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© Daniel Valles. May be reproduced for non-profit purposes only, citing the author and source.
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"Love Without Hypocrisy"
Pastor Paul Frey
READ
Romans 12:9-13
"Love is a many splendored thing" is a phrase the movie industry used some years ago to depict of its films. The world indeed is in the need to see the splendor of love but not the kind of love intended by this movie. Though many years have gone by since I saw the movie, I do recall the love that was exemplified was a sensual love (Eros) and a friendship love (Phileo) which is a kind of conditional love. The kind of love the world needs to see is an unconditional love, complete with nothing lacking (Agape) which is God's love.
The world saw this kind of love in the Lord Jesus Christ as expressed so clearly in John 3:16. Those who have been born of God and have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them should be manifesting this kind of love to each other and to the world for Christ Jesus said in John 13:34,35 "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one to another."
Probably the best description of this kind of love found in the Holy Scriptures is in I Cor. 13:4-8. It says, "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up. Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, it is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth."
The following is a paraphrase of this Scripture that I made some years ago...
- In times of testing, love is patient, willing to wait for God to answer.
- Love is kindness, expressing itself to others in good deeds and acts.
- Love is never inflated with pride.
- Love does not seek its own thing or it's own way, but thinks about others first.
- Love is slow to anger.
- Love does not think wrong things about another or dwell on things that corrupt the mind.
- Love does not rejoice in anything that is not in harmony with God's Word.
- Love delights in the Word of God.
- Love does no complain when trials come its way.
- Love has absolute joy and confidence in the Word of God.
- Love is the activity of faith in the soul concerning the promises and works of God.
- Love bears up courageously under suffering.
- Love never ceases regardless of the circumstances.
The word hypocrisy means to impersonate, pretend, as an actor on stage. In Galatians 2:11-15, an example of this is seen in the life of Peter. The ceremonial customs of the law were still being adherered to by the Jewish Christians and as Gentile Christians began to be added to the church, the problem of fellowship with Gentile converts by Jewish brethren, arose because of ceremonial law not adhered to by the Gentile believers. Peter felt free to show the love of fellowship with Gentile believers when the Jewish brethren were not around, but when the Jews were present, Peter had nothing to do with the gentiles... The Apostle Paul called him to task for his hypocrisy. What was the apparent cause for this hypocrisy? Peter was no doubt concerned about his reputation and standing with the "in group" at that time (the circumcised) for vs. 12 tells us he feared them. Being the accepted leader of the apostolic band, no doubt he felt it unwise to jeopardize his ecclesiastical position. Therefore, the love which he expressed to the Gentile believers was tainted by self... that wilted when self was threatened. This is pure hypocritical love which is seen so much in the church today. It is easy to verbalize love, but to love it out is a different matter. How often love fades like the morning mist....
-when self is threatened in any way...Some years ago, William Booth, the founder of the Salvation Army, was in London,... During his stay in England, he was invited to address a large gathering of Salvation Army personnel at a special service. Being up in years and in ill health, he declined. He was then asked to write a personal note that could be read to those who had followed him... At the night of the service, the envelope he had sent to comply with their wishes was opened and enclosed was a notebook-size sheet of paper with his message containing only one word... "OTHERS". This indeed characterized the life of William Booth, which is true Agape love, the love that indeed is without hypocrisy. It is God's love as described in I Cor. 13:4-8 and I John 4:8. The Christian life requires discipline, so much so that Jesus said in effect -if you want to be my disciple, deny yourself, take up your cross daily and follow me-Luke 9:23. The following are some suggestions to help in this discipline so that our love will be without hypocrisy...
-when another doesn't measure up to expectations...
- when a brother or sister doesn't fit into the "in group" of a local assembly...
-when a brother or sister has a need that will require expense or inconvenience from others...
-when a heart is lifted up by self importance and others do no respond as self requires.
1 . Let others have the spotlight (vs. 10). One of the best illustrations of this is seen in the example of Jonathan's love for David found in I samuel, Chapter 18 and 19.
2. Live within the sphere of light (vs. 9). "Ye that love the Lord, hate evil" Psalms 97:10. Have a horror of any kind of evil and withdraw from it. The following quote is from the theologian, Godet; "Love is not pure, save when it is the enemy of evil." The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy wrote; "love out of a pure heart- and of a good conscience and of sincere faith" - I Timothy 1:5. Cleave, be glued to that which is good as found in Philippians 4:8.
3. Labouring only for the Lord (vs. 11). This labor to be fervent,
constrained by the love of Christ... Water heated in an open container
boils away. Heat has been applied, fuel consumed and no purpose. But let
the water be poured into a boiler of a steam engine and then let the
furnace be heated- note the difference. The furnace becomes power, the
expansion of the steam occasioned motion, the machinery begins to act and
a useful result is secured. So in the spiritual realm- Warmth f devotion,
love to Christ and zeal in service to God under the power and control of
the Holy Spirit will produce the fruit of the Spirit, the foremost being
love- a self-less love doing all for the Lord. Colossians 3:23 says, "And
whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as to the Lord, and not unto men." All
for the glory of God. I Corinthians 10:31 says, "Whether therefore ye
eat, or drink, of what soever ye do,
do all to the glory of God."
4. Lay hold of God's grace (vs. 12). Love without hypocrisy gets down into the inner life. Trials and tests will come and the self life will ever want to exert itself but if the love of God has been shed abroad in our hearts, trials will be looked at as a free education and we will be:
a. confident in a wise Heavenly Father whose love is perfect.
b. enjoy the blessing of fellowship with Christ in His suffering.
c. devotion to prayer. Prayer tenderizes the heart with true Agape love because it is warmed by the presence of God's love.
5. Lend a helping hand (vs.13).
a. look for the needs of saintsDonald Grey Barnhouse wrote: Love is the key - joy is love singing, Peace is love resting-Longsuffering is love enduring Kindness is love's touch Goodness is love's character Self control is love holding the reins. Let us all truly love without hypocrisy and make a difference in the kingdom of God.
b. help somebody today
c. "Use hospitality one to another without grudging." I Peter 4:9.
-Pastor Paul Frey.