Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.1 Corinthians 13.4-7

1 Clement 49
Clement of Rome (fl. ca. 90-100 AD)
“Let him who has love in Christ keep the commandments of Christ. Who can describe the [blessed] bond of the love of God? What man is able to tell the excellence of its beauty, as it ought to be told? The height to which love exalts is unspeakable. Love unites us to God. Love covers a multitude of sins. Love beareth all things, is long-suffering in all things. There is nothing base, nothing arrogant in love. Love admits of no schisms: love gives rise to no seditions: love does all things in harmony. By love have all the elect of God been made perfect; without love nothing is well-pleasing to God. In love hast the Lord taken us to Himself. On account of the Love he bore us, Jesus Christ our Lord gave His blood for us by the will of God; His flesh for our flesh, and His soul for our souls.”

It’s not hard to hear the mood of pleading in this chapter. The disruption which certain members had introduced to the churches in Corinth was not well-pleasing to God, for it was done out of self-love, and not in love (and obedience) to God, or for one another. Clement was truly wounded by the schism in the Corinthian churches, and he earnestly longed for them to renew the love of Christ among themselves. Having referred them to Paul’s first letter in an earlier chapter, he now alludes to it liberally. Clement pled with the Corinthians on the authority of Paul – not his own authority. But he pled with his own love for them, and for the truth and order of God.

Note the allusion to Christ’s sacrificial love at the end of this quote: Can we have real love among the members of a church without sacrifice? What kind of sacrifice?

T. M. Moore

Personal Discipleship Inventory
Where do you stand in your Christian worldview? How confident are you in your vision of the Christian life? In your use of the disciplines whereby we pursue that vision? In the kinds of Kingdom outcomes you should be realizing in your life? Watch this brief video to learn how taking our Personal Discipleship Inventory can help you establish some baselines and begin to make real progress in your Christian worldview.

Introduction to Christian Worldview
We’re pleased to offer our course, One in Twelve: Introduction to Christian Worldview, at The Ailbe Seminary. There’s no charge, and all the course materials are free. In 12 diagrams you will gain a perspective and overall grasp of the 1 worldview that can change the world. Click here to register. Here’s a great opportunity for you and your leaders to get on the same page for a vision of the Kingdom that could change your lives and your church.

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Except as indicated, Scripture taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.