Love Knows and Discerns

Verse of the day: Philippians 1:9 And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment,

I am sure that many of us have heard the saying, “Love is blind.” We can look at the relationship between two people who “love” each other, and can agree that in some instances that statement is true. However, for us, as born again believers, we must be careful not allow our love (biblical love) to always be blind. Here in this verse, the Apostle is encouraging the church, God’s people, to have a love that is one of knowledge and discernment. As Christians, we should be the ultimate example, in a world filled with darkness and hate, of what love looks like; for we have the One who is Love indwelling us. The Scripture is clear that regardless of how much talent we have, how many abilities or gifts we have been given by the Lord, if we have not love, we are nothing but noisy, unprofitable, and basically useless for God’s purposes (1 Cor 13:1-3). We are told to love God, our neighbor, our brothers/sisters in Christ, and husbands love your wives (Lk 10:27; Jn 13:34-35; Eph 5:25). God’s desire for us, His children, is that our love not be a stagnant love, but one that grows in abundance. However, there is a great danger that exists if our love grows without a correct knowledge of that which is ethical and divine. Our love must be balanced with the ability to discern how to love; love as defined and modeled in God’s Word. True love is demonstrated when we increase our knowledge of who Jesus Christ is, and who God is in our lives. Our Savior left us a living example of what love looks like in action. Jesus demonstrated for us what love looks like when dealing with one another, and when dealing with those who do not know Him. We have an example, and instruction, in God’s Word, on how to deal with an erring brother/sister or someone who stumbles in their walk. There is not an area of life that is left out when it comes to dealing with others in love. The problem arises when we, as born again believers, increase our love without the proper knowledge and discernment, and begin to use love as an excuse to allow sin to go unchecked. We begin to preach that God is love, and that becomes the “catch all” for allowing sinful behavior to be justified or our failure to speak out against it. We use love as a justification for not disciplining our children, and for not approaching an erring brother/sister in Christ in order to help them get back on track in their walk with the Lord. We begin to only seek out preachers that preach about God’s love, and shy away, and even criticize those who preach repentance, judgment, and eternal condemnation. Yes, God is a God of love, God is love, but He is also a just God, who someday will judge sin and the sinner who rejects Jesus Christ. As Christians, we are called to judge (discern) the actions of others without being judgmental; seeking to reconcile those who stumble (Gal 6:1-5). The bottom line is that God wants us to continually grow in our love, but that growth should be in line with the increase of our knowledge of Jesus and His Word, and the increase of our ability to discern what is biblically true and morally right. Blind love will only lead us down a dangerous path of allowing that which is unacceptable before God to continue unchecked, without conviction, and ultimately damaging to the cause of Christ. Jesus loved the Samaritan woman at the well, but He did not overlook her sin (John 6). He loved the man with the infirmity of thirty-eight years, healed him, but did not overlook his sin (John 5). Jesus loved the woman caught in adultery, forgave her, but did not overlook her sin (John 8). Our love should drive us to want the best for our fellow brother/sister in Christ, and give us a desire to introduce the lost to Jesus. To use love as a justification for not lovingly confronting someone about a sinful behavior is to show a lack of love. Proverbs 27:6 tells us that faithful are the wounds of a friend. Our love must promote righteousness, and encourage holy living. Verse 10 tells us that as our love abounds with knowledge and discernment, we will be able to choose what is best, pure, and blameless, until the day of the Lord’s return; resulting in us being filled with the fruit of righteousness that comes from Jesus; and more importantly resulting in God’s glory and praise (v. 11).

That greatest act of love was manifested on a cruel cross, on a hill called Calvary, where Jesus laid down His life for us. Today, He extends an invitation to you to accept His free gift of salvation (Rom 6:23). Will you accept it? Anyone who calls on Jesus, by faith, in repentance, confessing their sins, will receive eternal life. Do not put off calling on Him, and receive Him and His free gift of salvation today (Rom 10:13).