Nov. 21, 2014

"earnestly desire the greater gifts."

1 Corinthians 13

 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

Love is patient, love is kind and is not jealous; love does not brag and is not arrogant, does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered, does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love never fails; but if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part; 10 but when the perfect comes, the partial will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak like a child, think like a child, reason like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I will know fully just as I also have been fully known. 13 But now faith, hope, love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.

This portion of scripture, taken from the daily reading in the One Year Bible chronological readings(link available on this site), is one of the most often quoted and reprinted writings from the Bible. It is used at weddings, on greeting cards, postors and plaques have it's message. It is one of the rare portions of scripture that even the world does not find offensive. Perhaps that is in part because they don't read it in the context and understand the full meaning of Paul's words. This is more than simply a love poem.

First as we do look at the context, Paul is writing to the church about spiritual gifts and their use in the church.  In the previous chapter 1Corinthians 12 Paul said this.

 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, 10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. 11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills...

27 Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it. 28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues. 29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they? 30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they? 31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And I show you a still more excellent way.

A more excellent way. The love that Paul is writing about is really an expression of the gifts of the Holy Spirit given to us by God. There are three different Greek words which are translated into the word love in the Bible. There is phileo. Which is brotherly love, that's the root of the name Philadelphia, the city of brotherly love. There is eros. Eros is the passionate and physical love between a husband and wife. The third is agape. Agape is defined as

1.the love of God or Christ for humankind.

2.the love of Christians for other persons, corresponding to the love of God for humankind.
 
3.unselfish love of one person for another without sexual implications
 
This God inspired, God given love is the love that Paul writes about. It is agape that is patient, kind, is not jealous, does not brag and is not arrogant. It is agape, Holy Spirit given love which  does not act unbecomingly; it does not seek its own, is not provoked, does not take into account a wrong suffered does not rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. It is agape, God given love that never fails.
 
Without God we are capable of phileo love. Without God we can have eros love. Unfortunately there is a tendency to pervert God's intended purpose for eros love into many other things. But that's a different topic for a different day. Without God, without the Holy Spirit working in our lives we are incapable of agape. Our human nature, our self centeredness does not allow us to express agape love to others without the Holy Spirit's influence.
 
Paul is writing about the importance of spiritual gifts in and to the church body. These include wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, distinguishing of spirits, tongues and interpretation of tongues. These gifts are critical to the life of the body of Christ. They should not be neglected or minimalized. Paul and I urge you to   "earnestly desire the greater gifts."
 
Agape love is the more excellent way because it is God given and God dependent. We love because He first loved us(1 John 4:19). Our love is an expression and response to God's love. That's why the first and greatest commandment according to Jesus is to  LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' The second must follow the first, we then can LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'…
 
Love never fails. I have experienced failed phileo. I have experienced failed eros. But agape,
God's love never fails. 
 
 
Heavenly Father, Lord Jesus, Holy Spirit, thank You that You first loved me with Your agape love. Thank You that through the Holy Spirit, You have given me access to all the gifts of Your Spirit. I earnestly desire all that You have for me. Fill me with all of Your Spiritual gifts so I may fulfill Your purpose for me. Today and every day Lord may I begin with the more excellent way. Fill me with Your agape love, so I may love others with Your true love.    Amen