We are to grow in love, and love is the principal thing; but before we can make much development in the cultivation of love, we must learn to be just, right, righteous. It is a proper presentation of the matter that is given in the proverb, that a man should be just before he is generous. It behooves the Lord's people, therefore, that they study this subject of justice continually and daily put into practice the lessons inculcated in the Divine Word. Such as get this proper foundation of character before they begin to build love will find that they are making progress properly. All love that is founded upon injustice or wrong ideas of righteousness is delusive, is not the love which the Lord will require as the test of discipleship.
By justice righteousness, and by judgment true instruction are here meant. Sacrifice ordinarily means the good works of love, but here sacrifice means good works done contrary to justice and truth. The text does not mean that sacrifice is not desired by the Lord; nor that the good works of love, when in harmony with justice and truth, are not more pleasing to the Lord than justice and truth without the good works of charity. Rather the thought is that the Lord prefers to have us perform the works of righteousness and truth without sacrificial service to having us perform sacrificial service contrary to justice and truth.
REPRINTS
1 Sam. 15:22; Psa. 1:3; 15; 24:3-5; 106:3; 112:4-8; Prov. 2:5-20; Isa. 32:16-18; Hos. 6:6; Mic. 6:6-8; Matt. 5:20; John 14:21-24; 15:4, 5, 8; Rom. 6:19-22; 14:17-19; 1 Cor. 13:1-7.
