1 Corinthians 13

Nevertheless, there was something more excellent than all gifts. They were the manifestation of the power of God and of the mysteries of His wisdom; Love, that of His nature itself.

They might speak with all tongues, they might have prophecy, the knowledge of mysteries, the faith which can remove mountains - they might give all their possessions to feed the poor, and their bodies to be tortured - if they had not love, it was nothing. Love was conformity to the nature of God, the living expression of what He was, the manifestation of having been made partakers of His nature; it was the acting and feeling according to His likeness. This love is developed in reference to others; but others are not the motive, although they are the object. It has its source within, its strength is independent of the objects with which it is occupied; this it can act where circumstances might produce irritation or jealousy in the human heart. It acts according to its own nature in the circumstances; and by judging them according to the nature, they do not act upon the man who is full of love, except so far as they supply occasion for its activity and direct its form. Love is its own motive. In us, participation in the divine nature is its only source. Communion with God Himself alone sustains it through all the difficulties it has to surmount in its path. This love is the opposite of selfishness and of self-seeking, and shuts it out, seeking the good of others, even (as to its principle) as God has sought us in grace. (See Ephesians 4:32; v.1,2).What a power to avoid evil in one's self, to forget all in order to do good.

The first eight qualities of love pointed out by the Spirit are the expression of this renunciation of self; the three that follow mark that joy in good which sets the heart free also from that readiness to suppose evil, which is so natural to human nature, on account of its own depth of evil, and that which it also experiences in the world. The four last show its positive energy, which - the source of every kind thought - by the powerful spring of its divine nature, presumes good when it does not see it, and bears with evil when it sees it, covering it by long-suffering and patience; not bringing it to light, but burying it in its own depth - a depth which is unfathomable, because love never changes. One finds nothng but love where it is real; for circumstances are but an occasion for it to act and show itself. Love is always itself, and it is love which is exercised and displayed. It is that which fills the mind; everything else is but a means of awakening the soul that dwells in love to its exercise. This is the divine character. No doubt the time of judgement will come; but our relationships with God are in grace. Love is His nature. It is now the time of its exercise. We represent Him on earth in testimony. In that which is said of love in this chapter we find the reproduction of the divine nature, except that what is said is but the negative of selfishness of the flesh in us. Now the divine nature changes not and never ceases; love, therefore, abideth ever. Communications from God; the means by which they are made, knowledge - as attained here below - according to which we apprehend the truth in part only, although the whole truth is revealed to us; - for we apprehend it in detail, so that we have never the whole at once; the character of our knowledge is to lay hold of different truths singly - all that is characterised by being in part passes away. Love will not pass away. A child learns; he rejoices, too, in things that amuse him; when he becomes a man, he requires things in accordance with his intelligence as a man. It was thus with tongues and the edification of the church. The time was, however, coming when they should know even as they were known; not by communications of truths to a capacity that apprehended the truth in its different parts, but they should understand as a whole in its unity.

Now love subsists already; there are faith and hope also. Not only shall these pass away, but even now, here below, that which is of the nature of God is more excellent than that which is connected with the capacity of human nature, even though enlightened by God, and having for its object the revealed glory of God.

Believers, therefore, were to follow after and seek for love while desiring gifts, especially that they might prophesy, because thus they would edify the church, and that was that which love desired and sought - it was that which intelligence required, the two marks of a man in Christ, of one to whom Christ is all.

2 Peter 1:7

The heart being thus in communion with God, affection flows out freely towards those who are dear to Him, and who, sharing the same nature, necessarily draw out the affections of the spiritual heart: brotherly love is developed.

There is another principle which crowns, and governs, and gives character to all the others: it is charity - love, properly so called. This, in its root, is the nature of God Himself - the source and perfection of every other quality that adorns christian life. The distinction between love and brotherly love is of deep importance; the frmer is indeed, as we have just said, the source whence the latter flows; but as this brotherly love exists in mortal men, it may be mingled in its exercise with sentiments that are merely human - with individual affection, with the effect of personal attractions, or that of habit, of suitability in natural character. Nothing is sweeter than brotherly affections: their maintenance is of the highest importance in the church; but they may degenerate, as they may grow cool; and if love -if God - does not hold the chief place, they may displace Him - set Him aside -shut Him out. Divine love, which is the very nature of God, directs, rules, and gives character to brotherly love; otherwise, it is that which pleases us - that is, our own heart - that governs us. If divine love governs me, I love all my brethren; I love them because they belong to Christ; there is no partiality. I shall have greater enjoyment in a spiritual brother; but I shall occupy myself about my weak brother, with a love that rises above his weakness, and has tender consideration for it. I shall concern myself with my brother's sin, from love to God, in order to restore my brother, rebuking him, if needful; nor if divine love be in exercise, can brotherly love or its name be associated with disobedience. In a word, God will have His place in all my relationships. To exact brotherly love in such a manner as to shut out the requirements of that which God is, and of His claims upon us, is to shut out God in the most plausible way, in order to gratify our own hearts. Divine love, then, which acts according to the nature, character and will of God, is that which ought to direct and characterise our whole christian walk, and have authority over every movement of our hearts. Without this, all that brotherly love can do is to substitute man for God.

1 John 4:7, &c.

Here it will be worth our while to notice the order of this remarkable passage.(Verses 7-10) We possess the nature of God, consequently we love; we are born of Him and we know Him. But the manifestation of love towards us in Jesus Christ is the proof of that love; it is thus that we know it (verses 11-16); we enjoy it by dwelling in it. It is present life in the love of God, by the presence of the Holy Spirit in us; the enjoyment of that love by communion, in that God dwells in us and we thus dwell in Him (verse 17); His love is perfected with us; the perfection of that love, viewed in the place that it has given us - we are, in this world, such as Christ is (verses 18,19); it is thus fully perfected with us - love to sinners, communion, perfection before God, gives us the moral and characteristic elements of that love, what it is in our relationship with God.

In the first passage, where the apostle speaks of the manifestation of this love, he does not go beyond the fact that one who loves is born of God. The nature of God, which is love being in us, he who loves knows Him, for he is born of Him, has His nature and realises what it is.

It is that which God has been with regard to the sinner which demonstrates His nature of love. Afterwards, that which we learned as sinners we enjoy as saints. The perfect love of God is shed abroad in the heart, and we dwell in Him. As already with Jesus in this world, fear has np place in one to whom the love of God is a dwelling place and rest.

The reality of our love to God, fruit of His love to us, is now tested. If we say that we love God and do not love the brethren, we are liars; for if the divine nature so near us (in them) does not awaken our spiritual affections, how, then, can He who is afar off do so? Accordingly, this is His commandment, that he who loves God loves his brother also.

Love for the brethren proves the reality of our love for God. And this love must be universal, must be in exercise towards all Christians, for whosoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God; and He who loves a person will love one who is born of Him. And if the being born of Him is the motive, we shall love all that are born of Him.

But a danger exists on the other side. It may be that we love the brethren because they are pleasant to us; they furnish us with agreeable society, in which our conscience is not wounded. A counter-proof is therefore given us; "Hereby we know that we love the children of God, if we love God and keep His commandments." It is not as children of God that I love the brethren, unless I love God, of whom they are born. I may love them individually as companions, or I may love some among them, but not as the children of God, if I do not love God Himself. If God Himself has not His true place in my heart, that which bears the name of love to the brethren shuts out God; and that in so much the more complete and subtle a manner, because our link with them bears the sacred name of brotherly love.

now, there is a touchstone even for this love of God - namely, obedience to His commands. If I walk with the brethren themselves in disobedience to their Father , it is certainly not because they are His children that I love them. It was because I loved the Father and because they were His children, I should assuredly like them to obey Him. To walk, then, in disobedience with the children of God under the pretext of brotherly love, in not to love them as the children of God. If I loved them as such, I should love their Father and my Father, and I could not walk in disobedience to Him, and call it a proof that I loved them because they were His.

If I also loved them because they were His children, I should love all who are such, because the same motive engages me to love them all.

The universality of this love with regard to all the children of God: its exercise in practical obedience to His will: these are the marks of true brotherly love. That which has not these marks is a mere carnal party spirit, clothing itself with the name and forms of brotherly love. Most certainly I do not love the Father, if I encourage His children in disobedience to Him.

J.N.Darby