C
If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I prophesy and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed others and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing. (verses 1-3)
There are things that people try to substitute for love. This passage points out three: false signs, false ministry, and false sacrifice.
Signs: The purpose of signs is to prove the gospel to the world, to demonstrate the love of God, not to become the center of attention. Love is the ultimate sign of the work of God in any person, not signs, however supernatural.
Ministry: All ministry is love demonstrated. We need to be known not for how we performed, but in how we loved.
Sacrifice: The sacrifice that we are asked to give is not a matter of drama. One of the impressive things about the story of the crucifixion is the simple love that is poured out throughout it. Jesus did not make "drama". Too often we wear our sacrifices and persicutions like an piece of jewelry. Sacrifice means nothing if it is motivated by a love for drama rather than a love for people.
Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous; love does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong, does not rejoice in unfighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. (verses 4-6)
It is easy to be intimidated by this list. It is not a checklist, and trying to use it as a checklist will backfire. I believe that the best way to take this into your heart is to meditate on how God has demostrated this in our own lives. I cannot express to you how evil and selfish I was when He reached out to me, the times that I struck out at Him, the times my heart was unfaithful. Yet He has poured out His grace upon me, patiently and kindly leading me. He bore every blow that I deal Him, and never held it against me.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will come to an end; if there is glossalia, it will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For our knowledge is only partial and our prophecies incomplete, but when perfect love comes, these partial things will cease.
Perfect love needs no garnishments. None of the tools we use for ministry and relationship add one thing to perfect love. And there absence would not subtract one thing from perfect love.
When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I outgrew the childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face-to-face; now I know in part, but them I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. But, even now, faith, hope, and love, these three things will remain; but the greater of these is love.
I have a responsibility to put aside immaturity and grow toward perfect love. All of the giftings, all of the accomplishments, all of the sacrifices that manifest in my life, will not replace love, perfect love.
I would like to hear what you have to say on the issue of perfect love.
There are things that people try to substitute for love. This passage points out three: false signs, false ministry, and false sacrifice.
Signs: The purpose of signs is to prove the gospel to the world, to demonstrate the love of God, not to become the center of attention. Love is the ultimate sign of the work of God in any person, not signs, however supernatural.
Ministry: All ministry is love demonstrated. We need to be known not for how we performed, but in how we loved.
Sacrifice: The sacrifice that we are asked to give is not a matter of drama. One of the impressive things about the story of the crucifixion is the simple love that is poured out throughout it. Jesus did not make "drama". Too often we wear our sacrifices and persicutions like an piece of jewelry. Sacrifice means nothing if it is motivated by a love for drama rather than a love for people.
Love is patient, love is kind, is not jealous; love does not brag, is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong, does not rejoice in unfighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. (verses 4-6)
It is easy to be intimidated by this list. It is not a checklist, and trying to use it as a checklist will backfire. I believe that the best way to take this into your heart is to meditate on how God has demostrated this in our own lives. I cannot express to you how evil and selfish I was when He reached out to me, the times that I struck out at Him, the times my heart was unfaithful. Yet He has poured out His grace upon me, patiently and kindly leading me. He bore every blow that I deal Him, and never held it against me.
Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But if there are prophecies, they will come to an end; if there is glossalia, it will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with. For our knowledge is only partial and our prophecies incomplete, but when perfect love comes, these partial things will cease.
Perfect love needs no garnishments. None of the tools we use for ministry and relationship add one thing to perfect love. And there absence would not subtract one thing from perfect love.
When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I outgrew the childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face-to-face; now I know in part, but them I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. But, even now, faith, hope, and love, these three things will remain; but the greater of these is love.
I have a responsibility to put aside immaturity and grow toward perfect love. All of the giftings, all of the accomplishments, all of the sacrifices that manifest in my life, will not replace love, perfect love.
I would like to hear what you have to say on the issue of perfect love.