As we step into the Christian season of Lent, our Lectionary reading for today expounds on the godly Christian virtue of love. A well known saying goes “Action speaks louder than words”. We all know people who are quick to say “I love you”, but their actions show those words to be false. In our passage today, God shows us what true, godly love, love inspired by Him, is like.
In the verses prior to our passage, Paul was instructing the Corinthians about spiritual gifts. The Corinthian church had been comparing spiritual gifts and ministries, and rated a person’s value to the church by that person’s gift. Paul sought to correct this false thinking, as all spiritual gifts are equally valuable. He proceeds to teach us that love is even greater than all of them combined (vs. 31). The Corinthian church had all the spiritual gifts and had correct doctrine, but love was absent. Rather than being selfish and jealous, they should pursue the greatest thing of all - love. Love that is more concerned with giving than in receiving. The spiritual gifts we have been given are not for our own self-advancement, but instead, to serve God and enhance the spiritual growth of fellow believers. Everyone can show love.
Paul begins his discourse on love by stating that whatever we do in life, if we don’t have love for others, it amounts to absolutely nothing (vs. 3). What are our motives for all that we do? Is it for love of the Lord and obedience to Him? Or is it motivated by personal ambition or conceit? If what we do is not motivated by love for God and for others, it is nothing and means nothing.
Paul then goes on to describe what true, godly love really is (vs. 4-7). The world today confuses love and lust. God’s kind of love is directed outward towards others, not inward towards ourselves. We need God to help us to set aside our own desires and natural inclinations so we can give His love to others. The more we become like Christ, the more love we will show.
Love is action, not abstraction. Love is patient with people, and gracious to them. It never envies, brags, is arrogant, rude, or overbearing. It doesn’t want it’s own way. It is not irritated or angered in a personal offense. Love also does not find pleasure in someone else’s sin. As followers of Jesus, we ought never to rejoice in evil or injustice, but with His love, rejoice when truth wins out. Love is devoted to truth in everything. It will protect, believe, hope, and endure what others reject. Real, godly, unconditional love will not stop forgiving. It will always seek the good of the other person, always encouraging them. Godly love puts the needs of others above its own.
The actions of the Corinthian church had been childish. Paul proceeds to instruct them to put off this childish behavior and thinking, and to replace childish thinking with mature truth. Just as a child grows to full understanding, believers will come to full understanding in God’s heaven, and spiritual gifts will not be necessary. One day we will be complete when we see God face to face (vs. 12). We don’t have all the answers now, but one day we will. When we see Jesus in person, then we will see with God’s perspective. God alone knows the whole picture.
Our hope will be fulfilled in heaven (vs. 13). We will have everything we ever hoped for. Our faith will be complete because we will see Jesus. Our love will remain forever because love is an attribute of God Himself (I John 4:8).
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