God’s Love For Us Loves True Doctrine
David W Palmer
Paul’s description of love in 1 Cor. 13 is the perfect portrayal of the love with which God loves us, and with which he empowers his family to love others. Today, we are looking at an exciting aspect of divine, pure love:
(1 Corinthians 13:4–6 TLB) “Love … rejoices whenever truth wins out.”
Love “rejoices whenever truth wins out.”
Continuing from yesterday we see …
B. Finding the Truth in Bible Study
The Holy Spirit urges us through the apostle Paul: “Study to show yourself approved to God, a workman that needs not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Tim. 2:15 AKJV).
Again, knowing the true facts of Scripture is a huge blessing and bonus for your life. But in discovering the truth of the Bible, we must remember two vitally important aspects of truth before we begin:
(Ephesians 4:15 NKJV) “But, speaking the truth in love, may grow up in all things into Him who is the head—Christ.”
(Proverbs 25:2 NKJV) “It is the glory of God to conceal a matter, But the glory of kings is to search out a matter.”
When we study to discover the “matter” that God has “concealed,” we should do it in relationship and close loving communion with the author—God’s Holy Spirit. We should search out the truth prayerfully, allowing him to guide us; he is our co-worker, advocate, helper, and guide into all truth. (See: John 14:16, 26; 16:13, 1 Cor. 3:9.)
After we have fully searched out the truth—as witnessed by the Holy Spirit’s peace and gift of faith—then and only then should we declare it to others. Remembering, of course, that when ministering truth to others, we must communicate it in love. This is not about us winning debating points—“winning over” people to ourselves and to our way of thinking; this is about presenting Jesus—the Truth and Love in one person. If we preach the true facts of scripture without love, life, and evidence that we are on the “way,” it is not a representation of Jesus: he is the way, the truth, the life; and being God, he is love.
This is the way God loves us. He rejoices when truth wins out, but he doesn’t force his facts or his knowledge on us without love. After all, his whole message to mankind is enveloped in Jesus; he is both the message and the messenger. Jesus is the embodiment of the truth spoken in love: “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son …” (John 3:16 KJV).
Yes, God’s perfect honesty acknowledges the facts, but his perfect love covers a multitude of sins; and this is embodied in the love found in God’s truth—Jesus:
(1 Peter 4:8 NKJV) “And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”
God always operates in a spirit of meekness and gentleness, drawing us to reconciliation and permanent fellowship. He certainly does not alienate us as losers in a competitive debate about whose ideas will win. He presents the truth in love, hoping that we will recognize and receive him. When we do, he rejoices:
(2 John 1:4 NKJV) “I rejoiced greatly that I have found some of your children walking in truth, as we received commandment from the Father.”
Today, my encouragement is that you permanently weld truth and love together in your heart; in God, you can’t have one without the other. Always search out the Bible for truth, and always in relationship with the one who poured God’s love into your heart—the Holy Spirit (Rom. 5:5). And then minister what he reveals to you in pure, patient, kind love. This way, you will truly depict Jesus, who is simultaneously love, truth, life, and the way.
