Lesson 52

God is love (1 John 4:8, 16).
God is also unchanging (Malachi 3:6; James 1:17).
Because of that, God's love also is unchanging.
God's love for man never fails.

God has created man for fellowship.
God has created man to know His love and to love Him in return.
And no matter how much man has rebelled against Him, God still offers His love to man, wherever he is no this earth.

God's love for man never fails.
His love endures forever (Psalm 100:5).
His love never creases; His mercies never come to an end (Lamentations 3:22-23).
They are new every morning.

For the LORD is good and His love endures forever;
     His faithfulness continues through all generation.          (Psalm 100:5)

The steadfast love of the LORD never ceases,
     His mercies never come to an end;
they are new every morning;
     great is thy faithfulness.                                     (Lamentations 3:22-23)

As God's children, we are to love one another as God has loved us (John 13:34-45).
As God's love for us is unceasing; so our love for one another should be unceasing.
As God's love never fails, so our love for one another also should never fail.
We should persevere in love with everyone around us, no matter how difficult the situation is (1 Corinthians 13:7-8).
We should never give up on anyone.

A new commandment I give you; Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.                                  (John 13:34-35)

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.                                                        (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)

Love that never fails is love that never gives up on someone even though that person may be living a life of continuous rebellion and sin.
Love that never fails is love that is always patient and kind no matter how deep the provocation from the offending party.

It is love that always forgives, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
It is love that is always offered to the offending party and is never withdrawn, no matter how bad the situation.

E.g. If your son is on a rebellious binge, skipping classes, coming home late, etc., continue to pray for him, bless him with your words and believe that God is changing him.

E.g. If your wife decides to go partying late nights, abandoning the children and the home, continue to pray for her, bless her with your words, and believe that God is changing her.

E.g. If your husband treats the home as a pig-sty, spends foolishly and does not care to budget his expenditure, and has a foul temper as well, learn to persevere in your love for him.
Meanwhile, talk nicely to him, telling him your concern, pray for him, bless him with your words, and believe that God is changing him.

In the Parable of the Lord Son, Jesus give us a revelation of the love of our Father God, a love that never fails (Luke 15:11-32).
This parable also illustrates for us the love that should always be expressed by every believer towards others.

Jesus continued: "There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, 'Father, give me my share of the estate.' So he divided his property between them.

"Not long after that, the younger son got together all he ad, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living. After he had spend everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods the pigs were eating, but no one ever gave him anything.

"When he came to his senses, he said, 'How many of my father's hired men have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired men.' So he got up and went to his father.

"But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.

"The son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.'

"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate.

"Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 'Your brother has come,' he replied, 'and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound.'

"The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So the father went out and pleaded with him. But he answered his father, 'Look! All these years I've been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him!'

"'My son,' the father said, 'you have always been with me, everything I have is yours. But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'"                                                                              (Luke 15:11-23)

From this Parable of the Lost Son, we learnt the following about the unfailing love of the father for his younger son:

The father did not get angry with his son for asking for his share of the estate before the father died.
Such a request was against local customs.

Neither did the father get angry and curse his younger son for squandering his wealth with prostitutes and wild living.

Anger would have cause division between the father and the son.
Anger would have made reconciliation more difficult.
Anger would have added no value to the situation.
Anger never solves anything.

When the younger son wanted to leave the house with his wealth, anger from the father would not have stopped the son from "doing his own things."
In fact, anger from the father would have made the boy more rebellious.
We must allow others to taste the painful consequences of their actions, without getting angry.

Unfailing love is always patient, even in the face of constant provocations.
It does not get angry at the provocations from others.
It speaks gently and softly to those who are wrong, believing that the other party will see the truth and repent (2 Timothy 24-26).

And the Lord's servant must not quarrel; instead, he must be kind to everyone, able to teach and not resentful. Those who oppose him he must GENTLY INSTRUCT, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and that they will come to their sense and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.                                    (2 Timothy 2:24-26).

Unfailing love does not return evil for evil.
It is always kind to everyone, even to those who are unreasonable.
It always does good to everyone, even to our enemies (Matthew 5:44-45; Luke 6:27-36).

But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you. But love your enemies, do good to them, and lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, because he is KIND to the UNGRATEFUL and WICKED. Be merciful, just as your father is merciful.                                                                      (Luke 6:27-28, 35-36)

The father in the above Parable gave his younger son his share of the estate out of his kindness, although he had every right to withhold it until his own death.

He welcomed his son back even though the son had squandered his property on wild living.
He could have kicked the son out for good and asked him to get lost.
Instead, he have the son a second chance.

However, a word of caution is appropriate here. 
Showing kindness does not imply that we condone or approve of the evil committed by others.
Love does not delight in evil (1 Corinthians 13:6).

In the above Parable, the father did not allow the son to cavort around with prostitutes in the father's house.
Neither did he send more money to his son to support his wild living when he ran out of money.

E.g. It is showing unfailing love when we buy food for a drug addict who turns up at your doorstep and asks for food for the 15th time.
However, it is wrong to give him money to buy food, for any sensible person knows that the money will be spent on drugs instead the very next minute.

God demands that we forgive other just as he has forgiven us (Matthew 6:12, 14-15).
And because God forgives us every time we turn back to him, he also expect us to extend forgiveness to everyone who has hurt us.
Even if the other party has hurt you again and again, you must forgive him every time he turns to you and say sorry.

Unfailing love always forgives, no matter how often a brother has hurt you.
It is natural for us to find it hard to forgive someone who persistently sins against us.
However, Jesus commanded His disciples to forgive others as often as the need arises (Matthew 18:21-22; Luke 17:3-4).

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?"
Jesus answered, "I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times."                                                                           (Matthew 18:21-22)

If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him. If he sins against you seven times in a day,  and seven times come back to you and says, 'I repent,' forgive him.                                    (Luke 17:3-4)

We must not develop unforgiveness towards anyone and refuse to forgive him.
Our forgiveness should not be limited to only a certain number of times.
It should be extended without limit.

Many ask this question: "Shall I forgive a brother who has sinned against me and has not apologized to me?"
The answer is absolutely "yes."
"Love does not keep a records of wrongs" (1 Corinthians 13:5).
We must forgive everyone, dead or alive, who has ever sinned against us.
If we do not forgive them, God will also not forgive us (Matthew 6:14-15).

For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.                            (Matthew 6:14-15)

Thus both our Lord Jesus and Stephen forgave those who persecuted them even while they were dying at the hands of their persecutors (Luke 23:34; Acts 7:59-60).

Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing."                                                                                   (Luke 23:34)

While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." They he fell on his knees and cried out, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he fell asleep.
                                                                                            (Acts 7:59-60)

Therefore, forgive your children, no matter how ungrateful they are to you.
Forgive your husband, no matter what wrong he has done or continues to do against you.
Forgive your wife, no matter how often he may have tortured you.
Guard yourself in the spirit, and always forgive.
Love never fails to forgive.

When we love our enemy and forgive him, we do not keep a record of his wrongs or go about slandering or gossiping about him.
We should instead protect his value as a person, one for whom Christ has died for.
We must therefore treat him with respect even though we do not agree with his sinful acts.

E.g. In the Parable of the Lost Son, the father did not go about complaining about his son to others.
He did not condemn his son before others although the elder brother did.
Neither did he tell his servants to kick him out if they ever see him in the neighborhood.

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.                                     (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)

The father in the Parable of The Lost Son trusted his younger son to use his money wisely when he gave him his share.
Of cause, the son disappointed the father greatly, squandering his father's hard-earned wealth.
Any man in the position of such a father would naturally never trust such a son again.

However, the father in this parable was different.
He restored the son to a position of trust in his household by giving to him symbols of honor (the robe) and authority (the ring).
This is unfailing love; it always trusts.

Love will always trust another even if the other has failed us before.
This is because love will always give a person another chance to prove himself.
In this way, we encourage another person, who may have failed us before, to fulfill God's calling upon his life and grow in his ministry.

When we trust another person, we show our faith in the other person's integrity and ability to fulfill our trust.
A person who is trusted will always be challenged to rise to meet the trust put in him by others.
He knows that others trust him with a responsibility, and with the help of God, he will be strengthened and encouraged to fulfill his duties.

However, if we do not trust others, or if we are always magnifying the weaknesses of others, we will be discouraging everyone around us.
We will always be suspicious of others, look down on others, or reject others, especially if they have failed us before.
If we do this, we will not be helping to build up others in their calling in God.
This is because everyone of us starting in ministry will fail in areas big or small, one time or another.

We therefore need others to tell us that there is always a new beginning after a major failure.
We need to know that failure is not the end of our ministry.
We need others who will trust us and not give up on us.

Love always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.                                     (1 Corinthians 13:7-8)

To hope is to desire for something good out of every situation, even bad situations.
To hope is to believe that God is in charge of every situation and will bring good out of it. (Romans 8:28).

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to His purpose. 
                                                                                                              (Romans 8:28)

Unfailing love always hopes.
In other words, a person with unfailing love never gives up and throw his hands up in despair in any situation.
He does not confess doubt or fear, for He knows the power of God to bring good out of every situation.

He does not give up on anyone, for he knows that God can touch anyone and change that person.
Just like the father in the above Parable, he waits for God to bring the offending party to his senses.

We should always hope in every situation.
We should always look to God to bring good out of every situation.
We should always rejoice in God's goodness and ability to redeem every situation for his glory.
Never ever be overcome by despair or self-pity.
This will destroy us and others who need our faith to restore them.

Our unfailing hope will cause God to move and restore the offending party.
Our hope helps us to stand in the gap for those who are lost in their sins.
If we persevere, God will bring his miracle to pass in the end.

We must always walk in love no matter how trying the situation.
We must never give up on anyone no matter how difficult it is.
Unfailing love always perseveres.

Others may tell us to give up on a person.
Others may even oppose our attitude of trust and hope.
E.g. The older son in the above Parable opposed his father's trust and love for his younger son.
E.g. Your mother may tell you to give up on your gambling husband and divorce him.

However, we must never give up on anyone.
We must grow in perseverance, till we see the answer from God.
God is testing our faith and bringing us to spiritual maturity through all our trials.

God wants us to grow in perseverance.
It is the sign of true spiritual maturity.
And only the testing of your faith can produce perseverance (James 1:2-4).

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.                         (James 1:2-4)

Unfailing love is love that perseveres to the end, till God has manifested His goodness in a situation.
And all of us need others to persevere in love for us.
Let us therefore persevere in love towards everyone around us.

Your thought

1. Why do we so easily give up on a person?
   

2. Why is our attitude wrong?
   Where would we be if God or other believers had given up on us before we became Christians?
   

3. What is unfailing love?
   Describe the various aspects of unfailing love.
   

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