1 Corinthians 13:1-2 - Love Is Supreme.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (NIV) If I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 have
not love, I am nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (NLT) If I could speak
all the languages of earth and of angels, but
didnt love others, I would only be a noisy gong or
a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of
prophecy, and if I understood all of Gods secret
plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had
such faith that I could move mountains, but
didnt love others, I would be nothing.
1 Corinthians 13:1-2 (ESV) If I speak in the
tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I
am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 And if
I have prophetic powers, and understand all
mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith,
so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I
am nothing.
INTRODUCTION
In chapter 12 Paul gave evidence of the
Corinthians' lack of love in the utilization of spiritual
gifts; chapter 13 defines real love; and chapter 14
shows how love works. Love is more important than
all the spiritual gifts exercised in the church
body. Great faith, acts of dedication or
sacrifice, and miracle-working power produce very
little without love. Love makes our actions and
gifts useful. Although people have different
gifts, love is available to everyone. [Life
Application SB]
Spiritual gifts were present in Corinth
(1:7); right doctrine was even in place (11:2); but
love was absent. This led to the quarrels and
exhibitions of selfishness and pride that plagued the
church notably in the area of spiritual gifts.
Instead of selfishly and jealously desiring showy
gifts which they don't have, believers should
pursue the greatest thing of all love for one
another. This chapter is considered by many the
greatest literary passage ever penned by Paul. It is
central to his earnestly dealing with spiritual
gifts (chaps. 12-14), because after discussing the
endowment of gifts (chap. 12) and before presenting
the function of gifts (chap. 14), he addresses
the attitude necessary in all ministry in the
church (chap. 13). [MacArthur Daily Bible 2003]
COMMENTARY PEARL
Nothing Matters Without Love
Have you ever wondered what matters to
God?
The Bible says in Galatians 5:6, If
you are a follower of Christ Jesus [all]
that matters is your faith that makes you love
others (CEV). God says what matters in life is not
your accomplishments or your achievements. The
only thing that matters is having a faith that
causes you to love other people. If you miss that,
then you have missed the most important thing in
life.
When speakers want to get your attention
and want you to remember something, they use
repetition. In the first few verses of 1 Corinthians 13,
Paul says the same thing five different ways: The
most important thing in life is love.
Here are the first three reasons why love
is so important (well look at the other two
tomorrow).
1. If you dont live a life of love,
then nothing you say will matter.
If I could speak all the languages of
earth and of angels, but didnt love others, I
would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal
(1 Corinthians 13:1 NLT).
Were really impressed by great
speakers. We love eloquence and charisma. But God
says, I dont care how good of a communicator
you are. Are you living a life of love? If
youre not, then nothing you say will matter. Words
without love are just noise.
2. If you don't live a life of love, then
nothing you know will matter.
I may understand all the secret things
of God and have all knowledge But even with
all these things, if I do not have love, then I
am nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2 NCV).
We live in a world where knowledge is
exploding. We are smarter than weve ever been, but
we still have the same problems. Why? Because
the world doesnt need more knowledge. It
needs more love. You may be a genius. But if you
dont love, then all that you know is worthless.
3. If you dont live a life of love,
then nothing you believe will matter.
Even if I had the gift of faith so
that I could speak to a mountain and make it
move, I would still be worth nothing at all
without love (1 Corinthians 13:2 TLB).
Theres a myth that being a follower of
Christ is just a matter of believing certain
truths. Nothing could be further from the truth!
Following Christ is about living a life of love. It
takes more than belief to please God.
You dont have to wonder anymore about
what matters most to God. In 1 Corinthians 13, he
makes it very clear. What matters most is love!
[Daily Devotional by Rick Warren:
https://pastorrick.com/devotional/ re Gal. 5:6]
ILLUSTRATION
Have love. Be something.
How could I work this out? Tomorrow was
my meeting with a small circle of women who
gathered to critique one another's writing. By far
the least experienced, I felt honored to be so
warmly included at their last meeting. How could I
miss my second one?
Let's see. I could drop my husband off at
work. He wouldn't have a car, but that would give
me a vehicle to drive. A babysitter could pick
up my son from his violin lesson at noon. Then,
perhaps, she could take my daughter to her art
lesson. Of course, this all meant I had to get four
children up very early. Such a lot of work for a
little meeting. But it was important - at least to
me. Father, what should I do?
I heard the faint whisper of a familiar
phrase: "If I speak in the tongues of angels if
understand all mysteries but do not have love, I am
nothing."
Stay home? Was that God's answer? But
there are words of angels to translate, prophecies
to reveal, and mysteries to decipher. Was I
destined to be something? or nothing? Though "I have
all faith . but do not have love, I am
nothing."
It wasn't until the next day as my
husband drove away and I sat with my rested children
on the couch that I realized I had unknowingly
written something special. I had written "I love
you" on their hearts. God had critiqued it. And I
think he liked it.
Elizabeth Bridges Hiett, a registered
nurse, has been happily married for fifteen years
and is a homeschooling mother of four children.
[The One Year Bible Live Verse Devotional re 1Co.
13:1, 2 NRSV]
CLOSING THOUGHT
No matter how high the profession, he whose
heart is not filled with love for God and his
fellow men is not a true disciple of Christ. Though
he should possess great faith and have power
even to work miracles, yet without love his faith
would be worthless. He might display great
liberality; but should he, from some other motive than
genuine love, bestow all his goods to feed the poor,
the act would not commend him to the favor of
God. In his zeal he might even meet a martyr's
death, yet if not actuated by love, he would be
regarded by God as a deluded enthusiast or an
ambitious hypocrite. {AA 318.2}
LINKS FOR FURTHER STUDY
1 Corinthians 13 - The Love Chapter
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2007/20070820-1119.html
1 Corinthians 13 - Love Is Like That.
http://www.abible.com/devotions/2019/20190611-0928.html
LINKS WORTH CHECKING OUT
https://abible.com/links/
