If you'd like to follow along,
I'm going to be in the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 13. 1 Corinthians chapter 13, I want
to begin reading in verse 4. Charity suffereth long and is
kind. Charity envieth not. Charity
vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, doth not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil, rejoiceth
not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth. beareth all things,
believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth. But whether they be prophecies,
they shall fail. Whether they be tongues, they
shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it
shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy
in part. But when that which is perfect
is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. And
I'm just gonna stop right there. Let me read you this. Chris Cunningham
wrote a couple of sentences here, I jotted down. The Bible is not
God's love letter to mankind. The Bible is not our instruction
manual for life or any of those other cute sayings you want to
use. The scriptures are God's revelation of himself and his
son, the Lord Jesus Christ. The perfection, the purpose,
the plan, and the execution of God's work are all recorded in
God's word. Now the Bible does not, this
is me now, the Bible does not sugarcoat the awfulness of sin
or our sins. The Bible clearly tells us of
the deadly consequences of sin in the cost and the payment for
our sins. The ultimate payment was necessary. the death of our Lord Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of sin. Jesus Christ was promised, he
was prophesied, and he came in the likeness of sinful flesh.
He laid down his life for his people, he died a horrible death,
and he ascended from the grave, raised from the grave, and ascended
to God with his blood, and God accepted his sacrifice and offering
as our substitute. Thereby, therefore, by him we
are healed. Now, this is a way that grace and
faith establish the law. This is a way it does. The awfulness
of sin required the awfulness of Christ's death because the
law had been broken by us, not by him. And yea, we do establish
the law by telling, preaching how he came and paid this ultimate
price for our justification, for our redemption, for our very
life. We are saved by grace, through
faith, and that not of ourselves. It is the gift of God. And we
are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works. Unto good works. But here we
go. Now, this is Paul's message. in 1 Corinthians chapter 13 of
true godly love. Not what as Earl used to call
it, L-U-V. This is true godly love. And
Paul, this is one of the astonishing things here. In the first three
verses, Paul makes this personal. Now this is the letter to the
Corinthians. Paul had been telling the Corinthians
they needed to correct some things. There were some things they needed
to fix. There were some bad things that happened in Corinth. And
Paul was saying, y'all need to stop this. But here when he gets
to this, he gets this and makes this extremely personal. He says,
though I speak with the tongue of men and angels. That's verse
one. And I have not charity, I am
become as a sounding brass or a tinking cymbal. He says, and
though I have the gift of prophecy and I have all faith so that
I can remove mountains and have not charity, I am not. I am nothing. And though I bestow
all my goods to feed the poor, it profited me nothing without
charity, without love. That's the word, love. See, Paul is writing to others.
He's writing to the church at Corinth, but here, right here
in this chapter, he names himself. No one is exempt from this, not
even the apostles. This is the truth. Paul is telling
us we all need the love of God, the true godly love. And then
he goes on to give this description in verse four, he starts. Charity
suffereth long. Love suffers long. What's that mean? It means that
love is patient. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love doesn't envy. Love doesn't
boast. Do you ever worry about people
who gush? If you know what I mean. I love
you. I think that's part of Earl's
LUV word. Oh, I just love everybody. I
don't. I don't. Sometimes I'm ashamed
to say that. Sometimes I'm not. But this is the truth of it.
People who gush about how much they love and how much they care,
they bother me. They bother me because I'm not
that way. But here's the thing. True, godly
love does not boast. Does not boast. It suffers long. It's patient. It's kind. It's
kind. and love doesn't envy. Oh. Paul told us this. But here's
the thing that got me too. I'll get to my subject here in
a minute. Love does not behave itself unseemly,
seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, and thinketh no evil.
Now, here's the thing. If you do any of these things,
that's you, not the love of God. It's you. It's me. It's me. I'm not going to go into that.
Here's another point very quickly. Love rejoices, not in iniquity. Now, neither their own or others. You understand, love doesn't
rejoice in other people getting caught. Love doesn't rejoice in iniquity
at all. And this is something that I have to be careful about. Because here, love believes that
iniquity is an offense against God. no matter who does it. Love knows that sin, iniquity,
is an offense against the holy God. And love grieves over iniquity,
whosoever it is. But sometimes, and I have to
admit being guilty of this, some people, and myself included,
sometimes delight in being a bad boy. That's wrong. That's wrong. That's not love.
And I've heard testimony meetings where, I used to be a rounder, as I
think Henry Mahan put it. I used to be a drunk. I used
to be this, and I used to be that. And you listen to them
talking, it sort of seems like they kind of miss the good old
days. That's not love. That's not love. Love doesn't
rejoice in iniquity. You're to remember the pit from
which you are dig. You're not supposed to hang around
there. You're not supposed to go there. Just remember it. Don't
go there. Love doesn't rejoice in iniquity.
But here's a wonderful thing. Love does rejoice in truth. In truth. Oh, that's good. Because here's the thing. Love
believes the truth. Love believes the truth. Love
knows the truth. And here's something else. Love
is happy, joyous in hearing his truth. The truth of the Lord
Jesus Christ. Love is happy to know the truth. Love rejoices in the truth. And if you rejoice in hearing
the word of God, in hearing his word preached, in hearing Christ
preached and proclaimed and extolled, that's love. That's love. Love does rejoice in the truth.
Love bears all things. There's nothing too hard for
true love. Love will bear the burdens of others, and love will
bear the burden of others. And love will be concerned and
pray for others, because love wants the best for others. And here's the thing, love will
help where he can. But this is the thing that got
me, this is the statement that got me. I've heard this, I don't
know how many times I've read this chapter, I don't know how
many times I've heard this. Somebody read it, quoted, and
I was listening to a message of him going to work, listening
to a message by Henry Mahan, and he read that, he just read
this off. He was just, it was part of his message, but it wasn't
his message. But here's the thing he said, and I, to be honest,
I couldn't remember it. Love believes all things. I thought about that, and I thought
about that, and it stopped me, Mac. It stopped me. I had to
think about it. And there I was at work, and
I couldn't do a lot of thinking of it, but I called up, and I
marked it on my Bible program just to make sure I wouldn't
forget it. Love believes all things. Now, let me be clear from the
beginning. Paul is not writing that love
believes everything it's told. Okay? Paul is not writing that
love believes anything everybody says. Because this is true, it's
not in here, but I'll tell you this, because it does tell you,
love is not gullible. Love is discerning. You understand
what he's saying? Just before this, love rejoiceth
not in iniquity, and rejoiceth in the truth. Love is discerning. The true love of God is discerning. It knows the difference between
iniquity and the truth. Love knows the difference between
error and the truth. Love is saying, and this is the
way I like what Gil put it, Paul is saying that love believes
all things that are to be believed. Love believes what is to be believed. Love believes the truth. Why? Because love, what? Rejoices
in the truth. Rejoices in the truth. So love
must know the truth. Love believes all scripture,
even when you don't understand it. It happens. Love believes that the Lord Jesus
Christ is all his salvation. Love believes that Jesus Christ
is sovereign. Love believes that Jesus Christ
is righteous and love believes that Jesus Christ is holy. Love
believes all things. And love believes all things
are of God. Love believes not that Jesus
Christ is victorious. Love believes that Jesus Christ
is the victory. He is the victory. I like that. Love believes all things that
are to be believed. And love believes that God is
love. He alone is the source of all
love. John said it in 1 John 4 and
7, you don't have to turn there. Beloved, let us love one another.
For love is of God, from God. And everyone that loveth is born
of God. And knoweth God. Now here's something else I want
to tell you. Because this is what got me to, love believeth
all things. I got to thinking about it. Love
is never alone. But the fruit of the spirit is
love. Joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, and here it is, faith, faith. Meekness, temperance,
against such there is no law. I said it before, just a little
while ago, God is the source of all true love. Love in you comes from God, the Holy Spirit. Understand,
I remember when you said this a while back, Walter, years ago,
it says the fruit of the Spirit. Understand, one fruit, one Spirit,
one fruit, Then it says, love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness,
goodness, faith, meekness, temperance against such there is. Love is
never alone. That's the problem with people
who gush. Love's all they got, they don't have any knowledge.
Love's all they got, they don't have any meekness. And I don't
know about the love they got. First of all, notice this. First
listed in the fruit of the spirit is love. Love. And with love comes joy, comes
peace, comes long-suffering, comes gentleness, comes goodness,
faith, meekness, and temperance. Love is never alone. Love is
never alone. Love comes with joy and peace
and patience and gentleness and faith. The love believes all
things. How? By faith. By faith. The gift of God. For by grace are you saved through
faith, and that not of yourselves. It's the gift of God. Now, let
me say one thing. This is about. where Paul is
writing here, this is about true godly love. True godly love. And God's love and his gift,
the gift, the fruit of the spirit, is perfect. But we are not. We are not. So if you're worried
about how you may feel and how you act, if you're afraid you
do not love as you should, I'll tell you one word. Good. Good. I'm glad you feel bad.
I'm glad you worry. You understand? Because here's
the thing. The world doesn't worry about how it feels. People
who gush about their love aren't worried about whether they love
enough. That kind of confidence is deadly. True love is from God and is
perfect. but we are not perfect. Understand,
if you believe the Lord Jesus Christ, his love is shed abroad
in your heart, if you truly believe him. And you still have the old
man inside, and so do I. You can look at Romans chapter
seven and you can read about a battle between the flesh and
the spirit. Because that battle still goes
on. And I can tell you this right
now, you can't win. You can't win. You cannot exercise,
remove the old man. You can't. But I thank God through
Jesus Christ. He's the victory. He's the victory. I'm not the victory. He is. And
everything that I do have, I owe to Him. I owe Him. But here it is. Love believes
and is sure that Jesus Christ has won. Has won. Because love's victory is in
Christ Jesus. And we believe Him. Now. For conclusion, it's a pretty
long conclusion. I wanna tell you some more things
that love believes. Because it says love believes
all things. And I just got this list running in my head and I
started writing stuff down. First and foremost of all, before
anything else, love believes the Lord Jesus Christ. The source
of true love and true faith God manifest in the flesh. Love believes
who he is and what he said. Love rejoiceth not in iniquity,
but rejoiceth in the truth, in the truth. Oh, I like that. Love believes that his word is
true. Love believes that the Lord Jesus
Christ is God and was God and was with God in the beginning. Love believes that God is love
and love believes that Jesus Christ is the light. Love believes
that Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. And
no man comes to the Father but by Him. Love believes Him, the
Lord Jesus Christ, born of a woman, made under the law to redeem
them that were under the law. so that those he redeemed would
receive the adoption of sons. Oh, I like that. I do. Let me
tell you something. Love believes whosoever will.
Isn't that swell? Well, everybody believes whosoever
will. No, they don't. No, they don't. They may think
they do, but they don't. Because here's something else
love believes. Love believes in whosoever won't. Because if
there's a whosoever will, there's a whosoever won't. Because love believes that there
is a narrow way and a straight gate. What? And few there be
that find it. Few there be that find it. Matter
of fact, love believes You will not come to the Lord Jesus Christ
that you might have life. You wanna know why? Because Jesus
Christ said that himself. You will not come to me that
you might have life. And love also believes that all the father gives to
the son shall come to the son. All that the father gave to Christ
will come to Christ. And love believes that no man
can come, except the Father which has sent him draw him. And they shall come to Christ.
They shall. You understand? Love believes
no man can come. Love believes that you will not
come. And love believes that some shall come. Now, some people
think that's a paradox or a contradiction. No, it's the truth. It's the
truth. Because here's something else
love believes. Love believes that thy people shall be willing
in the day of thy power. Love believes the election of
grace. The election of grace. Love believes
that Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. I know a lot of people stumble
over that. But that's their problem, not the scripture's problem.
That's what it says. Old Testament and new. Jacob
have I loved, and Esau have I hated. Does it really matter when it
was said? If it's true, and it is true. Here. Love believes. that the Lord Jesus Christ has
other sheep that are not a part of this fold. And love believes
that he must bring them. Why? Because he said so. Them
I must bring. Love believes that election is
not salvation, but it's unto it. Unto salvation. Here's something else love believes.
And we know that all things work together for good to them that
love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he
also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his son, that
he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover, whom
he did predestinate, them he also called. And whom he called,
them he also justified. And whom he justified, them he
also glorified. Love believes all that. Understand the love believes
the Lord Jesus Christ is calling his people unto himself. Every single one that the Father
gave to him. Lord love believes that the Lord
Jesus Christ is giving them eternal life And love also believes that
eternal life is eternal not temporary It's everlasting There's one Love believes that
he is free from the law and it's curse and it's curse and Love
believes, I, you, all believers are under the commandments of
Christ. The commandments of Christ. Because
love believes the commandments of Christ. Number one, commandments
of Christ. Believe the Lord Jesus Christ.
And number two, love the brethren. That's our commands. That's our
commandments, right there. That's as close as I'll get to
being under the law ever again. And I can't do that that well. The little I can do is because
he works in me both to will and to do of his good pleasure. But
anyhow, I am under the commandments of Christ, I'm told. Love believes this, he that does
not love his brother abides in death. That's what it says. Love believes that he that does
not have true love doesn't know God. Amen, that's right. For God is love. God is love. But love also believes the love
of God is shed abroad in the hearts of every single believer. Love believes one God, Father,
Son, and Spirit. And these three are one, are
one. Love believes that all things
are of Jesus Christ and by him all things consist, exist, are
now. What? He created everything that
was made. He is preeminent above all. And in all things, he has the
preeminence. All things consist by him. William Gadsby wrote this verse. Precious spirit, make us see. Love immense beyond degree. Now and when beneath the flood,
fill us with the love of God. I like that. Love believes all
things. All things. You understand, I've kind of
come to a bit of a conclusion. We are to grow in the grace and
the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. And I've kind of come
to the conclusion of the fact of that being The longer I live,
the more I learn, the more he is and the less I am. That's
what it comes to. You know? He's my wisdom. He's my righteousness. He's my sanctification. And he's
my redemption. What else do I need? That's everything. And he loves me. And He's given us all His beliefs. He's given us His love. And love
believes all things that are to be believed. I do like that. I do like that. God has given us His Son. And His Son has given us His
love through His Spirit. Love, joy, peace, everything
comes from Him. All good things, all perfect
gifts come down from the Father of Lights, in whom there's not
even a shadow of turning, no variable in that, and not even
a shadow of turning. He gives you something, you've
got it, whether you know it or not. His love is just like Himself,
eternal. Eternal our Heavenly Father. We're thankful again for this
time in this place Most of all Lord thankful to you God you've
given us everything When you gave us your son our Lord Jesus
Christ You have given us all things all blessings all Just
a chance to see his glory and and his work and his will and
his way in this world. And you have touched our souls
with life and given unto us the adoption of sons. Thank you,
Lord. In Christ's name we pray, amen.