1 Corinthians 13:6a
~3 min read
“…If there is some kind of joy being derived from the fall of another person, that in itself is sin…”
To rejoice is to be happy, or to find satisfaction. So love rejoiceth not in iniquity means love does not take satisfaction from iniquity or sin whether it is our own sins or the sins of others. When a sin is committed, it is already bad enough. But to be happy about the sin or to take satisfaction out of it, is even worse.
Why is rejoicing in sin wrong? It is wrong because first and foremost, sin offends and grieves God! How can we be happy with something that offends and grieves our heavenly Father?
Rejoicing in sin can take different forms:
- When you hope for someone to make a mistake, especially if that person is someone you do not like.
- When you are eager to hear bad news about someone, again especially if that person has previously hurt you.
- When you gossip about someone who has fallen into sin. You may be speaking the truth, but your motivation is not to help but to cause pain to him or her. Your intention is to reflect poorly on his or her character. It is not for encouragement but to destroy!
Dear children, it does not matter whether the person is your friend or enemy, do you find yourself rejoicing in seeing him or her being destroyed in sin? If there is some kind of joy being derived from the fall of another person, that in itself is sin. It is not love because love rejoiceth not in iniquity.