Love abounding in knowledge & judgment

Love is characterized by the two words: knowledge & judgment.

KNOWLEDGE:
What kind of knowledge characterizes love?   To answer this question, notice what kind of knowledge was ABSENT in the people under consideration by Paul the apostle in Romans 10:1-3:  
Brethren, my heart's desire and my supplication to God is for them, that they may be saved.  
For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to KNOWLEDGE.  
For being INGORANT OF GOD’S RIGHTEOUSNESS, and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to THE RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD.

The knowledge lacking here, pertained to ‘God’s righteousness’.  Where IS God’s righteousness to be found?  Moses told Israel in Deut. 6:24-25, “…the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as we are this day. And it will be righteousness for us, if we are careful to do all this commandment before the LORD our God, as he has commanded us.'

The Psalmist wrote:
Psa. 19:9; 119:7, 62, 106, 137, 138, 160, 164 - thy righteous judgments.
Psa. 119:172 - My tongue shall speak of thy word: for all thy commandments [are] righteousness.
Paul said of the GOSPEL that, “...the righteousness of God” revealed. (Rom. 1:17)

From these passages, what do we conclude?
Is it not in the commandments that God gave to man that God’s righteousness is found?  His commands are righteous, and when man complies with the applicable command, righteousness is ‘imputed’.
God’s love for man is seen in the fact that God gave man commands to live by.  They do for man what nothing else can do –make him wise unto salvation (2 Tim. 3:15).  They enable man to sidestep Satan’s traps giving him insight as to how Satan attacks (2 Cor. 2:11).

Solomon, in Prov. 1-7 spoke in depth of the lures and traps of the wicked.  Those ‘void of understanding’ (7:7) fell prey –ALWAYS!  The ‘understanding’ here, by context was of God’s commandments/statutes.  God defines sin in His word, God explains what lusts of the flesh are and how they are used to tempt us to fulfill OUR will rather than HIS, thereby committing sin.  God warns of consequences for disobedience and promises reward for obedience…all of which require FAITH from man as to what God has spoken.

KNOWLEDGE AND MAKING JUDGMENTS  
Knowledge of God’s commands (righteousness), enables us to make the wise decisions and/or render judgments in view of salvation and eternity.    That is ultimately what every decision we make is dependent upon – where do we want to spend eternity?  Do we believe what God has promised and warned?  Is my motive in reference to any decision I must make in life, decided because I have determined that it will benefit me spiritually?  Will it benefit others?   OR is the decision solely a pleasurable one that satisfies my lusts?

HAPPINESS OR SADNESS?
God’s wisdom (sp. Knowledge) is not designed to benefit the flesh, nor bring joy/pleasure to the flesh; it fact, it will ‘war’ against the flesh!  His commands are not designed to appeal to your flesh, but to the part of you that was made in His image…the inward man, or your intellect.  They are not for the benefit of your flesh, but for your soul’s benefit.  It is your soul that will live in eternity somewhere.  The issue is, where do you want to spend eternity?   Eternal life, (Heaven) is promised thru obedience to Jesus’ commands (Heb. 5:8-9).

For now, you are called upon to follow in His steps.  He sacrificed His physical life so that you might have spiritual life.  You must live that way, i.e., do that for others.  Thus, He taught in John15:13-14, “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you.”

This is how love abounds in knowledge & judgment.
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