What can we learn about true love versus lust from this passage? Setting the Scene: Amnon and Tamar 2 Samuel 13:15: “Then Amnon hated Tamar with great hatred; indeed, he hated her more than he had loved her. ‘Get up!’ he said to her. ‘Be gone!’” Love’s Character vs Lust’s Counterfeit • Lust is self-centered craving; love is self-giving commitment. • Lust demands immediate gratification; love seeks the other’s long-term good. • Lust evaporates once it gets what it wants; love endures and deepens. • Lust devalues and discards people; love honors and protects people made in God’s image. A Closer Look at 2 Samuel 13:15 • The “love” Amnon thought he felt was exposed as lust when it turned into hatred the moment Tamar was no longer useful to him. • The hatred was “greater than the love,” proving the earlier feeling was never genuine love at all. • Sin’s progression is on full display—desire (v. 1), scheming (vv. 5-10), violation (v. 14), and finally disgust and rejection (v. 15), matching James 1:14-15. • Tamar’s dignity was trampled, demonstrating that lust treats people as objects, not as brothers and sisters (cf. 1 Timothy 5:1-2). Scripture’s Portrait of True Love • 1 Corinthians 13:4-7—patient, kind, not self-seeking, rejoices in truth, protects, perseveres. • John 3:16—gives sacrificially for another’s eternal good. • Songs 8:6-7—strong, unquenchable, steadfast. • Ephesians 5:2—walks in love, modeled on Christ’s self-sacrifice. Scripture’s Warning About Lust • Galatians 5:19—“sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery” are works of the flesh. • 1 John 2:16—desires of the flesh are “not from the Father.” • Proverbs 5:3-5—what looks sweet ends in bitterness and death. • 2 Samuel 13:15—lust’s aftermath is hatred, shame, and broken relationships. Practical Guardrails for the Heart • Flee youthful passions (2 Timothy 2:22); do not linger near temptation. • Pursue holiness and honor with your body (1 Thessalonians 4:3-4). • Renew the mind daily in Scripture to expose counterfeit affections. • Cultivate accountable friendships that shine light on hidden desires. • Treat every person as a sibling in Christ or a neighbor to be loved, never as a commodity for pleasure. Key Takeaways to Remember • Genuine love aligns with God’s character; lust springs from the fallen flesh. • Lust promises delight but quickly turns to disillusion and destruction. • True love protects, honors, and endures; it never uses, discards, or hates. • Guarding the heart and walking in the Spirit keep affections pure and relationships blessed. |
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