r L n -- really LOVE now! : AGAPE Love -- 1 Corinthians 13

Friday, May 7, 2010

AGAPE Love -- 1 Corinthians 13

"To love or not to love...that is the question" -- NOT!

To love as CHRIST loves or not to love as CHRIST loves...THAT is the question. (The word love is in the present tense for JESUS lives.)

How does JESUS love? How does JESUS exemplify true love?

i am a painter of GOD-words (http://ad-for-god.blogspot.com). If i were to paint a portrait of JESUS, using words like brush strokes to describe Him and how He loves, i would find fitting words in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a -- the greatest description of true love ever penned.

The Holy SPIRIT of GOD was the inspiration behind the Apostle Paul's beautiful definition of agape -- unselfish, sacrificial love. GOD the SPIRIT painted a portrait of CHRIST in 1 Corinthians 13 -- the "love" chapter of the New Testament.

JESUS, the CHRIST, is GOD's perfect love manifested in sinless flesh. JESUS is perfect love personified. JESUS is 1 Corinthians 13.

JESUS is patient (with people) and is kind (gracious to people with generosity). JESUS does not envy; JESUS does not parade (brag about) Himself; He is not puffed up (arrogant); JESUS does not behave rudely (or is overbearing); He does not seek His own (but selflessly serves others), He is not provoked (or irritated or angered in personal offense), He thinks no evil -- keeps no record of wrongs; JESUS does not rejoice in iniquity (He finds no pleasure in someone else's sin, even the sin of an enemy), but He rejoices in the truth (He is devoted to the truth).

JESUS bears (protects) all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things (within GOD's righteous and gracious will). JESUS never fails. (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a in red; per John MacArthur in blue)

Back to the question, "To love or not to love" -- as CHRIST JESUS loves.

Love is the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. Love is of GOD -- it is divine. Love is what makes life worth living. To NOT love is to miss out on the real and abundant life.

Love is a verb -- love is action. It's like faith -- good works is the result of faith in action. Sacrificial, unselfish deeds for others is the result of love in action. So how does one live out agape love?

One must honestly examine oneself. In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, replace the word "love" with your name (as i did above, replacing "love" with JESUS). Can one truly and consistently live out all the above qualities of true Love -- agape love? Can one be Love as JESUS was the perfect portrait of Love...even to the death?

You can't and i can't...no one can -- except CHRIST JESUS.

But the Holy SPIRIT -- Omnipotent GOD -- can empower self-seeking mortals to love as JESUS loves. When a repentant sinner believes and trusts in JESUS as LORD and Savior, he receives the Holy SPIRIT to dwell within, empowering the believer to live out the Life of JESUS, which is love in action.

(Receiving the gift of the Holy SPIRIT is as simple as repenting -- changing one's mind about sin, truly seeing one's sin as GOD sees it, and turning to GOD for forgiveness, asking JESUS to come into his heart to be LORD and Master of his life. Or redemption may NOT be so simple if one's pride or self-righteousness blinds oneself to the need of the Redeemer.)

True love, agape, is from above -- from GOD the Father Who gave the Son, Who gave His life to redeem whosoever is willing to trust Him as LORD, Who sent the Holy SPIRIT to empower the believer to live out in actuality the new life of true Love.

To love JESUS or not to love JESUS, THAT is the question.

2 comments:

UnknownMay 13, 2010 at 3:48 AM
The feeling of love is a precious gift from God the father and we need to practice it without pretending.
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rLn!May 13, 2010 at 12:00 PM
You're right on target, Gauteng! AGAPE love is indeed shed abroad in the hearts of His children and it's our choice to let it flow OUT of us so that we may be blessed with joy as we bless others with GOD's love.

How right on time is GOD's perfect timing -- for you are in a wonderFUL position to shower your newborn boy with this Love from above...you are that vessel which GOD is using to pour out HIS Love to all around you. HALLELUJAH!!!
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my Prayer For You

When i think of the wisdom and scope of GOD's plan, i fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. i pray that from His glorious, unlimited resources He will give you mighty inner strength through His Holy SPIRIT. i pray that CHRIST will be more and more at home in your heart as you trust in Him. May your roots go down deep into the soil of GOD's marvelous love.

And may you have the power to understand, as all GOD's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love really is. May you experience the love of CHRIST, though it is so great you will never fully understand it. Then you will be filled with the fullness of life and power that comes from GOD.

Now to Him Who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by CHRIST JESUS to all generations, forever and ever. AMEN!

(Ephesians 3:14-21)

The Great I AM

I AM the Bread of life. He who comes to Me will never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
(John 6:35)

I AM the Light of the world. He who follows me shall not walk in darkness, but have the Light of life.
(John 8:12)

I AM the Door of the sheep. All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. I AM the Door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.
(John 10:7, 9)

I AM the Good Shepherd. The Good Shepherd gives His life for the sheep. I AM the Good Shepherd; and I know My sheep, and am known by My own.
(John 10:11, 14)

I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. I AM the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.
(John 15:1, 5)

I AM the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.
(John 11:25)

I AM the Way, the Truth, and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
(John 14:6)

Pilate therefore said to Him, "Are You a king then?" JESUS answered, You say rightly that I AM a king. For this cause I was born, and for this cause I have come into the world, that I should bear witness to the truth. Everyone who is of the Truth hears My voice.
(John 18:37)

LOVE is...

Though i speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, i have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And though i have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though i have all faith, so that i could remove mountains, but have not love, i am nothing.

And though i bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though i give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

When i was a child, i spoke as a child, i understood as a child, i thought as a child; but when i became a man, i put away childish things.

For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now i know in part, but then i shall know just as i also am known.

And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

(I Corinthians 13)

Rejoice!

Rejoice in the LORD always. i will say it again: Rejoice!

Let your gentleness be evident to all. The LORD is near.

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to GOD. And the peace of GOD, which transcends all understanding, will guard your heart and your mind in CHRIST JESUS.

Finally, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.

(Philippians 4:4-8)

How Great Thou Art!

O LORD, my GOD! When i in awesome wonder consider all the works thy hands have made.
i see the stars, i hear the rolling thunder, Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

And when i think that GOD, His Son not sparing, sent Him to die, i scarce can take it in;
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing, He bled and died to take away my sin.

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

When CHRIST shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then i shall bow in humble adoration and there proclaim, my GOD, how great Thou art!

Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior GOD to Thee: how great Thou art! How great Thou art!

Amazing Grace

Amazing grace! How sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me! i once was lost, but now am found; was blind, but now i see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved; how precious did that grace appear the hour i first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares, i have already come; 'tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

The LORD has promised good to me, His word my hope secures; He will my shield and portion be, as long as life endures.

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail, and mortal life shall cease, i shall possess, within the veil, a life of joy and peace.

The world shall soon dissolve like snow, the sun refuse to shine; but GOD, who called me here below, shall be forever mine.

When we've been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun; we've no less days to sing GOD's praise than when we'd first begun.

The Holy BIBLE -- The Word of GOD

The BIBLE contains the mind of GOD, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the CHRISTian's charter. Here is Paradise restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of GOD its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It is given you in life, will be opened at the judgment, and be remembered forever. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

(Foreword from The Gideons International)