The bride was radiant. The groom was resplendent. They looked deeply into each other’s eyes as the minister read this familiar passage. “If I speak with the tongues of mankind and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give away all my possessions to charity, and if I surrender my body so that I may glory, but do not have love, it does me no good. Love is patient, love is kind, it is not jealous; love does not brag, it is not arrogant. It does not act disgracefully, it does not seek its own benefit; it is not provoked, does not keep an account of a wrong suffered, it does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; it keeps every confidence, it believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.” (1 Corinthians 13:1–7, NASB 2020) A Hallmark moment except for one thing,While this passage can apply to the love shared between husband and wife, that wasn’t why Paul wrote it. We must again look at the bookends. The passage really begins in 12:31.
For all of chapter twelve, Paul explores the use of spiritual gifts and the different ministries within the Body of Christ. As a segue, he writes, “But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And yet, I am going to show you a far better way.” (1 Corinthians 12:31, NASB 2020) Love is the better way. On the other side, Paul concludes “Pursue love, yet earnestly desire spiritual gifts, but especially that you may prophesy.” (1 Corinthians 14:1, NASB 2020) Love doesn’t replace spiritual gifts; it motivates, informs, and corrects them.
The scripture is clear; loveless gifts are just bothersome noise. The gifts are meaningless when there is no love. In our everyday experience, when we recieve a gift, it is for our benefit. But the spiritual gifts, talents, and abilities we recieve from God are for the benefit of others. Specifically for the edification (building up), exhortation (encouragement), and consolation (comfort) of others. (1 Corinthians 14:3) The gifts from God aren’t a measure of our spiritual maturity or approval by God. They are tools to be used in love to build up one another.
There will come a day when the gifts are no longer needed. “For we know in part and prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away with.” (1 Corinthians 13:9–10, NASB 2020) “For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully, just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:12–13, NASB 2020) When we see the face of Jesus, there will be no need for the gifts, but the foundations of faith, hope, and love will remain as we stand in God’s glory.
Pursue love. Paul will restate that desire as he closes the letter. “All that you do must be done in love.” (1 Corinthians 16:14, NASB 2020) Better is the believer who loves and never exercises a spiritual gift than one who has gifts but no love. Yet, while pursuing love also passionately desire the gifts of the Spirit. A person who loves to build homes passionately desires the tools to fulfill that love. A person who has compassion for the spiritual brokenness of others passionately desires the tools to build up, encourage, and comfort them in Christ’s name.
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