Love is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride) (ou physiOUtai) Original Greek Definition: To inflate, blow or puff up. In the NT spoken only figuratively of pride or self-conceit. Also from phySAo-:emphySAo- (1720), to breathe on, blow on. Before we get into this section of Love, I wanted to share something from Calvin. "Nothing swells the minds of men so much as a high notion of their own wisdom" (Calvin, p. 471).

 We, Christians, know that all REAL Wisdom is of God (from God). Anything that is REALLY Good is from God. So, how is it, that we have to be told that Love is NOT Conceited. "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves.

Each of you should look not to your own interests, but also to the interests of others." (Phil 2:3-4)

Do we forget the truth sometimes and actually think that we are better than anyone here on this planet? Did your coming to Christ at the age of 36 make you better than the unsaved 24 year old that you can't even say hello to?

And where do I get off thinking that just because the Lord has shown me the TRUTH about LOVE, that I might be a master at it?... EVER! Its a really scarry thing. This thing CONCEIT must be really deep inside us. Somewhere ugly and hard to find.

When it does surface, its destructive force can cause more damage than you can imagine. Think about this. In order for you to think that you are better than someone,... At some point, before, you must have thought you were really special, first. The Bible calls that PRIDE. So, conceit is the fruit of pride.

This Pride in self leads to presumption, which is offensive to God and man. When men conceive the idea that they are wise, then they are unwilling to look to God for wisdom. They follow their own conceits. Most of the failures in religion and in business come from too high an estimate of one's self.

This was the failure of one of the most beautiful of Gods creatures, Lucifer.... Now satan. In II Corinthians, 12 we find Pauls experience with pride and conceit and a key to getting help with it. Paul explains the meaning of boasting about his weaknesses (12:7-10). Look at verse 7.

"To keep me from being conceited because of these surpassingly great revelations, there was given me a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me."

The word "thorn" shows that he must have suffered from it continually. Many scholars suggest that the thorn was eye disease. The word "messenger of Satan" reveals that his disease did not come from natural causes. It was inflicted by Satan within the bounds of God's permission (rf. Job). Why was it given? To keep him from becoming conceited. Many people who experience mysterious revelations suffer from spiritual pride.

Then they become useless to God and even damaging to God's people and work.

NOTE: This was an encouraging warning to me because of the leading of God in my life to share this teaching on love. God loved Paul deeply. So he allowed him a thorn in the flesh, a messenger of Satan. We have a tendency to become proud when we receive God's blessings.

At those times, our enemy is not outside, but inside; it is pride. When we receive God's blessings, we have to guard against inner pride, and learn Jesus' humility to the core. Otherwise, we become useles. So, in this teaching from Paul, we see the power HUMILITY has in guarding against conceit and even Gods hand if necessary to keep us from it.

"Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me." After realizing God's way of working, Paul's attitude toward weaknesses was completely changed. Now he wanted to boast about his weaknesses all the more gladly so that Christ's power might rest on him. In verse 10 he said,

"That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties.  For when I am weak, then I am strong."

Many people boast about their strength, wisdom, wealth and success. They don't want to expose their weaknesses, failures or poverty. But when Paul realized their true meaning, he could boast about his weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and difficulties for the sake of Christ. A spirit of humility and dependance on God. That will help us to Love Gods way.

Love is not conceited.

I love you.

THIS THING CALLED LOVE

This is a study of the source; importance; meaning; and application of Gods word concerning Love.

The verses from Mat 22:34-40 and the first three verses of I Cor 13 (together) had been on my mind for some time before I decided to prepare this study.  It seemed like the Lord would not let me rest with the relevance of this subject in relation to the teachings of the church.  While you will find many loving churches that teach subjects relating to love, I do not find many teachings on the actual description of love nor see the priority of it over any other subject available.  If you are interested in this study, I hope you will:

1. Ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you about this material.

2. Read the scriptures used in this study yourself and allow Gods word to change whatever pre-conceptions you have about this subject.

3. Share whatever the Spirit reveals to you when we come back together.

Christians struggle with many Biblical issues, such as Forgiveness, Tithing, Fellowship, Outreach, and the list goes on¦, but most all of these struggles can be linked to our ignorance of God’s central teaching on Love.

Think about this for a moment:   If you never counted a wrong done against you by someone, (which is one of the principles of Love that we will learn), you would not struggle with the issue of forgiveness.  Or, If you were not self-seeking (another principle of Love) when it came time for tithing or fasting, you would not struggle with these either.

Applying principles from an understanding of this study will totally change the way we see everything and simplify so many issues that we struggle with in our walk with God.  So let’s begin our study by answering these questions.  What is the source of love, how important it is, what does love mean, and what is the application of this teaching for us?

THE SOURCE OF LOVE

Unlike anything else in the universe, love is not something that God created.  In fact, Love is what God is.   Scripture tells us that God is love.  It is because He is love that we were created and it is our inability to love that sets us apart from God.

1 John 4:] He who does not love has not become acquainted with God [does not and never did know Him], for God is love.

1 John 4:1 And we know (understand, recognize, are conscious of, by observation and by experience) and believe (adhere to and put faith in and rely on) the love God cherishes for us. God is love, and he who dwells and continues in love dwells and continues in God, and God dwells and continues in him.

Love comes to us from God, through the Holy Spirit.  Anything that man believes to be his own form of love is not really love at all but something else... (a contaminated or perverse expression of something he believes or pretends to be love).

Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the [Holy] Spirit [the work which His presence within accomplishes] is love, joy (gladness), peace, patience (an even temper, forbearance), kindness, goodness (benevolence), faithfulness.

IMPORTANCE OF LOVE

All of God’s word is important, and to learn as much of it as is revealed to us is certainly His will for each of us.  And isn’t it true that there is so much to learn and so much to remember that trying to follow His word in every way can be frustrating at times.  My own life is filled with failed attempts to do this or not do that.  It seams that it would be a lot easier if we knew what the most important thing to God was, and start there.  Well, God loves us so much that He has revealed to us what is most important to Him in the scripture below.

What we read toward the end of Matthew, Chapter 22 should urge every Christian to keep Love at the forefront of everything, everyday of their life.  If anything, it should clarify what is most important to God and why we should study “this thing called Love”.

In this passage, we find Jesus surrounded (by what would be considered wise men of His day... by mans’ standards anyway) and one of them asks Him a question.  Jesus answers, and what He tells this Lawyer is the central issue in this study.

Matthew 22:36-40

Teacher, which kind of commandment is great and important (the principal kind) in the Law? [Some commandments are light--which are heavy?]

And He replied to him, You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (intellect).  This is the great (most important, principal) and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as [you do] yourself.  These two commandments sum up and upon them depend all the Law and the Prophets.

Here we have Mankind recorded in Gods’ word, asking the Creator of ALL things... “What is the most important thing”.  Jesus, quickly, and simply tells us exactly what we need to know?  And then, in case we didn’t catch on¦, He sums it up in verse 40.  Is this not foundational to us?  If anything is revealed to us from this passage, it is that, “to love God and each other”, is the most important thing to God. 

Now we understand the source of Love and see (through Gods’ word) that it is not from us, but is actually God and that Love comes from God into us through the Holy Spirit.

Further, we should agree from the passage in Matthew 22 that Love is the most important thing for us to understand.  Now let’s find out what it means to love or what love means.

MEANING OF LOVE

So much is said about love and so many sources of information concerning love saturate the world today and yet we live with so much hate, bitterness, strife, and war.  The rate of divorce continues to rise both in the world and among Christians.  Because of the “fallen” nature of man, so his understanding of love is distorted, sorted, and even perverse. It is also true that even when Gods’ word concerning love (I Corinthians 13) is referenced, it seldom goes beyond verse 4.   So, let’s look now at Gods’ definition of Love and pray that He will reveal the true meaning of this important teaching.

1 Corinthians 13: 3-8

3 Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.   4 Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.  5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].   6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.   7 Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].  8 Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].

Well, we really have our work cut out for us in just these few verses before us.  First, I would like to point out that verse 3 further strengthens the fact that love is most important to God and that He is the true source.  Secondly, I should point out that the chapter continues, concerning love, but the definition of Love stops here at verse 8.   At a glance, we see the elements of Love are in two forms; “What Love is” and “what Love is not”.  So, let’s list the elements revealed here separately, and look at them together.

To many of us, God’s definition of Love looks impossible for anyone to achieve.  However, if we have agreed with this study so far, we know that the list before us is the central, most important thing for us (Christians) to understand and apply to our lives.  Each of us is different and so there will be many different ways that each of us will approach getting this information into our daily thoughts and actions.  The purpose of this study is ONLY to bring attention to the truth concerning this subject.  It will take prayer and daily practice using each of the elements above in everything you think, do, or say.

Notice that achieving an element from one side of the list, will eliminate one or more element(s) from the other side of the list.  For instance, If we are KIND to the cashier checking us out at the store, we are not being RUDE AND ACTING UNBECOMINGLY.  In the same scene, If we are KIND and say, “I appreciate you helping me”, and we are not concerned whether she or he returns the compliment, the we are not SELF-SEEKING.  As we act out or exercise these elements of Love each day, it becomes clear why God laid both “is and is not” down in the same teaching.  It is a fact that the more you practice each of these elements of love, the easier they will be achieved.  REMEMBER: How your success or failure to achieve these elements affects your business, marriage, popularity, etc, is not important because you have decided today that this is what is important to God.  By the way, Achieving real love on a daily basis because it is important to God is not being SELF-SEEKING.

APPLICATION

Let’s finish this study by looking at ways to apply what we have learned in this study to how we live our lives in Christ.  The rest of God’s word concerning Love from I Cor 13 below should set the tone for our approach to applying this study to our lives.

1 Corinthians 13:9-13

9 For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).  10 But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).  11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.  12 For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly),  but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].  13 And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love. 

Every day, we wake up and begin thinking about the world around us, what we have to do, where we will go, who we will see, and we get up and move about the earth accordingly.  Until I really studied this subject in length, I never understood what the last part of this chapter had to do with love.  The references to talking and thinking like a child seemed out of place, but it really points out that again, this teaching is foundational.  It’s time to grow up in our thinking.  It’s time to quite struggling with forgiving people who hurt us and just not even taking into account the wrongs done to us.   As I grow up in Christ and stay focused on God, and what He has shown us through His Word, I will begin to see the world from Gods viewpoint.

As we think about these things we must get into a habit of thinking and acting in a spirit of love.  Use the list from I Cor 13 to measure what you say and do throughout the day.   How can I treat my workmates, husband, wife, sister, salesman, teacher, etc, in a kindly manner?  As I dress today, do I give the appearance of being conceited, boastful, or Self-seeking?  Can I set through yet another 8 hours of resentment from co-workers without breaking?   Can I be happy for Mr. Johnson, who got the promotion that I was sure was mine?  It’s not going to be easy.  We’ll go through this together and share our experiences together.   But we do it because we see it is critical to becoming who God wants us to be.  It is the most important thing for us to do today!  God bless each of you.  I love you and pray for you.

THIS THING CALLED LOVE  PART II

This is Part II of a continuing study of the source; importance; meaning; and application of Gods word concerning Love.

This is a more in depth study on the subject of love continued from an earlier study.  In this section of the study we will look at the original meaning of key text in the passages we looked at earlier.  Then we will look at examples from the life of Jesus for each element (fruit) listed in Gods’ description of love.  If you are interested in continuing this study with us, I hope you will:

1. Ask the Lord to reveal His truth to you about this material.

2. Read the scriptures used in this study yourself and allow Gods word to change whatever pre-conceptions you have about this subject.

3. Share whatever the Spirit reveals to you when we come back together.

To really Love God and Love our neighbor the way Jesus said to, we have to "set or minds" to do it.  We have to exchange our old way of thinking and focus on the truth about: God, other people, and ourselves.  We have to come into a totally new understanding of things.  Let's read verse 1 of I Corinthians 13 and I believe you’ll see what I mean.

IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal..

Notice how the Amplified Bible renders the word “love” as, "that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us".  The King James version renders it as (charity), but the original Greek word used here was "Agape".  This word was always used when referring to the way God loves.  Remember, in out last study, we agreed that God “is” love, so the only way for us to love is to reason, think, or view things from His vantage point. God is a spirit and for us to reason as He does, we must be in  (The Spirit).

Agape love is a reasoning of all things from Gods view.  He sees only the truth.  Our reasoning must come from His truth also and He has given it to us in His Word and in His Spirit.

Back to I Cor 13:1, Notice that it is intentional.  That means that I have deliberately "set" my mind, or "decided" to think with a new perspective... In this case, Gods perspective.  I have determined to think of God for who He really is and to look at everyone else the way He sees them.  This intentional reasoning is "spiritual devotion".  This is a life of looking at the "truth" about everything and everyone.  This "truth" is only that which is found in the bible.

By deciding to believe in the truth that God Loved me before I was in my mothers womb and that He went to the cross for me and that He has a plan for me... I don’t need to be concerned with my own needs.  I can be selfless and patient with confidence that God will provide for me.  That is love.

By deciding to believe God that we have all sinned and all of us deserve to die and that all of us were created equally, I can look at my neighbor differently than I used to.  By looking at others through Gods reasoning, I can reach out to everyone God puts in my path with compassion and kindness.  I can look at the best in every one and inspire them.  That is Love.

I promise you that by turning from the way we have looked at the world around us and view it the way Gods’ Word says that He does, everything about us and around us will change.   Now, let’s turn to the greatest example of God that ever lived on earth and find examples of “this thing called Love”.

EXAMPLES OF THE ELEMENTS (FRUIT) OF LOVE

Note:  In part I of this study we covered the main point of verses 1-3, which was basically to say that to do anything without love is in vain.  So, let's move on to verses 4-8 and try to further understand the elements (or fruits) of love.

In this section I think it is important to look at each element of love (such as: love is patient) and find examples of each from the life of Jesus... "Our Example".

LOVE IS PATIENT

One of the greatest examples of Christ’s’ patience is found in Mathew, chapter 26, where Jesus is patient with His closest servants who can't even stay awake for a few minutes for Him.  And He is patient with His Fathers' plan for Him and in what He must go through in our behalf.   If you are not familiar with the torment that theologians believe Jesus must have gone through at this point in His walk here on earth, I suggest you take a study on this area.  It's an awesome example of patience and “Love”.

Matthew 26:36-46

36Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane, and He told His disciples, Sit down here while I go over yonder and pray.  37 And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to show grief and distress of mind and was deeply depressed.  38 Then He said to them, My soul is very sad and deeply grieved, so that I am almost dying of sorrow. Stay here and keep awake and keep watch with Me.  39 And going a little farther, He threw Himself upon the ground on His face and prayed saying, My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass away from Me; nevertheless, not what I will [not what I desire], but as You will and desire.  40 And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and He said to Peter, What! Are you so utterly unable to stay awake and keep watch with Me for one hour?  41 All of you must keep awake (give strict attention, be cautious and active) and watch and pray, that you may not come into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.  42 Again a second time He went away and prayed, My Father, if this cannot pass by unless I drink it, Your will be done.  43 And again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were weighed down with sleep.  44 So, leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, using the same words.  45 Then He returned to the disciples and said to them, Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of especially wicked sinners [whose way or nature it is to act in opposition to God].  46 Get up, let us be going! See, My betrayer is at hand!

1 Peter 4:1  SO, SINCE Christ suffered in the flesh for us, for you, arm yourselves with the same thought and purpose [patiently to suffer rather than fail to please God]. For whoever has suffered in the flesh [having the mind of Christ] is done with [intentional] sin [has stopped pleasing himself and the world, and pleases God],.

Notice, that even in the action of Patience, Peter refers to the importance of thought and purpose (intentional reasoning).  Remember that Patience is rooted in “our believing in the truth” and in a life of trusting in God.  Jesus, while fully aware of the suffering ahead, shows us His trust and reliance upon God's will (or plan) for all things.  Each of us can look back at trials in our own lives, where there was pain, grief, heartache, and great sadness.   Maybe you’re going through a trial right now.  Whether we believe we went through it with our head above water or not… we could all admit that a little more patience in what Gods’ purpose for allowing it to happen would have meant a world of difference.  Being Patient with God would have helped us to have been more loving to someone who may have been the one to afflict, embarrass, abandon, or ridicule us.  Yes, we could have even “Loved our Enemy”.

It's true that we may look at patience as an act of obedience, but it is greater than that.  Having His creations just do what He says to show obedience is not Gods’ purpose.  Because He is God, no one can know better than Him about how we are to grow, or what we should do.  Obedience to God is showing Him that you trust Him with all that has and will happen in you life.  It takes patience and that is love.

LOVE IS KIND

There are so many places in the bible that describe the Kindness that Jesus displayed to so many people.  Often, someone would reach out a hand for physical healing and He would heal not only the physical but also the Spiritual.  Feeding so many people with so little food, while feeding them with the Truth at the same time.  In John, Chapter 4, verses 4-30, we have the story of Jesus passing through Samaria and stops at Jacobs’ well.  Here, is where we find one of the most favored examples of Jesus’ Kindness.

John 4:4-30 

Eph 2:7?