1 Corinthians 13 (7)

Pray Psalm 69.13-15.
But as for me, my prayer is to You,
O LORD, in the acceptable time;
O God, in the multitude of Your mercy,
Hear me in the truth of Your salvation.
Deliver me out of the mire,
And let me not sink;
Let me be delivered from those who hate me,
And out of the deep waters.
Let not the floodwater overflow me,
Nor let the deep swallow me up;
And let not the pit shut its mouth on me.

Sing Psalm 69.13-15.
(Greensleeves: What Child s This?)
O LORD, I make my prayer to You; receive my words, O Savior!
Let lovingkindness see me through, and answer me with favor!
Lord, lift me above the mire; deliv’rance is my one desire!
Let not the floods conspire tIo swallow me forever!

Review 1 Corinthians 13.1-13; meditate on verses 1-3

Preparation
1. How does love relate to the other spiritual gifts?

2. Without love, where are we?

Meditation
Everything in Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians has been moving to this point. Their divisiveness, worldliness, and immaturity in the Lord showed that they had not learned the first lesson of all Christian instruction—love (1 Tim. 1.5). It was necessary for Paul to raise and address each issue that had come to his attention so that, when he reached this point in his letter, the Corinthians would have to agree that love is truly the “more excellent way.”

Not even spiritual gifts, apart from love, amount to anything in the church. No one who does not love, be they ever so gifted and visible in the church, has anything to offer without love. For the loveless, spiritual gifts are just a means to boost the egos. Protestations of great faith or knowledge might just as well remain silent if love is not their fruit and evidence. Apart from love, the exercise of spiritual gifts is a nuisance.

That’s just how important it is that we learn this lesson.

Love is like God because God is love. And Jesus is the supreme statement and example of God’s love for us. We are to be like Jesus. Not like Paul or Apollos or Cephas or (your favorite preacher here). It’s Jesus and the incredible self-denying, sacrificial love He showed the world that must be our pattern and template.

Love is the summum bonum of Christian life. We who know this are blessed if we do it.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
If we wanted to lose weight, let’s say, eating less and exercising more, would be a good start.

If we wanted to do well on an exam, reading the text, memorizing the essentials, and internalizing the ideas, would be a definite plan.

If we wanted to build something, from a cake to a log cabin, getting quality materials, nailing down expert help, and laying out the recipe or blueprint to follow, would be the road to success.

And if we wanted to be sounding brass, clanging cymbals, and an absolutely, resolutely, unsuccessful nothing?
Just don’t love. It’s as easy as that.

But what if we wanted to love? Then we must get our minds and our hearts wrapped firmly around the idea that we:
1. will suffer long in this endeavor (maybe even unjustly)
2. will be kind (even to the difficult)
3. will not be envious (of anyone or anything)
4. will not be narcissistic egoists (all about me, me, and more me)
5. will not think highly of ourselves (see Job’s description 12.2)
6. will never be rude, not ever (talking over someone, being perpetually late, speaking before thinking, etc.)
7. will not be selfish (mine, mine, and more mine)
8. will not be quickly angered (even if everything, every time is not your fault—what are the chances?)
9. will not think evil thoughts (not fantasizing about anything sinful)
10. will not be happy about sin of any kind (never: well, maybe just this once won’t be so bad)
11. will rejoice whenever we hear the truth (tell me the story of Jesus, write on my heart every word-Crosby, 1880)
12. will bear up, with God’s help, under the direst of circumstances (bad health, bad friends, bad anything)
13. will believe all truth about our Triune God (He is the only way, truth, and life, Jn. 14.6, and I believe it)
14. will hope in His sovereign mercy (which is our hope of salvation to freely share)
15. will be overcomers to the end (solidly His for the duration, Ps. 119.112; Rev. 21.7)
(1 Cor. 13.4-7).

“If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them” (Jn. 13.17). And if we do them, blessed are those who are loved—through us and by us—with God’s supreme love.

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God…we love because He first loved us” (1 Jn. 4.7, 19). “I am with you, says the LORD” (Hag. 1.13). This work of love will not be easy, “but with God all things are possible” (Matt. 19.26). Especially the greatest, supreme good, love—Summum Bonum.

For reflection
1. Why is it so hard to love some people? How can we overcome our reluctance to love?

2. In which of the 15 facets of love, listed above, do you need to improve?

3. Whom will you encourage today to walk the path of love?

The excellent way had in view in the close of the former chapter, is not what is meant by charity in our common use of the word, alms giving, but love in its fullest meaning; true love to God and man. Without this, the most glorious gifts are of no account to us, of no esteem in the sight of God. Matthew Henry (1662-1714), Commentary on 1 Corinthians 13.1-3

Pray Psalm 69.34-36.
Praise God for His salvation, for the love He has shown us in Jesus Christ. Pray that all who love His Name will love as He does.

Sing Psalm 69.34-36.
(Greensleeves: What Child Is This?)
Let heav’n and earth now praise You, LORD, the seas and all their creatures,
for God will save us by His Word and build His City’s features.
There we and our seed will dwell and know His blessings full and well.
His glorious Name we’ll tell to every man and creature!

T. M. and Susie Moore 

The Church in Corinth was in need of revival. But there was much to be done before that would happen. The Church today is in need of revival, and the same is true for us. Our book, Revived!, can help us to discern our need for revival and lead us in getting there. Order your copy by clicking here.

Support for Scriptorium comes from our faithful and generous God, who moves our readers to share financially in our work. If this article was helpful, please give Him thanks and praise.

And please prayerfully consider supporting The Fellowship of Ailbe with your prayers and gifts. You can contribute online, via PayPal or Anedot, or by sending a gift to The Fellowship of Ailbe, 103 Reynolds Lane, West Grove, PA 19390.

Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter, available by clicking here.