Commitment to Truth and Love
I Corinthians 4:14–21
“I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?”
Ps Tim Keller wrote “Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God's saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God's mercy and grace.” The Living Life writer today tells us that we believers sometimes [often?] err on the side of truth without love or on the side of love without truth, but St. Paul compromises neither in his relationship with the Corinthian church. “His discipline is undergirded by a tender, fatherly love.” Indeed, the bible says, “whoever loves discipline and instruction loves knowledge: but whoever hates reproof and correction is senseless and lacks understanding [‘stupid’ in most translations] (Prov 12:1). Our LORD Jesus, in the Apostle John’s vision said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent (Rev 3:19).” Friends, may our greatest joy be found in identifying with Christ, even in His shame and suffering. Rather than pursuing worldly values as we have the tendency towards, may we grow in our commitment to both truth and love for the body of Christ.
“I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel. Therefore I urge you to imitate me. For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church. Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?”
Ps Tim Keller wrote “Love without truth is sentimentality; it supports and affirms us but keeps us in denial about our flaws. Truth without love is harshness; it gives us information but in such a way that we cannot really hear it. God's saving love in Christ, however, is marked by both radical truthfulness about who we are and yet also radical, unconditional commitment to us. The merciful commitment strengthens us to see the truth about ourselves and repent. The conviction and repentance moves us to cling to and rest in God's mercy and grace.” The Living Life writer today tells us that we believers sometimes [often?] err on the side of truth without love or on the side of love without truth, but St. Paul compromises neither in his relationship with the Corinthian church. “His discipline is undergirded by a tender, fatherly love.” Indeed, the bible says, “whoever loves discipline and instruction loves knowledge: but whoever hates reproof and correction is senseless and lacks understanding [‘stupid’ in most translations] (Prov 12:1). Our LORD Jesus, in the Apostle John’s vision said, “Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent (Rev 3:19).” Friends, may our greatest joy be found in identifying with Christ, even in His shame and suffering. Rather than pursuing worldly values as we have the tendency towards, may we grow in our commitment to both truth and love for the body of Christ.
Comments
Post a Comment