220 When you come together – Love – 1 Corinthians 13

Talk 7. We’re Nothing without Love – 1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Corinthians 13 is one of the best-known chapters in the Bible. It is often chosen as a reading at weddings and is widely recognised as one of the greatest statements that has ever been written on the nature of love. I well remember how it was read on the first and last day of every term in the Chapel at Brentwood School where I attended as a pupil in the 1950s.

Verses 4-8 are a favourite source of sermon material for many a preacher and Christians have often been challenged to replace the word love with their own name and ask how true these verses are in their own lives.  By contrast, of course, all Paul says about love is wonderfully true as we look at the life of the Lord Jesus, and I confess I find it easier to use his name, rather than mine, to replace love throughout these verses:

4 Jesus is patient, Jesus is kind…

 

So there can be no doubt that the truths Paul teaches about love in this chapter extend far beyond the context in which it is set. But they do nevertheless have an immediate relevance to all he is saying throughout chapters 11-14 about what should happen when Christians meet to worship the Lord.

And that is what we will be considering in this talk. How does 1 Corinthians 13 affect our understanding of chapter 14, and of 14:26 in particular?

We will divide the chapter into three sections:

·       It’s all meaningless without love (1-3)

·       The nature of love (4-8)

·       Recognising our limitations (8-12)

It’s all meaningless without love (1-3)

In the opening verses of the chapter Paul says:

1 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. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

The general sense of this passage is very clear and requires little comment here [1]. In saying this, however, we must be careful not to diminish its importance. Its clarity must not detract from its urgency. Nothing is more important than love. Whatever gifts we may have and whatever we may do, if our motive is not love, it counts for nothing. Without love I am nothing (2) and I gain nothing (3).

This principle applies to every function of the body of Christ, not just to the things mentioned in these verses, which are just illustrations of it. As we saw in the last talk, every part of the body is needed. Every member is important. And when one member suffers, we all suffer (12:26). Each member should have equal concern for every other (12:25). And now in chapter 13 Paul says that the only way that all this is possible is when we love one another.

So the things Paul refers to in verses 1-3 are just illustrations of the great principle of the paramount importance of love. But why does he choose these particular illustrations to make his point? The answer must surely lie in the particular problems facing the church in Corinth at the time. It’s evident from chapter 14 that there were problems in Corinth with their use of gifts like speaking in tongues and prophecy which are the two gifts he mentions first here in chapter 13. And the reference to knowledge may well reflect what Paul has said in chapter 8 about food sacrificed to idols, where he stresses the importance of love compared with knowledge:

We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God (1-3).

This, along with the final verses of chapter 1, indicates that some of the Corinthians were in danger of boasting about their knowledge and wisdom. There Paul reminds them that they would be nothing if it were not for the fact that God had chosen them and called them:

 

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth.

But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong.

He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things – and the things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.

It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. Therefore, as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord“ (1:26-31).

This is surely why he reminds them in 13:4 that Love… does not boast. And it may well account for the inclusion of faith that can move mountains (13:2). Spiritual gifts are charismata. They come from God’s grace. There is no room for boasting, however greatly God may have used us.

So as we later consider Paul’s encouragement in 14:26 for all to participate by bringing a contribution to our meetings, we need to remember that whatever we may bring must be brought in love and that, of course, includes humility. But now we need to consider how verses 4-8 might affect our understanding of 14:26.

The nature of love (4-8)

As I have already acknowledged, these verses have a far wider application than our understanding of chapter 14. But chapter 13 is no mere parenthesis. It is set firmly between Paul’s teaching in chapter 12 on the importance of the role of every Christian within the church as the body of Christ and his application of that principle in chapter 14 where he gives specific direction as to how certain roles are to function when the church is gathered for worship.

Furthermore, the link in Paul’s thinking between chapters 13 and 14 is clearly established in 14:1 where he says:

Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy.

As we will see in the next talk, the underlying principle of all he says in chapter 14 is putting other people first which is surely the main way in which we express our love for them. Prophecy, for example, is to be desired more than tongues because it edifies others, not just ourselves (14:1-5). So his teaching on the nature of love in 13:4-8 has a direct application to our understanding of chapter 14 and of 14:26 in particular. But how? Paul says:

4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.       8 Love never fails.

Some of these wonderful attributes of love are more obviously applicable to the contents of chapter 14 than others. So it is these that we’ll consider here, bearing in mind that they have a wider relevance that’s beyond the scope of our present discussion.

Love is patient

In a gathering where each member is encouraged to contribute something for the edification of the others (14:26), there is an evident need for patience. Waiting one’s turn isn’t always easy, especially when some people are praying or prophesying at great length. As a preacher I confess that I have often been somewhat lacking in patience when the musicians are prolonging the worship to a point where I am wondering if there will be enough time left for me say all that I believe God’s given me to say. But then I do well to remember that the congregation may well need to be patient with me!

Love is kind… it is not rude

Consideration for others is so important if the meeting is to meet its full potential. My old pastor, Alfred Webb, used to compare the time available in a meeting to a cake. If there were six people around the table, hopefully you wouldn’t dream of taking more than one sixth of the cake! So, he said, don’t take more than a fair share of the time available. Be kind. Making way for others is certainly taught in 14:30 where Paul encourages someone who is prophesying to stop if someone else has a revelation to share.

Of course, kindness in a meeting can take many forms, but perhaps one of the most important is with regard to judging other people’s contributions to the meeting. Paul encourages us to try to excel in the use of the gifts God has given us (14:12), but that implies that the level at which we use them may not always be at the highest, and we are in need of kindness when this is clearly the case with regard to the contributions of others.

Love does not boast…It is not proud… It does not envy

We have already noted that pride was a major problem at Corinth – pride in who their favourite preacher was (ch.1), pride in their tolerance (ch. 5), pride in their knowledge (ch. 8), and possibly, here in chapter 13, pride that they were able, so they believed, to speak the languages of angels (v1). There is also a suggestion of pride in 14:37 where Paul says:

If anybody thinks he is a prophet or spiritually gifted, let him acknowledge that what I am writing to you is the Lord’s command.

No doubt it would have been difficult for some to submit to Paul’s apostolic authority in this matter, but the key to humility is the understanding that we are what we are by God’s grace (15:10). Pride and boasting are totally inappropriate for a Christian:

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8-10).

All that we have and all that we are is by the grace of God. And this includes the gifts that we may use in our meetings. They are charismata.  They come from God’s grace. So there’s no basis for pride, and there should really be no need for us to envy our fellow Christians, but sadly it’s all too possible to do so.

We may envy the gifts God has given them, or the amount of time allotted to them, or the prominence given to them in the meeting. But if we love them we will be glad for them. Why am I glad when my children and grandchildren are taking part in the meetings? Because I love them! But as a Christian I am called to love every member of the body of Christ, and I should rejoice with them (12:26) when they are honoured.

Love is not self-seeking

That this was a problem in Corinth is clear from the fact that at the Lord’s supper – which at that time would have been a meal rather than the tiny emblems that are generally used today – some were going hungry while others were getting drunk:

For as you eat, each of you goes ahead without waiting for anybody else. One remains hungry, another gets drunk (11:21).

It’s not surprising, therefore, that this self-centred attitude manifested itself in other areas too, as we see in the opening verses of chapter 14. The Corinthians were edifying themselves by speaking in tongues (v.4) but needed to be encouraged to prophesy so that others might be edified. But this is something we will address in more detail in the next talk.

Love… rejoices with the truth… It always protects

Much of what Paul writes in his epistles is there for the express purpose of safeguarding the truth. What we believe is of vital importance. It determines our eternal destiny. And nowhere is this more important than when we are gathered together in church. Among the things that Paul encourages in 14:26 is a word of instruction – literally a teaching.

Love is to be the motive for all that we do, and that includes teaching. In Mark 6:34 we read that Jesus was moved with compassion for the people because they were like sheep without a shepherd, and so he began to teach them many things. In John 8:31-32 he said:

If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free.

Love was the motive for his teaching and its purpose was to set people free. The same must be true of those who bring a word of instruction in our meetings.

But the need for truth is relevant not only to teaching, but also to prophecy. As we shall see in the next section, we know in part and we prophesy in part (13:9). Our knowledge and prophetic insight are limited. That’s why we all have a responsibility to weigh carefully what is said (14:29).

Recognising our limitations (8-12)

Love never fails, but where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. 13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

The overall sense of these verses is very clear. Paul has already taught us that supernatural gifts are pointless unless they are motivated by love (1-3). He has explained what he means by love and extolled its virtues (4-8). Now in verses 8-13 he makes it clear that, although there will ultimately be no need for supernatural gifts, love will remain for ever. It never fails (8). It remains (13).

In Chapter One we discussed what Paul means by perfection in verse 10.  We rejected the views of the cessationists who believe that perfection refers to the completion of the canon of Scripture. The supernatural gifts of the Holy Spirit will be at work in the church right up until the Lord’s return. In the age to come, prophecy will not be needed – it will have already been fulfilled! Words of knowledge will be unnecessary – we shall know fully, even as we are known! But until then, these wonderful gifts are essential to the effective witness and worship of the church.

But wonderful though these gifts are, their operation is not infallible. We know in part and we prophesy in part. The contributions Paul is encouraging in 14:26 must be understood in this light. God’s gifts are perfect, but we are not. We do not yet see face to face. Paul says, we know… we prophesy. The gifts come from God but they come through us, and we are fallible.

This must affect our understanding of all that Paul says in chapter 14, not just verse 26. As we eagerly desire spiritual gifts we are to try to excel in our use of them (12). This clearly implies that it’s possible to exercise them without excelling in them. That’s why words of prophecy need to be weighed carefully (29) and why Paul found it necessary to give instruction as to how the gifts should be used. Had the operation of the gifts been infallible, such instruction would have been unnecessary.

In short, whatever contribution we may make during the course of a meeting, we must always be aware of our own fallibility. Paul encourages us to participate (26), but to make sure that we do so in love. Our use of spiritual gifts may well be imperfect, but he tells us to eagerly desire them (14:1) nevertheless. But that’s something we will consider in more detail in the next talk.