1Corinthians 13 LOVE There was a misunderstanding of love in the morally corrupt Corinthian society that was in the believers in that assembly. Faith is the basis on which the message of God's redeeming grace is built. Hope is the attitude that focuses our attention on the point of the message of salvation and the reason why we preach the Gospel. Love is the basis of the message, and the point of the message finds the way into the hearts and minds of those who hear. It is the action that produces the result God desires. The saints at Corinth had the needed gifts, but they weren't working because something essential was missing - love. This chapter is not a sentimental hymn or song of love to be only thought about and read at weddings. This is the lifeblood of the Body of Christ. Love is what makes the gifts work. It gives value and real meaning to what a person does with the gift he or she has been given. In the use of every gift, it will not be effective without love in its true "agape" form being evident. Faith, dedication, sacrifice, and power produce very little that is lasting unless love is their motivation. Without it, irritation, anger, and even division may result from the use of one's gift in the energy of the flesh.
The love of God, flowing through the gifted person in fellowship with God, can reach into every area of assembly life and fill all those empty spaces where grace is needed. The enriching power of the love of God can strengthen and bind up the saints who are weak, and bring under control those vigorous ones who are prone to push ahead by the power of their own personalities and to act without divine guidance. That same love builds up the Lord's people in their faith when, by its proper use, it leads us to the Lord Jesus Christ and makes our labor a work of love rather than a duty. It will keep us from finding satisfaction in another person's discomfort and instead help us empathize with others appropriately. When every other effort fails or finally runs its course, love will remain, and by means of the unity of God's people and the understanding of the value of diversity of gifts, maturity will come and be maintained by means of divine love working through the divine nature God gives to His people.
Love for others (Rom. 5:7,8; 1Jn. 4:9,10; 4.12) is expressed in a variety of words. Four words are used in the New Testament for love.... Storge: Natural affection as between mother and child. Philia: Affection between friends. Eros: Strong attraction, especially sexual love. Agape: Extreme love that gives unselfishly for the benefit of another person. The best possible love we can get is God's kind of love. Most love is based on personal desirability: looks, approval, money, and happiness we receive. The only kind of love that loves us "as is" is agape love. God is the only source of this kind of love. He demonstrates His love---- "...in that Christ died for us." For whom would you die? God has loved us in spite of everything. The main point is not how God feels but what God does. He treats us right even if we treat Him wrong.
The best possible love we can give is to love God supremely, love others the way God loves us, and love them whether they want to be loved or not. People can't see God, but they can see God's love in us when we behave like God. It confirms our Christian faith in a tangible way. Loving one another is the greatest single evidence that a person is a Christian. (Jn.13.34-35) To get it: read about it in the Bible, meditate about it with God, quit trying to impress God, pray and thank God for His love, allow God to love you, and value the love of God in your life. "NOW ABIDE FAITH, HOPE, AND LOVE; AND THE GREATEST OF THESE IS LOVE."
The supremacy of love, referred to as a better “Way” in 12:31, is in the sense of a road rather than a manner of life. 14:1 indicates a path of life superior to one spent in seeking and displaying spiritual gifts. 1Corinthians13:1, The power of expression is determined by the heart, not diction. The tongues of angels are understood speech. v. 2. The ascending order from tongues to faith without benefit to others given in love, is nothing – zero. v. 3. Display of virtues: “goods to feed the poor”, “body to be burned” is valueless without love. v.4. The Corinthians were impatient, discontented, envious, selfish, inflated, suspicious, resentful; and so the contrasts are listed: “suffers long” – patient under provocation; “kind” – active goodness; “not envious” – pleased that others are honored and exalted; “vaunteth not” – nothing in a man to be proud of. v. 5. “not behave rudely” – courteous and considerate; “seeketh not” – interested in what will assist others; “not provoked” – willing to endure slights and insults; “thinks no evil” – not attribute bad motives to others. v. 6. “not rejoice in wrong but in truth” – there is a mean streak in people, but love rejoices when truth triumphs. v.7. Love hides or conceals faults of others; tries to put the best construction on actions and events; desires that things work out for the best; endures persecution and bad judgment. v.8. Gifts are temporary, love goes on forever.
The permanence of love is contrasted by three gifts that are temporary – tongues, prophecy, and knowledge. v.9. Two gifts: revelatory knowledge; prophecies by direct revelation are partial. v.10. Complete revelation (perfect) is a reference to the written Word of God. Otherwise, the Bible is still being written. v.11. Illustration compares partial to complete – the process of bringing scriptures to completion. v. 12. Illustration: again in James 1:23. Puzzling things needed clarification. Not referring to heaven, but at the conclusion of the canon – clarity. v.13. The graces of the Spirit are superior to the gifts of the Spirit. Love is the essence of Christianity because it is of God and is God. The practice of love will save us from the misuse of gifts.
The preeminence and value of love are clearly stated. v. 1. Love should be Supreme in the Human Heart (controlling our emotional powers). The power of expression is not determined by the length of vocabulary, but by the depth of the human heart. Language without love is noise without music; the clang of a gong without an organ. v. 2. Love should be Sovereign in the Human Mind (controlling our intellectual powers). Prophecy: the power to interpret and declare life in terms of eternity. Baalam had inspirational power but no love. Mysteries: understanding divine secrets; discernment of spiritual things. Caiaphas had spiritual discernment but no love. Knowledge: intelligence in the truth. The truths of God can be understood. Judas had knowledge of divine things but no love. Faith: firmness of belief brings mastery over life's difficulties. Gifts without love can be selfish. v. 3. Love should be Sovereign in the Human Will (controlling our volitional powers). The extreme exercise of the human will is the sacrifice of property and personal life. Even those sacrifices may be made without love.
The Prerogatives and virtues of love are evident when we love our brethren. One of the greatest things a man can do for his heavenly Father is to be kind to the Father's children. v. 4. Love is not hasty but patient: victory over resentment. Love is not inconsiderate but benevolent: victory over selfishness. Love is not envious but content: victory over envy. Love is not boastful but unostentatious (unassuming): victory over being a "show off." Love is not arrogant but humble: "You first; I follow." Love can be wronged and yet maintain a kindly spirit. Love does not advertise itself because humility is its character. v. 5. Love does not behave itself foolishly because it wants the best for others. Love is always slow to anger because it always thinks the best. Love is not rude but courteous. Politeness is a Christian virtue. Love is not selfish but self- forgetful, wanting the good of others. Love is not irritable but is good-tempered. Generally, self-centered people are touchy and easily exasperated. Love is not vindictive but generous. Love keeps a diary of good and keeps no record of bad. v. 6. Love isn't happy with others' mistakes but rejoices in God's purposes. Love is not malevolent but high-principled. Does not make a gain out of others' faults. Does not delight in exposing others' weaknesses. Love is not rebellious but brave. It is not glad when others go wrong. Does not talk about it. Love suffers wrong without retaliating. v. 7. Love is not suspicious but confident. Takes the high view. Love is not despondent but is undiscourageable. Love hopes for better things in the future and doesn't despair of everybody. Love is not conquerable but is indomitable.
Verses 1-3 are what the church at Corinth was and should not have been. Verses 4-7 were what they were not but should have been. Verses 1-3 were gifts without love. Verses 4-7 are love without gifts. Love's value remains even without gifts. Verses 4-5 are love in restraint - holding back. Verses 6-7 are love in constraint - letting go.
The Permanence and victory of love is revealed when v.8a. A Climax is Reached: Love never faileth - it lasts; it is deathless. v. 8b. A Contrast is Presented: prophecies fail; tongues cease; knowledge vanishes. Love has patience, kindness, generosity, humility, courtesy, unselfishness, good temper, guilelessness, and sincerity.