FOS 5- Part 3 of Love and Intro to Joy
Most of the verses I left you with in the last lesson contrast love and hate. It’s important when studying about love to understand that loving others and showing them God’s love does not mean that there is nothing God hates nor does it mean that we have permission from him to hate. God hates sin. It is evil in His sight. That is why there is hell and a final battle in which all sin will be vanquished. The challenge arises to show love to others when all mankind is sinful (even Christians) and will be until God makes us new. We do not have the mind of God or even the ability to love perfectly as God does, so we must check ourselves when we think we are rightfully angry. There are verses in scripture that warn us against judging others.
James 4:12 ESV - 12 There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?
Matthew 7:3-5 ESV (also in Luke 6:41—42) 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.
An important concept that is helpful when we have the temptation to hate others or judge them is given in Ephesians 6.
Ephesians 6:12 ESV - For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places.
(Ephesians 6:10-18 covers the armor of God)
There is a spiritual battle taking place. The hearts and souls of mankind are the focus of the battle. We can pray for others and often more importantly, pray about our attitude towards them. We won’t be any good at pointing others to Christ if our hearts are in the wrong place. We need to make sure we are wrestling in the spiritual realm through prayer and pointing those in the physical realm to the One who can free them from their bondage to sin.
Ecclesiastes 3:1, 8 ESV - 1 For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: ... 8 a time to love, and a time to hate; a time for war, and a time for peace.
Key points about love:
Before we move to joy, I’d like to summarize some key points about love.
1- God’s love, biblical love is different than the world’s
The love of the Bible is different than the love that the “world” tosses about. C.S. Lewis gave lectures on the four types of love found in the Greek language. Unlike English, where we love pizza, love our brother, love our husband, and love God, Greek is a more nuanced language. Most of the New Testament was originally written in Greek, and it is there that we find the word agapé used for love.
The online Encyclopedia Britannica site gives this definition and description of agapé love: In the New Testament, the fatherly love of God for humans, as well as the human reciprocal love for God. In Scripture, the transcendent agape love is the highest form of love and is contrasted with eros, or erotic love, and philia, or brotherly love. In John 3:16, a verse that is often described as a summary of the Gospel message, agape is the word used for the love that moved God to send his only son for the world’s redemption. The term necessarily extends to the love of one’s fellow humans, as the reciprocal love between God and humans is made manifest in one’s unselfish love of others.
Britannica, T. Editors of Encyclopaedia. "agape." Encyclopedia Britannica, July 16, 2024. https://www.britannica.com/topic/agape.
2- God’s love of us helps us love others
God loves His people. When we have a good understanding of how much God loves us, our significance comes from Him and we will not need others to reciprocate our love. God’s love gives us what we need to love others—even those who are undeserving. I urge you to draw near to God every day, especially by reading His word, so that you will be reminded how greatly you are loved. You are not loved by someone whose feelings change on a whim or someone who will tire of your mistakes or imperfections. He will not look at you one day and decide you are too old, too weak, or too whatever (add in your own insecurities here). He is your creator and His desire is to help you follow His design for you to the fullest. The God who created all and has power over all loves you! This confidence, that you are fully loved by God, will help you with the other fruit of the Spirit.
Read the following three sections of scripture to encourage you today!
Romans 8:37-39 ESV - 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Ephesians 2:4-7 ESV - 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ--by grace you have been saved-- 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
1 John 4:16-19 ESV - 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17 By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 19 We love because he first loved us.
3- Love from God is the foundation for us to grow in all of the fruit of the Spirit.
Joy
Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
Just as we learn to love from Christ’s example, we can learn to have joy in difficult situations from Him. What was the joy Jesus looked forward to? The answer is found in what was accomplished by His death—eternal life for those who belong to Him. His death was the only way to bring us life and restore us in our relationship with Him.
That fact leaves me humbled and in awe. The all-knowing (He knows all my sins—past, present, and future) God of the universe, creator of everything; the One who holds our planet in orbit, keeps the sun burning, puts breath in my lungs, and brings beauty to the world around me finds me worthy to suffer and die for. And not only did He die for me, He did it with joy. In the midst of suffering, The thought of having me as his brought him joy. If you have asked Him to be your Lord and Savior, He did all that for you too—with the joy of having you as His.
If He can do that for me, can I not find joy in Him while suffering too? Knowing that I will one day see Him face to face and that even now He is with me gives me joy.
Homework:
As you study the following verses, look at surrounding verses for context and find: 1- Who was speaking (or writing), 2- Who they were speaking (or writing to), 3- What things made it difficult to have joy, 4- What encouraged their joy or How they were to work towards joy. The last group of verses is the same as the first (Hebrews 12:1-3). I want to look more closely at the first verse and how it ties into having joy, so don’t skip it. That section of scripture is one of my favorites.
Romans 5:1-5 ESV - 1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
James 1:2-4 ESV - 2 Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, 3 for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. 4 And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.
Matthew 13:44 (ESV)
“The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field.
Luke 6:22-23 (ESV) 22 “Blessed are you when people hate you and when they exclude you and revile you and spurn your name as evil, on account of the Son of Man! 23 Rejoice in that day, and leap for joy, for behold, your reward is great in heaven; for so their fathers did to the prophets.
John 15:8-11 (ESV) 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.
Hebrews 12:1-3 ESV - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, so that you may not grow weary or fainthearted.
In verse 1 we are encouraged to lay aside every weight, and sin, and run with endurance the race that is set before us. It’s often those weights and sins that steal our joy. A serious runner will focus on the finish line and do what is necessary to get there. They will ignore pain, hunger, fatigue, and other distractions to get there.
A great cloud of witnesses is mentioned at the beginning of this verse. When we look at the preceding chapter we learn that the “cloud of witnesses” refers to followers of God from the past. Chapter 11 is known as the hall of fame of faith and presents many of the Old Testament heroes of the faith. They did incredible things for the Lord and also went through incredibly difficult things for Him—because they had faith and trusted Him. They knew that the difficulties of the present would pass and that this is not our home. Our home is in heaven where there will be no more sin or difficulties. Looking back at the lives of these heroes and their faith can encourage us so we can find joy in difficulties too.
I can also look at the ways God has worked in the lives of believers I know, and how he has worked in my life to carry me through difficulties. This increases my faith which in turn increases my joy in difficult circumstances.
Nehemiah 8:10 ESV - 10 Then he said to them, "Go your way. Eat the fat and drink sweet wine and send portions to anyone who has nothing ready, for this day is holy to our Lord. And do not be grieved, for the joy of the LORD is your strength."
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