Sure, with the first Corinthians
chapter eight, isn't it good to see Ben and Christie here?
I just made my day. That's a blessing. First Corinthians eight. I've entitled this message love
to God. Love. I feel somewhat overwhelmed with
the thought of trying to preach on this. I hope you'll pray for
me, pray for yourselves as we consider this. Let's read these
first three verses together. Now, as touching things offered
unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up. It fills one with hot air. It
fills one with pride. But charity edifies. And if any man think that he
knows anything, He knows nothing, yet as he ought to know. But, if any man love God, the same is known of him. Now, as touching things offered
unto idols, we know we all have knowledge. Idols. We have a glass of water
here, do you know? Some. Religions and some beliefs,
ancient beliefs have actually thought water is God, and I'm
not just saying that. I mean, they really have to say,
well, it can take all the different forms of of a solid, a liquid
and a gas and all things came out of water. Water is the thing
that everything came from. Now, let's say. I said that this
glass of water is a God, a God that creates and so on. Well,
you would know better than that, wouldn't you? You'd know that
this glass of water didn't create anything, it was created. If
we had a statue up and I said, this is God, let's bow down in
worship at this statue, or it's a representation of God, you'd
know better than that. And you wouldn't do it. You'd
say that's nothing more than a statue. And it's good that
you know that. It's good that you understand
that this is a good thing. Now, as touching these things
that are offered into idols and what Paul was talking about was
when someone would take something that was sacrificed to an idol.
They would kill a cow or a lamb or whatever and they'd sacrifice
it and they'd offer it up to an idol. And then they would
take the meat And some people said, well, you ought not eat
that meat because that was used in pagan worship. That was used
in a sacrifice to an idol. You ought not eat that thing.
And I've got to admit, I might feel kind of funny eating myself.
I shouldn't, but I'm kind of, boy, this was used for a terrible
purpose. Should we eat this? Now, he says,
now, concerning things offered up to idols, we all have knowledge. We know that that idol is absolutely
nothing. We know that. And we ought to
know that. We all have knowledge. And then
Paul makes this very unusual statement at the last part of
this verse. He says, knowledge puffeth up. Knowledge fills one with pride. Knowledge makes a man swollen. You get swollen when you're infected
with something. Huffs up, it fills one with pride. Now, what's that mean? I asked this because the Scripture
makes it clear that there is no salvation apart from knowledge. Now you can just write this down.
This is very important. There is no salvation apart from
knowledge, you cannot believe what you do not know, can you? You can't love somebody that
you don't know. There is no salvation apart from
knowledge. As a matter of fact, salvation
is described in 1 Timothy 1 or 2, 4 and 5 as coming to the knowledge
of the truth. You know, the Lord said to his
disciples, you shall know the truth. And the truth shall make you
free. Now is that going to hook up somebody with hot air? You
shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free? Paul said in 2 Timothy 1.9 or
1.12, I know whom I have believed. I know whom I have I'm persuaded, I'm convinced
that he's able to keep that which I've committed to him against
that day. Now, is that knowledge going to puff Paul up with hot
air and pride? He says, knowledge puffeth up.
What does he mean by this? Because it's so important for
us to know there's no salvation apart from knowledge. I cannot
believe what I do not know. You can't be saved apart from
knowledge. Now, it's not your knowledge
that saves you. It's Christ that saves you. I love this scripture.
It says in John 8, 32, you shall know the truth and the truth
shall make you free. It doesn't say your knowledge
of the truth shall make you free. You don't know the truth that
well anyway, neither do I. It's the truth himself who makes
you free. He's the one who sets you free, not your knowledge
of the truth. But he still said you shall know the truth. There
is no salvation apart From knowledge, the knowledge of the gospel,
the knowledge of who God is, the knowledge of who I am, the
knowledge of how he saves sinners by his grace. There's no salvation
apart from that. So what's he mean when he says
knowledge puffeth up, it just fills somebody with pride and
hot air and a high opinion of themselves. What Paul is speaking
of is knowledge without wisdom. Knowledge without Love. Knowledge without faith. All
that kind of knowledge does is puff one up with pride. I know
something you don't know. Therefore, I have an advantage
over you. Now that kind of knowledge, all
it does is puff somebody up with pride. I know something. I know
something you don't know. Therefore, I'm in a better position
than you. I've got more power than you. I've got something
you don't have. I know something you don't know.
Now, everybody wants that, don't they? I know something you don't
know. That gives me an edge. That kind of knowledge, all it
does is puff somebody up with pride, even if it's supposedly doctrinally accurate
knowledge. If it's without love, if it's without faith, if it's
without wisdom, well, I believe the doctrines of grace. Well,
you ought to believe the doctrines of grace. I believe that men are
depraved and that God elected a people and Christ died to the
elect and God's grace is irresistible and that God's people will persevere
all the way to the end. You ought to believe that. That's
what the Scripture teaches. It doesn't save you, though,
does it? It's not your knowledge of that that saves you. Knowledge puffs up, but charity,
love, builds up. It edifies. There's all the difference
in the world, isn't there? Knowledge huffs up charity. That doesn't mean charity without
knowledge. Listen to me. I know whom I believed. This is not talking about some
kind of vague, nebulous, ethereal, feely, ooey-gooey, I love God. Do you love the God of the Bible?
The God as he's revealed in the Scriptures, that's the God we're
talking about, the God, the sovereign God, the holy God, the just God,
the God as he's revealed in his word. There's something to do
with loving that God. You love him. You're glad he's
the way he is, you rejoice that he is the way he is, and you
wouldn't change him if you could. That's the love he's speaking
of. Knowledge puffs one up with pride. Charity builds up. Look at verse two. I tell you
what, this verse takes the wind out of my sails. If any man think that he knows
anything. He knows what? Nothing yet, as
he ought to know. If a man thinks he knows anything,
I've got that down, Pat. Oh, I've got that down. No, you
don't. As a matter of fact, if you think
that, all you do is manifest your ignorance. That's it. If
a man thinks he knows anything, oh, I've got that down. I understand
that real well. Do you? Do you? That man knows nothing yet, as
he ought to know. But, verse 3, if any man loves God, The same
is known of him. Of God, this is what God knows
and recognizes, God is not impressed with what we know. Or how much
we know, why would he be? He's omniscient. Would he be impressed with what
we know? Now, here is something that the Lord
God is impressed with. Love to Him. If any man loved God, the same
is known of Him. Now, I want to try to speak for
a few moments on this subject, love to God. You know that love
is the most powerful force there is. I'll give you some examples.
Look what men will do motivated by love to self. What a powerful
motivator that is. I mean, people will step on anybody
and destroy anybody out of self-love. I mean, to get what I want because
I love myself, people will go to any degree. Love, self-love
is a powerful, powerful force. And then look what people do
for romantic love. Oh my, the things that people
have done because they love each other. I mean, it's a powerful,
powerful force. And what about parental love?
What about a person's love for the children? How do you sacrifice
for your children? Oh, what a powerful force that
is. What about patriotic love? People giving their life for
their country, people who believe in their country so much and
what their country stands for, that they're willing to die for
it. That's a powerful thing, isn't it? We admire that. But
the love Paul's speaking of in our text, infinitely, infinitely
surpasses those loves as powerful as they are. Paul is speaking
of love to God. And let me tell you this about
love to God. Love to God is beyond the capacity of the natural man. No man by nature loves God. Now, he may love a false conception
of God. He may love the God that he feels
comfortable with, the God that he's made up, the God that's
not the God of the Bible, but a God he likes. That's my God. I've had people saying to me
regarding things, well, that's not my God. I know it's not. I know it's not. It's not your
God, but it's the God of the Bible. It's the living God. Now,
love to this God is beyond the capacity of the natural man. Only those who are begotten of
God possess this love. Would you turn with me to 1 John
chapter 4. Verse 7, Beloved, let us love
one another, for love is of God, and everyone that loveth is born
of God, and knoweth God. Now what kind of love is he talking
about? Is he talking about every mom that loves her children is
born of God? Is it talking about every man
that loves his wife is born of God? You know it's not talking
about that. This is talking about this love to God. Everyone that
loves Him. Everybody loves the living God. They're born of God and they
know God. You see, truly, the fruit of
the Spirit is what? Love. That's the fruit of God,
the Holy Spirit. It's not something that can be
produced by the natural man. Now, we have this love because
of his love to us. You're there in 1 John. Stay
there in chapter 4. Let's read verse 19 together. We love him. Now, before we go
on. We love him as he has revealed
himself in this book. We love the sovereign God. We love the God who's in control.
We love the God who saves who He pleases and passes by who
He pleases. We love that God. We love the God who's gracious.
We love the God who's all-powerful. We love God as He's revealed
in this book. And you know, I do. Everybody
say, I love God. How many people would you come
up on the street and say, you love God? How many of them say,
no, I don't love Him? No, most people say, I love God. But it's
one thing to say it, and it's another thing to do it. Completely
different. We love God. But look what He
says next. We love Him because He first
loved us. We know where our love comes
from. I know that the only reason I love him is because he first
loved me, and I know that I wouldn't even love him if he didn't first
love me. I know that. Do you know that?
Do you know that? Look in verse 10 of this same
chapter. Herein is love, John says. 1 John chapter 4 verse
10. Herein is love, not that we love God. If you're going
to define love, would you talk about your love? Oh, I love the
Lord so much. Now, wait a minute. How much?
How much? I mean, we do love the Lord,
but if you're going to define love, would you use your love?
You're ashamed of your love, aren't you? It's nowhere near
what it ought to be. You're embarrassed by it. You
want to love Him more, don't you? So if you're going to define
love, herein is love. It's not that we love God. We're
not going to talk about our love. But He loved us. There's love. Not our love to Him. He has loved
us. He loved us and sent His Son
to be the propitiation of our sins. That means He put our sins
away. He's made a way for Him to not
be angry with us anymore. And He can love us. And we're
lovely through the propitiation of the Lord Jesus Christ. Jeremiah
31, verse 3, God says, I have loved you with an everlasting
love. Therefore, with loving kindness,
have I drawn thee. Why has He drawn you to Himself?
Because He loved you with an everlasting love. Now, this love
to Him is actually the result of His purpose. Romans 8, 28
says, And we know that all things work together for good. To who?
To them that love God. What's next? To them who are
thee called according to His purpose. Now, this is actually
God's great end in the gospel. This thing of love to Him. Listen
to this scripture. 1 Timothy 1.15. Now, the end
of the commandment. That means the goal of the commandment.
The purpose of the commandment. The purpose of the commandment
to believe the gospel. The end of the commandment is
charity out of a pure heart. charity, love, out of a pure
heart and good conscience. I've got a good conscience. Don't
feel guilty. Are you serious? Yeah, I'm serious. Don't feel guilty. But how? The
blood of Jesus Christ, God's Son, cleanses us from all sin.
I don't have anything to be guilty about. That's a good conscience.
It's not somebody that says, I don't have anything to feel
guilty about because I've conducted myself so well. They've got what's
called a seared conscience. Their conscience doesn't work.
It's no good. But a good conscience really believes that the blood
of Christ makes me have nothing to be guilty of. A good conscience
and faith unfeigned. Charity out of a pure heart,
a good conscience and faith unfeigned. I got real faith. It ain't fake.
I really believe that Christ is my only hope. I mean, I'm
not faking that. I'm not faking it. I really do
believe that He only is my rock and my salvation. I believe that.
But a charity out of a pure heart. That's God's great end. Charity.
Love to Him. Love to one another out of a
pure heart. This is what God requires. Not
knowledge, but love. Do you remember the words of
our Lord to Peter after Peter had denied him. I guess this
is the first time the Lord talked to him after the resurrection.
I don't know whether it was the first time he talked to him.
It was one of the first times. It was after the resurrection. And Peter had
denied the Lord with oaths and cursings and everything he'd
done. I mean, Peter, Peter messed up royally, didn't he? I mean,
it was awful. You know what the Lord said to
him? Simon, son of Jonas, Are you
sorry about what you did? Did he say that? Simon, do you promise never to
do it again? Did he say that? Simon, are you
sufficiently humiliated? Has the air been taken out of
your sails? I mean, you said the rest of
this bunch would deny me. You'd never do it. You're the
one who did it. Are you sufficiently humbled? He didn't say anything
like that, did he? He said, Simon, Do you love me? Do you love my person? And Peter could appeal to the
omniscience of Christ. He said, Lord, you know all things.
You know that I love you. Now, what is this thing of love
to God? As I said, most people would
probably say that they love God. You know, John said, let us love
Not in words. Neither in tongue. But indeed. And in truth. Would you turn
with me to there in 1st John, chapter five, in 1st John. Verse
two. By this, we know that we love
the children of God when we love God. And keep his commandments,
for this is the love of God. That we keep his commandments.
And his commandments are not grievous. Now, before we go on,
I want to ask a question about that. Which commandments is he
talking about? Is he talking about ten commandments? Well, if he is. How much love
do you have to God? That's what he's talking about.
That's what he's talking about. The fact of the matter is you
and I have no love for God. It's all hot air, because we
haven't really kept one commandment even one time. Not in ourselves
we haven't. Now Christ Jesus kept the commandments for me.
I'm completing Him, but as far as my personal obedience. I haven't
kept one commandment one time, but yet he says the love of God
is to keep, not to admire his commandments, not to post them
up so everybody can see them and be able to remember. No,
keeping his commands. Now, what's he talking about?
1 John chapter 3. Verse 23. And this is his commandment.
That we should believe on the name of His Son, Jesus Christ,
and love one another as He gave His commandment. If I love Him, I believe on the
name of His Son. And if I love Him, I'll love
His people. Turn over to John chapter 14. You know, the words, I love you. are either the most meaningful
or the most meaningless words in the world, dependent upon
the actions behind them. Isn't that so? Look in John chapter 14, verse
15. If you love me, keep my commandments. Verse 21. He that hath my commandments
and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me. Not just the person
who says I love him, but the person who keeps his commandments,
who believes his gospel, who bows to his word. He it is that
loveth me. And he that loveth me shall be
loved of my Father, and I will love him and will manifest myself
to him. Now, if you love him, you obey
his commandments, you'll believe his gospel, you'll love his people.
Look in verse 22. And Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord,
how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto
the world? Jesus answered and said unto them, If any man love
me, he will keep my words. And my Father will love him,
and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that
loveth me not keepeth not my sayings. And the word which you
hear is not mine, but the Father's which is in me." Now you listen
to me real carefully. If somebody really loves the Lord, here's
how it's going to be manifested, how they respond to this word. This is the word of the Lord
Jesus Christ, and if I love him, I keep, I watch over, I guard
his word, and if I don't love him, I don't. How I really feel
about him is seen in how I respond to this word. And I'm not talking
about you saying, well, I believe in the Bible. There's a word
of God. I'm talking about obeying what this word says. Every word
is precious. Now, it's our actions that will
prove the sincerity of our love. I'm talking about love to the
Lord, love to God. It's our actions. It's what we
do that proves the sincerity of our love, not what we say.
But what we do now, here's an example, turn to Second Corinthians,
Chapter eight. Beginning in verse seven. Therefore, as you abound in everything
in faith and utterance and knowledge and in all diligence and in your
love to us, see that you abound in this grace also, and he's
talking about the grace of giving. Love? What's it do? What's it
do? Love gives, doesn't it? God so
loved the world that he what? He gave his only begotten Son. Love always gives. If you love somebody, you give. It's what you want to do. Now,
look what he says in verse 8. I speak not by commandment, but
by occasion of the forwardness of others and to prove the sincerity
of your love. My giving, and I'm not just talking
about what we put back in the box, I'm talking about my giving
proves whether or not I really love somebody. Proves whether
or not I really love the Lord. It's my actions that prove whether
or not I really love him. Love is an active, powerful thing,
and it's always acting. Faith worketh by love. We read
of the work of faith and the labor of love. Paul spoke of
the love of Christ constraining us, and I realize it's seeing
His love to us that constrains us. His love that made Him give
His Son, that constrains us. But I'll tell you what, if I
didn't love Him, it wouldn't constrain me, would it? It wouldn't
mean anything to me, but if I love Him, oh, what a What a constraining,
powerful thing that is. Turn to Matthew 10 for just a
moment. Verse 37. He that loveth father or mother
more than me is not worthy of me, And he that loveth son or
daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he that taketh
not his cross and followeth after me is not worthy of me. He that
findeth his life shall lose it. And he that loses his life for
my sake shall find it." Now that's what love does. Let me say five
or six things regarding love. True, genuine love. Love to God. Now, if you hear me preach, you
know what I like to preach mostly about. I like to preach about
His love to us. That's my favorite subject, His
love to us. But I also want to be honest
with the Scriptures about our love to Him. Now, love wants
to please. If I love my wife, you know what
I want to do? I want to please her. I want her to be pleased
with me. I want her to be glad she's married
to me by the way I treat her. If you love somebody, you want
to please them. If you love the Lord, you want
to please Him. That's more important to you
than anything else. Pleasing Him. Love gives and
finds pleasure in it. I love that scripture. God love
is a cheerful giver. What, does God need anything
you have? He doesn't need a thing you have. Why does he love a
cheerful giver? Is it because that adds to it?
No, not at all. It's because it's done out of
love to him. Love gives and love delights in the exaltation of
the object of its affections. That's why I love to hear Christ
exalted. I do love him and I love him to get all the glory. Love
delights in being in the presence of the object of its affection.
I love being in the presence of Christ. I want his presence. I want his presence in this worship
service. Why we meet here together is to have his presence. That's
what we want. Love is jealous. Jealous of the honor of the object
of its affections. Now, the only way I know to describe
this is if you don't like my wife, you're no friend of mine. That's just the way it is. If
you really love somebody and they don't love the object of
your affection, you're not going to be friends with them. Love is jealous. The reason people
tolerate false doctrine is because they don't love Christ. It really
is that simple. If you think, well, you're too
exact on your doctrine. Well, the only reason you'd say
that is if you don't really love the Lord Jesus Christ. If you
love Him, You won't be that way. Real love never stops loving. When a preacher begins to compromise,
when a church member becomes entangled with the world and
loses interest, many things can be said. But here's the bottom
line. They never really loved him. Love always keeps loving. It doesn't stop. If it stops,
it Never loved in the first place. What's that old country and western
song? He stopped loving her today. He never loved her to begin with.
He never did. Not if he stopped. Not if he
stopped. You know, love affects everything,
doesn't it? You love the Lord. If you love
God, it's going to affect everything about you. I mean, it's going
to affect every decision you make. It's going to affect everything
you do. It's going to motivate everything
you do if you really love Him. Now, if you don't love Him, it's
not going to affect everything. But what a powerful effect it
has on those who do actually love Him. Well, it'll make it
to where you can dig ditches for a living and do it for His
glory. Loving Him does to a person. It'll affect your marriage. It'll
affect how you love other people. It'll affect everything if you
love God. It's the most powerful, powerful,
powerful force in the world. Now, what's the key to love to
Him? Turn to Luke 7. You know, I'll tell you what.
This is not an easy thing to preach on for this reason. I sure don't feel good about
my love to him. I do love him. I do. I love him. But I believe
I know I'd love him more. Look here in John 7, beginning
in verse 36. And one of the Pharisees desired
him that he would eat with him. And he went into the Pharisee's
house and sat down to meet. And behold, a woman in the city,
which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in
the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment
and stood at his feet behind him, weeping, and began to wash
his feet with tears and did wipe them with the hairs of her head
and kissed his feet and anointed them with the ointment. Now,
when the Pharisee, which had bidden him, saw He spake within
himself, saying, This man, if he were a prophet, would have
known who and what manner of woman this is that toucheth him.
But she's a sinner. And Jesus answering said unto
him, Simon, I have some what to say to thee. And he said,
Master, say on. There was a certain creditor
which had two debtors. The one owed 500 pence and the
other 50. And when they had nothing to pay, he frankly, forgave them
both. Now tell me, therefore, which
of them will love him most? Well, Simon answered and said,
Well, I suppose that he to whom he forgave most. And he said
unto him, Thou hast rightly judged. And he turned to the woman and
said unto Simon, Seest thou this woman? I entered into thy house. Thou gavest me no water for my
feet, but she hath washed my feet with tears and wiped them
with the hairs of her head. Thou gavest me no kiss, but this
woman, since the time I came in, hath not ceased to kiss my
feet. My head with oil, thou didst not anoint, but this woman
hath anointed my feet with ointment. Wherefore I say unto thee, Her
sins, which are many, are forgiven. For she loveth much, and she
loveth much, but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth
little. And he said unto her, Thy sins
are forgiven. And they that sat at meat with
him began to say within themselves, Who is this that forgiveth sins
also? And he saith unto the woman, Thy faith is safe, thee go in
peace. I've never murdered anybody.
I've never killed anybody. I've never been in a position
to do that. I've done it plenty in my heart,
but I've never done it physically. I could go on and on about things
that I haven't done. And there's people who, they've
done worse things than I have. They have. There's no doubt about
that. Does that mean I believe myself
to be less sinful? I've been forgiven much, and
you know what that means? Everything that's ever come out
of my heart has been sinful. Everything. Sin upon sin upon
sin. I'm not just saying that. I believe
it. Everything about me is sin. I have been forgiven much. And that person that's been forgiven
much will love much. But to whom little is forgiven,
the same loveth little. Now, as the last day of 2006,
when we're looking to start another year, all of us want to improve
in so many ways. And we think of these silly resolutions
we make and so on, break them as soon as we make them. But
here's one thing that will help us in every area. Love to God. Last trip going, look at his
first Corinthians 14. Let's read the last verse of
Chapter 13 and now abided. First Corinthians, Chapter 13,
verse 13, now by the faith, hope, charity, these three, but the
greatest of these is charity. Follow after charity. Pursue. Make this your aim. Make this your goal. Make this
your pursuit. Follow after charity. And so I hope for 2007, this
is our aim. Make love. Love to the Lord Himself. Love
to His people. Love to all men. Your aim. May God give us grace
to do that. Let's pray together.