Love & Lust,3 1Corinthians 13:4-8

Love & Lust are sometimes difficult to discern. Whether in physical relationships between men & women, in the spiritual relationship between man & God, or in the mixture of the two typified by brethren in Christ, Love & Lust are often confused.

Why are they confused? They are confused because there’s actually a fine line between the two: >Love is an affection or affinity toward, while >Lust is more of a desire for. So, either can be applied to all the relationships sited previously.

1Corinthians 13:4-8 Is most often utilized at, or for, weddings. But according to the context, it is actually more accurately applied to our relationships to God and one another as brethren. But it is important that we understand the characteristics of love,for they distinguish it from lust.

In the previous lessons, we saw that “Love” is: Patient Kind not Jealous does not Brag and is not Arrogant. Let’s conclude our look at “Love” as compared to “Lust”. Becoming (never unseemly) not Self-Seeking not Provoked not a Score-Keeper We also noted that “Lust” is the opposite of all of these things.

1Corinthians 13:6 Love: does not Rejoice in Unrighteousness, but does Rejoice in Truth. True love finds no pleasure in unrighteousness, even though others may, Heb.11:25; Rom.1:32. It does not take pleasure in wickedness, 2Thess.2:12. Lust, on the other hand, seeks its on way and pleasure regardless of right or wrong. If it finds something desired to be wrong, it rationalizes it into being either right, or “not wrong”- thinking them different. Love loves Truth, 3John 3. Lust has no regard for Truth, or those that practice it.

1Corinthians 13:7 Love: Bears All Things. Not the four-footed mammal- the Greek word stego means literally to roof over; figuratively then it is defined as to cover with silence; to endure patiently- to for-bear. Thus true love does not seek to expose or lay bare the weaknesses and wrongs of its object, 1Pet.4:8. This does not mean it ignores sin- just that it seeks quiet correction over em- barrassment and humiliation, Gal.6:1. It treats others the way it wants to be treated, Matt.7:12 and 2Tim.2: Conversely, lust can easily tolerate its own weaknesses, but not those of others, Gal.5:13-15.

1Corinthians 13:7 Love: Believes All Things. This does not mean love is gullible- just that it chooses to believe all the good it can about others as long as it can w/o being unfaithful to the Truth, Col.3:8 (slander means to speak evil of ). It is unwilling to think evil of someone unless God’s word demands it, cf. 1Tim.5:22. But lust can’t wait to “get the dirt” without regard for truth. It always expects, and actually desires, the worst. It places the worst possible construction on all situations and is ever unwilling to give anyone the “benefit of the unknown (doubt)”.

1Corinthians 13:7 Love: Hopes All Things. Love desires the best for all, and truly believes that good can be achieved by all- at least until unmistakable evidence proves to the contrary, Matt.7:6. But it doesn’t just hope these things, it is willing to work to bring this hope into fruition, Heb.6:9-12. But lust has no desire to for others to be successful, and certainly does not hope for or assist them to become so, Jonah 3:4 - 4:11.

1Corinthians 13:7 Love: Endures All Things. Love suffers, endures, and bears all evils, and yet is not shaken or driven off the true course by the wrongs of others- it has “stickability”, Acts 14: The point is that Paul, whether treated as a “god”, or stoned and left for dead, got right up and kept on preaching! Why? Because he had true love for God’s word and for the people to whom he carried it! But lust is not willing to endure for it has no true concern for anyone other than self. It is unwilling to sacrifice. Endurance requires to the ability to see future reward as worthwhile, Matt.16:26.

This is why Love Never Fails! It is why that even among the great attributes of faith and hope, LOVE is the greatest! 1Cor.8,13. It is the ruling principle of God and His Kingdom, Mark 12: But lust always fails. It may achieve immediate gratification, but has no lasting value. Which will it be for you? Love or Lust?