Tag Archives: 1 Corinthians 13

A Debtor’s Ode, To the One Who Paid the Debt WE Owed

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Something We All Have…

“Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law. The commandments, “You shall not commit adultery,” “You shall not murder,” “You shall not steal,” “You shall not covet,” and whatever other command there may be, are summed up in this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no harm to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.” (Romans 13:8-10, NIV)

First Corinthians 13 is certainly a wonderful description of love, but Paul wrote another “love chapter” in Romans 12 that actually extends about halfway into Romans 13. Today let’s look at the last segment of that exposition here in ROMANS 13. It is chock full of practical applications about love. The first seven verses in this Chapter 13 exhort Christians to respect authority and to obey those in authority over them, because love is not rebellious or selfish. He encourages us to “give everyone what you owe them”, whether it be financial, social, or spiritual. (Taxes, revenue, respect, honor…) Paul then pivots from paying taxes to handling debt, and intimates that we all have outstanding debts which have nothing to do with money in verse 8: “Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has fulfilled the law.”

Who do you owe something to? Paul says we are to live as if we have a “continuing debt of love to one another.” Think for a moment about the people in your life; who are you indebted to? Is there anyone to whom you owe a heart-felt ‘thank you’, an apology, or a kind word? Is there anyone to whom you should express respect or honor? What is keeping you from completing that transaction? Paul then draws his logical progression of thought to a close with an important conclusion about love: it is debt-free.

Free From Debt

The law is based upon debt. When you break the law, you place yourself in its debt because you owe the law-maker a penalty for what you did. It is only by paying the penalty that you can atone for your transgression and obtain pardon. Ask yourself, why are we hard-wired to regret certain things, to feel guilt? As a child, I imagined God as a cosmic scorekeeper, writing down my every action with black checks or red marks on a ledger; I knew innately that doing wrong has a price, and I was worried that my (bad) red marks were far more numerous than my good ones.

We are hard-wired to understand good or evil, to feel guilt or remorse. The fundamental problem with sin and selfishness on a cosmic scale is that we accumulate more debt than we can repay, and we put ourselves into debt under the law. As the creator of the law, God’s righteousness requires payment for justice to be served. C.S. Lewis makes an excellent point about the existence of moral standards among men: “In fact, of course, we all do believe that some moralities are better than others. We do believe that some of the people who tried to change the moral ideals of their own age were what we would call Reformers or pioneers–people who understood morality better than their neighbors did. Very well then. The moment you say that one set of moral ideals can be better than another, you are in fact, measuring them both by a standard, saying that one of them conforms to that standard more nearly than the other. But the standard that measures two things is completely different from either. You are in fact, comparing them both with some Real Morality, admitting that there is such a thing as a real Right, independent of what people think, and that some people’s ideas get nearer to that real Right than others.” In Lewis’s summary, that “real Right” must be God.

But Not For Free…

The existence of Godly morality is the foundation for Paul’s argument about moral debt. “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Love paid the debt, and Paul says the only way to keep from incurring further debt is to live in love. Once again he echoes the teachings of Jesus (how did he know so much about what Jesus taught without a printing press or even the internet?), who said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

Love fulfills the law in several ways. It offers payment for the penalty of the law; it offers freedom in the presence of the law; and it prevents our falling further under the debilitating power of the law. Love clears the debt. It’s not money or stuff that enables you to live debt-free, it’s love alone. Go do something loving today. Send a word of encouragement. Mend an old fence. Say that ‘thank you’ to someone you once carelessly forgot to thank. Give a hug. Or just get down on your knees and remember who you were most indebted to, and who paid the debt.

Ode To Debt

Heaven: everyone wants in, But everyone is touched by sin; Remember, as you draw each breath, The wages for your sin are death. You owe a debt you cannot pay No matter what you do or say. In spite of all the plans you’ve made, You have a debt that must be paid. But God reached out to you, and me, And Jesus paid our penalty. The law, Paul says, is satisfied Where love is given and applied, As Jesus demonstrated To the world that He created. He superseded time and space, And offered us amazing grace: He paid our debt. He took our place.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

The Four Dimensions of God’s Love: Think DEEPER

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If you really want to define love, you can read the verse that everybody knows, John 3:16.  “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” This verse describes all of the dimensions of love– how high it is, how wide, how deep, and how long.

We talk about our perception of three dimensions around as we look at height, width, depth and length, but we all know there is more to it than that… How tall is beauty? How wide are feelings? Have you ever thought about all of the dimensions of God’s love?

Way back in the day, Job was confronted with them in one of the earliest written parts of the Bible: “Can you search out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limits of the Almighty? They are higher than heaven— what can you do? Deeper than Sheol— what can you know? Their measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.” (Job 11:7-9)

During Job’s discourse with the Almighty, God reminds him of the nature of the universe. We have boundaries and limits; God doesn’t. We think in terms of dimensions; God transcends them. It is that way in the physical universe we touch, see, and inhabit, and it is that way in the spiritual dimension that inhabits us.

Deeper and Longer Still

We are made in God’s image. Whatever passions, values, and emotions we experience are reflections of Him–although as Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 13, we see them incompletely in this world, as though “through a glass, darkly.” In one of his best-known passages, Paul points out that there is a gap between our temporary world and the spiritual one.

In that chapter Paul acknowledges the importance of knowledge and giftedness, and discusses the importance of hope and faith, all of which could be considered as the deep things of God, and all of which are reflections of God’s character. Paul ends by saying this (v 13): “And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.” The end of theology is not proofs or precepts, and it is not about knowledge or discourse: it is about the way GOD LOVES YOU.

Have you really considered the depth of God’s love for you? Take a moment and reflect upon that dimension. Do you feel loved today? You should. God loves you for who you are, and who you were meant to be. He loves you consistently, relentlessly, passionately, completely—enough to send his own Son to experience death on your behalf. He did it for everyone, and He did it forever. Bask in God’s love today, and remember that it’s higher, deeper, broader, and longer than you can imagine!

Four Dimensions of Love

How big is love? How strong, how tall?
Do we see love as far too small?
Our broken view of broken love
Can’t take the concept far enough—

Considering all that Christ has bought,
Could love be bigger than we thought?
Imagine love, the way you dreamed,
Romance and passion, all redeemed!

See love reflected in God’s face,
And feel it in His warm embrace.
For God so loved us, every one,
He sent His precious, only Son

To come and revolutionize
The depth and width, the lows and highs
Of love—so broken on the street—
In ways so intimate and sweet,
That in Him, we are made complete.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

You Are Holy, and Being Holy Doesn’t Mean What You Think It Means

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We are all pretty acquainted with the idea of being holy. But, who among us is HOLY? We have all characterized some do-gooder as “holier than thou”, or a “holy roller”. Who among you has NOT said, “holy cow!” or “holy Toledo!” (or holy something else!)? But the Bible says that being holy may not be what you think it is. Consider this: “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering. Bear with one another, and forgive one another, if anyone has a complaint against another. Even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do.” (Colossians 3:12-13, NIV)

This is one of those verses that you can breeze by, thinking, “Yeah, I get that, be like Jesus”. But, stop and capture all of the impact it should have. Break it down a little and let it sink in. First of all, do you feel holy? I’d have to say that most of the time I don’t feel holy. Maybe I do every now and then. But usually I am just living my life, wrapped up in daily stuff, surrounded by culture and work and media and people and getting stuff done. I’m a pretty ordinary guy, living a pretty ordinary life. And yet Paul says that I am HOLY.

So, What’s the Definition?

He uses the Greek word “hagios”, which means “set apart”. We often equate holiness with perfection, or perhaps reverence and devotion, but the Greek word comes from a root that simply means “different”. A temple was considered a holy place because it was different than all the other buildings, set apart for specific use. As God’s children, we are holy. We are set apart for His use. Yes we may be reverent some times, or we may be at work and just doing daily stuff, but in either case we are set apart. We are designed to live an inner life that is different than it ever could have been before.

Second, Paul says we are beloved. Do you ever stop and think about how loved you are? Paul uses the word agapao, the Greek word for godly, selfless love, the kind of love that he describes in 1 Corinthians 13. It’s also the word Jesus used in John 13. This is that unconditional kind of love, the kind of love that is committed, permanent and consistent.

We have all experienced (and given) the incomplete human version of love, but here Paul is reminding us that not only are we given consecration, not only are we set apart, but we are loved without selfish motivation, without exasperation, without reservation, without limitation, and without expiration…You are precious to God. You are dearly loved.

The REAL Tipping Point

Paul says that we don’t have be motivated by God’s legalism or God’s judgment, but that we can be different because we are LOVED. God loves you intimately, completely, romantically, sacrificially, eternally. As a result, he says, we can put on a whole new outfit, clothing ourselves in tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness and patience. Spend a little time today feeling holy. Then take a few minutes to allow yourself to feel absolutely loved. Put on your new clothes. I think you’ll find that your outfit also includes a new set of glasses that will help you see yourself—and everything else—in a brand new way.

You Are Holy

If you don’t live in utter consecration,
And find yourself feeling some exasperation,
Or have inclination to feel some frustration,
Remember the Father has set you apart,
To start being holy, from deep in your heart.
Not “holier-than-thou” like some people can be,
But reflecting the love that He gave you and me:
Tender mercies and kindness, humility, meekness–
The Spirit supporting our hearts and our weakness–
Long-suffering, acting in love towards each other,
With patience, be willing to forgive a brother
Like Christ forgave us: we should love one another!

Your righteous indignation only gives limitation;
Love without reservation could change our whole nation!
God loves you earnestly, passionately, intimately,
Completely, romantically, and sacrificially,
Fervently loving us throughout eternity,
Keeping us sheltered from Satan’s abuse,
But setting His children apart for his use:
Be holy, redeemed for a life that reflects
All the Grace and the love that your Father expects.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread