I Corinthians
Chapter 13
This chapter in Corinthians is often called the “love chapter”.
Vs. 1 Paul has just been talking about “spiritual gifts”. He said we should want to have spiritual gifts and pray that the Lord would give them to us. But—–Paul says—-there is something that is more important to have than spiritual gifts———that is love.
Vs. 2 Paul said If I have the spiritual gift that I could speak in “tongues” or in another language by the Spirit and if I could speak my own language and make wonderful talks and speeches but if I do not have love all those words and talking are empty and mean nothing.
They are like a noise made by a cymbal, or a gong of brass.
Vs. 2 Paul says If I have the gift to tell prophecy of what will happen in the future, or if I have great wisdom to understand deep things that others do not understand,
or if I would have great knowledge about many things, or if I would have great faith so much that I could make a mountain move from its place ——— but——if I do not have love——-then all those other things mean nothing.
Paul is saying If I do not have love for the people I am talking to and serving none of those wonderful spiritual gifts will mean anything.
Those spiritual gifts have no value if I do not love the people I am trying to win to Jesus.
Vs. 3 Paul says If I would give all my money to the poor, if I gave my body to be burned (like a sacrifice) but I do not have love then all that would have no profit or good.
Vs. 4 Love is willing to suffer long with someone. (Being patient and kind with someone who is hard (difficult) to get along with, or hard (difficult) to live with.)
Love is kind.
Love is not jealous or has envy.
Love does not lift itself up and make ones self more important than another.
Vs. 5 Love does not behave act do things in a way that is not right or not loving or is not kind.
Love does not seek to please ones self.
Love does not let one get angry easy or quickly.
Love does not think evil.
Vs. 6 Love is not happy to see sin or evil happening.
Love is happy when truth is being done.
Vs. 7 Love bears all things. (It is patient, willing to bear burdens to help others, is willing to keep being kind and patient when others are difficult.)
Love believes in all things. Hopes all things, Endures (stays firm and faithful and steady in all things.)
In other words, Love keeps believing good will happen. Love keeps hoping for the best. Love keeps on being steady and true when things are difficult and hard.
Vs. 8 Love never fails. (With God’s love in us we can give love to others. Our problem is that we do not draw on God’s love, we give up, we get angry, we do not want to keep loving. God’s love never fails. And He will help us love if we are willing to pray for it and obey by being kind and patient with others.)
God’s love will last forever.
For those who have the gift of prophecy there will come a time when prophecy is no longer needed.
For those who have the gift of “tongues” there will come a time when “tongues” are no longer needed.
For those who have the gift of knowledge there will come a time when special knowledge is no longer needed.
Vs.9 Now (here on earth as humans) we know in part. We have limited knowledge and understanding about things.
Those who give prophecy give only a part of what will happen in the future.
Vs. 10 But someday when we are in heaven we will know and understand in a complete way and the things and gifts we used on earth will be finished.
Vs. 11 Paul gives an example When I was a child I thought like a child. I did not understand completely many things. When I became a man I did not think like a child any more but I had the understanding of a grown man.
Vs. 12 Now on earth as humans we see things and understand things partly.
It is like looking through a window that is very dirty and blocks what we can see. We see things only partly or the shape of things we see is blurred because of the dirt on the window.
But some day in heaven we will see Christ face to face. We will have complete understanding of things (on earth we have only part understanding) in heaven it will be complete. We will know things just as God knows us now.
Vs. 13 Now on earth we have faith hope love. But the greatest of these is love.
(Love will go on forever. Once we are in heaven and see Jesus we will not need faith and hope any more.)