Lesson Three
THREE THINGS YOU MUST HAVE

Chapter 3: Love

The faith and hope about which we studied in the last two chapters find their completion in love. The 13th chapter of I Corinthians is called "The Love Chapter." It is the greatest chapter of the Bible as far as the practical implementation of God's love in your daily life and actions is concerned. Read the chapter verse by verse and then let us summarize the meaning.

The first three verses clearly show what spiritual life is like without love. To "speak in the tongues of men and of angels," to "have a faith" that "can move mountains," to "give all I possess to the poor," and to give your "body to the flames." Are not all these beautiful qualities that you would want to have in your Christian life? I would.

These are good, noble and brave qualities for a Christian to possess. But notice one phrase that limits all these: "but have not love." It is possible to have or do all the things mentioned above without love. It may be a sense of duty or responsibility that prompts you to give your possessions to the poor. You could certainly speak with the tongues of men and angels without love for people. The faith that can remove mountains is a very cold power without love. But what if I "have not love"? "I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal…I am nothing…I gain nothing."

God is love. Jesus Christ is the supreme expression of God's love. Christianity is the religion of love. Your life also must be controlled by, expressed with, and lived through this love. Otherwise your faith and hope will be of no effect. Love is the completion of all truths of the Bible.

Then what is this love and what is it like? Read from the 4th verse to the 8th. Here we see the power of this love. "Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres." (I Corinthians 13:4-7).

Let us now then think of some practical elements of this love.
First, this love tries to understand others. Understanding is a key to a good relationship with others. There is no other person who is just like you. Everyone is different. All people have different characteristics, different ways of thinking, different attitudes toward life, different family backgrounds, different physical bodies, different appearances. Some similarities are found, perhaps, but no two persons are completely alike. As we must live in this world with people, who are all different, we must try to understand others. (It is because so many people don't LOVE that we have so many wars.)

Furthermore, you as a child of God have a special responsibility to express this understanding toward others—and this is the first element of love. To understand other people, you need patience. People often do not know that you understand them.

Second, this love produces forgiveness in you. The love of Christ is a forgiving love. By forgiving your awful sins, God shows His love toward you. Now you have a responsibility to forgive others. You must forgive the sins and mistakes of your loved ones, friends, society and, indeed, of your country. How can you love without forgiving? How can you forgive without love? You must not only forgive—do it with a humble heart. With a true spirit of humility realize that you are a sinner too.
Forgiving others without humility can often result in pride.

Third, this love motivates you to service. Read John 13:1-11. Here you see the Lord washing the feet of His disciples! Did He wash their heads or hands? No. Their feet! The lowliest part of the human body He washed with His own hands. Setting up this example of service He said: "Do you understand what I have done for you? …You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you…. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them" (John 13:12-17).

Our words of love must be shown by our deeds of love—service. But this service to others must be done with pure motives. If you serve for a reward—you are nothing more than a hired laborer.

Whether your family, friends or society recognize your deeds of service or not—whether any praises from those you serve are heard or not—just continue your service, for your service is really for Christ.

Your service must be motivated by His love, as we have seen. We have no right to expect any reward for our deeds of service—rather, it is a privilege to serve others with God's love because God loved us first, long before we ever loved Him.

This then is the love we must have. Understanding toward others! To readily and humbly forgive their sins committed against us! To serve them with the love of Christ!

When these are in us and expressed through our lives people will smell "the savor of Jesus" in us. This love should not only be stored as a noble idea in our heads. It must move our hearts to action. We must live it out.

Of course, it is natural to ask: whom should we love? Love can only be realized where there are two or more persons involved. It reaps the best crop in human relationships.

To love those who love you or those who are easy to love is not difficult. The difficulty is in loving those who are unlovable. But the Bible says this about the love by which you must live: "Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you" (Luke 6:27, 28).

These are the direct personal words of Jesus Christ, your Lord. This is the extent and depth to which you are called to love! "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But THE GREATEST of these is LOVE."

Now proceed to the Review Questions for Lesson Three and answer them.