disrupt your enjoyment of this meal.”
On a more serious note, I know a couple who got an annulment on the grounds that the husband was rude to his wife. She claimed that his incessant burping proved he didn’t really love her. The judge ruled in her favor, stating that if the husband truly loved her, he would have been more considerate. That’s a strange story but a true one, and it illustrates the point that love is not rude.
“Unbecomingly” in 1 Corinthians 13:5 includes any behavior that violates acceptable Biblical or social standards. We could paraphrase it, “Love is considerate of others.” That would have been in stark contrast to the inconsiderate behavior of the Corinthians—many of whom were overindulging at their love feasts and getting drunk on the Communion wine (1 Cor. 11:20–22). Some women were overstepping bounds by removing their veils and usurping the role of men in the church (1 Cor. 11:3–16; 14:34–35). Both men and women were corrupting the worship services by trying to outdo one another’s spiritual gifts (1 Cor. 14:26).
Undoubtedly the Corinthians justified their rude behavior, just as we often justify ours. But rudeness betrays a lack of love and is always detrimental to effective ministry. For example, I’ve seen Christians behave so rudely toward non-Christians who smoke that they destroyed any opportunity to tell them about Christ.
Be aware of how you treat others—whether believers or unbelievers. Even the smallest of courtesies can make a profound impression.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask the Holy Spirit to monitor your behavior and to convict you of any loveless actions. As He does, be sure to confess and forsake them.
For Further Study: Read Luke 7:36–50. How did Jesus protect the repentant woman from the Pharisee’s rudeness?
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August 19
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The Generosity of Love
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“[Love] does not seek its own” (1 Cor. 13:5).
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Love transforms selfish people into self-sacrificing people.
From the time of Adam and Eve, replacing God with self has been at the root of all sin. Our first parents had only one restriction: “From the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:17). But Eve believed the serpent’s lie that God was trying to keep her from realizing her full potential (Gen. 3:5). She ate the forbidden fruit and gave some to Adam, and together they plunged the human race into sin and death.
Christ changed all that when He came, not “to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Matt. 20:28). Unlike Adam and Eve, He didn’t seek His own comfort or gain but made whatever sacrifices were necessary to redeem lost sinners.
It is reported that the inscription on a tombstone in a small English cemetery reads, “Here lies a miser who lived for himself, / And cared for nothing but gathering wealth. / Now where he is or how he fares, / Nobody knows and nobody cares.”
How tragic to spend your entire life enslaved to your selfishness! In contrast, a tombstone in the courtyard of St. Paul’s Cathedral in London reads, “Sacred to the memory of General Charles George Gordon, who at all times and everywhere gave his strength to the weak, his substance to the poor, his sympathy to the suffering, his heart to God.” The first tombstone testifies to the futility of greed and selfishness, the second to the glory of generosity and self-sacrifice.
Christ is the perfect example of self-sacrifice. If you love Him, you should be characterized by the same quality. Then others will see your genuineness and commitment to them and will by God’s grace be drawn to your Lord.
What epitaph might your family and friends write about you? I pray it is one that glorifies God for the selfless love He demonstrated through you.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for those who have made significant sacrifices toward your spiritual growth. Seek to imitate their love.
For Further Study: List the fifteen qualities of love from 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, then determine how self-sacrifice relates to each one.
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August 20
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Godly Anger versus Selfish Anger
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“[Love] is not provoked” (1 Cor. 13:5).
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Self-centered anger cannot coexist with love.
The great eighteenth-century preacher and theologian Jonathan Edwards had a daughter with an uncontrollable temper. When a young man asked Dr. Edwards for his daughter’s hand in marriage, he said no. The young man was crushed. “But I love her, and she loves me,” he pleaded. “That makes no difference,” Edwards replied; “she isn’t worthy of you.” “But she is a Christian, isn’t she?” the young man argued. “Yes,” said Edwards, “but the grace of God can live with some people with whom no one else could ever live.”
That may seem harsh, but Jonathan Edwards knew what his would-be son-in-law hadn’t yet learned: the presence of selfish anger indicates the absence of genuine love. “Love,” said Paul, “is not provoked.” It isn’t given to sudden outbursts of emotion or action. It doesn’t respond in anger to offenses committed against it.
Paul wasn’t talking about anger over sin and its terrible consequences. That’s righteous indignation, which Christians are expected to have. When Jesus drove the merchants and moneychangers out of the Temple (John 2:14–15), He was genuinely angry because His Father’s house was being desecrated. But He never reacted that way when He was personally attacked or maligned. In the same way, it’s right for you to be angry when others are mistreated, when God is offended, or when His Word is misrepresented. But love always bears up under personal attacks.
Such graciousness is foreign to our society, which teaches us to fight for our personal rights and to retaliate when we don’t get what we think we deserve. That has produced greedy and loveless people who want little more than personal success and comfort. Anyone who dares to stand in their way is in danger of incurring their wrath.
As a Christian, you must resist such influences by focusing on your spiritual duty rather than on your rights. If you expect nothing from the world, you won’t be angered or disappointed when nothing comes. Remember, God is the giver of every good and perfect gift (James 1:17). So humble yourself before Him, and He will exalt you at the proper time (James 4:10).
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for the grace to forgive those who wrong you.
For Further Study: According to Ephesians 4:26–27, how should you deal with anger?
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August 21
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Forgiving Others
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“[Love] does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1 Cor. 13:5).
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If you love someone, you won’t keep a record of their offenses.
It is reported that when the Moravian missionaries first went to the Eskimos, they couldn’t find a word in that language for forgiveness. They had to combine a series of shorter words into one compound word: Issumagijoujungnainermik. Although the word appears formidable, its meaning is beautiful: “Not being able to think about it anymore.”
You’ve probably noticed that unforgiving people usually have good memories. Some can hold a grudge for a lifetime. But love never keeps a record of wrongs committed against it. It forgives and is unable to think about them anymore.
That’s what Paul had in mind when he said that love “does not take into account a wrong suffered” (1 Cor. 13:5). The Greek word translated “take into account” was used for entries in a bookkeeper’s ledger. Those entries helped the bookkeeper remember the nature of each financial transaction. In contrast, love never keeps a record or holds others accountable for the wrongs they’ve committed against it.
The greatest example of that kind of love is God Himself. Romans 4:8 says, “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” Second Corinthians 5:19 adds, “God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them.”
Every sin we commit as believers is an offense against God, but He never charges them to our account. We are in Christ, who bore our penalty on the cross. When we sin, we are immediately forgiven.
If you love others, you’ll forgive them as God has forgiven you. Instead of holding them accountable for their offenses, you’ll look beyond their sin to their potential in Christ. You’ll heed Paul’s admonition to “be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you” (Eph. 4:32). That’s the character of true love.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Is there someone from whom you’ve been withholding forgiveness? If so, recognize it as sin and confess it to the Lord. Then be reconciled to that person right away. ✧ Thank God that He doesn’t keep an account of your sins (cf. Ps. 130:3–4).
For Further Study: What does Matthew 18:21–35 say about forgiving others?
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August 22
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Rejoicing in Righteousness
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“[Love] does not rejoice in unrighteousness” (1 Cor. 13:6).
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Love never justifies sin.
To most Christians, the idea of rejoicing over unrighteousness is repulsive because it suggests enjoying deliberate, wanton sin. We’ve seen sin’s tragic effects on mankind and know how it offends God, so how could we ever rejoice in such a thing? But rejoicing in unrighteousness includes any attempt to justify sin in your own life or in the lives of others, and this can be a very subtle thing.
There are many ways to rejoice in unrighteousness. One is to exchange right for wrong. That’s what the prophet Isaiah condemned when saying, “Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute darkness for light and light for darkness” (Isa. 5:20). In our society, for example, virtues such as virginity and fidelity in marriage are branded as old-fashioned and prudish, while promiscuity and adultery are heralded as contemporary and liberating. Social pressures can cause undiscerning or weak Christians to yield to confused and godless moral standards.
Another way to rejoice in unrighteousness is to be undiscerning about what you expose yourself to. The humanistic philosophies and blatant immorality of our society can quickly dull your moral and spiritual senses. Therefore you must carefully evaluate what you read, view, and listen to. Does it denigrate God and exalt violence, crime, immorality, slander, and the like? If so, and you find that book or article entertaining, you are rejoicing in sin.
Some believers actually rejoice over the sins of others. That’s what Jonah did when he refused to preach at Nineveh for fear the people would repent and God would forgive them. He preferred to see them continue in sin rather than reconcile with God. That attitude is not so far removed from today as we’d like to think. I’ve known professing Christians who wanted out of their marriages so badly that they hoped their spouses would commit adultery so they would feel justified in getting a divorce. What a convoluted perspective!
True love cannot rejoice in sin but glories whenever righteousness prevails. If you love God, the things that please Him will please you, and the things that offend Him will offend you. Let that always be your standard.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for the grace to live a life that pleases Him.
For Further Study: Read Matthew 18:15–20, carefully noting the procedure for confronting a sinning Christian.
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August 23
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Maintaining Doctrinal Purity
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“[Love] rejoices with the truth” (1 Cor. 13:6).
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Love never compromises God’s Word.
Paul has just given us a list of things that love does not do: become jealous, brag, act arrogantly or unbecomingly, seek its own, become provoked, keep track of wrongs suffered, or rejoice in unrighteousness. Now he comes to the first of five things love does: “[Love] rejoices with the truth” (v. 6).
The contrast here is between love’s inability to rejoice in unrighteousness and its joy when truth prevails. “Truth” refers to God’s Word, which is the standard of righteousness. Paul could have said, “Love doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with righteousness,” but he went beyond the mere deeds of righteousness and addressed its standard and motive.
Love won’t tolerate false doctrine or sinful behavior, but it rejoices when God’s Word is taught and obeyed. The psalmist said, “O how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies. … I have more insight than all my teachers . … I understand more than the aged. … I have restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word. I have not turned aside from Thine ordinances, for Thou Thyself hast taught me. How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than honey to my mouth! From Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way” (Ps. 119:97–104). That’s the testimony of one who rejoices in the truth.
Often Christians are willing to compromise sound doctrine for the sake of loving others. They believe that doctrinal precision is somehow divisive and unloving. But Scripture says, “This is love, that we walk according to His commandments. … For many deceivers have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward” (2 John 6–8).
Biblical love always operates within the parameters of God’s Word and spiritual discernment (Phil. 1:9–10). The most loving thing you can do is live according to Biblical truth. Doctrinal compromise simply diminishes the quality of love and plays into the hands of the evil one.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for the wisdom and discernment needed to keep your love within its proper Biblical bounds.
For Further Study: Memorize Philippians 1:9–11.
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August 24
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Covering Sin
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“[Love] bears all things” (1 Cor. 13:7).
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Love confronts sin but protects the sinner.
In 1 Corinthians 13:7 Paul mentions four qualities of love that are closely related: bearing all things, believing all things, hoping all things, and enduring all things. That might sound like love is indiscriminate and accepting of anything that comes along, but “all things” in that verse is qualified by the context. Love rejects jealousy, bragging, arrogance, and so on (vv. 4–6); but it bears, believes, hopes, and endures all things that are within the parameters of God’s Word.
“[Love] bears all things” speaks of love’s willingness to cover sins and protect sinners from further harm. That’s opposite our tabloid-mentality society in which gossip is big business and people seemingly have an insatiable appetite for exposés and “true confessions.”
Love seeks to protect, not expose. It confronts and disciplines sin but never broadcasts failures or wrongs. It feels the pain of those it loves and is willing to take that pain upon itself when necessary—as Christ did when He suffered for our sins.
In the Old Testament, the mercy seat was the place where the blood of atonement was sprinkled to cover the sins of the people (Lev. 16:14). That covering prefigured the perfect covering of sin that Christ brought through His death on the cross (Rom. 3:25–26). All who trust in Him are forever covered with the mantle of God’s love.
You cannot cover sins in the redemptive sense, but you can help protect and restore its victims. Proverbs 10:12 says, “Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all transgressions.” First Peter 4:8 says, “Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins.”
When you hear of someone’s sin, what is your first reaction? Do you think the worst of him or even gloat over his failures? Or do you expect the best and want to protect him from further exposure, ridicule, or harm? Are you willing to confront sin when necessary and even help bear the burden that person might be carrying? How you react indicates the quality of your love.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Thank God for covering your sins with Christ’s blood. ✧ Commit yourself to loving others in a way that truly bears all things.
For Further Study: Read Isaiah 53:3–12. ✧ How is Christ pictured? ✧ What did He endure on your behalf?
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August 25
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Expecting the Best
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“[Love] believes all things” (1 Cor. 13:7).
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Love always expects the best of others.
In Luke 15 Jesus tells a parable about a father who had two sons. The younger son asked for his share of the family inheritance, then left home and squandered it on sinful pursuits. When he realized his folly, he decided to return home and ask his father’s forgiveness. So “he got up and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him, and felt compassion for him, and ran and embraced him, and kissed him. And the son said to him, ‘Father, I have sinned against heaven and in your sight; I am no longer worthy to be called your son.’ But the father said to his slaves, ‘Quickly bring out the best robe and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand and sandals on his feet; and bring the fattened calf, kill it, and let us eat and be merry’” (vv. 20–23).
That’s a beautiful illustration of love’s eagerness to forgive, but it also implies another characteristic of love. While the son was still far away, the father saw him coming. How could that be? Because he was watching for his son—anticipating and longing for his return. Love forgives when wrongs are committed against it, but it also expects the best of others. That’s what it means to “believe all things” (1 Cor. 13:7). That son had hurt his father deeply, but his father never lost hope that his son would return.
I know a Christian woman who has been married to an unbelieving husband for thirty years. Yet she continues to say, “He will come to Christ someday.” She isn’t blind to the situation, but her love for her husband has transformed her earnest desire into an expectation. She believes he will turn to Christ because love always expects the best.
Perhaps you have a spouse or child who is an unbeliever or has drifted away from the Lord. Don’t lose heart! Expect the best, and let that expectation motivate you to pray more fervently and to set a godly example for your loved ones to follow.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to guard your heart from cynical and suspicious attitudes toward others.
For Further Study: Read Matthew 9:1–13, noting the attitudes of the Jewish scribes and Pharisees toward Jesus.
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August 26
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Hoping in God
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“[Love] hopes all things” (1 Cor. 13:7).
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Love refuses to take human failure as final.
Even when faith falters, hope comes to the rescue. It is that long rope that keeps us linked to the sovereignty and power of God.
The Apostle Peter wrote to believers who were experiencing severe trials. To encourage them he began, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead” (1 Peter 1:3).
Our hope is “a living hope” because our God is a living God. No matter how bleak your situation might seem, God is at work to accomplish His purposes. As Christ hung on the cross, it seemed as if sin had finally triumphed over righteousness. But sin’s finest hour became its death knell when Christ arose from the grave as the Lord of life and the Redeemer of His people. Now “He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal [body] through His Spirit who indwells you” (Rom. 8:11). Trials and death have no power over you. They simply bring you closer to Christ.
When ministering to others, hope gives you confidence that as long as there is life, human failure is never final. God refused to accept Israel’s failures; Jesus refused to accept Peter’s; and Paul refused to accept that of the Corinthians. When your attempts to cover the sins of others have failed or your righteous expectations have been shattered, hope says, “Don’t give up. God can still work this out for good.”
Hope is illustrated in the true story of a dog who was abandoned at the airport of a large city. He stayed there for over five years, waiting for his master to return. People at the airport fed and cared for him, but he refused to leave the spot where he last saw his master. If a dog’s love for his master can produce that kind of hope, how much more should your love for God produce abiding hope?
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Suggestions for Prayer: Praise God for His sovereignty and power and for the hope that is yours in Christ.
For Further Study: Read Psalm 42, noting how the psalmist related the distressing circumstances of his life to his hope in God.
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August 27
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The Triumph of Love
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“[Love] endures all things” (1 Cor. 13:7).
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Love triumphs over opposition.
Endurance is the final characteristic of love that Paul mentions in this passage. The Greek word translated “endures” is a military term that speaks of being positioned in the middle of a violent battle. It refers not to withstanding minor annoyances but to incredible opposition—without ceasing to love.
Stephen is a good example of enduring love. He preached God’s message without compromise, but his enemies stoned him to death. His last act was to fall on his knees, crying out with a loud voice, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!” (Acts 7:60). A lesser man might have hated his tormentors, but not Stephen. He forgave them and beseeched God to do likewise, following the example of his Lord, who on the cross prayed, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). That’s the endurance of godly love.
Love bears all hurts, sins, and disappointments. It never broadcasts them but makes every attempt to reconcile and restore sinners. Love believes the best about others and is never cynical or suspicious. Even when it’s under severe attack, it forgives and clings to the hope of God’s power and promises. That kind of love should characterize every believer.
Your love may not be perfect, but it should be obvious. If you’re struggling with implementing love in some area of your life, remember these five keys:
• Acknowledge that love is a command (Rom. 13:8–10).
• Agree that you have the spiritual resources to love others as God loves you (Rom. 5:5).
• Understand that loving others is normal Christian behavior (1 John 4:7–10).
• Realize that love is the Spirit’s work (Gal. 5:22).
• Be fervent in your love for others (1 Peter 1:22; 4:8).
Godly love should be your highest purpose and greatest joy (Matt. 22:36–40). As you love others, you glorify Christ and make Him known to the world.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Review the fifteen characteristics of love from 1 Corinthians 13:4–7, asking God to increase each of them in your life.
For Further Study: Reread each reference in the five keys for implementing love in your life, and commit at least one to memory.
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August 28
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Holy Hatred
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“Hate evil, you who love the Lord” (Ps. 97:10).
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God’s hatred for evil is an extension of His love.
After spending this month exploring fifteen characteristics of godly love, it might seem odd to shift suddenly to the topic of hatred. Additionally, “holy hatred” will sound like a contradiction in terms to those who view all hatred as evil. But love and hate are inseparable. You can’t truly love something and be complacent about the things that oppose or threaten it.
If you love your spouse, you hate anything that would defile or injure him or her. If you love your children, you hate anything that would harm them. If you love good, you hate evil. If you love unity, you hate discord. If you love God, you hate Satan. That’s why Scripture says, “Hate evil, you who love the Lord” (Ps. 97:10) and, “The fear of the Lord is to hate evil; pride and arrogance and the evil way, and the perverted mouth, I [God personified] hate” (Prov. 8:13).
Unquestionably God is a God of love. First John 4 says, “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and every one who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. … Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. … And we have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him” (vv. 7–8, 11, 16).
How are we to respond to that love? The psalmist wrote, “From Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way. … I hate those who are double-minded, but I love Thy law. … I esteem right all Thy precepts concerning everything, I hate every false way. … I hate and despise falsehood, but I love Thy law” (Ps. 119:104, 113, 128, 163).
Is that your prayer? Do you hate the things that oppose God? Are you offended by what offends Him? Remember, holy hatred is as much a part of godly love as any of its other characteristics. If you love God, you must necessarily hate evil.
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God to increase your love for Him and your hatred for evil.
For Further Study: Meditate on Psalm 119:101–104, and commit it to memory.
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August 29
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Seven Things God Hates
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“There are six things which the Lord hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, a false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers” (Prov. 6:16–19).
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God is clear about the things that displease Him.
God hates sin in any form, but Proverbs 6:17–19 lists seven that are especially loathsome to Him. First is “haughty eyes” (v. 17), which pictures a proud and arrogant person with his nose in the air and his eyes uplifted. The pride in his heart is reflected in his mannerisms.
Pride is perhaps listed first because it is at the heart of all rebellion against God—beginning with Lucifer himself, who cried out against God, “I will ascend to heaven; I will raise my throne above the stars of God, and I will sit on the mount of assembly in the recesses of the north. I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will make myself like the Most High” (Isa. 14:13–14).
God also hates “a lying tongue” (v. 17). Men often toy with truth, denying or distorting it to gain some supposed advantage. But God can’t tolerate deception of any kind. He expects us to live according to His truth.
Third, He hates murderous hands (v. 17). That speaks of people whose hatred and greed are so strong that they will kill rather than be denied what they want. God created life and established its sanctity. That’s why He ordained that murderers be put to death (Gen. 9:6).
God also hates a wicked heart and malevolent feet (v. 18). Sometimes people fall into sin inadvertently. But these people carefully plot their sinful activities and then hurry to execute their plans.
Finally, God hates “a false witness” and a divisive spirit (v. 19). Bearing “false witness” means telling lies about an innocent party. That can obstruct justice, destroy a reputation, and even destroy a life. A divisive spirit is one who creates divisions where there should be unity.
Those sins characterize unbelievers, but Christians aren’t immune from them. So be on guard not to stray into attitudes and actions that God hates.
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Suggestions for Prayer: If you are practicing any of those things, confess them and repent.
For Further Study: According to Philippians 2:1–5, how should Christians treat one another?
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August 30
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The Love God Hates
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“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2:15–17).
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If you love the world, you’re engaging in a love God hates.
Satan, from the very beginning of his rebellious activities, has been developing an invisible spiritual system of evil designed to oppose God and enslave people to sin. The Apostle John identified that system as “the world” and warned us not to love it.
Satan has had many centuries to develop his evil system; so it is very effective on those who reject Christ. First John 5:19 explains that while we as Christians belong to God, “the whole world lies in the power of the evil one,” whom Jesus called “the ruler of this world” (John 12:31). In John 8:44 He identified certain unbelievers as children of their father, the Devil, who is a “murderer” and “the father of lies.” That’s how completely unbelievers are identified with Satan.
As a believer, you are identified with God. You have been delivered out of the domain of darkness and placed into the Kingdom of Christ (Col. 1:13). You are from God and have overcome the evil one because the Holy Spirit who indwells you is greater than he who controls the world (1 John 4:4).
Sadly, Christians sometimes flirt with the very things they’ve been saved from. Don’t do that! Satan and his system have nothing to offer you. They are doomed. First John 2:17 says, “The world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who does the will of God abides forever.”
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Suggestions for Prayer: If you’ve been flirting with the world, ask God’s forgiveness. ✧ Praise God that someday Satan and his evil system will be vanquished.
For Further Study: Read the epistle of 1 John, noting the contrasts between the children of God and the children of Satan.
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August 31
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Rejecting the World
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“Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him” (1 John 2:15).
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The world is opposed to everything God stands for.
Loving the world begins with thinking that God doesn’t know what’s best for you and is trying to cheat you out of something you deserve. That thought soon blossoms into a willingness to disregard God’s warnings altogether and take whatever Satan has to offer.
Love of the world started in the Garden of Eden and continues to this day. Genesis 3:6 says, “When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.” What made them think the fruit was good for food or able to make them wise? God didn’t tell them that. In fact, He warned them that they would die if they ate the fruit (Gen. 2:17). But Eve believed the serpent’s lie, and Adam followed suit.
Satan continues to propagate his lies, but you needn’t fall prey to them if you love God and remember that the world is opposed to everything He stands for. It is spiritually dead, void of the Spirit (John 14:17), morally defiled, and dominated by pride, greed, and evil desires. It produces wrong opinions, selfish aims, sinful pleasures, demoralizing influences, corrupt politics, empty honors, and fickle love.
You can’t love the world and God at the same time, because love knows no rivals. It gives its object first place. If you love God, He will have first place in your life. If you love the world, the love of the Father isn’t in you (1 John 2:15).
Galatians 1:3–5 explains that Jesus “gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us out of this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory forevermore.” Christ died to deliver us from Satan’s evil system. What greater motivation could there be to reject the world and live to God’s glory?
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Suggestions for Prayer: Ask God for greater wisdom and for grace to resist the world’s influences.
For Further Study: According to Ephesians 6:10–18, how can you as a believer protect yourself against Satan’s evil system?
