Old Testament reading: Proverbs 16-18
“All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes” (Proverbs 16:2). One can find any excuse for his actions or to do as he pleases: “He deserved it;” “I’m having a bad day;” “I deserve this.” We may deceive and excuse ourselves, “but the Lord weighs the spirits.” This means the Lord knows the heart, and He alone is the judge of a man’s thoughts and intents (cf Heb 4:12). Similarly, Proverbs 16:25 repeats a warning found in Proverbs 14:12 – “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” This warning is of greater consequence than that of 16:2. Here, the possibility exists for a man to have pure or proper motives, but still be lost in the end. Proverbs 16:25 is noteworthy in matters of religious faith and practice. Innumerable multitudes practice their faith with a pure conscience and full confidence that the Lord accepts their service, worship and prayers. Tragically, one’s conscience is not the measuring stick of correct doctrine or practice. That measurement belongs to God alone and has been provided for all in the Bible, and the New Testament in particular. “Behold I thought” is not the equal of “Behold I ought.”
New Testament reading: 1 Corinthians 12-14
1 Corinthians 13. Love is unequaled and unparalleled. No virtue escapes her influence or shadow – “through love serve one another” (Gal 5:13). No service to God is acceptable apart from love – “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avails anything, but faith working through love” (Gal 5:6). 1 Corinthians 13 is called “the great love chapter.” Personally, I think there are others more suited for this moniker (e.g. 1 John 4), but certainly there is much to learn about love from this great text. In verses 1-3 we see the value of love. Without love, spiritual gifts and benevolence are without profit to the practitioner. In verses 4-7 we see the virtues of love, both in what love does (e.g. “suffers long” v 4) and what it does not do (rejoice in iniquity). We see that love prompts us to do some things while refraining from others. Finally, we see the victory of love – “Love never fails.” If there was ever a recipe for victory, love would be the key ingredient. Through love we can overcome all things – peer pressure, persecution, earthly passions, and the like.
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