THE NATURE OF TRUE LOVE

Love does not rejoice in iniquity; it finds no pleasure at all in the absence or violation of righteousness and justice. True love does not delight in any kind of moral failure, wrongdoing, or injustice, especially in relationships between people. It is deeply grieved by sinful behavior, by acts that oppress or harm others, and by all forms of falsehood and deception. Love is grieved by anything contrary to the will of God.

True love despises anything hostile to life and godliness; it abhors anything that poses a threat to true and everlasting joy. Yet love rejoices in truth; it finds fulfillment and bliss in the presence of righteousness, for righteousness is the fruit of true love and the substance of truth. It finds pleasure in justice, for justice is among the highest expressions of love. Love finds profound satisfaction and delight in moral uprightness. It stands as the great defender and upholder of the laws of righteousness.

All forms of immorality are contrary to love. Sensuality, the indulgence of inordinate desires, and the surrender to unbridled passions are the fruits of another power antagonistic to love. Sexual immorality of every kind is hostile to life, purity, and godliness, for it violates the sacred principles upon which love is founded.

Yet love does not merely condemn wrongdoing; it seeks to restore and transform. True love longs for the redemption of the sinner and works patiently for their renewal. It calls to repentance, not in harshness, but in deep compassion, offering strength to overcome sin. Love does not leave one enslaved to destructive habits or moral corruption, for it is a power that leads toward victory over sin. It does not merely expose darkness but also provides the light by which one may walk in righteousness. Love labors for the sanctification of the soul, that the sinner may be cleansed, renewed, and conformed to the divine image.

All unhealthy practices—such as the drinking of alcoholic beverages, self-intoxication, and the smoking or consumption of harmful substances—are contrary to love. Love finds no pleasure in such things, for they bring harm both to the individual and to those around them. Such practices grieve love, as though these injuries were done unto itself. Love does not rejoice in iniquity.