I was supposed to be in Memphis, Tennessee, today speaking at the Knight Arnold congregation in Memphis for their annual lectureship, but both I and the doctor decided that we weren’t really in the situation to do that so at least I am glad to be here to fill in for Ferman.
I want to talk today about a topic that I feel very deeply about, and that I believe God feels deeply about. In fact, there can’t be any question about it. I’ve entitled this study: “The Power and Necessity of Love” and the passage which was read just a few moments ago gives the basic information about it.
The apostle Paul made clear the absolute necessity of loving God when he said, “If any man love not the Lord Jesus let him be anathema, let him be accursed, if you do not love Christ” (1 Corinthians 16:22). The apostle Paul here makes clear that no man who does not love the Lord will be saved. Every phase of our lives involves in some way, this matter of love. What we think, how we conduct ourselves, what goals we set for ourselves, and many, many others. In fact, there is nothing in our lives that does not involve this point. Without love, even great things, that is, the things which with love are very great, without love they are not great but with love they are. Those that are without love are worthless.
Paul made clear that without love, first, even great oratorical abilities, men who are great speakers in preaching the Word (they may preach the Word, but there is something missing) become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal; so we learn in 1 Corinthians 13:1. Even if one has spiritual gifts which can result in great deeds, the possessor of those gifts is nothing, that is, not pleasing to God, according to 1 Corinthians 13:2, if he does not have love, and third, even tremendously sacrificial acts of benevolence, giving goods to the poor, giving one’s body to be burned, and so on. We deceive ourselves sometimes into thinking that we are really loving servants of God when we are not. If these things are done without love they profit the sacrificing person nothing. This, God says in 1 Corinthians 13:3.
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