1Corinthians 12:4-7 “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”. (NASB)
Being Valentine’s Day today many have quoted or thought about 1Corinthians 13 commonly referred to as the “Love” chapter. You know the one, “Love is patient, love is kind …”. While there is deep truth about the nature of love revealed it is helpful to look at that chapter in context.
The context of 1Corinthians 13 is a discussion of spiritual gifts. Scripture tells us that the Holy Spirit comes to live in every believer and in addition there are spiritual gifts that are given to each believer by the Holy Spirit. There are several lists of gifts in Scripture and much debate about which gifts are or are not active today. Likewise there is conjecture that the lists given are not exhaustive; that there are more gifts than the specific ones listed in Scripture.
The key is that there are spiritual gifts given to each believer by the Holy Spirit and that they are given for a purpose. Today’s passage reveals the purpose; “But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good”. So, the gifts are for the building up of the body of Christ, the Church. That building up of the body of Christ brings glory to God. That is the goal if everything, the glorification of God.
But let’s back up the truck. Why am I referencing the “Love” chapter and also speaking about spiritual gifts. As stated earlier this puts 1Corinthians 13 in context. You see the discussion of the spiritual gifts and their proper use in building up the body of Christ brackets the “Love” chapter. Unfortunately, the first three verses of the “Love” chapter are routinely left off when they are shared or discussed. In the context of the spiritual gifts given by the Holy Spirit for the building up of the body and the glorification of God let’s read those first three verses.
1Corinthians 13:1-3 ”If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, 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 the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing”.
It is clear then that any of the spiritual gifts used in a context without love are pointless. Worse, they are an irritation; “A noisy gong or a clanging cymbal”. It is love that is the foundational to proper use, utilization and effectiveness of the spiritual gifts. For love to have its effect it needs to be genuine. Genuine love is what the remainder of 1Corinthians 13 reveals. So, here is what genuine love which under-girds the spiritual gifts and ultimately the glorification of God looks like:
1Corinthians 13:4-13 “Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love”.
AMEN!
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