DRAWING NEAR
August 23
Maintaining Doctrinal Purity
"[Love] rejoices with the truth" (1 Cor. 13:6).
Love never compromises God's Word.
Paul has just given us a list of things that love does not do: become
jealous, brag, act arrogantly or unbecomingly, seek its own, become
provoked, keep track of wrongs suffered, or rejoice in
unrighteousness. Now he comes to the first of five things love does:
"[Love] rejoices with the truth" (v. 6).
The contrast in verse 6 is between love's inability to rejoice in
unrighteousness and its joy when truth prevails. "Truth" refers to
God's Word, which is the standard of righteousness. Paul could have
said, "Love doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness but rejoices with
righteousness," but he went beyond the mere deeds of righteousness
and addressed its standard and motive.
Love won't tolerate false doctrine or sinful behavior, but it
rejoices when God's Word is taught and obeyed. The psalmist said, "O
how I love Thy law! It is my meditation all the day. Thy commandments
make me wiser than my enemies. . . . I have more insight than all my
teachers . . . . I understand more than the aged. . . . I have
restrained my feet from every evil way, that I may keep Thy word. I
have not turned aside from Thine ordinances, for Thou Thyself hast
taught me. How sweet are Thy words to my taste! Yes, sweeter than
honey to my mouth! From Thy precepts I get understanding; therefore I
hate every false way" (Ps. 119:97-104). That's the testimony of one
who rejoices in the truth.
Often Christians are willing to compromise sound doctrine for the
sake of loving others. They believe that doctrinal precision is
somehow divisive and unloving. But Scripture says, "This is love,
that we walk according to His commandments. . . . For many deceivers
have gone out into the world, those who do not acknowledge Jesus
Christ as coming in the flesh. This is the deceiver and the
antichrist. Watch yourselves, that you might not lose what we have
accomplished, but that you may receive a full reward" (2 John 6-8).
Biblical love always operates within the parameters of God's Word and
spiritual discernment (Phil. 1:9-10). The most loving thing you can
do is live according to biblical truth. Doctrinal compromise simply
diminishes the quality of love and plays into the hands of the evil
one.
Suggestions for Prayer:
Ask God for wisdom and discernment to keep your love within its
proper biblical bounds.
For Further Study:
Memorize Philippians 1:9-11.
Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.
All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org
~~~
Philippians 1:9-11
9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in
knowledge and all discernment,
10 that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may
be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ,
11 being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus
Christ, to the glory and praise of God.
~~~
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
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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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