THE GREATEST GIFT IS LOVE FIRST CORINTHIANS THIRTEEN First Corinthians chapter thirteen describes the more excellent gifts. They are faith, hope and love. Paul wrote, "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." (1 Corinthians 13:13) The word "charity... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE IMPORTANCE OF LOVE 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-3:_ The Corinthian brethren were having problems dealing with spiritual gifts. Paul said the solution to the problem would be that they should pursue love, "the more excellent gift." The church is many members (1 Corinthians 12:12-26) but it is "one body.... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE DESCRIPTION OF LOVE 1 CORINTHIANS 13:4-8:_ These verses provide a brief description of love in action. God approaches love from both a negative and a positive point of view. "Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, or rude. Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE UNPERISHABLE NATURE OF LOVE 1 CORINTHIANS 13:8-10:_ Love is said to "never fail," though the miraculous spiritual gifts were to be made "null" or "useless" in time. "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether ther... [ Continue Reading ]
_THE PERMANENCE OF LOVE 1 CORINTHIANS 13:11-13:_ The miraculous spiritual gifts were not signs of maturity in Christ. Those gifts were only a means by which that maturity was pursued. The miraculous spiritual gifts were temporary like the things of childhood. "When I was a child, I spake as a child,... [ Continue Reading ]