Christian love : The more excellent way

1 Cor 13:1-8

Love is a word that many people use everyday but many do not take into account what it involves. Many people say “I love you”, but many do not take into account what they mean. No one will ever want to be hated. Many people want to be loved but many people do not want to give love. I have heard a statement like this in school: “You are more loving than being loved!”

[My intention is to show the qualities of true love, which every Christian has to exercise]

1. Love is a source of progress in a Christian life

·         Where there is love, there is unity.

·         Where there is love, there is success in every project.

·         Where there is love, there is peace.

·         Where there is love, there is happiness.

·         Unity in good works is based on love (Jn 13:34,35).

·         Where there is love, it shows the image of Christ and makes the world know that we are His disciples.

·         Love manifests, the commandment of our Lord Jesus Christ.

2. Without love Christians are empty and worthless

Love as used in this text is agape in Greek. This means unconditional love. Paul makes us know here that you can be the best Christian as far as work or faith is concerned, but without love you are nothing. Paul makes it known that he knows what he is saying. They are things he has experienced in his Christian walk and he says he could glory in these things he has experience but he would not do it because God intended him not to. He has surely spoken with angels in his visionary experience of being caught up to the third heaven and hearing the unspeakable words (2Cor 12:4).

• The language of angels cannot be expressed through the physical mouth of man as the language of man; but Paul had the grace to speak. But he says it does not benefit if he has no love (agape).
• You may have faith that can move mountains, gift of prophecy, understand all mysteries and all knowledge; but you are nothing if you do not have love (agape).
• Without love that moves us to respond to the needs of our brothers or sisters, all the other gifts of the spirit will be useless in us.
• You can give yourself to be persecuted even to death for your faith in Christ (vs 3); you can give sacrificially to help the poor or for evangelism. But if the giving of your life or money is not motivated by love in response to the grace of God, then it is useless. That is what Paul means when he says it profits not.
• All these things that we do because we merit them are good. We may be doing them because we merit that, because we are gifted. Yes! But if we do these and lack in love, it does not profit us. It will not take you to heaven if you are doing those things meritoriously.
• But you cannot love without doing the work. It is the heart of love that is essential for one to be able to dwell in heaven. Not merits, but love! (James (2:14-19)
• How can you give to the needy with faith when you do not love? Without love your faith is dead.

How then can we show love? Vs 4

3. Qualities that show true love

Paul presents 15 qualities that show true love in this text.

True love:

        I.            Suffers long: Love patiently endures the weaknesses of others. It is not quick to throw away relationship because of a disagreement (Proverbs 17:9). 1 Thess 5:14 says we should be patient towards all men.

      II.            Is Kind: Love has no harsh attitude to a brother or sister or spouse (Eph 4:32) It works for the benefit of the people we love.

    III.            Does not envy:  It does not jealous or seek the possessions of others (Gal 5:26)  It will build up and not tear down

    IV.            Does not exalt itself: love does not push to be seen but to work humbly in the background for others to be seen; for others to be exalted. Love does not draw attention to itself.

      V.            Is not puffed up: love is not arrogant or prideful. So it does not insist on having its own way or consider itself better than others. It does not lift itself up by knocking others down.

    VI.            Does not behave unbecomingly vs 5: It does not ignore others for the sake of exalting itself. It shows more considerations for others.

  VII.            It does not seek its own: love does not love to be first. (1 Cor 10:24, Ph 2:4, 3Jn 9,10)

VIII.            Is not easily provoked: love does not easily lose its temper. In situations that are rough and harsh, love would not react in rage and anger, but in calmness and gentleness.

    IX.            Thinks no evil: love does not search for evil in order to destroy the enemies by slanderous character assassination. But it assumes the sincerity of others without questioning the motives of others.

      X.            Does not rejoice in iniquity vs6: Love does not take pleasure in finding sin or failures in the lives of others (Ps 10:3, Ro 1:32)

    XI.            Rejoices in the truth: It seeks truth and not evil in the lives of others. It goes for the truth; Look at the things that it can do to bring truth in the life of others.

  XII.            Bears all things vs 7: Whether things are difficult or not, love does not cease to work. When one is sinned against love, love forbears without retaliation.

XIII.            Believes all things: love believes that all things work together for the good of Christians (Ro 8:28). The best is yet to come!

XIV.            Endures all things: Because all things work together for good of Christians, love looks on the positive side of things when things seem to go wrong. Things may go wrong but true love never quits.

All the other miraculous gifts will pass away but love never fails. Prophecies and languages will vanish away but that which spring forth out of a heart of love would never pass away. Love is the most excellent way!

Shalom!