“does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;”
This verse has two phrases with polar opposite thrusts.
does not rejoice in iniquity,
Love does not delight in “iniquity.” Iniquity is that quality that runs counter to divine revelation. It is anything wrong from God’s perspective, whether morality or misery. Love does not delight in the downfall of others. Some people are only happy at the misery of others. Love does not perniciously gossip about wrong in others. Some people love to hear the latest morsel about the person with the latest failure.
“Iniquity” is injustice. Love takes no pleasure in someone else’s adversity. It has no satisfaction in another’s blunder or failure. Love does not rush out to tell someone about it.
The word “in” carries the idea of moving principle or motive. The motive of love is not injustice in others. There are those whose motives are so low that their only delight is in the triumph of evil. However, true love shares the truth’s joy.
PRINCIPLE:
To find out what we enjoy is to discover who we are.
APPLICATION:
To find out what we enjoy is to discover who we are. Taking pleasure in iniquity may reveal a dark side. There is something twisted about us when we enjoy hearing about the failure of others. We love a choice morsel of gossip. There is something sinister about taking pleasure in the sin of others. Eager listening to gossip is an insidious trait.
Slander is a characteristic of Satan. Purveyors, propagators, and disseminators of gossip do the work of Satan. Those who listen to gossip do the same. Love does not want to hear it. Love does not gloat over the despair of others. Love will not gossip about the sins of others. Gossip lacks the capacity to love but has the capacity to hurt.
There is something sick in our heart when we take delight in a preacher’s fall. Distortion of heart delights in someone making a shipwreck of his faith or life. Our heart attitude should be, “There but for the grace of God go I.”
Love does not take pleasure in personal sin, either. Love is brave enough to face the truth about oneself. It will not hide anything from self and is glad when truth prevails in one’s life.
Love does not turn right into wrong. Television and magazines turn right into wrong by glorifying the villain. They twist viewpoints into something polar opposite to God’s viewpoint.
Is 5:20, Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil;
Who put darkness for light, and light for darkness;
Who put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
