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A Need for Revival

Literature, , , ,

by David E. Moss

In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, there lives a quaint people called the Amish. They are different from everyone else, dressing in very plain clothing, traveling by horse and buggy instead of motorized vehicles, and living without electricity. Because they are so different, they are also a curiosity. People travel from all over the country to observe these folks and their ways. Tourists look at these people with wondering eyes and ask many questions to try to understand how they can live in such contrast to the world around them. They wonder why they persist in an unchanged culture while everyone else has conformed to the gradual changes that have taken place in civilized human society. From time to time there are individual Amish people who fall away from the old ways and adopt a modern lifestyle. But the faithful continue on, unmoved by all the conveniences and opportunities for change that lie at their finger tips.

Would to God that we could say the same for the evangelical Christian community. If it were unchanged from its biblical foundations, the church too would be a curiosity in this world. People would gaze at it with the same wonder, being puzzled at how Christians could live so differently, believe so dogmatically, and walk so confidently in the midst of such a perverse and crooked generation. They would ask questions and try to understand what keeps Christians focused and unmoved by all the things that stand in contrast to their faith. And there would be more than curiosity. In seeing the difference between Christians and themselves, people in the world would ask how they could escape their culture of darkness and join the Christians in the society of light.

But this is not the way it is. The evangelical Christian community has adopted change as its policy and has assimilated the fads, philosophies, and follies of each new generation to such an extent that the Christian’s vocabulary, wardrobe, music, forms of
entertainment, social mores, and moral values have become a mirror image of the world’s. Now, the world’s only curiosity about the church is its claim to be different.

How did it get to be this way? Is this really what God wants for the church? Can it be changed?

God’s Desire For The Church

In 2 Corinthians 6:4-18, God makes an emphatic statement about the distinction that exists and should be maintained between His people and the people of the world.

14 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

15 And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?

16 And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,

18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

He says that a yoke between believers and unbelievers is an unequal yoke and should not be entered into. He also says that believers should be separated from unbelievers and should not touch the unclean thing.

  1. God wants the distinction that exists between His people and the people of the world to be maintained.

    There is a profound difference between believers and unbelievers. Believers are characterized by the righteousness of God with which they are clothed in the moment of their salvation. They walk in the light which reveals the way of truth and godliness.
    They are the body of Christ, which is intended to be a reflection of the Savior to the lost world He seeks to redeem. They are people of faith, who believe God implicitly and trust Him for everything from daily provisions to eternal security. Unbelievers could not
    be any more different from believers than they are. Unbelievers walk the path of unrighteousness and do the opposite of everything that pleases God. They walk in darkness and do not the truth, having changed the truth of God into a lie. They are the children of the devil, doing the works of the one who is the enemy of Christ. They are devoid of faith, refusing to glorify God as God, and changing the glory of the incorruptible God into an image of their own imagination. Between these two entities there could not be a stronger contrast. Believers are the temple of God, the place of His residence, housing the very substance of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Unbelievers are idolaters, worshiping themselves, or other creatures, or evil spirits who have rebelled against the true God (Romans 1:18-32).

    God wants this profound difference between believers and unbelievers to be observed and protected by a practice of separation. God does not want believers to fellowship with unbelievers. That is, He does not want believers to participate with unbelievers in common activities, the moral implications of which contradict the righteousness of God. God does not want believers to have communion with unbelievers. That is, He does not want believers to share with unbelievers in anything that by association would dim a believer’s testimony. God does not want believers to have any concord with unbelievers. That is, He does not want believers to make compromises with unbelievers that would devalue a believer’s integrity by making him appear to be similar to an unbeliever. God does not want believers to have any part with an unbeliever. That is, He does not want believers to participate with unbelievers
    in joint ventures that would obscure the distinction between the faithful and the faithless. God insists that there is not nor can be any agreement between believers and unbelievers. Believers are the temple of God. Unbelievers are idolaters. The reality of the distinction is clear. The maintaining of the distinction is the spiritual duty of a child of God.

  2. God wants believers to refrain from touching the unclean thing.

    The obvious thing from this part of God’s directive is that something is unclean and God wants His people to have absolutely no contact with this unclean thing.

    What is the unclean thing? In the Old Testament, God named specific things that were unclean. They consisted of such specific things as the carcasses of unclean animals and the bodies of people who have certain diseases or infirmities. In this New
    Testament context, God makes it equally clear what He considers to be unclean. Unrighteousness, darkness, Belial, infidelity, idolatry, and, by implication, anything associated with these matters clearly constitute the unclean thing to which God refers as taboo for believers. Although these things appear to be of an intangible nature, they have very specific tangible applications.

    What does it mean not to touch the unclean thing? It means to have no contact with those things. Contact would soil or spoil the testimony of a believer and the New Testament is replete with instruction concerning God’s desire for the cleanness of His people. He calls for purity in 1 Timothy 1:5. He calls for holiness in 1 Peter 1:15-16. He calls for sanctification in 1 Thessalonians 4:3-4. He calls for chastity in 2 Corinthians 11:2. He calls for a good and pure conscience in 1 Timothy 1:19 and 3:9. He calls for godliness in 1 Timothy 4:7. He calls for righteous living in Titus 2:12. This can only be achieved by a concerted effort to refrain from touching those things in this world that are contaminated with uncleanness.

    God makes it abundantly clear that as His people are delivered from sin by His Son Jesus Christ, they are given a definite distinction from those who have not been delivered. He wants that distinction to be visible and obvious and constantly on display. Let your light so shine before men, Jesus said, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Do not hide it under a bushel basket. Put it in a visible place for all to see (Matthew 5:14-16).

The Crisis

Many believers have rejected this directive from God. Instead of maintaining a distinction between themselves and the people of the world, many Christians have embraced the people of the world and have emulated their appearance, values, activities, etc. Instead of refraining from touching the unclean thing, many Christians have refused even to consider what the unclean thing might be, and have chosen rather to touch everything that is available to them in this world without making moral judgments about doing so.

As a result there is a serious identity crisis in Christianity. The world looks at Christianity and it cannot see a reflection of Jesus Christ, because Christians do not resemble Him. Christians today tend to resemble the world. Consequently, the world looks at Christianity and sees a mirror image of itself. It sees the same moral flaws, the same selfish ambitions, and the same diabolical ethics that characterize its own. As a result, the world is uninterested and unmoved by the message of the church because it is a hollow message being proclaimed by those who by appearance do not seem to have been affected by it.

What are the mistakes that Christians have made that has brought about this crisis of identity?

  1. The Acceptance of the World

    God said that Christians are not to love the world, neither are they to love the things that are in the world (I John 2:15). Yet that is exactly what they do. Christians love the way the world dresses. In spite of God’s insistence that His people dress modestly, skimpy and revealing clothing are typically worn by professing believers. In addition, cries of legalism are cast into the face of any Christian who attempts to define modest guidelines for the clothes Christians choose to wear. Many Christians also love the way the world sings. There is a popular argument that modern styles of music are being used by Christians to help certain groups of people identify with the message of the church. But what really happens is that when Christians adopt the world’s design of musical styles, Christians learn to love them and tend to use them as a means of entertainment and personal gratification and not just as bait for seekers. Many Christians also love other things that are in the world including such things as
    questionable forms of entertainment, unethical choices, and immoral values. For example, on more than one occasion I have been approached by a young couple who wanted to be married, of whom both professed to be believers, yet they were already living together in the same house or apartment and were already sexually active as if they were husband and wife. When confronted with the immoral nature of their living conditions, some of these young people have been literally appalled that I would suggest they were committing sin and living in fornication. They reasoned that since they were engaged and fully committed to be married, their living conditions were completely justified. They had no sense of guilt or remorse for what they were doing and resented that I tried to make them feel guilty. They had no idea that they had succumbed to the influence of the world’s moral values which contradict the Word of God. [The number of unmarried couple households in the USA increased sevenfold from 1970 to 1996. In 1970 there were 523,000 unmarried couple households. In 1996 there were 4 million. The world clearly accepts living together without being married as a legitimate lifestyle. God clearly rejects it (1 Corinthians 7:1-2) yet many Christians accept it right along with the world.] The saddest thing of all is that in each case like this that I know of, the couple was able to find another preacher who was willing to perform a church wedding ceremony for them without confronting the moral implications of their living conditions. Such moral values do not come from the Bible. They come from the world. And many Christians love the world’s low standards, gleefully living by them in spite of the what God has said.

  2. The Indulgence of the Flesh

    The Bible says that the works of the flesh stand in stark contrast to the fruit of the Spirit and that if we walk in the Spirit, we shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh (Galatians 5:16-26). Yet Christians seem to be completely devoid of discernment in distinguishing between the things of the flesh and the things of the Spirit. In their love for the world, Christians have allowed the will of their flesh to rationalize away the immoral connotations of many activities. In the spirit of politically correct speech, adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, envyings, revellings, and such like (which constitute the works of the flesh – Galatians 19-21) are repackaged in religiously palatable euphemisms, allowing Christians to indulge in them without a sense of guilt. For example, a popular Christian musical artist was discovered to be having an affair with a man in violation of her marriage covenant. Yet she was successfully painted as a victim, allowed to go through an appropriate time of healing and in the process maintained an undiminished level of popularity with her fans. In another case, a nationally known evangelical preacher experienced difficulties in his marriage and made
    a promise to his congregation that if his marriage ever ended in divorce he would resign as pastor; yet when the divorce actually occurred, he was allowed to break his promise to the people and ignore the biblical qualifications for serving as a pastor. In spite of these things, He continues to be heralded as one of America’s great preachers. In other cases, Christians are known to have abortions, live as homosexuals, consult ouji boards, play the lottery, drink alcohol, sow discord among the brethren, lie, cause
    divisions and split churches, yet they still preach in pulpits, serve on church boards, teach Sunday School classes and proudly profess their Christianity. Something is seriously wrong when the flesh can be so readily indulged by those who earnestly align
    themselves with Christ and in spite of it they are still applauded as notable Christians.

  3. The Failure to take the Devil seriously.

    The Bible says that the Devil is our adversary, acting like a roaring lion, determined to devour his prey (1 Peter 5:7). Yet many Christians exert little or no effort in trying to resist him. They seem ignorant of his wiles and his uncanny ability to transform himself into an angel of light. Thus they fall prey to the Devil’s most subtle trick. He infiltrates the very ranks of professing Christians and successfully deceives some of the most well meaning of them. The trick of the Devil has been to create a wide diversity of doctrines within the church, many of which actually contradict each other. Based on this diversity, many Christians are then confused as to which is true and which is not. The diversity of beliefs among professing Christians then is used to convince many that much of the Word of God is irrelevant and should be set aside for the sake of the more important issues of peace and unity. By this means, the Devil successfully prevents much of God’s truth from be taken seriously by those who profess to believe. As a result, Christians who still preach the whole counsel of God are shouted down as legalists, bigots, and promoters of negativism by fellow Christians, while the Devil stands in the corner and laughs. The sad result is a fulfillment of a biblical prediction. In the latter times, the Bible says, some who have been part of the faith will depart because they gave heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (1 Timothy 4:1).

Conclusion

Because they have loved the things of the world, have given in to the will of the flesh, and have failed to resist the Devil, many professing Christians bear little resemblance to Jesus Christ. Instead, they look pretty much like everyone else. In fact, in many cases they look worse. By professing that Christ has made them to be different from everyone else in the world, yet appearing to be very much the same, Christians often come across as hypocrites. Many unbelievers refuse to attend church services or listen to a gospel witness because they have come to believe that all Christians are hypocrites. While some of the accusations of hypocrisy are merely stereotypical, far too many have legitimate grounds.

God’s intention is that his redeemed people bear a testimony of the Savior to the lost world. This testimony is to consist of both word and deed. It is not enough for us to echo the words of the gospel; our lives must resound with a reflection of the person and
nature of Christ. God said, Only let your conversation be as it becometh the gospel of Christ: that whether I come and see you, or else be absent, I may hear of your affairs, that ye stand fast in one spirit, with one mind striving together for the faith of the
gospel (Philippians 1:27).

God appointed all believers to be participants in a holy and royal priesthood, offering up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ, and showing forth the praises of him who called them out of darkness into his marvelous light (1 Peter 2:5,9). As priests to the world, it is a Christian’s duty to publicly demonstrate the difference between what is holy and what it is unholy and between what is clean and what is unclean (Leviticus 10:10, 1 Peter 1:15-16).

The same grace of God that brings salvation also teaches redeemed people that ungodliness and worldly lusts are to be denied in the pursuit of living soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. The grace of God is intended to make a difference in a person’s life not only for eternity, but for the present experience on earth as well.

It is God’s will that every believer know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honor (1 Thessalonians 4:4). This requires abstaining from unclean things that are available in this world. It requires restraint and discipline in faithfully walking in the Spirit so that the works of the flesh will not be fulfilled in the life of a believer (Galatians 5:16).

It is necessary for Christians to be aware of the enemy, to take him seriously, and to resist him diligently. No believer need be intimidated by the Devil. God has promised that when a Christian resists the Devil, he will flee from them (James 4:7). It is necessary, however, for Christians to actively and diligently resist the Devil, or he will not flee.

The world, the flesh, and the Devil have done us in. The Bible says that friendship with the world is enmity with God (James 4:4). The Bible says that he who sows to the flesh reaps corruption (Galatians 6:8M). The Bible says that the snare of the devil brings reproach (1 Timothy 3:7). When a lost world cannot see Christ in Christians because large numbers of them are at enmity with God, are contaminated with corruption and are bearing reproach, there is a serious crisis in Christianity.

What can be done about it? It is because of this crisis that many are calling for revival. They would like to see a passionate movement sweep across Christianity in which masses of professing believers are compelled to fall on their knees and renew
themselves spiritually before God. There have been such revivals in the past, but the results have often been tenuous and short lived. Biblical revival actually works in a reverse of this plan. It begins with the individual and swells as others become personally involved one at a time. Repentance is not corporate, but personal. Sanctification is not corporate, but personal. Each professing Christian must examine himself (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Corinthians 11:28). Each professing Christian must make himself transparent before God (Psalm 139:23-24). Each professing Christian must personally commit himself to spiritual renewal (Romans 12:1-2). Consider what would happen if many Christians did this. Each individual would be brought into harmony with the image of Christ. Collectively, they would resemble each other because they all individually resemble the same Person. The impact of this collective image of Christ on the lost world would be overwhelming. Christians would become a curiosity to the world, not because they are numbly following a movement, but because each and everyone is equally committed to their Lord and Master. The
people of the world would ask questions and try to understand what keeps Christians focused and unmoved by all the things that stand in contrast to their faith. And in seeing the difference between Christians and themselves, people in the world would begin to ask how they could escape their culture of darkness and join the Christians in the society of light.

It is okay to pray that revival would sweep across Christianity. But too often, those who pray for revival sit passively and wait for it to start someplace else. If revival will ever occur, it is going to have to start with me — and with you. You and I are the key to solving the crisis in Christianity.

Alcohol

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by David E. Moss

One of the major social issues of our day is the use of alcoholic beverages. The hypocrisy of our secular society on this subject is distressing enough. Even more disappointing, though, is the lack of knowledge among Christians about the evils of this wicked substance. In spite of what many wish, the Bible is immensely clear in its attitude toward alcoholic beverages and their uses by those who belong to Christ.

Our society insists upon labeling alcoholism as a disease. Because of this we have been well informed about its effects and consequences. Intoxication is one of the major causes of accidents, injury and death on the nations’s highways. So serious is this problem, that extensive advertising campaigns have been conducted to convince people that they should not drive if they have been drinking. Even if a drunken person is not driving an automobile, he still jeopardizes the lives of other people, especially his family members who are constantly exposed to his irresponsible behavior. Then, of course, there is the danger to one’s own health which
results from consuming alcoholic beverages. The long range effect has the potential of leading to irritation and inflammation of the digestive system and may seriously affect the heart, liver, stomach, and other organs. In very small doses, alcohol destroys brain cells, which means the cumulative affect of long term use may cause the alteration of the personality due to extensive brain damage.

The Bible, on the other hand defines drunkenness as sin. It is one of the works of the flesh listed in Galatians 5:19-21 along with such things as adultery, fornication, idolatry, heresies, and murders, among others. There are a multitude of Bible verses that address the evil of the substance and the spiritual consequences of its use. For example, Proverbs 20:1 says, “Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging: and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise.” Proverbs 4:17 associates wine with violence and Proverbs 23:31-33 declares that the use of alcohol leads to promiscuity.

With all of the information available from both a secular and spiritual perspective, there are still Christians who insist that a little drink now and then is acceptable. Is it okay? Or, can the case be made for total abstinence?

Seeking A License To Drink

For those who want to indulge, the contention is that the Bible never says it is wrong to drink alcohol; it only says it is wrong to drink a lot of alcohol. Indeed, there are Bible verses that appear to support this. In Ephesians 5:18, only excess seems to be criticized. I Timothy 5:23 suggests a “little wine” is good for the stomach. I Timothy 3:8 and Titus 2:3 instruct deacons and aged women not to be given to much wine. And, Proverbs 31:6 proposes that wine has medicinal value, both physically and psychologically.

Besides, the argument continues, Jesus himself drank wine. In Matthew 26:27-29, He even blessed a cup full of the fruit of the vine, gave it to His disciples and told them He would drink it with them again in the Kingdom to come.

A serious question must be asked, though. Why would Jesus encourage the use of such a deadly substance? The assumption is that if Jesus drank wine, He drank alcohol. But did He? Or, were there wines in the Bible which contained no alcoholic content? If so, how
does this affect some of the contexts which suggest the use of wine?

Understanding Wine in the Bible

While the current usage of the word wine refers exclusively to beverages of alcoholic content, this has not always been the only definition of the word. In older dictionaries, wine is defined more generally as a beverage derived from the fruit of vines which may be either alcoholic or non-alcoholic.

New Century Dictionary, published by Appleton-Century-Crofts, Inc. in 1927: Wine is “unfermented grape juice; also, the juice, fermented or unfermented of various other fruits or plants, used as a beverage, etc.” (Page 2214)

It is equally true that the Bible uses the word wine to refer to both fermented and unfermented beverages. William Patton, in his book Bible Wines or Laws of Fermentation and Wines of the Ancients, states,

In the Hebrew Scriptures the word “yayin” in its broadest meaning, designates grape-juice, or the liquid which the fruit of the vine yields. This may be new or old, sweet or sour, fermented or unfermented, intoxicating or unintoxicating (page 56). In the New Testament we have oinos, which correspond exactly to the Hebrew yayin. As both yayin and oinos are generic words, they designate the juice of the grape in all its stages (page 62).

Just because Jesus drank wine does not mean He drank alcoholic beverages or that He meant for anyone else to do so. In fact, at the last supper Jesus designated the bread of the Passover as representative of His body and the wine as representative of His blood. The bread was unleavened which means it contained no yeast. Yeast in the Scripture was consistently used as a symbol of sin and since Jesus was Himself without sin, He was careful to use a yeastless bread as a symbol for the perfect body that would serve as the sacrificial lamb without blemish. It is unreasonable then to believe that Jesus would use a deteriorated, intoxicating wine to symbolize His pure blood that would pay for all man’s sin? Some would argue that because He took upon Himself the sin of the whole world, alcoholic wine serves as a better symbol for the contamination Christ experienced on the cross. If Christ wanted to include the
contamination of sin in the symbols of His sacrifice, He would have imposed it upon the bread, not the juice, for the payment of sin required a pure blood that could wash away the sin of mankind, which is evidenced by the contamination of the flesh.

Clearly, the wine Jesus used in the “Last Supper” was unfermented. It would have been totally uncharacteristic of Christ, who never committed any sin and at the time of the Last Supper had not yet taken upon Himself the sin of the whole world, to have consumed an intoxicating substance even in the smallest of quantities, jeopardizes the perfect condition of his flawless humanity.

The use of unfermented wine was in common usage during Bible days. William Patton documents its usage as well as the processes used to preserve the grape juice in its sweet form. Augustine Calmet, the learned author of the Dictionary of the Bible, published around
1700 said, “The ancients possessed the secret of preserving wines sweet throughout the whole year.” Furthermore, many men of ancient times testify to this including Aristotle, Columella, Pliny, Horace, Virgil and others.

The Scriptures treat wine in two respects which correspond to its fermented and unfermented conditions. Some Scriptures condemn wine as an evil substance and use it to illustrate judgment and wrath. Other references praise wine as a sweet substance to be enjoyed and use it to illustrate blessing and worship. The distinction is obviously not based upon quantity of consumption, but upon kind. Fermented wine is always the evil substance and unfermented grape juice is the sweet.

The Logic of Total Abstinence

  1. A Christian is crucified to the flesh.

    Drunkenness is a work of the flesh (Galatians 5:21). Those who belong to Jesus Christ have “crucified the flesh with the affections and lusts” thereof (Galatians 5:24). Therefore, to open the door to the works of the flesh by consuming any form or quantity of a substance, that is clearly related to the works of the flesh, contradicts the work of Christ in rescuing us from those things. As sanctified and justified people, we have been washed clean of such things (I Corinthians 6:9-11). Our past involvement in them is sufficient indulgence for the flesh (I Peter 4:1-4). We ought to leave it alone.

  2. A Priest Is To Show The Difference Between What is Holy and What is Unholy.

    Every Christian has been designated a priest as a member of the Body of Christ. I Peter 2:5 says, “Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.”

    Old Testament regulations for priests mandate some important principles for the way every believer should conduct his life. In Leviticus 10:9-10, priests were forbidden to consume any alcoholic beverages at a time which would leave any trace of the substance in his system when he entered the tabernacle. Large groups of people watched the priests go into the tent where the very glory of the presence of God dwelt. It was absolutely essential that the priests demonstrate the holy nature of God by entering His presence in the most sanctified state possible. Other wise, God’s integrity could have been jeopardized. The present day parallel should be obvious. Not only are Christians priests, their bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:19). If God did not want any alcohol in the system of an Old Testament priest when he entered the Tabernacle, He surely does not appreciate any alcohol being poured into the very tabernacle (human body) where He is presently dwelling on earth.

Conclusion

As far as the contexts are concerned where Bible verses seem to give approval for consuming alcoholic beverages, there is a logical explanation for each. For example, when elders are instructed to be “not given to wine”, total abstention is clear. But what is meant when the deacons are told not to be given to much wine? It was common practice in Roman influenced culture to eat and drink at regular meals in such quantity as to cause regurgitation. Consuming a large quantity of beverages was part of the process and being given to much wine became an idiom referring to gluttony.

Excessive drinking, even of uninebriated drinks, was a vice prevalent in the days of St. Paul, and corresponded to gluttony, also common — the excessive use of food, but not of an intoxicating kind. (The Temperance Bible Commentary by F. R. Lees and D. Burns, published in London, 1868, page 368.)

There is not one Bible reference that can be used to justify even the smallest consumption of alcoholic beverage. When Timothy is told to drink a little wine for his stomach sake, it is a reference to unfermented wine. The medicinal use of alcohol was largely external (Luke 10:34). The condemnation of drunkenness in no way is intended to be a license for lesser forms of consumption.

Alcoholics certainly need help because of the addictive nature of intoxicants. There are physical, mental and social consequences of their long term use. Professional help is required and freedom does not come easy. Any assistance must include both medical and spiritual therapy if full recovery is to be secured.

The best cure for alcoholism, however, is to totally abstain from ever using the substance in the first place. At one time, we enjoyed a Constitutional amendment prohibiting the consumption of alcoholic beverages. Unfortunately, our government felt it better to license the use of a deadly substance than enforce the law.

Compromise is never a wise solution for a Christian. If we really want to show the world what God is like, we must avoid indulging in vices that contradict such a testimony. Isaiah 5:22-23 says, “Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!” It is a spiritual oxymoron to say that a person is strong enough to drink a substance that makes him weak. Be a truly strong believer-priest. Be clean from all the wicked substances of the world and demonstrate the difference between the holy and the unholy.

I Corinthians 13

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by David E. Moss

Love. It is the most electric concept known to man. It is the stuff by which every human relationship survives—or dissolves for lack of it. It is a many splendored thing. It is what the world needs, because without it, the human soul is utterly destitute.

But what is it?

Poets have written about it; philosophers have mused about it; and musicians have crooned about it through every generation of mankind. Yet love seems to remain so enigmatic.

The reason is simple. Man tends to seek a human definition to everything he experiences, but love defies a definition derived from a human context. Love is of God, because God is love (I John 4:7,8). If something is so intricately a part of the heart of God, any understanding of it must come directly from Him.

This makes His definition of love in I Corinthians 13 so significant. It is clear that God considers love to be the primary ingredient of the spiritual nature of His children. In fact, love is to our spiritual life what breathing is to our physical life.

  1. The Concept of Love

    1. !(çB0 (Agape)

      There are several Greek words in the New Testament that are translated as “love.” Agape is the one God chose to describe what flows from His heart. In secular usage, agape was an obscure word prior to its appearance in Scripture. The New Testament teaching concerning intimacy with God through the Gospel of Christ (symbolized by the renting of the Temple veil) deserved the coining of a new definition for a rare uncommon word. Agape’s importance was immortalized being used 116 times in the New Testament.

    2. Charity

      Fully twenty five percent of the time agape is translated “Charity” in the King James Version. The reason was to highlight and underscore the real concept of the word. With our modern technology, we can print the words of a text in several ways to bring special attention to it. We can underline words, type bold face letters, enlarge the letters, or use a different type of letter such as italics. In 1611, such devices were tedious and cumbersome. A much more convenient and colorful way to bring emphasis to a word was to use a synonym with a different flare. Whenever you read the word “Charity” in Scripture, it is unnecessary to reduce it to the more simplistic form “love.” In each instance, see the word as highlighted in some decorative fashion, emphasizing the real meaning of love.

      According to I Corinthians 13, Charity is supreme above all other spiritual talents granted to man. It excels speaking with the tongues of men and of angels. It is to be much preferred over the gift of prophecy and the ability to understand all mysteries and knowledge. It is even superior to the faith which has the capacity to remove mountains. And, it is of far greater value than any personal sacrifice a person might make such as distributing all his worldly goods to the poor or being martyred for his faith.

  2. The Elements of Love

    1. Charity suffereth long

      Charity has a fuse so long that no matter how difficult things become it never reaches the point of explosion. Love is so firmly committed to its object that it never reaches the point of saying, “I can’t take it any longer” or “I don’t need this”or “I have to have a life of my own.” Love is so firmly set that it cannot be persuaded to change its mind.

    2. Charity is kind

      Charity always uses gentle mannerisms, being concerned about how its actions will affect others. Character is a marvelous thing, but was meant to be distributed, not hoarded. Love cannot be harbored in a heart, but must be shared. When it is shared, it always acts in such a way which makes others comfortable and refreshed.

    3. Charity envieth not

      Charity never allows passions to generate negative energy, and never expresses resentment toward others. To wear envy in your heart is the same as wearing a sticker on your forehead that says “I am spiritually immature.” Envy creates an atmosphere of contention by hating others for having something it does not have. It seeks to destroy those who have prospered above it. Charity wants only to encourage and it delights in the prosperity of others.

    4. Charity vaunteth not itself

      Charity never over values self, makes a vain display of its own worth, or exaggerates its own accomplishments. Human nature considers importance in the eyes of others to be of great value. Unfortunately, human nature is willing to do anything in order to achieve this. You really are not acting in love if you claim undeserved credit in an attempt to gain more respect, or if you make exaggerated promises which you cannot keep in an attempt to make others feel good. Charity is content to be just what it is and nothing more.

    5. Charity is not puffed up

      Charity never pretends to be something it is not. There is no value in claiming victory when there is none, sounding tough when you are not, saying something is good when it is bad, or believing things that are not true. Charity is always honest and totally devoid of lying, prideful attitudes.

    6. Charity doth not behave itself unseemly

      Charity never does anything to cause others to blush. Excessiveness in any form is incompatible with the concept of love, whether it is the way a person dresses, or the way he behaves, or the way he talks. Charity will always demonstrate respect for the ones it loves and never cause them any embarrassment.

    7. Charity seeketh not her own

      Charity never desires what benefits itself without considering how this will affect others. If any one item in this list epitomizes the essence of love, it is this one. This strikes at the very heart of the divine law of love. Self seekers indulge in liberties at the expense of others. Charity is gratified by the advancement of others. It always seeks the welfare of others rather than of itself.

    8. Charity is not easily provoked

      Charity is not easily ignited to anger, and never starts emotional fires by its contentiousness. When a person is provoked, he has been pushed beyond his level of tolerance. Real love has such a high tolerance quotient, that it is like a candle that simply will not be lit. Charity renders conflict irrelevant because it refuses to participate.

    9. Charity thinketh no evil

      Charity does not keep a record of offenses, debts, faults, errors or mistakes. It never reminds persons about all the wrong things they have done. This is because Charity knows how to forgive. Forgiveness is a promise never to bring up the matter again. Charity keeps this promise unfailingly.

    10. Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity

      Charity takes no pleasure in morally corrupt ethics, and does not enjoy reports of wrong doing. Rejoicing in iniquity includes, (1) expecting to be rewarded for doing something wrong; (2) taking advantage of those who fail; (3) delighting in conspiracy; (4) taking pleasure in those that do things worthy of punishment; and (5) giving God credit for assisting in evil plans. Charity has impeccable ethics and separates itself from the willfulness of the depraved human heart. It takes pleasure in the forgiveness of God that delivers it from iniquity.

    11. Charity rejoiceth in the truth

      Charity elevates truth to the highest priority, and takes pleasure in things that are not afraid to be examined in the light. There are many negative things in life that are factual. But truth implies good quality that is unashamed when exposed to public scrutiny. Bad news may be factually accurate and thus generically true, but because it is not edifying, it cannot be considered truth. Truth welcomes scrutiny and loves to be examined. This is why Charity likes truth so much.

    12. Charity beareth all things

      Charity knows when to stop before its behavior becomes excessive. Love does not complain or make demands. Bearing all things is the quality of meekness, by which love keeps human impulsiveness in check. The notion that we should always speak our mind is not accurate. There is a time to speak and a time to keep silence. Charity knows when to put a lid on it.

    13. Charity believeth all things

      Charity knows the value of being able to believe in a person and practices trust. This is not gullibility. Charity does not let itself be easily deceived nor does it blindly believe what it knows to be untrue. But love does avoid skepticism, reluctance, and conditional belief. To say that Charity believes all things addresses the element of trust that makes a relationship unbreakable. It is the opposite of fear. It is the door of possibility. It is an imperishable commitment.

    14. Charity hopeth all things

      Charity refuses to let experience discourage its hope for tomorrow. It is eternally optimistic. Pessimism is like thirst. Thirst exists because of the lack of water. Pessimism exists because of the lack of hope. Charity knows the source of living water that will never run dry. It never gives up on the possibility that problems will be solved, wounds will be healed, and good feelings will ultimately prevail.

    15. Charity endureth all things

      Charity never lets irresponsible behavior influence its attitude toward the guilty person. Enduring all things is the supreme sacrifice that love makes in order to benefit the lives of others, even if they are your enemies. This is exactly the kind of love God directed toward us even while we were yet sinners. This expresses the unconditional nature of love that keeps two people bonded together for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health.

    16. Charity never faileth

      Charity never comes to an end. It does not know how to say, “I don’t love you anymore.”

Conclusion

A summary of I Corinthians 13

As great as these things are:

  • speaking languages few or no one can
  • understanding and being privy to new revelation
  • having a dynamic faith few ever experience
  • giving all you own to meet the needs of others
  • martyrdom

None of them have any real value unless the motivation for them is love. The very thing I may hope to accomplish without love is the very thing that is rendered meaningless without love.

Faith is the thing that connects us to the heart of God. Without faith it is impossible to please Him. Hope is the eye of faith, sustaining it through all that is unseen and uncertain, making it possible for us to believe that God is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.

But love is the very heart of God. It is not a feeling, though exhilarating and refreshing feelings result from it. It is the talent to be selfless and to be sacrificially concerned with the welfare of others. It was the agape love of God that made it possible for His Son to selflessly make Himself of no reputation, to take upon Himself the form of a servant, and as a man, to humble Himself, being obedient unto death, not for any benefit to himself, but solely for the benefit of the lost souls of the human race.

The next time you say to any one, “I love you,” realize what you are telling them. By those three little words you are making a commitment. You are saying, “I promise always to maintain my composure, make you as comfortable as possible, delight in all your prosperity, be content with who I am, be honest about everything, never cause you embarrassment, seek your welfare above my own, refuse to participate in conflict, throw away the record of your mistakes, maintain the highest level of ethics, welcome examination,
know when to stop, build trust in our relationship, be optimistic, endure everything that threatens our relationship, and,
I will never stop doing all of these things.”

This is love.