THE DIVINE STANDARD OF LOVE
John 15: 9-14
1 Corinthians 13; 14: 1 (“Follow after love”)
RBC I need help from the brethren in opening up a few thoughts, but I had an impression this morning about the divine standard of love: “No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends”. The Lord had friends when He was here. You think of the death of Lazarus; He says, “Lazarus, our friend, is fallen asleep”, John 11: 11. It is quite a commendation for Lazarus to be reckoned a friend of the Lord Jesus. We think of the Lord there having the power of life, and it says He wept at the death of His friend, v 35. The Lord was on such a way, and no one has loved like the Lord Jesus has loved. We might know something of friendship, and have a mutual affection for one another; discourse, trust and confidence would be the elements of friendship. The Lord’s love has gone deeper than that. The impression we get as we read this section in John 15 is that the same type of love might be among us.
So I thought to read 1 Corinthians 13, and how that love might be worked out. The chapter is often read at weddings and funerals, but it does not just belong there; it belongs to us all the time; it is a matter of how love functions among us. In John 15, Jesus says, “This is my commandment, that ye love one another”. The apostle Paul would help us in this chapter in 1 Corinthians as to how love functions among us. The apostle tells us what love is not, and he goes on to tell us what love is. I wonder if we might look into that.
AML This first passage brings divine love before us as a very high standard. I was affected by what it refers to: “As the Father has loved me”, and “as I have kept my Father’s commandments”. Would that show the divine standard - the Father Himself is the origin of love? 1 Corinthians 12 ends, “and yet shew I unto you a way of more surpassing excellence”: that is really the way of love coming out in chapter 13? I think we can be encouraged and strengthened by considering these precious thoughts.
MJK I am interested that you should take up this thought because I read this morning a remark of J B Stoney that you never can know what a person's love is unless you are near that person; you may know benevolence at any distance, but you cannot know love except near, JBS vol 2 p504. I felt it was really a touching comment.
RBC I am sure we can move freely between these scriptures read. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul uses these illustrations to show what love is and what love is not. He talks about “a clanging cymbal”. There might be nothing wrong with a clanging cymbal: it has its place in a composition of music; it can be used to accentuate a piece of music, but on its own it becomes quite harsh. You have to have that melody of love behind it. I might say all the right things and do right things, but if there is not love behind it, if there is not the presence of the Lover, we become just that, “a clanging cymbal”.
DgJK Just to go along with your impression, what John brings out in his epistle is helpful too: “Beloved, let us love one another; because love is of God, and everyone that loves has been begotten of God, and knows God. He that loves not has not known God; for God is love. Herein as to us has been manifested the love of God, that God has sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him”, 1 John 4: 7-9. I was impressed with the divine standard of love. Would it be right to say, not only that love is an attribute of God, but it is what He is?
RBC I am sure that is something to think about, the intrinsic character of God. I understand that the word intrinsic refers to essential being, what God is, a God of love, but we often speak too of intrinsic value. I was impressed by that this morning, that of all the ways in which God could have revealed Himself, He came out to man in Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the relationships that we can understand; and all these relationships are governed by love. He did not come out in any way of retribution towards man; He came out in divine love.
AML Would you say that John sets out divine love in a special way; he was the disciple whom Jesus loved? That description John uses is a unique reference, and it was something that characterised John all the way through. You also referred to Lazarus: it says in John 11, “Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus”, v 5. It was a household that was precious to Jesus; He had friends here whom He loved. John records this: ““Now Jesus loved Martha, and her sister, and Lazarus”; it is a wonderful tribute.
RBC The hymn we started with - ‘Not of the world’ (No 284) - comes into that. It says in the epistle of James, “that friendship with the world is enmity with God”, chap 4: 4. But we can be like the “friend of the bridegroom”, John 3: 29. And we are speaking about John, who was one who leaned on the Lord’s breast.
AJC That is where we want to find ourselves spiritually, is it not?
RBC Indeed.
MJK I want to go back to your thought about the cymbal, which is helpful because the cymbal is an outward expression, or could be; but if there is nothing inwardly, there is no meaning to it, is there? Love is an inward thing, is it not?
RBC We were speaking about it yesterday, and it is a hard thing to describe. What is inward is there, or it is not there.
AJC The passages you had read are interesting; John 15: 11 struck me. It says, “I have spoken these things to you that my joy may be in you, and your joy be full”. In the previous chapter, He says, “I give my peace to you”, v 27. He brings in joy when He is talking about love. It is interesting how the thought of joy comes in when we are talking about divine love.
RBC We must be careful in speaking about the feelings of divine Persons, but when we came to the Supper this morning, the Lord had delight in that. He sees that we have set aside time to remember Him, and there is joy in that as well, as we are loving one another. I do not think the Supper could proceed if there was not love among ourselves. Mr Pellatt said in the ministry, ‘If I understand the breaking of bread, it does not produce fellowship; the breaking of bread is the scriptural and divinely-appointed expression of it, but fellowship must exist’ (see the following extract). Loving one another, having love among ourselves, is needed for the service of God to proceed.
DgJK We may not be able to describe love, but we can know the effect of love; and that is really what draws us together: love for Christ brings us together for the Supper, does it not?
PBK What is the commandment, “that ye love one another”?
RBC It is a commandment, “that ye love one another”. 1 Corinthians 11 is also a commandment - as to how we remember the Lord. As to love being a commandment, I do not think you can force love; we cannot force love on one another, but the Lord here makes it a commandment of His.
AML Would you think that the Hebrew bondman in Exodus 21 sets the matter out? He loves his wife and his children; that would extend to the saints. It has been said that we come together, not only to remember the Lord, but to see one another. That may also link with what is seen in the one loaf. Of course, the loaf presents different aspects, but that is one of them; love to one another - the bondman would not go out free. It says, “But if the bondman say distinctly, I love my master, my wife, and my children, I will not go out free”, v 5. Love is an extensive matter, and it embraces both the Person of Christ and all the saints.
DgJK Could we say that God expects nothing of us except the divine standard? It says, “as I have loved you”.
RBC He set it on for us; that standard was set: “No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends”. We could say that bar has been set, speaking reverently; it cannot be improved upon. The Lord went that way; He laid down His life for His friends.
PBK That is the proof of the Lord’s love; but what is the proof that we love one another? I find what you said interesting, that love may be hardly explicable; that is very true. I remember a comment our brother Jimmy Petersen made once when he was here; he said that the proof that we love the Lord Jesus is that we love to be with the brethren. I thought that was interesting.
VMK I was thinking that it is experiences with God - “for God is love” - that grow personally before we begin to love one another. Is that true?
RBC I am sure it is. “God is love” is what He is in His essential Being. We speak of the root of love in us; there is a divine root in a person which would appeal to each one of us. I suppose that would be the only thing to appeal to: the best of the flesh cannot please God. You might look around us and see fine individuals, but unless they have put their faith in the precious shed blood of Jesus, there is not a lot there to appeal to. I am thinking of Naaman in 2 Kings 5. The first verse tells us all his attributes: he was a great and honourable man before his master; you might say they were fine attributes to have. But there was nothing appealing in him until he had plunged himself in the Jordan seven times. Even the little maid could not have appealed to him if that root of divine work had not been there. “Oh, would that my lord”; it is almost a plea as to the leprosy he had. It was only cured as he went into the Jordan, suggesting the death of Christ.
DgJK We are God’s by creation rights, and we are His by redemption rights. Does that form some link with this line of the commandment? I am thinking of the line of that hymn:
I nothing am, yet all possess. (Hymn 281)
AML Would you say that the maid had love for the prophet that was in Samaria, and that love extended to Naaman? Love was really behind her exercise. She presented it morally in a victorious way, but he did not get it to begin with.
RBC His attributes and his valour were good qualities humanly speaking, but before God there was nothing you could appeal to.
AJC This verse in 1 Corinthians says, “And now abide faith, hope, love; these three things; and the greater of these is love”. This is true love; we need faith and hope, but love is the end in all these things.
RBC Love remains; it goes all the way through. There are things that will be done away with.
AJC The flesh loves things too, but that is a different kind of love to what we are talking about. This love is in us as a result of having to do with the Lord and being desirous to be here for Him. And then this love would shine out, the same love that the Father had for the Son, and the Son had for us. I am also thinking of what was said about the proof of it, that the things that are listed from 1 Corinthians 13: 5 onwards are not seen consistently in natural love; they fails. But I was thinking that this love that is in us, divine love, never fails, so we would see consistency in these things.
MJK You said that love goes through - why?
RBC God is love; it is the character of God; so it cannot disappear; it is what God is.
MJK The things that are mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13 that are going to pass away are over against the nature of man - “love is not …”. But what God is is not compared to anything.
DgJK The passage suggests that faith and hope will cease. Faith and hope are essential gifts of God to understand His love, and they are gifts of God. Love is not spoken of as a gift of God; it is what He is. The other things are for now.
AML There was a man who came to Jesus, and when He had answered him, it says that Jesus loved him, Mark 10: 21. I wondered if that refers to God’s creation. But there is a work of God that goes through. Divine love has a different character altogether from what is natural.
MJK It is interesting what you mention. There is a verse in 2 Peter 1: 7: “in brotherly love love”. There are different levels. Love there is divine love; “brotherly love” is what we have, although it can fail, but the love Peter speaks of cannot fail, it is characterised by what is of God.
RBC Brotherly love may include what we are naturally, amiability. That reminds us that the breaking of bread is in the wilderness setting, but there is to be love in all; it is to be the root; love is the core.
AJC Earlier in this chapter, the Lord speaks about abiding in the vine: if our root is in the vine, these things will come out.
RBC Speaking practically, I have a colleague who is very committed to his church, and we differ as to how we might move; I can have a conversation with him about the Lord and touch this root, although I cannot break bread with him.
MJK The divine root is the basis for that link with one another.
AML One word that characterises John is ‘abide’. Would the Spirit help us to abide in love? It is not just something that happens now and again but it is characteristic; it is formed and it does not go away. The Lord says, “abide in my love”. John was enjoying that himself.
MJK I am interested in what you say as to the first scripture and this love being in us, and loving one another; do you think that wanting to be in the presence of one another is an indication that love abides in us?
RBC I think what we have all been going through for most of this year - we are not exactly compelled by the authorities here, but we are recommended to be separated into smaller companies for the breaking of bread - I think we feel that, that we cannot be with all and break bread with all as we normally would. And we are to feel that. That is how that love is being worked out in a practical sense; there is a practical side to friendship.
MJK I saw a text message from a sister in Britain this morning - ‘When you go to the meeting today, please take a look around at the brethren: we do not have that privilege right now’. We are to see what there is in the saints. I am touched by that, and that it has taken times like this to bring us to that. I think this is what we are speaking about here.
AML Would you say that Psalm 133 comes in, based on divine love? “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” It goes on to eternal life, and it is really divine love that maintains us there; it is expressed and enjoyed.
RBC I do not think the breaking of bread could go forward if there was not unity, and love - mutual love. I go back to what you said earlier, that when we come to the breaking of bread, the first thing you see is the brethren; and then the emblems on the table. It is part of the service. It is not a matter of waiting for other people to come in, that is why we come together: to remember the Lord and to see one another.
DgJK How does the Spirit enter into this?
RBC We referred to Psalm 133: does the oil not flow down from Aaron’s head? I wonder if it refers to what would permeate?
DgJK I was thinking of that; it says in 1 John 4: 13: “Hereby we know that we abide in him and he in us, that he has given to us of his Spirit”. I am linking on with your thought in relation to the Supper, and coming together in unity; that is all set on by the Spirit, speaking of Christ and reminding us of His greatness? He sets the brethren together in unity, but it is not just unity of mind, it is unity of affection.
AML It is significant too that the psalm does not just speak of oil, but “precious oil”. Love for Christ would give a wonderful estimate of that tremendous beauty: “Like the precious oil upon the head, that ran down upon the beard, upon Aaron's beard, that ran down to the hem of his garments”.
RBC It permeated everything, from the beard right down to the hem, and did so thoroughly.
MJK It says in Ephesians 4: 2, 3: “bearing with one another in love; using diligence to keep the unity of the Spirit in the uniting bond of peace”. The whole thing comes together, does it not?
RBC I read in Corinthians because it is more practical as to how this divine love is to be worked out with one another: “love is not emulous of others; love is not insolent and rash, is not puffed up, does not behave in an unseemly manner, does not seek what is its own, is not quickly provoked, does not impute evil”: these are all the things that love is not. He does not tell us in a full way what love is, but Paul is writing from the divine standard, the divine standard of love - “No one has greater love than this, that one should lay down his life for his friends”.
WJK I was thinking of the unleavened cakes: fine flour mingled with oil. The oil holds the flour together, and I was thinking of the unity of the Spirit.
JDK I was interested when we referred to the way in which God has been revealed to us, and we are speaking now about the Spirit. And we read about how no man has greater love than this, which is the Lord Jesus. So we get the Trinity, the way that God has been revealed, His love and the different aspects of it. We have not spoken too much about the Father’s love, but would that enter into this, His love for His sons?
RBC The Father is the root of the matter: “As the Father has loved me”. It all comes from the Father. Paul is speaking to these saints and he is talking about good things that they could do: “if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned” - all these are outward sacrifices, but if we have not love it is meaningless, is it not?
MJK Are you thinking about the Pharisees; they were clean just on the outside? That is what all these things might be, an outward show; but there may be nothing inside.
AJC It involves trust?
RBC Absolutely. So we love our children; and God loves us. Our children trust us. Then there is the element of friendship that God sees there. John speaks here about friends; they should not fail; there is the element of mutual trust with friends. We can enjoy conversation, and can speak about things. A friend is not going to speak behind our back, is not going to betray us. There would be mutual affection there; it would be reciprocated. I mean that I have the same feelings for you as you would have for me. That is the element of trust in friendship.
WJK We have a care meeting tomorrow evening: does what you are saying enter into that, that the Lord would trust us to care for things while we are here in this scene?
RBC We are to be good stewards, and good custodians of what belongs to Him.
DgJK You already drew attention to the Lord asking Peter questions at the end of the gospel: He asked Peter twice, “lovest thou me?”; and the third time He asked, “Art thou attached to me?”. Is that drawing out the Lord’s own work in Peter, that He could trust him?
RBC The Lord reserves the right to test what is His, to test the work. That might not be very welcome to go through, but the Lord reserves that right to test and see the faith that is in us.
DgJK He did not say to Peter, ‘Do you trust me?’. He drew it out in a different way by asking, “lovest thou me?”
DlJK In the section we have read in John, the Lord first brings out peace, and then He brings out joy. We have to trust in order to have peace, because if we do not trust someone, we are not really calm or at peace with them. God says, “I will not leave thee, neither will I forsake thee”, Heb 13: 5. So trust has come from His side first. So trust is a good thing to bring in, because love is absolute trust.
AML Does the occasion with Peter, where he was challenged three times, show that, although earlier Peter had denied the Lord three times, the Lord knew there was something there that could be drawn out. He is really equipped for his public service later on. Jesus knew what was in Peter.
RBC Yes, we might wonder why He did not just ask him once.
AML It is interesting to see that when Jesus calls him in the beginning of John’s gospel, the Lord tests Peter by having a look: the look of Jesus is seen with Peter from the beginning to the end, to see what was there.
RBC I have often wondered why Paul puts first, “Follow after love” - it is not included at the end of chapter 13. I suppose it is the way that Paul writes: “Follow after love”; he ends with spiritual manifestations: “Follow after love” is what we are encouraged to do.
DgJK So we are to follow after a divine standard, do you think? The world might say, ‘do this’ or ‘do that’; but the language Paul uses here is interesting - “follow”; “Follow after love”.
ABERDEEN, IDAHO
27 September 2020
Key to Initials
(all local in Aberdeen)
Adrian J Croot; Raymond B Clark; Daryl J Klassen; Doug J Klassen; Jonathan D Klassen; Michael J Klassen; Phil B Klassen; Victor M Klassen; William J Klassen; Anders M Lidbeck, Jonathan D Klassen