Love Is the Greatest
~ This post is not listed in chronological order ~
1 Corinthians 13:1-13
- What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [Note]
- What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. [Note]
- What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. [Note]
- Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love isn’t jealous. It doesn’t sing its own praises. It isn’t arrogant.
- Doesn’t force itself on others. It isn’t rude. It doesn’t think about itself. It isn’t irritable. It is not easily angered or resentful. It doesn’t keep track of wrongs.
- Love is not happy with sin. Love is happy with the truth.
- Love is always supportive. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.
- Love will last forever, but prophecy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge will all disappear. [Note]
- We know only a portion of the truth, and what we say about God is always incomplete. Now we know only a little, and even the gift of prophecy reveals little! [Note]
- But when the end comes, these special gifts will all disappear.
- It’s like this: When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child does. But when I grew up, I put away childish things.
- Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see him very clearly, face to face. Now my knowledge is incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge of me.
- There are three things that will endure–faith, hope, and love–and the greatest of these is love.
Notes
- 1 Cor 13:1 The idea is that ever-learning more and more knowledge is not the answer. What moves God to intervene on our behalf is abiding in the “Realm of Love” Our acts of kindness will move heaven, but our focus on knowledge, education and skill will only add to our pride. [←Back]
- 1 Cor 13:2 Much is said about faith, but faith in what? What is it that we believe? Do we truly believe that “God is Love”? Do we believe the Bible is a love story to mankind? Do we believe it is ONLY in the “Realm of Love” that miracles take place? [←Back]
- 1 Cor 13:3 All our religious activities ~ giving ~ church attendance ~ Bible reading, etc, will prove useless to deliver us or help others if we do not believe that “God is Love” and reflect his love by loving one another. [←Back]
- 1 Cor 13:8 While knowledge, reason, logic and common sense can hold blessings, they are at the same time dangerous. For the realm of knowledge, reason, logic and common sense is where the enemy lives to attack us. He attacks us when in prayer. He attacks our minds while in church. But have you ever noticed he never attacks us when we reside in the realm of love? Satan does not understand love and is forbidden to enter the “Realm of Love” for that is where God lives. God is love and Satan is helpless against love. [←Back]
- 1 Cor 13:9 This proves how UN-important knowledge is, for if knowledge was as important as we seem to think, then why does God explain so little? While we seem to think of knowledge and logic as the means for our happiness and success, God thought knowledge so “UN-important” that he didn’t even inform Adam and Eve they were naked.
- Since coming to this understanding, for the first time in my life, I think I understand the Bible phrase “… the foolishness of preaching…” When you think about it, preachers stand behind their pulpits weekly and attempt to use knowledge, logic and reasoning to convey a love story that can not be understood by knowledge, logic or reasoning. Yet it is through this foolish behavior that God lovingly speaks to our hearts. But you must believe, that it is NOT the knowledge, logic, reasoning or speaking style of the preacher that results in conversion, but it is the loving voice of God that delivers the soul of mankind. [←Back]
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Dear Lord,
So many times I have been caught up in the “MORE” syndrome ~ more Bible reading, more prayer, more fasting, etc…
I now know, if the “MORE” syndrome has any validity it is in the realm of “More Love”.