Paul lists nineteen character flaws here, which make it difficult to preach on. There are four references to ‘love’ so this week we will look at the times, the right love, and disordered loves.
1. Understand the times.
– 3:1. See Acts 2:17; Heb. 1:1-2; 1 John 2:18. Christianity has stood against infanticide; it advocated sexual restraint; slavery withered under its influence; racism increased because of Darwin, not Christ; the poor have been treated with compassion; and so the list goes on.
– But Jesus is not first and foremost a social reformer. The world is still evil – 1 John 5:19. The times will be ‘perilous’ (NKJV), ‘terrible’ (NIV) or ‘times of difficulty’ (ESV). The only other place where it is found is in Matthew 8:28 where it is usually translated as ‘fierce’.
2. Be a lover of God.
The only positive one is in verse 4 – ‘lovers of God’. See Romans 8:28; Matt. 22:34-40. He is quoting from the Old Testament – Deut. 6:5. Also 1 John 4:7-12.
3. Disordered loves.
William Morris wrote ‘Love is Enough’; C. S. Lewis replied: ‘It isn’t’. The Beatles sang All you need is love, but what matters is what is loved, and how it is loved. ‘Set your loves in order,’ wrote Augustine.
(a) love of self. Read 3:2. Eph. 5:28-29 is not telling husbands to love themselves; he assumes that. He is telling them to love their wives. (b) love of money. Read 3:2. 1 Tim. 6:10. ‘Follow the money trail.’ Luke 16:14-15. (c) love of pleasure. Read 3:4. Note Psalm 16:11. John Newton: Fading is the worldling’s pleasure; all his boasted pomp and show;/Solid joys and lasting treasures none but Zion’s children know.
Watch the service below: