THE NECESSITY FOR LOVE IN THE USE OF GIFT
[p. 206] THE NECESSITY FOR LOVE IN THE USE OF GIFT
Corinthians is obviously an adjusting epistle, for the apostle had had enquiries as to points of order. He is dealing not only with outward order, but the state that necessarily underlies it. Notice the large place that love has; saints should enquire as to whether they love God, for deep things are prepared for those that love Him (chapter 2). Then in chapter 8 it says if anyone love God the same is known of Him. In chapter 13 we get the great description of love, showing that one is nothing without it. Therefore we have the Supper also in this epistle, and at the end of chapter 16, “If any one love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha”. Hence the epistle is largely made up of the great necessity for love in the things of God. The ending is Paul’s way of emphasising his own estimate of Christ. When the Lord comes, he that loves Him not will be accursed; the present is not the time of the curse, but it will come, hence the terrible outlook for christendom. This epistle answers, in a way, to the Canticles of the Old Testament, for the Canticles end up with love for the little needy sister as well as for the bridegroom. This was wanting at Corinth; the great defect was the lack of love — “Have love amongst yourselves”. He has to speak of it as something more or less unknown to them.
The picture of love presented in chapter 13 is the great essential for the working out of gift. It has to be spoken of in the abstract as it was not present in a concrete form, as, for instance, at Ephesus where he speaks of their love to all saints. It is quite right to have a desire for “spiritual manifestations”, but without love it is like children playing with toys, and Paul says, “When I became a man, I put away childish things”. The way of surpassing excellence is love — we are to follow after love. We are not to neglect gift — but there is one thing needed, always one thing which stands out prominently, and that is the need. In Timothy it is righteousness that was needed, for he was told to follow righteousness; what is specially needed is always prominent. In chapter 14 we see the way that love operates on earth. In the gospel of Mark the blind man is said to follow Jesus in the way, and in Acts “the way” became a synonym for christianity; the way is the way of love. Strictly love had not been shown before the incarnation; it was the Lord who inaugurated the thing among men; it is very doubtful if it had taken form before Christ became Man. It was reflected in the Old Testament, but was not seen there, according to 1 John 3: 16, “Hereby we have known love, because he has laid down his life for us”. In Romans it says, “For a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us”. John seems to recognise no other love. “Every one that loveth”, he says, “is born of God, and knoweth God”. It was shown forth in the death of Christ.
If you have to deal with evil it is a question of righteousness. After you withdraw and have acted righteously, you must then maintain love. One who is set for loving may be entrusted with a gift, and it is quite legitimate to desire one, for love can use a gift. In this chapter prophecy has a large place, verse 3 showing the wonderful results — edification, exhortation and comfort; love would bring in these things. Historically prophecy followed the gift of apostleship, see Ephesians 4: 11; indeed it is a question whether all do not exist together. They did at the beginning, and all in principle exist now, for [p. 208] the authority of the apostles remains, and will remain in their epistles.
In Leviticus there is instruction at the outset for the offerer but there is also a law given for each offering, and Aaron and his sons were to be responsible as to this; the priests were to instruct as to the law. A law is a fixed thing. In John’s epistle he says, “I write unto you, fathers ... young men ... little children”, and adds, “I have written unto you, fathers ... young men”. He writes to the babes in the present tense only, and he says more to them as current instruction than to the fathers and young men; he wrote so that the instructions should be placed on the statute book, so to speak. Paul speaks of the importance of Scripture in writing to Timothy; the gospels also were current instruction. The priest was to be an interpreter of the law, so he must be spiritual. The idea is that the things written are the law for us. Chapter 14: 37 remains as definite authority like the law of the offerings, and is, we may say, placed in the possession of the priest. The apostles must actually have written a great deal more than we have in the manuscripts, but we have enough in the way of authority to guide us; the apostles’ ministry remains. The point in apostleship is the authority of Christ, but prophets bring God in, hence the great need for them at all times. Under David there was usually a prophet and his function was to bring in God in the way of conviction. In David’s old age and weakness the spirit of antichrist, as seen in Adonijah, was present before David’s death, he not even rebuking him. But Nathan, Zadok and Benaiah became exercised, and Nathan goes to the king with Bath-sheba, and brought about the enthronement of Solomon. Nathan is the type of a prophet as we know it today; he had the mind of God about things. Zadok signifies a priestly state, and Benaiah the military [p. 209] element. Adonijah and his band shrink into nothing! Nathan, Zadok and Benaiah represent spiritual elements at the present day. The rights of the Lord are seen on the one hand, and the antichristian principles on the other.
The question in chapter 14 is, Where is love? Moral condition goes before what is official. A person having followed righteousness in separating himself (2 Timothy) now insists on commandments and order becoming the house of God. If you have anything to say it is to edify. Where it is a question of our individual walk, righteousness is prominent, but where others are concerned it is love also; one who loves the Lord’s people can have the means of helping them, love being the one thing needed. It is the greatest and it remains — it is what one is. Gift is only an instrument to meet need here, but the priestly state remains. Love remains. If a man sees that he is greater than his gift the latter will not damage him. Love is what a man is; God is love. This statement was not made until after Christ came. Gift as such passes away, but a brother remains; as it is a question of what a man is. Paul says, “By the grace of God I am what I am”. Love is the great thing; love delights to serve; Paul would do anything to help the saints, and see how effective he was. It is an advantage to have all these things in the possession of a man who loves. His letters were a testimony of the love he had for them. They were not purely apostolic, but brotherly also: “Paul ... and Sosthenes the brother”. Notice John’s epistle also, “We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren”. The place the saints have in one’s heart is a constant witness to that. In writing of Timothy the apostle Paul says, “I have no one like-minded”.
The Corinthians had a peculiar place in Paul’s affections. Compare the words “Have ye a brother?”
([p. 210] Genesis 43: 7) and also the words of Cain, “Am I my brother’s keeper?”. The brotherly spirit was not strong at Corinth evidently. Onesimus was sent back to Philemon by Paul as a brother beloved. The Philippian jailer became a brother; he does the part of a brother to them, washing their stripes, and so on, and we must notice also in that chapter (Acts 16: 40) that it is not the word ‘assembly’ but ‘brethren’. Love is formative — the love of a brother is the love of a man so that is why Christ taught so perfectly how a brother should love a brother. See also Romans 8: 35 - 39, for the love of God and the love of Christ. “Love one another; as I have loved you”, that is impartial love — we do not select those we love, we love “all the saints”. It is greater to be a brother than a servant, as the gift ends, but a brother remains. Mutuality is also to be seen in this epistle; whatever is there belongs to all. They had revived their thinking of him, he says; that was a good sign (Philippians 4:10).
In this chapter it is a question of the mind governing the part one may take in the assembly. Whilst love is fundamental the understanding has a great place, they were to be grown men in understanding, “The spirit of your mind” — the spirit is the indefinable thing which permeates the mind; the spirit of one’s mind is shown in casual things. It is a renewed mind alluded to here, but the mind is that faculty that controls a man. The assembly must not be a bedlam, but must be marked by intelligence. The effect of prophecy is that God is owned to be amongst them (verse 25). When the Lord was in the temple at the age of twelve they marvelled at His understanding. There is also, besides understanding, the “spirit of wisdom and revelation” (Ephesians 1: 17); that is inclusive of all that is of God, and is a thing to pray for. The things of God are prepared for those that love Him. No one knows the things of God but the [p. 211] Spirit of God, and the spirit of wisdom and revelation is an advance on the renewal of the mind; to enter into the thing fully we must have the spirit of wisdom. It is the difference between following the plan in building a house, and getting to know the spirit of the architect. Spiritual understanding may be acquired; the mind is to govern you in all you do. We are to sing with the spirit, but with the understanding also. We must always consider what is suited to the moment because you commit others to it; it is a question as to whether they can say amen; whether it is suitable and adds to what is already said, or whether it detracts. There is a law for everything; God being what He is, when He inaugurated anything He inaugurated a law to govern it, for example, “The law of the Spirit of life”, and the rule of new creation, Galatians 6: 15, 16. The assembly is formed of intelligent persons, “I speak as to intelligent persons, do ye judge what I say”, the apostle says.
Taking part in a meeting is an act of faith but it first supposes you have got something; then it becomes a question of using that at an opportune moment, so you look to the Lord. You act in simplicity looking to the Lord. Therefore every scribe instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man who is a householder which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old (Matthew 13: 52). A householder has a treasure; every believer is a householder, and so should have a treasure. The Lord is a householder, and so each of us can bring something for His house (compare Matthew 24: 45 and Malachi 3: 10). Whatever we have increases when the Lord takes it up. We should cultivate a little household and have something in it; we should be contributors. In 1 Kings 17 the prophet really raises the question as to what the woman has in the house. The woman said she would [p. 212] bake the meal so as to eat and die, but the thought in eating is to live and not die. However reduced we may be, if there is a little the Lord can take it up and use it; if you bring out the treasure the Lord takes it up and increases it. In Malachi 3: 10, the Lord says, “Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse ... and prove me ... if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing”. The blessing is contingent on something being there already. Every christian ought to be exercised to be a householder; how are we to get food? If there is no food in the storehouse there is dearth all round and consequently death. Giving up meetings is next to apostasy; you get in Malachi 3, “They that feared the Lord spake often one to another”. We need to take heed to Hebrews 10: 25; there was a danger of christians apostatising to judaism, so it says, “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is”.