Love is a term that has been hijacked by our culture to be defined in numerous ways. The Bible warns us of this. One of those places is in 2 Cor. 10:3ff. We are in a philosophical war with our society around us.
The subject of love is so big we can’t tackle all of the truths about love but we will touch on a few:
1. Love determines the worth of my works, verse 3. If I give away all I have and deliver my body to be burned but have not love, it profits me nothing. That’s a hard statement. The value of my works is determined by the nature of my love. It’s not based upon how much we do. That may make you feel good, to do a lot for others, but if it’s not based upon love, it matters little. The value of my works is a function of the quality of my love, not the other way around.
2. I am defined by love, verses 1-2. He says we can do enormous things but if we don’t have love, we are nothing. Is there anything more offensive that describes us than to say we are nothing? Self is important to us and if someone criticizes our view of Self that’s a big deal. We are to be characterized by love, not by some special talent we may have. It’s love that determines who I actually am. Paul is destroying the ego in these verses. It is not about me. If I don’t have love, I am nothing. The way I treat people is of paramount importance.
3. God defines love and He is the very definition of love, verses 4-7. Love is defined in this text – it is patient, kind, resilient, hopeful, enduring , persevering. Love resists envy, boasting, error, arrogance, rudeness, selfishness, anger. Verse 5 – love does not insist on its own way, does not keep a record of wrongs. Irritability, unhappiness about our lot in life, is an expression of selfishness. People insisting on their own way is a huge problem in our world today. Love rejoices with the truth.
4. Love is eternal, verse 8. Faith will eventually be sight, hope will eventually be realized but love exists forever.
Sermon by Brent Moody
