Love Is...Evil vs. Truth

Love Is…Evil vs. Truth

Pastor Russell Henderson

“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8a, NIV.

Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.  The full meaning of this statement is found in the two prepositions used.  Notice the two statements and the difference between them:  “delight in evil” and “rejoice with the truth”.  These two words make all the difference in the world.

Let’s first examine the phrase “Love does not delight in evil”.  The Greek word used for “delight” means to rejoice, be well, enjoy, or thrive.  One who enjoys or thrives in a situation feels that he operates at his best only in that situation.  I thrive in musical settings.  I am at my best when I am playing music.  I enjoy standing behind the keyboard playing and singing.  A computer programmer thrives when he is engrossed in as much computer equipment as possible.  A performer thrives on the cheers of a crowd.  If love thrived in evil it would not be at its best unless it was surrounded by and immersed in evil.  But love does not delight in evil.  This means that it does not enjoy being even near evil and unrighteousness.  It would rather be as far as possible from sin.

Notice the similarity to Psalm 1:1.

Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, …

-       Psa 1:1 NIV

Notice the word in is used all three times.  This tells us that you will be blessed when you choose not to make evil your dwelling place.  Avoid it at all costs.  Don’t even entertain sin and unrighteousness because you will eventually get sucked into it, and the one who has been sucked into sin often has great difficulty getting out.

So, if love does not rejoice in evil then what does it do?  It rejoices with the truth.  It’s interesting that the Greek word for rejoice is the same word as delight except that it has a prefix added to it.  That prefix means with.  The word with means to accompany or identify.  I love taking my wife with me.  When she is with me, she is a part of who I am, and she helps identify me.  There are qualities that she possesses that I don’t, but when she is with me I suddenly possess those qualities.

It is the same with love. Love and truth coincide together.  Love takes truth everywhere it goes.  Love is not love unless it is with truth.  Love is identified by the truth that goes with it.  Love is not desperate to be near truth, it willingly accompanies truth.  When you find truth you will find love, and when you find love you will always find truth.

The word with is a voluntary word.  It states “I am choosing to bring this person/thing/etc. with me.  I could give it up at any time, but it would change who I am”.  The bible tells us to come before the Lord with thanksgiving.  We must willingly bring a spirit of thanks with us.  We could choose not to, but then we would not be a thankful person, and we could not come into God’s presence.

Love chooses to make truth its companion.  It would rather be with truth than anything else.  When you choose to be a person of love, you are also choosing to take truth with you everywhere you go.  You are choosing to speak the truth no matter the cost.  The Lord blesses love, and He blesses truth.  When you choose to be a person of love, you choose to reject evil and sin.  You will avoid even the proximity of sin.

Choose to be a person of love.  Let love, truth, and righteousness be your guide.  Let truth speak for you. Turn your face from evil and look toward the truth.