In part 8 of our “Love is…” series we faced
a double-sided description that agape-love[1]
“does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but
rejoices with the truth.”[2]
A number of things were especially
encouraging.
One was the discovery that the first “rejoice” refers to being happy at doing
something, in this case, “wrongdoing”,
while the second “rejoice” speaks of
togetherness in joy regarding “the
truth”. Agape-love finds no happiness in anything that is wrong, but
delights to come together in the truth and celebrate what is given to us in Jesus
Christ.
For some time, our home church has been
realizing how much of God’s work must be experienced together in the fellowship
of the Spirit and the church. Since God is agape-love, and God is agape-love in
the triune relationship of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, that agape-love in us
would bring us together in a shared joy that delights in our Father’s truth.
Another gift of grace that gave so much
encouragement was that Paul is emphasizing what agape-love is, not what we are
in ourselves. It is almost as though he wants us to see all the problems and deficiencies
in us and our churches just as he has described what the Corinthians were facing,
and then to recognize that agape-love would make all the difference.
By the end of our consideration, I certainly
wanted to have this agape-love as the driving-force of church life rather than all
the sarkiness and self-protection that are far too prevalent when we try doing
things in self-reliance. Perhaps you would receive the same encouragement as
you join us in a fresh look at the agape-love that is ours in Jesus Christ. It
is ours to receive; it is ours to give.
Email: in2freedom@gmail.com
Unless otherwise noted, Scriptures are from the
English Standard Version (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text
Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of
Good News Publishers.)
[1] In the Greek language
of the New Testament, the word translated “love” in the English of I
Corinthians 13 is ἀγάπη, pronounced, “agapē". It is the distinctive
love that is a “goodwill arising from a personal moral good rather than
attraction”. Because this is distinct from the loves that reflect some degree
of mutual enjoyment of relationship, I am using the transliteration of “agapē"
to express this distinction.
[2] I Corinthians 13:6 (context is I Corinthians 13:1-13)
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