Building Christian Relationships (Message 3) - A Portrait of Love

This church camp, we will study how to BUILD CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIPS. There are 4 conditions we need if we are going to BUILD CHRISTIAN RELATIONS.


[This is the 3rd message about the first condition]

Building Christian Relationships

1. A Portrait of Love (Part 1) 
2. A Portrait of Love (Part 2) 
3. A Portrait of Love (Part 3) 
4. That Little Piece of Flesh That Dwells Between Our Jaws (Part 1) 
5. That Little Piece of Flesh That Dwells Between Our Jaws (Part 2) 
6. How to Have Unity in the Church 
7. How a Christian Brother Who Sins Against Us is to be Treated 

A Portrait of Love (1 Cor 13:6-7)
by Dr William Harding (Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and Practical Biblical Theology, Biblical Theological Seminar)

1 Cor 13:6-7
Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

v6b
Love rejoices with righteousness.

"With" is used... Interesting.
Note how Paul makes a contrast with the first part of verse 6.

True, biblical love rejoices when righteousness is done.

v7a
Love patiently bears all the troubles and annoyances that come to us.

Bear in the Greek means a roof, the idea that of a roof sheltering against the elements.

v7b
Love believes the best regarding the things that happen.

"Benefit of a doubt"

Doesn't mean we condone evil but we recognize it though we still must forgive on a personal level.

v7c
Love expects the best regarding all the things that others do. It is optimistic.

We expect the best and should be genuinely disappointed if the best does not happen.

v7d
Love bravely and calmly bears all sufferings and persecutions that come to it.

Do not retreat from our position of love!

This is surely tough thing... A battle of endurance.


--
Wow. What a difference from the world's standard!

Building Christian Relationships (Message 2) - A Portrait of Love

This church camp, we will study how to BUILD CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIPS. There are 4 conditions we need if we are going to BUILD CHRISTIAN RELATIONS.


[This is the 2nd message about the first condition]

Building Christian Relationships

1. A Portrait of Love (Part 1) 
2. A Portrait of Love (Part 2) 
3. A Portrait of Love (Part 3) 
4. That Little Piece of Flesh That Dwells Between Our Jaws (Part 1) 
5. That Little Piece of Flesh That Dwells Between Our Jaws (Part 2) 
6. How to Have Unity in the Church 
7. How a Christian Brother Who Sins Against Us is to be Treated 

A Portrait of Love (1 Cor 13:5-6)

by Dr William Harding (Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and Practical Biblical Theology, Biblical Theological Seminar)

1 Cor 13:5-6
Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

v5a
Love does not act in an unbecoming, improper manner. It always maintains a proper decorum.

True biblical love results in good manners.

Example of the Apostle Paul of his conduct in the market place our in front of kings.

v5b
Love does not seek to please itself... cf 1 Cor 10:33

Love is not selfish. It doesn't ask, "what's in it for me?"

Live for others!

v5c
Love is not easily provoked by the injurious things done to it.

We will have hurtful things done to us but if we have biblical love, we will not be roused to anger. Take it in stride!

v5d
Love does not impute evil to the perpetrator. It's not resentful.

Love forgives on a personal level. ("personal" included to show how it IS to be done on such a level but excludes the punishment that follows a crime, for example.)

v6a
Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness. It grieves over unrighteousness.

Do I grieve over unrighteousness?

If I don't, have I become so hardened? So desensitized?

Love does not sympathize with unrighteousness.


Is that a picture of me? What does my picture look like?

Building Christian Relationships (Message 1) - A Portrait of Love

This church camp, we will study how to BUILD CHRISTIAN RELATIONSHIPS. There are 4 conditions we need if we are going to BUILD CHRISTIAN RELATIONS.

[This is the 1st message about the first condition]

Building Christian Relationships

1. A Portrait of Love (Part 1) 
2. A Portrait of Love (Part 2) 
3. A Portrait of Love (Part 3) 
4. That Little Piece of Flesh That Dwells Between Our Jaws (Part 1) 
5. That Little Piece of Flesh That Dwells Between Our Jaws (Part 2) 
6. How to Have Unity in the Church 
7. How a Christian Brother Who Sins Against Us is to be Treated 

A Portrait of Love (1 Cor 13:4)
by Dr William Harding (Professor Emeritus of Old Testament and Practical Biblical Theology, Biblical Theological Seminar)
 
The first condition - We must have true biblical love.

1 Cor 13:4

Charity suffereth long, [and] is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up...

In 1 Cor 13:4, Paul begins to paint a portrait of love.

1. Love endures an offense without seeking against the one who committed it. (v4a)

We will be offended many times in this life but if we have true biblical love, we will endure the offense without seeking revenge.

2. Love is naturally deposed to do acts of kindness (v4b)

Love does not look at a situation and go, "I don't feel like being kind but I'll force myself to be kind."

Interesting point. A part of the Fruit of the Spirit is "kindness" and "love".

3. Love isn't jealous but is content with its lot (v4c)

Note: jealousy can also take place because of relationships as well as over physical items. Be wary of the intangible factors that trigger jealousy.

Love looks to God and accepts whatever lot He has given!

To be rid of jealousy, repent and ask the Lord for forgiveness then seek the Lord's help in genuinely looking out for the very best good of that person.

4. Love isn't boastful but it is modest, recognizing that the credit for everything belongs ultimately to the Lord. (v4d)

Vaunteth = boasting, bragging

A braggart brags about his ability, importance or accomplishments.

The proper opposite of this ought to be the understanding that all credit ultimately belongs to the Lord.

5. Love isn't conceited but it is humble, recognizing that all that it has is by the grace of God (v4e)

From the outward boastfulness to the inward pride... Love isn't conceited; an overestimation of one's ability, importance or accomplishments; inflated with pride.


If any one of this characteristics is missing, repent and ask the Lord thru the Holy Spirit to grow that fruit.