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1Corthinians13:5 St. Paul tells us in 2Cor10:5 to cast down imaginations and every high thing that exalts itself against a knowledge of God. Phil4:8 he tells us to think on what is pure, and lovely, and true. How do we do this? Romans 12:1-2 gives us the answer. By presenting our bodies as living sacrifices and renewing our minds by getting into the word, we have the means to do what God requires of us. Then we will think in terms consistent with God. I would like to suggest another way to look at this scripture. Love thinks no evil means: love does not take evil into account as a calculating factor. This means as we look back on our lives we do not think about the evil we have done to suggest that we do not deserve the blessings of God which he wants to give us now. Love thinks no evil. Paul tells us in Romans 8:1 that there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Therefore we should not look back to our past to condemn ourselves. We simply trust in the power of Christ and the cross to wipe away our sin. Love thinks no evil can also mean that we do not consider evil with the future in mind. We do not think what if this happens or what if that happens. We do not consider evil because if we do, we will be fearful and anxious and unbelieving. Psalm 112:7 says not to take an evil report into account. It is in this sense that, we too, can think of the scripture ‘love thinks no evil’ as a calculating factor. When and if we begin to think about evil we must stop at once and trust in a loving God who will not leave us nor forsake us (Heb13:5) nor remember our past or hold anything against us. It is the love of God to set us free and to make us free (John8:32). When and if we begin to judge ourselves from our past or begin to worry about the future we must stop. The devil might try to put suggestions into our minds to keep us from inheriting all the blessings of God. If and when he does, we must be aware of his tactic to divert us from the love of God and the peace and blessings that God wants to give us. We must know the truth and the truth will set us free. We must cast down those thoughts and rebuke the devil and he will flee. Love thinks no evil and neither should we. Amen |