DRAWING NEAR
August 3
Filling Up an Empty Word
"I show you a still more excellent way" (1 Cor. 12:31).
Biblical love is characterized by humility, obedience to God, and
self-sacrifice.
In our society, love is a common word but an uncommon experience.
Often those who use the word most understand it least. Many who think
they've found love have really settled for something far less than
God intended for them.
For many, love means a romantic or sexual relationship. While
Scripture has much to say about intimacy within marriage, the word
love takes on a different meaning in the New Testament. Even
Ephesians 5:25 ("Husbands, love your wives") doesn't refer to
romantic love.
Other common errors include equating love with emotionalism or
sentimentality, or confusing it with a friendly spirit of tolerance
and brotherhood toward others--often apart from any consideration for
doctrinal purity or biblical convictions. But biblical love is none
of those.
The "more excellent way" Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 12:31 is
love that comes from God Himself and conforms to His holy attributes.
We have no capacity to generate it on our own. The Greek word for
that kind of love is agape and it is characterized by humility,
obedience to God, and self-sacrifice. John 13:1 says of Christ's love
for His disciples, "He loved them to the end." That literally means
He loved them to perfection--to the limits of love. In verses 4-5 He
demonstrates His love by washing their feet. Love is humble. It
focuses on meeting needs.
In addition, love is obedient and willing to make sacrifices for
others. Jesus said, "If you love Me, you will keep My commandments"
(John 14:15). God made the supreme sacrifice for us in that He "so
loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" (John 3:16).
First Corinthians 13 applies to Christians of every generation
because we all face the danger of misusing our spiritual gifts. As we
study it and other passages about love, ask yourself if your love is
all that God wants it to be. If not, take note of what changes you
need to make in light of what you're learning.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Thank God for loving you. Ask Him for wisdom and grace to
understand and walk in love.
For Further Study:
Read John 14:23-24, noting how Jesus described those who love Him.
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
John 13:1-5
13:1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His
hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father,
having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.
2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the
heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray Him,
3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His
hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God,
4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and
girded Himself.
5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the
disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was
girded.
John 14:23-24
23 Jesus answered and said to him, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep
My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and
make Our home with him.
24 "He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word
which you hear is not Mine but the Father's who sent Me.
~~~
These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.
In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.
If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.
You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:
http://www2.oneplace.com/Ministries/Grace_to_You/
and
http://www.gty.org.uk/
You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
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NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.
In Christ,
Peter
Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase1@wideopenwest.com
STOP! Who do you think Jesus is?
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To forgive is to set a prisoner free, and to discover that the prisoner was you. -Alistair Begg
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