Love Thinks No Evil_Spiritual Love (10)
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March 24, 2019 |
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Senior Pastor Rev. Jaerock Lee
 Senior Pastor Rev. Jaerock Lee
"Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered," 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 (NKJV)-
I've met many kinds of people during the course of my ministry. Some people feel the touch of God and burst into tears just by thinking about Him while some others are somewhat concerned wondering why they're unable to feel God's love deeply, although they do believe and love God.
We might sometimes face hardships in our Christian lives, too. We can overcome such situations if we remember the love of God who never denies us. But the truth is, the magnitude of our love for God is decided by the extent to which we cast away sins and evil. We will not have a halt in our faith but feel God's deep love to the same extent that we live by His word and cast away evil from our heart.
Now, what does it mean by 'Love thinks no evil'? Here, evil refers to all things that are not in accordance with God's will.
1. Evil thoughts are thoughts opposite God's will
1) Wishing something will go wrong for somebody
Suppose you have a quarrel with somebody and you came to hate them. So you wish they will fall on the streets. If something bad happens to one of your neighbors who were not on good terms with you, you think they deserve it. Or, for one of your classmates who get better grades than you, you wish they will not do well in exams.
If we have love, we will not have such evil thoughts. Nobody would wish for their beloved people to get sick or get involved in accidents. You'd wish for your wife, your husband, and your children to always be healthy and safe. You rejoice over other people's troubles or unhappiness due to lack of love.
If you lack love, you'd want to spread others' shortcomings. If you pay attention to gossip or slanders in a certain group, you have to check your heart. Of course, sometimes you need to find out their problems so you might be able to stop them from going the wrong way and help them. However, if you pay attention in other cases than above, it is very likely it's because you like gossip. Those who are good-hearted and have love will try to cover other people's fault.
If we have spiritual love, we are not jealous when others are well-off. We just want the best for them. Jesus told us to love our enemies and pray for those who persecute us in Matt. 5:44. Romans 12:14 says, "Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse."
2) Passing judgment and condemnation
Evil thoughts also include all the thoughts that are not in accordance with God's will.
Most people say those with high moral standards are good. However, neither morality nor conscience is standards of goodness. Some parts of them are directly against God's will. The only absolute standard of goodness is the word of God.
When we first accept the Lord, we realize that we're sinners. Even those who used to think they lived a good life would have to profess that they are evil sinners in the light of God's word. Everything that is not according to the word of God, the absolute standard of goodness, is evil and sin (1 John 3:4).
What is the difference between sin and evil then? In a general sense, both sin and evil are the untruth that is opposite of the word of God. It is darkness, which is opposite to God who is Light. However, in a strict sense there is a clear distinction between sin and evil.
Likened to a tree, evil is like the root under the ground whereas sin is like the branches, leaves, and fruit that are visible.
Without the root, the tree cannot have branches, leaves, or the fruit. In the same way, sins come from evil. Evil is the nature deeply rooted in our heart, and when it is actualized specifically it is sin.
If somebody speaks foul language or shows violence, it tells us the hatred in their heart is actualized as the sin of those words and actions (Luke 6:45). Sin is identified by the standard called God's commandments. Sins are categorized into two: things of the flesh—hatred, jealousy, and lust; and works of the flesh—quarrel, throwing tantrums, theft, and murder.
We know that having evil in heart doesn't mean we will necessarily sin. If we can control those evil natures by hearing God's word and through manners, then we won't commit sins easily. In those cases you might mistakenly think you've cultivated holiness when you don't commit any actual sin. However, we are truly holy only when we cast away the evil natures deeply rooted in our heart.
Everyone has inherited evil natures from their parents. They are usually dormant, but in some extreme situations they will surface. Even if we don't openly commit sins, whatever is not perfect in the sight of the perfect God is evil. That is why God urges us to cast away all forms of evil (1 Thess. 5:22).
God is love. The summation of all God's commandments is 'love' (1 John 3:23; Rom. 13:10). After all, lack of love is evil and sin. In order to find out the extent to which we have cultivated spiritual love, we can just check the extent that we think in evil. We wouldn't think any evil when we love God and the souls.
3) All the other thoughts that are opposite God's will
Evil thoughts also include all the thoughts that are not in accordance with God's will.
Most people say those with high moral standards are good. However, neither morality nor conscience is standards of goodness. Some parts of them are directly against God's will. The only absolute standard of goodness is the word of God.
When we first accept the Lord, we realize that we're sinners. Even those who used to think they lived a good life would have to profess that they are evil sinners in the light of God's word. Everything that is not according to the word of God, the absolute standard of goodness, is evil and sin (1 John 3:4).
What is the difference between sin and evil then? In a general sense, both sin and evil are the untruth that is opposite of the word of God. It is darkness, which is opposite to God who is Light. However, in a strict sense there is a clear distinction between sin and evil.
Likened to a tree, evil is like the root under the ground whereas sin is like the branches, leaves, and fruit that are visible.
Without the root, the tree cannot have branches, leaves, or the fruit. In the same way, sins come from evil. Evil is the nature deeply rooted in our heart, and when it is actualized specifically it is sin.
If somebody speaks foul language or shows violence, it tells us the hatred in their heart is actualized as the sin of those words and actions (Luke 6:45). Sin is identified by the standard called God's commandments. Sins are categorized into two: things of the flesh—hatred, jealousy, and lust; and works of the flesh—quarrel, throwing tantrums, theft, and murder.
We know that having evil in heart doesn't mean we will necessarily sin. If we can control those evil natures by hearing God's word and through manners, then we won't commit sins easily. In those cases you might mistakenly think you've cultivated holiness when you don't commit any actual sin. However, we are truly holy only when we cast away the evil natures deeply rooted in our heart.
Everyone has inherited evil natures from their parents. They are usually dormant, but in some extreme situations they will surface. Even if we don't openly commit sins, whatever is not perfect in the sight of the perfect God is evil. That is why God urges us to cast away all forms of evil (1 Thess. 5:22).
God is love. The summation of all God's commandments is 'love' (1 John 3:23; Rom. 13:10). After all, lack of love is evil and sin. In order to find out the extent to which we have cultivated spiritual love, we can just check the extent that we think in evil. We wouldn't think any evil when we love God and the souls.
2. To Cultivate Love That Thinks No Evil
1) We must not see or hear anything evil
When we see or hear something evil, we shouldn't keep it in mind but try not to remember. Of course, our thoughts can't be controlled as we wish all the time. The harder we try, the more we might be reminded of them. However, if we keep on trying and praying not to think evil, the Holy Spirit will help us. We should never intentionally see, hear, or remember evil things, and cast away even the evil thoughts that flash through our minds.
2) We must never participate in evil deeds
2 John 1:10-11 says, "If anyone comes to you and does not bring this teaching, do not receive him into your house, and do not give him a greeting; for the one who gives him a greeting participates in his evil deeds." The Bible tells us to take caution against evil and to not accept it at all.
Men make their 'self' based on the untruths they acquire while they're growing up. And Christian life is to cast away these untruths and sinful natures after accepting the Lord. However, a great deal of endurance and hard effort is required to cast away sins and evil. We're more accustomed to untruths than to truths living in this world. It's easy to accept untruths but it's hard to cast them away.
If you spill just one drop of ink on white clothes, it is very easily spread by the black pigments. Trivial-looking evil can easily develop into great evil. It spreads to other people very quickly (Gal. 5:9). Therefore, we must be on the alert even for little evil. We must hate evil in order to cast away all forms of evil (Psa. 97:10; Prov. 8:13).
If we passionately love somebody, we like what they like and we dislike what they dislike. In the same way, those children of God who have received the Holy Spirit feel afflicted by the lamentation of the Holy Spirit when they commit sins. In this way they realize God hates sins, and they try not to commit sins. Also, we must try not to accept any more evil in addition to casting it away.
3. Supply God's Word and Prayer
Gal. 6:7 says, "…for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap." If we sow evil, we will reap calamities (Prov. 22:8). All kinds of diseases or hardships that we and our children suffer are caused by our own evil. All the worries of life grew up from the seeds of evil we sowed. Of course, sometimes disasters might not come right away but only after the amount of evil has mounted up.
Many people do not realize these principles, and they are not reluctant to do evil deeds. They consider it justice to pay back evil with evil. However, God says in Prov. 20:22, "Do not say, "I will repay evil"; wait for the LORD, and He will save you." He wants us to do only good.
God controls the life, death, and blessing and curses of men according to justice. Therefore, we will necessarily reap good fruits if we do good deeds (Exo. 20:6). In order for us to keep ourselves from evil, we have to hate evil first. And then, we should supply two things to our soul: God's word and prayer.
We can cast away evil thoughts and have good thoughts by meditating on God's word day and night. We can learn the good ways and what true love is from God's word. When we pray about the word of God we learned, we can realize the evil in our actions, words, and thoughts. Then, by praying fervently in the fullness of the Holy Spirit, we can cast away evil from our heart.
Dear brothers and sisters,
In order to cultivate spiritual love, we must not see or hear anything evil, and we have to cast away all forms of evil. I pray in the name of the Lord that you will quickly get rid of evil through God's word and fervent prayers and lead a happy life.
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