Love Wins
By Senior Pastor Prince Guneratnam
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son,
that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)
The story of
What is Love?
There are five characteristics of love. Firstly, love is a mystery. We cannot explain love; husband, ask yourself how someone like you can be loved by someone so lovely as your wife. Wife, ask yourself how someone like you can be loved by someone like your husband. Someone says that love is a dream. If you can dream you can succeed. Our lives are shaped by the people who love us. Love has a way of bringing out the best in us.
Secondly, love is not just an emotion. It begins with the act of
your will. One person says: "When I see her, I lose my breath." That
is not love; it is asthma. Another says, "When I see her, I forget
everything else. My mind goes blank." That is amnesia!
Thirdly, love does not need a reason. Love is a choice. You can exercise your will to choose love, and love will win. Lust is not love. Love is not just sex even though sex is not wrong, when it is confined to marriage.
Fourthly, love is not a duty. To love is a choice; love does not look for benefits. Love gives. God loved the world and gave His son Jesus. Jesus loves us and He gives us the Holy Spirit.
Fifthly, love is of God. The Bible says, "And we have known and believed the love that God has for us. God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him." God is love, therefore, love wins for God cannot lose.
Why Love Wins!
Paul gives us the reasons in 1 Corinthians 13:4-8.
Love "suffers long"
(verse 4).
This means to have patience with imperfection, not only with people but also with circumstances. It is to be passively 'long-tempered' with people, not quick to take offence or to inflict punishment.
Love is kind (verse 4).
The Greek word for "kind" is found only in Christian writings, it conveys the thought of being loving and merciful. Its position in relation to “is patient” suggests that the disposition of kindness is the positive counterpart of patience. Love acts in kindness and does good. Love never acts badly, wrongly or contrary to itself. Love never says that your wrong justifies my wrong; love keeps doing what is right so that you will be won over to His Kingdom.
Love does not envy (verse 4).
The Greek word for "envy" here may express any wrong feeling, particularly jealousy excited in view of the good of others. Love does not have feelings against others because of what they have, such as gifts, positions, friends, recognition, possession, popularity and abilities. Love does not begrudge, attack or downplay the abilities and successes of others.
Love does not parade itself (verse
4).
This suggests that there is no ostentation about love. Love is not anxious to impress, it is not boastful, and it does not brag nor seek recognition or honour.
Love is not puffed up (verse 4).
It is not prideful, arrogant or conceited.
Love does not behave rudely
(verse 5).
This may mean that love "does not treat anybody unfairly" or “does nothing of which one ought to be ashamed". Love is tactful, and does nothing that would raise a blush.
Love does not seek its own (verse
5).
It is not selfish, it does not insist upon its own rights. Love is not focused upon itself nor upon what it has done.
Love is not provoked (verse 5).
It is neither quick-tempered nor touchy. It is not easily aroused to anger, it does not become "exasperated." Love controls the emotions, and never becomes angry without a cause.
Love does not think evil (verse
5).
Love is not resentful. It does not take revenge for the evil done to you. Love suffers the evil done to it and forgets it.
Love does not rejoice in iniquity
(verse 6).
It does not feed upon sin and wrong, nor does it gossip about the sins of others. This is to say, it does not take pleasure in the wrongdoing committed by others, "is never glad when others go wrong".
Love rejoices in the truth (verse
6).
The thought here is that love does not sympathize with evil but with goodness. Love rejoices when the truth is known and when it prevails, it rejoices when others are recognized and promoted for whom they are and for what they have contributed.
Love bears all things (verse 7).
Love bears up under all things. This means that love "bears in silence all annoyances and troubles" and it covers up the faults of others. It has no pleasure in exposing to wrong and weaknesses of others.
Love believes all things (verse
7).
This means that love is not suspicious, that is, it "readily credits what men say in their own defense". Love "never loses faith". It is completely trusting, it sees and understands the circumstances. It accepts and believes the very best about a person.
Love hopes all things (verse 7).
Love never ceases to hope. It always hopes for the best and for the ultimate triumph of the good, no matter how hopeless or how difficult the victory may seem to be. This means that love "hopes under all circumstances."
Love endures all things (verse
7).
The word "endure' is a military word meaning to stand against the attack of an enemy. This means that love perseveres under the assaults of persecution, suffering, and other adversities. Love conquers and triumphs always because it endures all things.
Love never fails... (verse 8).
Love never ceases, and never vanishes, love endures and lasts forever. Love wins. God can give us love.
How can we have the Love of God?
Paul tells us "Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has
been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us"
(Romans 5:5). Sometimes the Baptism of the Holy Spirit is referred to as the
Baptism of love. For when one is baptized in the Holy Spirit, love is very
evident. Let us take heed to the admonition of Ephesians
Missions Report, July 1997