6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; [simple_tooltip content=’1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.
2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.
9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.’](1 Corinthians 13:1-13)[/simple_tooltip]
Rejoice means “to experience joy or pleasure.” A great indicator of whether or not we are walking in God’s love is what gives us pleasure. God’s kind of love only gets pleasure from things in line with His Word, which is truth. [simple_tooltip content=’Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth.’](John 17:17)[/simple_tooltip]
Those who receive pleasure from sin aren’t full of God’s love. It doesn’t matter whether they are personally doing it or just watching others commit acts of sin. God’s love is pure and evokes purity in everyone it touches. Therefore, it shouldn’t give us pleasure to explore all the weird and perverse things that go on in the world today.
Christians should get no pleasure from watching talk shows that investigate every type of immorality in the world. They should never look to magazines and books that glorify relationships contrary to God’s blueprint for their entertainment. Movies that exalt values other than God’s values shouldn’t provide amusement for His children either.
I’m not saying we must quit everything we’re doing and be miserable. This is simply a thermometer for us to take our spiritual temperature. If we are rejoicing in iniquity and all kinds of evil things, we need a healthy dose of God’s love. Once we are full of His love, nothing less will please us. His love will spoil us!
Ask the Lord for a revelation of His pure love for you today. Then let His love redefine what causes you to rejoice.
