Lesson 64
Study of
First Peter Chapter 4
4:8 Above all things (high
priority) keep on having this fervent love with respect to yourselves
(group) because love keeps on covering a multitude of sins.
Observations:
1. Peter here is establishing a
priority that flows from sound, clear thinking as it is applied in
relationships within the body of believers, those in your periphery.
2. This priority here is consistent
with what Paul taught in 1 Cor 13:4-7 related to the
characteristics of love.
- Paul ends that chapter with a priority statement re:
love in
- idea is that love is the basis
for the others to properly function
3. For any love to be Biblically
valid or consistent with the Word it must be linked to the ministry of the Holy
Spirit.
4. For this love to be a reality
there must be capacity within from a frame of reference of the Word for the
Holy Spirit to illuminate for application.
- the emphasis is on the ones he's
writing to, they must have the F/O/R of truth, sound/clear thinking that gives
them the capacity for this love.
5. We must be on guard that this love
for other believers not diminish or wane therefore the imperative, keep on
having this fervent love.
6. It is a very real temptation when
a believer, another member of the royal family, sins against you to react and
retaliate with the result if not checked will be failure to maintain this love.
7. As Paul exhorts us in Gal 6:9 we
must not become weary of doing what is right in our relationships with other
believers.
8. We've been exhorted to have the
same viewpoint as Christ who set the example for us. No greater example than
what He had to put up with in daily dealing with those disciples, especially
Peter.
- They were are hard headed
bunch.
9. That love covers a multitude of
sins indicates that by applying truth in relationships you will eliminate MAS,
bitterness, jealousy and antagonism toward others.
10. A false application of love
covering sins is that good works will help one secure
forgiveness of sins with God.
Not true!
A
rabbit trail:
The
Character of Love 1 Cor. 13:4-7
Intro:
-
Love is here not so much defined as it is described.
- What Paul is
doing here to make his point is to make love personified.
- Its always
love is or is not something rather than on the person who displays the love.
- Paul talks
about love as to its qualities. Love is/not ________.
The
reason that Paul does that is that he doesn't want to apply love to a given
instance; he wants us to apply love to every instance.
He doesn't want us to see love operating in someone else as
much as he wants us to personalize it and see it existing in ourselves.
Dr. Grosheide; "It is worthy of note that Paul,
instead of speaking of human beings and of their love, rather speaks of love
itself. Perfect love is his subject and
its qualities he depicts. This is love personified, for after all it is
love which manifests itself in human conduct even though it is never perfect in
human life. Christian love is witnessed in the Christian's life. The Corinthians should search themselves to
see if they are ruled by that Christian love.
In this part of the chapter love is especially love to one's fellow
men."
1. 13:4 Love's Unselfishness.
Love
is patient... makroqume,w - patient with respect to people; longsuffering in dealing
with others.
- The word makroqume,w carries with it the idea of
restraint when one has the right to act.
Examples: Mt 18:23-30; Lk
18:7; 1 Ths 5:14; Jas 5:7;
- What is the supreme example of this quality of patient
love??
#1. 1 Pet
#2. 2 Pet 3:8-9
See here the idea of restraint, the ability to hold back.
#3. Rom 2:4
again the idea of restraint.
- This quality is a necessary element in the course of our
life, "in our walk" if it is to be pleasing to God.
- This important link we see in 3 passages; Eph 4:2; Col
1:9-11;
...Love is kind...
These are what is referred to as a
couplet. Being
patient and kind go together.
-
Patient is passive >>> kind is active
- shows restraint >>> expresses a desire to bestow kindness, or
benefits on others
- Putting these 1st 2 together, passive and active
concepts; love not only withholds from retaliation when wronged but love also
bestows benefits on others.
- There is none who can produce this kindness or
graciousness from their own abilities and efforts. No UB'r can truly
posses this quality. Rom
Love is not
jealous
- The word for jealous is (pres act
- This jealousy or envy hits the Corinthians where it
hurts; one of the main manifestations of the sin nature, their fleshly
spiritual state that has come into view many times.
Where
it crosses the line is when you desire something someone has so much that you
dislike the individual because they have it.
Now that is sin.
- Some living negative examples: Acts
- Must remember that the jealousy
has as its source in the sin nature and therefore when present indicates the
sin nature's rulership of the life. Gal
5:20
Love does not
Brag
- Basic idea is love of self
display.
Love is not Arrogant
- arrogant = fusio,w to be puffed up; therefore to be arrogant; it indicates an inflated view one's self.