TEXT: I Corinthians 13:6

SUBJECT: What Love is #9: Firm

"Love...does not rejoice in iniquity" means it is not indulgent; it doesn't condone sin or comfort others in it.

"But rejoices in the truth" means love is firm and willing to correct others, sharply if needed.

In other words, love is not the limp and squishy thing we often think it is, but has backbone and muscle, too.

My mother was a good example of this love. She would criticize you, but you never had the feeling of being rejected. Her rebukes hurt sometimes, but they didn't scare you; they were not implied threats. She never hinted, "If you don't do what I say, I won't be your friend any more". Her example is worth pondering--and more. The Bible says so, "Note those who so walk, as you have us for a pattern", Philippians 3:17.

Her example was good, but not the best. That belongs to our Lord Jesus alone. No one ever rebuked more sharply than He. To a dear friend, He once said: "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men". How would you like to be on the receiving end of that one? To call Peter "Satan"--the adversary; to make him "an offense"--or a scandal! To say he's thinking like an unbeliever! Tough words, to be sure. Peter must have recoiled at them.

Yet, just a few verses later, we find our Lord taking James, John--and Peter--to a secret place to see Him "transfigured" before their very eyes.

What balance! By God's grace, we ought to seek the same for ourselves. Why? Because "Love...does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth".

Why is love so firm? Because it puts the interests of others before its own. That's what we learned last week, wasn't it? "Love...does not seek its own". It's not selfish; it's giving.

Let's face it, indulging others in their sins is a whole lot easier than confronting them. It's the sure way to popularity. King Ahab had a court-full of "Yes Men" who called themselves "Prophets". Their every word was what the king wanted to hear. But there was another prophet hanging around, named Michaiah. When his advice was sought, Ahab replied, "But I hate him, for he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil..."

If you would ask Ahab who truly had his best interests at heart, he would have said, "My prophets". But did they? Encouraging him to fight a battle he must lose--and be killed in--doesn't sound very loving to me.

Had he listened to Michaiah--and not gone to war that day--he would have lived. And so, who was his friend?

Why, then did the prophets speak as they did? You know why: it was to their advantage! They were "seeking their own". And that's not love! Never has been. Never will be.

Love, though firm, must never become harsh.

Love, though firm, must never become harsh. On this, we all agree. But how does "firm" differ from "harsh"? Normally like this: What I say to you is firm; what you say to me is harsh! That's how we feel, of course, but it's not true.

I think you're being harsh when any of the following things are true. (1) You're not balanced--you criticize ten times more than you compliment. (2) You enjoy criticizing others. (3) You criticize others in a proud way, not mindful of your own faults. (4) Your criticism contains a threat--if others don't do what you say, you won't love them any more. (5) If you don't know what I Peter 4:8 means: "Love covers a multitude of sins".

We should give this love to others.

We do our brethren no favor by letting them slip further and further into sin because we're too "chicken" to say anything about it.

It is possible to misjudge others, of course; we can become nags. We ought to beware of these things, but we mustn't allow them to make us silent when God commands "Blow the trumpet!"

Many verses can be cited to this effect. Luke 17:3 is one: "If your brother sins against you, rebuke him"; Hebrews 10:24 is another: "Let us consider one another, to provoke unto love and good works". Proverbs 27:6 is a third: "Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful".

When necessary, be willing to do this, and "with lowliness of mind, esteem others better than yourself".

If there's anything harder than correcting others with a good attitude, it's taking rebuke that way. Should we? The Bible says so: "Reproof is more effective on a wise man than a hundred blows on a fool", Proverbs 17:10. "Let the righteous smite me, it shall be a kindness; let him reprove me, it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head...", Psalm 141:5.

How do we take correction without being hurt or getting mad? Two things are need: humility and a true desire for holiness. We all say we want to be holy. But do we? Holiness is a hard thing to obtain. Maybe what we want is comfort--that's a lot easier to get and more pleasant, too. You needn't listen to every crackpot criticism that comes your way. But the trues ones--even partly true--are good for your soul. If you're humble enough to receive them.

How to become more firm in our loving.

How do put this "love" into practice? It's not easy. But it can be done; what's more, it must be done. What do you do? Here's a start:

First, think about the consequences of sin. It may be pleasant for a time, but it won't be in the end. It is better for your fellow believer to suffer a little bit now than a whole lot later. Think about it.

Second, remember how God works. Only He gives repentance. Sometimes He does it without human means. But not usually. When David must be rebuked, God didn't send him a vision or a dream; He sent a man! In this way, we do God's work.

Third, forget yourself. Nothing harder than this! Yet, if we love others we tell them things that risk our standing with them. If we forget ourselves, we'll tell them anyway.

Fourth, meditate on Christ and His ways. Read the Gospels in particular, and find out how He could call a man "Satan" without losing his friendship.

Fifth, pray for God's Spirit to help you in this work and to bless it to others. We mustn't forget how dependent we are on the Holy Spirit. Without Him "we can do nothing". Pray hard and much that He will be with you--opening your eyes to what needs to be said and enabling you to say it with grace.

God give us the love that "Does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth". For Christ's sake. Amen.