One Year Journey Through the New Testament
1 Corinthians 13
Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!
The Futility of a Loveless Life
1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
(1 Corinthians 13:1–3, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- After his chapter discussing spiritual gifts, Paul then moves to a discussion of love, what he called “a more excellent way.”
- Love is essential to all of Christian life. It informs and validates the gifts of the Spirit. This makes sense, as it is the first item in the list of the fruit of the Spirit.
- Love is essential to benevolence and generosity as well. Love makes even martyrdom make more sense. Love must be present in all of Christian life, or else the life is not profitable (or Christian).
The Characteristics of Love
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
(1 Corinthians 13:4–7, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Paul moves on to discuss the characteristics of love:
- Patient
- Kind
- Humble
- Polite
- Selfless
- Calm
- Pure
- Godly Priorities
- Strong
- Faithful
- Hopeful
- Enduring
The Perfect
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
(1 Corinthians 13:8–10, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Love’s enduring character is assuring to all who believe. Love will outlast prophecies, tongues, and earthly knowledge.
- Our thinking on earth, Paul says, is temporary and incomplete, but when the Holy Spirit informs our minds, our thinking is clear and more correct. When Heaven comes to mankind after the judgment, then our thinking will be perfect.
- When the new heaven and new earth come down out of heaven from God, all previous knowledge will be unnecessary. We will know like God knows.
The Greatest Gift
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
(1 Corinthians 13:11–13, NKJV)
Points to Ponder:
- Paul sums up this chapter with a call to Christian maturity.
- He recounts his own experience, being childish in his thoughts and words to begin with, but then putting away those childish things when he became a man.
- His understanding was broadened when he became a man. However, the understanding of all of us will be completely transformed and mature upon being changed in heaven. We will no longer have partial knowledge, but complete knowledge.
- Paul ends this chapter with another statement of the greatness and necessity of love in the life of a Christian.
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All Scriptures from New King James Version unless otherwise noted.
Join us this afternoon at 5:00 pm for a discussion of this chapter live online. Live@5 with Dr. Greg Sloop can be found on Facebook on the Dr. Greg Sloop page or on the Kannapolis Church of God Facebook page or Youtube page. Another blog will be posted each weekday at 6:00 a.m.
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