1 Corinthians 13:6

rejoiceth not in unrighteousness, but rejoiceth with the truth;

'rejoiceth not in righteousness' -'takes no pleasure in wrongdoing.' (Bas); 'does not gloat over other men's sins' (NEB); 'love is never glad when others go wrong' (Mof)

Comments:

1. 'It is not so much delight in doing the wrong thing that is meant, as the malicious pleasure which comes to most of us when we hear something derogatory about someone else..It is one of the..traits of human nature that very often we prefer to hear of the misfortune of others rather than of their fortunes..We are much more interested in hearing. spicy story to someone's discredit than. story to someone's praise.' (Barclay p. 136)

2. Again, when we are being selfish, we like to hear about the downfalls of others. Such makes us feel good, we think- 'look how much better. am than them.'

3. Love cannot find any pleasure in hearing about the moral weakness of another, because love realizes that sin "costs". When sin happens people are always hurt. (Romans 6:23)

4. Love can never encourage someone in wrong-doing. (Romans 1:32)

5. 'Love absolutely rejects the most pernicious form of rejoicing over evil, gossiping about the misdeeds of others.' (Fee p. 639)

'but rejoiceth with the truth' -'rejoices at the victory of truth.' (Knox); 'joyfully sides with the truth.' (Wey); 'But always glad when truth prevails.' (Wms)

Comments:

1. Love rejoices at the spread of the truth, love rejoices when someone is baptized, or when the unfaithful Christian repents. Love rejoices when two Christians avoid divorce, when reconciliation happens, when. congregation avoids division.

2. The "loving thing to do", is always that which is in harmony with God's truth. (John 14:15)

3. Love never violates Scripture, love never argues for 'extenuating circumstances, situation ethics, or the end justifies the means'. Love always sides with truth.

'Christian love has no wish to veil the truth; it is brave enough to face the truth.' (Barclay p. 137)

4. Love is never ashamed of the truth. (Romans 1:16) Love with speak the truth, in the most difficult of situations. (2 Timothy 2:2)

5. Love even rejoices in truth that is hard to listen to.