Lesson 65
Study of
First Peter Chapter 4
Love is not Arrogant
- arrogant = fusio,w to be puffed up; therefore to be arrogant; it
indicates that one has an inflated view one's self.
- Both characteristics, bragging and being arrogant;
demonstrate that the individual does not view himself as a product of grace.
- In 4:6 it manifested itself in schisms, contention.
As
an Apostle, Paul represented Christ and His word and the pride or arrogance
that manifested itself in rejecting him was also rejecting the Word. (4:18,19)
- In
2. Love's Conduct 13:5-6
a. Five negative Qualities of Love's
Behavior
vs:5 #1 Love does not act unbecomingly
- unbecomingly; ouvk
avschmone,w; basic idea is to act in such a
way as to embarrass someone.
- to be rude, unmannerly, or
without tact in our dealing with others
- In 1 Cor 13 there are many
conditions that are today traced to many and varied psychological causes; Paul traces them to
the absence of love.
#2 Love Does Not Seek its Own (add a blank - own what?)
- Is there anything that is more normal or natural than to
seek ones own benefit or advantage??
- What Paul is saying is not that we don't look out for
ourselves but that the balance is in the direction of others not in the
direction of ourselves. Phil 2:3-4
#3 Love is not Provoked
- this is an attitude that is
formed by a reaction; does not occur in a vacuum; for it to be present it takes
something to trigger it.
- it means we do not let wrongs
embitter us.
- The elements for this being provoked, the outburst;
common sequence
1. to be the object of
an injustice (real or imagined)
2. plus your volition
responding to the injustice.
3. the result is the
outburst of emotion.
- This word is one also that is used in a good sense. There are times when we ought as thinking
Christians to be provoked in a positive way, provoked to righteous indignation.
Acts
#4 Does not
take into account a wrong suffered
- The word for wrong suffered, to. kako,n( the evil, indicates a specific definable act or event is
in mind.
- Paul says; Love does not keep a mental notebook
of wrongs for which future use or retaliation is planned.
- Love Paul is saying here, also keeps no ledger entries of
wrongs, real or imagined, because love has no place for resentment, no place
for grudges.
- If God so completely and
permanently erases the record of our many sins against Him, how much more should we forgive and
forget the much lesser wrongs done against us? Eph 4:32
13:6
#5 Love does not rejoice in unrighteousness
-
Love does not rejoice over the unrighteousness. th/| avdiki,a|
- Sin is an affront to God and if we somehow are rejoicing or taking
pleasure in the fact that someone has sinned and is paying the consequences for
that sin; what we are doing is delighting in that which offends and grieves our
heavenly Father.
- If we enjoy sin either directly or vicariously through
seeing others sin, we are proving our lack of love for God at that point.
b.
The Major Quality of Love's Behavior
- After giving us 5 negative qualities of Love's behavior,
he now shifts to a positive, major positive quality.
but love rejoices with the truth.
-
Some observations:
1. We see here the relationship of love to
truth.
2.
Love does not avoid truth.
3.
Love also does not compromise truth. (sentimentality
does)
4. Is
truth an intellectual issue or a moral issue?
- The truth w/def article, refers to doctrine, but not just
facts but doctrine believed and being applied; having the trust, the confidence
in God's word that we choose to use it in our life daily.
*****
Observation that is absolutely contrary to way we think today.
In
the Bible no one is wise, has wisdom who is not also
good.
You
cannot get intellectually smart enough to overcome the need for morality, that is doing what is right according to the
standard of the Word of God.
The
amount of education doesn't have anything to do with moral character.
More
probable, it will make you sharper, giving you a greater capacity to be
immoral. A more sophisticated sinner.
Scripture
makes it clear the good man; is the smart man; the bad man cannot get smart enough,
gain enough wisdom to extricate himself from his badness, just because he is
intellectually smart.
Look
at Jas
Truth then is not just an intellectual matter but is a moral matter.