God’s love in the heart of believers is preeminent above service, giving, talent, skill and the possibilities of human learning. It influences and controls everything they do. After saving and purifying believers, God implants in their hearts the heaven kind of love that comes by the operation of grace, not human love, erotic love or society love. Having this love that proceeds from the heart of God is profitable and reward-able in His sight. Its preeminence implies that in everything, what is noticed about our lives is not just our ability, but also God’s kind of love that we manifest. Without love, whatever service we render to the Lord would be vain.
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.” It is instructive that Apostle Paul did not apply the message on love to the Corinthian brethren alone, while leaving himself out. Rather, he spoke from a personal point of view, exemplifying God’s love in the heart. We must examine our hearts and ensure that we prioritise love in all our actions and lifestyles. We must endeavour to possess charity, which is God’s love in our heart.
The charity that the Lord emphasises comes “out of a pure heart.” The love we manifest from a pure heart is not the lust of the flesh that people in the world demonstrate and on which all their entertainment is based. We are to “flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.”
There is no love without obedience. If we love God, we would obey the truth He has taught us through Christ. We would also love the brethren properly and profitably. To be filled with charity and show God’s love, everyone needs to possess a pure heart. We can get it only after salvation with a definite sanctification experience, which involves uprooting of the nature of Adam in us, and removal of the natural selfishness in man. It is only then that we are able to accord God’s love the primacy it deserves, with a purposeful heart.
The Lord recognises our actions when they are motivated by love and a purpose that glorifies God. Doing everything with divine love in the heart makes us conscious of what “the Lord thy God require of thee” and perceive the presence and desire of Jesus. Those who act without the love of God have committed the first great sin, because they have not obeyed “the first and great commandment.” Whatever profits our actions may bring, not observing the command to love the Lord with all the heart, soul and mind makes those gains useless. “And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.” Everything we read from Genesis to Malachi is interpreted on the basis of love towards God and love towards man. This gives us the right perception of charity or God’s love in a peaceful heart.
We must “put on charity” above all skill, knowledge, ability, profession, possibilities and everything we do. To put on charity is to make God’s love in our hearts visible. Just as people see the clothes we put on, they must see charity in our action, communication, interaction and relationship with them. Besides, we must “let the peace of God rule in (our) hearts” because God’s love does not dwell in a pugnacious heart, but in a heart justified by faith, having peace with God, peace in himself and peace with other people. A revengeful spirit is not of Christ. Having a heart with the peace of God, “which passes all understanding” is an evidence of grace in our hearts. When “the God of peace” is with us, the peace of God will control everything in our lives.
• Further reading (King James Version): 1 Corinthians 13:1-3. 1Timothy 1:5; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Peter 1:22; Psalm 24:3,4. Deuteronomy10:12; Matthew 22:37-40. Colossians 3:14,15; Philippians 4:7,9.
