Lover of Good
Well, Paul's words have certainly been challenging to us this week. And in Titus 1:8, another challenge comes up where Paul says that people of God should “love what is good.”
Loving What’s Good
This is such a theme in Paul's writings. In 1 Corinthians 13, that famous passage that's often read at weddings, he says in verse 6: “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.” We need to love what's good and true, and not what's evil.
Again, Paul says something similar in Philippians 4:8, where he writes: “Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” In other words, set your minds on good things, not on evil things.
Rejecting What’s Evil
This is a common theme throughout the Bible. God wants us to hate evil and love what is good. The Old Testament prophet Amos said the same thing in Amos 5:15: “Hate evil and love what is good.” It's such a common theme in the Bible.
Of course, in today's world, there's a lot of bad that comes at us from all sorts of angles. There's a lot of immorality all around. You might say that God's standards of holiness have been lowered. Even Christians sometimes forget that though we are saved by grace alone—not by anything we've done—we are saved for goodness and for holiness, and so that we can love what is good and turn away from evil.
In fact, remember what James, the brother of Jesus, said in James 4:4? “Friendship with the world means enmity against God. Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.” In other words, be opposed to evil and love only what is good.
Examine Your Desires
Now, the place to start with us, friends, is not with the evil of others. Because, oh then, how quickly we fall into this lifestyle of judging and considering ourselves better than others. That's not the point.
Rather, let's look within and be honest with ourselves about what we love most in life. Does it point us to God? Does it make us stronger for God? Do the things we love give us opportunities to share God and delight in Him more? Or do the things we love take us away from God, draw us from Him?
Let's hate the evil in our lives. Stomp it out and love what is good. That is the true path to freedom—and the true path to lasting joy.
