"[Charity - love] Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth."
1 Corinthians 13:6
Part 2
Yesterday: Sin Deserves Our Tears Not Our Laughter
“Rejoiceth not in iniquity” (a)
It’s a sin to rejoice in evil.
Today: The Truth Should Bring a Smile to Our Lips
“Rejoiceth not in iniquity” (b)
Jesus cared deeply about people. After His triumphal entry, when He looked over the city of Jerusalem, He made His thoughts known. Here is His attitude toward sinners in that city:
“And when He was come near, He beheld the city, and wept over it, Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! But now they are hid from thine eyes” (Luke 19:41-42).
Most of Israel’s leadership and many in the city of Jerusalem had rejected Jesus’ truth, and it brought Him to tears.
What was Paul’s attitude towards those who went against Jesus Christ and His teachings?
“(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things)” (Philippians 3:18-19).
Believers, we need to give some careful thought to what we laugh at. The things that we laugh at tells others a lot about us. How can we laugh at sin? Our sins or other peoples’ sins? Yet, in our culture today, how easy it is to laugh at video clips of people who are sinning. We need to remember that Jesus died for the sins of those people in the clips. He shed His blood to forgive them. How can we make their sin our comedy?
Parents, we need to think about this principle when it comes to our children also. How often have we heard a parent say, “I know what he’s doing is wrong, but it’s so cute?” How subtly the devil works on our minds. If we laugh at our child’s sin when he is two years old, I’m pretty sure we will not be laughing when he is 12, or 22, or 52. Remember, we are trying to raise our children to please the Lord and to live for Him, not to be a slave of sin. Be careful what you laugh at with your children.
Believers, we are not to rejoice in sin, but we are to “rejoice in the truth!”
“But rejoiceth in the truth.”
Christians ought to be the experts in “joy and rejoicing.” We have so much to be rejoicing over. The New Testament word means “to rejoice with, take part in another’s joy,” and even “…to rejoice together, to congratulate” the one who is rejoicing[1] (Thayer).
Even in the Old Testament days, there was plenty for God’s people to rejoice in.
“And Jethro rejoiced for all the goodness which the LORD had done to Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians” (Exodus 18:9).
Instead of remembering evil, playing it back over and over in our minds, Paul reminds us what we need to be clinging to, what ought to be in our memories.
“Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good” (Romans 12:9).
Every parent, teacher, discipler, and pastor ought to be able to relate to John’s words.
“I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father” (2 John 1:14).
What a blessing it is when God’s people respond correctly to the Word that they are being taught. These are the small paydays that encourage us to keep on teaching, preaching, and counseling here and now.
Believers, let’s keep on rejoicing in God’s truth!
“For I rejoiced greatly when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth” (3 John 1:3).
Quote: “Let not a libation of tears be the only offering at the shrine of Jesus; let us also rejoice with joy unspeakable. If we have need to lament our sin, how much more to rejoice at our pardon!”[2] (Charles Spurgeon).
[1] J.H. Thayer, Thayer’s Greek Definitions, the electronic version in eSword.
[2] Spurgeon’s quote downloaded: Wednesday, July 14, 2021. From: https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/rejoice-quotes.