1 Corinthians 13 (NIV)

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levi85

levi85

Senior Member
#1
Jul 2, 2013
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#1
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.

2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5 It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.

6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.

7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10 but when completeness comes, what is in part disappears.

11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put the ways of childhood behind me.

12 For now we see only a reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
 
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Prov910

Prov910

Senior Member
#3
Jan 10, 2017
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#3
levi85 said:
1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
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I was listening to a radio program about tongues a couple days ago and the preacher said that "the tongues of men or of angels" means that tongues is either the language of men (e.g., foreign language) or the language of angels. He said that people who speak in tongues today are speaking neither foreign languages nor the language of angels. (How he knew tongues is not angel speak I don't know. /shrug) If I understood him correctly, the radio preacher reasoned that people who speak in tongues today are not speaking under the influence of the Holy Spirit since they are not speaking foreign languages or angel language.

I'm not sure the radio preacher was interpreting this verse correctly. I don't think it's about what is, or what isn't, the gift of tongues. Instead, I think those first three verses in 1st Corinthians 13 mean that, even though one might be endowed with gifts of the Holy Spirit (tongues, prophecy, etc.), if you don't have love then your efforts are worthless.

Thoughts?
 
slave

slave

Senior Member
#7
Mar 20, 2015
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#7
Love one another always starts with loving God first. Otherwise we are indeed like clanging cymbals. Keep in mind, however, the world really does love its own. But we as Christians are to love beyond ourselves, (that the world cannot do), yet as Christ loved the world; we must remind and encourage one another that in our New Creation we too can love the world as Christ did - even sacrificially. For it is Christ who is our life, and thus we are to be productive in love as He wills it and empowers it thru our obedience. Not just emotional about it, or active toward it, but productive as He wills it.

If what we call love doesn’t take us beyond ourselves, it is not really love. If we have the idea that love is characterized as cautious, wise, sensible, shrewd, and never taken to extremes, we have missed the true meaning. This may describe affection and it may bring us a warm feeling, but it is not a true and accurate description of love according to the Bible.

Have you ever been driven to do something for God not because you felt that it was useful or your duty to do so, or that there was anything in it for you, but simply because you love Him?

Have you ever realized that you can give things to God that are of value to Him? Or are you just sitting around daydreaming about the greatness of His redemption, while neglecting all the things you could be doing for Him?

I’m not referring to works which could be regarded as divine and miraculous, but ordinary, simple human things— things which would be evidence to God that you are totally surrendered to Him.

There are times when it seems as if God watches to see if we will give Him even small gifts of surrender, just to show how genuine our love is for Him. To be surrendered to God is of more value than our personal holiness. Concern over our personal holiness causes us to focus our eyes on ourselves, and we become overly concerned about the way we walk and talk and look, out of fear of offending God. “…but perfect love casts out fear…” once we are surrendered to God (1 John 4:18).

We should quit asking ourselves, “Am I of any use?” and accept the truth (the reality) that we really are not of much use to Him. The issue is never of being of use, but of being of value to God Himself. Once we are totally surrendered to God, He will work through us all the time. Agape love, or unconditional love has no boundaries, and is God's foundation and anchor in us. It is pure Spiritual productivity. And as we exercise it in Christ, so shall He draw men unto Himself.

All wisdom comes to us from God thru the Holy Spirit, and it is when we understand life is not about succeeding, but rather, it is about success can we find productivity showing up. Success is not about gaining ground for Christ, but rather about being well-grounded in Christ. Self-awareness has us to be succeeding (for Christ sake), whereas self-awareness is never found in Success. Jesus Christ is my Life and my Success, for He is Life, thus, I sit in Successful productive Love doing My Father's will. Who can stop me now from me exercising that Love as He wills it?

My Love to you all! As it is His love thru us all who remain in Christ.
 
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