"And now abide faith, hope, love; these three things; and the greater of these [is] love." 1 Corinthians 13:13

Posted by

1 Corinthians 13

If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

And if I have prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

And if I shall dole out all my goods in food, and if I deliver up my body that I may be burned, but have not love, I profit nothing.

Love has long patience, 
is kind; 
love is not emulous [of others]; 
love is not insolent and rash, 
is not puffed up,
does not behave in an unseemly manner, 
does not seek what is its own, 
is not quickly provoked, 
does not impute evil,
does not rejoice at iniquity but rejoices with the truth,
bears all things, 
believes all things, 
hopes all things, 
endures all things.

Love never fails; but whether prophecies, they shall be done away; or tongues, they shall cease; or knowledge, it shall be done away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part:

but when that which is perfect has come, that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became a man, I had done with what belonged to the child.

For we see now through a dim window obscurely, but then face to face; now I know partially, but then I shall know according as I also have been known.

And now abide faith, hope, love; these three things; and the greater of these [is] love.
_______




"1. The pre-eminent value of love.

To prove the supreme value of love the Apostle speaks of three things in which the Corinthian believers were boasting: their eloquent speech; their spiritual possessions; and their activities. He shows that, though they may seek to exalt themselves by these things, they are of no account in God's sight if they have not love as their motive.

(V. 1). The Corinthian believers were making much of the gift of tongues and natural eloquence. The Apostle warns us that it is possible “to speak with the tongues of men and of angels” and have no love. Where this is so, in spite of eloquence and seraphic words, the speaker will become as “sounding brass or a clanging cymbal”.

(V. 2). Moreover, these believers were boasting in their spiritual possessions. They had gifts and insight into all mysteries and all knowledge. They possibly had faith that could accomplish great feats, but, says the Apostle, we can have rich endowments, but if we have no love we are nothing. He does not say that these gifts, prophecy, knowledge and faith, are nothing, but that the one who exercises these gifts without love is nothing. The Apostle is not speaking of faith in Christ, for this faith works by love; he speaks rather of faith which enables individuals to overcome great obstacles and do great exploits; and he says it is possible to have such faith without love.

(V. 3). We may readily admit that it is possible for a man to talk well without love, and boast in his spiritual knowledge without love, and we may counsel such to talk a little less and do a little more. But the Apostle further warns us that it is also possible to do much without love. He says that a man's beneficent activities may rise to such a height that he may give all his goods to feed the poor and his body as a martyr to be burned, yet the motive may not be love, and thus all his activities profit him nothing.

Thus words without love, knowledge without love and activities without love, while they may be used of God to accomplish His ends, will add nothing to the one who thus speaks and acts. Without love he will be nothing and profit nothing, despite all his words, his possessions and his activities.


2. The nature of love.

(Vv. 4-7). Having insisted upon the unique value of love, the Apostle now unfolds the true character of love. It has been pointed out that the first eight qualities of love show that the effect of love in its nature is to lead to the entire renunciation of self with its impatience, lack of consideration, jealousy, aggressiveness, self-importance, lack of courteousness, selfishness and quarrelsomeness.

(1) “Love has long patience.” The flesh is ever impatient, but love can suffer long and wait God's time. Fleshly endurance is soon exhausted; love does not wear out.

(2) Love “is kind”. The flesh, even if it waits, will often do so in a fretful and resentful spirit; but love, while waiting, can retain a kindly spirit of consideration for others.

(3) “Love is not emulous of others.” The flesh ever seeks a place above others, and is jealous of favour or position bestowed on others rather than self. Love can delight without a thought of envy in honours bestowed upon another.

(4) “Love is not insolent and rash.” The flesh is aggressive, rashly pushing itself into prominence. Love is not self-assertive, but rather retiring and reticent.

(5) Love “is not puffed up”. The flesh is often vain and filled with its self-importance. Love takes the lowly place in service to others.

(6) Love “does not behave in an unseemly manner”. The flesh, even when high in the social scale, can be rude and unmannerly. Love will lead the highest by birth, as well as the lowest, to be courteous.

(7) Love “does not seek what is its own”. The flesh is ever selfish and seeks its own interest. Love is unselfish and disinterested, seeking the good of others.

(8) Love “is not quickly provoked”. The flesh is ever touchy and quick to take offence and resent insults. Love is slow to anger and not easily provoked. Love, indeed, can be provoked, for in this very Epistle we are warned that it is possible to provoke the Lord (1 Cor. 10:22); but the Lord is slow to anger; He is not quickly provoked.


In the three qualities that follow we learn that love not only leads to the renunciation of self, but that it takes positive delight in that which is holy and true.

(1) Love “does not impute evil”. The flesh is quick to imagine evil and impute wrong motives. Love does not reckon evil to exist when there is no positive evidence.

(2) Love “does not rejoice at iniquity”. Alas, the flesh delights in being occupied with evil. Love takes no pleasure in discovering evil or bringing it to light.

(3) Love “rejoices with the truth”. The flesh is unholy and can find pleasure in occupation with evil. Love is holy and finds its joy in being engaged with the truth. Love is not therefore blind, for it knows and appreciates the truth.


The last four qualities set forth the positive energy of love, whereby its possessor is sustained in the midst of a hostile world.

(1) Love “bears all things”. The flesh can bear very little without showing its resentment. Love can bear all things, and oftentimes in silence.

(2) Love “believes all things”. The flesh is ever suspicious. Love is unsuspecting and ready to believe good when there is no direct evidence to the contrary, even in the presence of much that may raise doubts.

(3) Love “hopes all things”. The flesh is ever ready to presume evil and believe the worst. Love looks upon the good rather than the evil and hopes for the best, in spite of much that may appear hopeless.

(4) Love “endures all things”. The flesh, assuming the worst, has no hope, and when hope is gone there is no power to endure. Love, hoping all things, strengthens its possessor to endure in the presence of opposition and discouragement.


3. The abiding character of love.

(Vv. 8-13). Having depicted the nature of love, the Apostle declares its permanence. Love never fails. Prophecies will be done away; their fulfilment will bring them to an end. Tongues will cease with the present divided condition of the nations. Knowledge, or the partial knowledge that we have at the present time, will be done away. Such knowledge as we now possess is not full knowledge, but rather something that we are ever acquiring, and therefore only a proof of our ignorance. It is only knowledge “in part”. In the perfect condition of heaven this knowledge in part will for ever have passed away. There may be blessed unfoldings of truth in that heavenly scene, but whatever is presented there will be fully known, in contrast to our present condition in which, though truth is fully revealed, it is yet only partially apprehended. However much we may enter into the truth down here, it ever remains knowledge “in part”. To set forth our present partial knowledge, the Apostle uses the figure of a child, who can only think, speak and reason as a child. When the child becomes a man, the childish condition is left behind. So we, while in these bodies, are compelled very largely to think of spiritual things in natural terms in accord with our present condition. Thus, as to the truth, we only see through a glass darkly. At present we are like one looking at objects through some semi-transparent medium that obscures the vision. In the perfect state we shall see face to face; there will be no medium between us and that upon which we gaze. Then we shall know as we are known. We shall fully know the truth as a whole, not merely in part, even as we are fully known. Now abide faith, hope, love, these three,
“and the greater of these is love”.
In the perfect state faith will be changed to sight, and thus faith will have its end. Hope will end in fruition. Love alone will abide. Faith and hope make very good travelling companions, but we part company with them at the door of heaven. We go in with one thing, love. Nevertheless, the verse speaks of the present condition, and tells us that even now love is the greater quality. It must be so, for love is the very nature of God, and therefore love is eternal."

Hamilton Smith
Chapter 13


Most Popular Posts

"Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." Matthew 22:37-40

Posted by
Image
Matthew 22 And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them. But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. So those servants went out into the highways,
Read more

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." Romans 1:16-17

Posted by
Image
Romans Chapters 1 through 8:  Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God, (which he had promised afore by his prophets in the holy scriptures,) concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, which was made of the seed of David according to the flesh; and declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead: by whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: to all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ.   First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for you all, that your faith is spoken of throughout the whole world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers; making request, if by any mean
Read more

"And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground." Genesis 4:2

Posted by
Image
Genesis 4 And Adam knew Eve his wife; and she conceived, and bare Cain, and said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. And she again bare his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground. And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the Lord. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the Lord had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell. And the Lord said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen? If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him. And Cain talked with Abel his brother: and it came to pass, when they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him.
Read more

Other posts from the blog

"Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by thy name, O Lord God of hosts." Jeremiah 15:16

Posted by
Image
Jeremiah 15  Then said the Lord unto me, Though Moses and Samuel stood before me, yet my mind could not be toward this people: cast them out of my sight, and let them go forth. And it shall come to pass, if they say unto thee, Whither shall we go forth? then thou shalt tell them, Thus saith the Lord; Such as are for death, to death; and such as are for the sword, to the sword; and such as are for the famine, to the famine; and such as are for the captivity, to the captivity. And I will appoint over them four kinds, saith the Lord: the sword to slay, and the dogs to tear, and the fowls of the heaven, and the beasts of the earth, to devour and destroy. And I will cause them to be removed into all kingdoms of the earth, because of Manasseh the son of Hezekiah king of Judah, for that which he did in Jerusalem. For who shall have pity upon thee, O Jerusalem? or who shall bemoan thee? or who shall go aside to ask how thou doest? Thou hast forsaken me, saith the Lord, thou art gone ba
Read more

"And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance for ever." Isaiah 32:17

Posted by
Image
2 Corinthians 5 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens. For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit. Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord: (For we walk by faith, not by sight:) We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat
Read more

Exposition on select Bible verses: Romans 1:16-28

Posted by
Image
[ Romans 1 ] 16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth: to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 17 For God’s righteousness on the principle of faith to [such as have] faith is revealed in it [the gospel]: just as it is written, “The righteous on the principle of faith shall live.”   Here we have the text of the whole Epistle of Romans: First, the words “the gospel”—so dear to Paul, as will appear. Next, the universal saving power of this gospel is asserted. Then, the secret of the gospel’s power—the revelation of God’s righteousness on the principle of faith. Finally, the accord of all this with the Old Testament Scriptures: “The righteous shall live by faith.” It will assist our study to notice at once the four “For” s in the apostle’s argument: “ For I am not ashamed of the gospel,” “ For it is the power of God unto salvation,” “ For a righteousness of God is revealed in it”; and the “for” of t
Read more

"Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah." Psalm 68:19

Posted by
Image
Psalm 68 Let God arise, let his enemies be scattered: let them also that hate him flee before him. As smoke is driven away, so drive them away: as wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God. But let the righteous be glad; let them rejoice before God: yea, let them exceedingly rejoice. Sing unto God, sing praises to his name: extol him that rideth upon the heavens by his name Jah, and rejoice before him. A father of the fatherless, and a judge of the widows, is God in his holy habitation. God setteth the solitary in families: he bringeth out those which are bound with chains: but the rebellious dwell in a dry land. O God, when thou wentest forth before thy people, when thou didst march through the wilderness; Selah: The earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God, the God of Israel. Thou, O God, didst send a plentiful rain, whereby thou didst confirm thine inheritance, when it was wear
Read more

Have Ye Not Read and It Is Written

Posted by
Image
Have Ye Not Read and It Is Written By Frances George Burkitt From: Christian Truth, Volume 1 The following passage will prove that the ground which our Lord took with the scribes, Pharisees, etc., was that they should have known what was revealed in the Scriptures. When quoting Exod. 3:6, "I am...the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob," He first says, "Have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying," Matt. 22:31. "Have ye not read?"  He asks. Alas, might not the same be often said to us? When some difficulty or testing time comes, have we read and understood? Have we the light from God's Word which will guide us aright? Our Lord quoted Hos. 6:6, "I will have mercy, and not sacrifice," on two occasions (Matt. 9:13 and 12:7), and on both told the Pharisees that they ought to have known the meaning of the words. They had the letter of Scripture, but they did not comprehend its meaning or
Read more

No Mending

Posted by
Image
No Mending By: Hugh Henry Snell From : The Evangelist, Volume 5 God is not now mending or curing the bad qualities of an evil nature. He has tried man over and over again, and always proved him to be very bad — [And Jehovah saw that the wickedness of Man was great on the earth, and every imagination of the thoughts of his heart] "only evil and that continually." Not only is he a sinner by practice, never having done any good, for  "there is none that doeth good, no, not one,"  but his nature is irremediably bad, and cannot be made better. Yet how few believe this,—how many entirely deny it! What multitudes are trying to make themselves better as they say, hoping to be good, and to get fit at last for God's presence, by what they can do, adding, that they look to God for His help , in order to do it. What a soul-destroying delusion! What vast numbers are victimized by this net of Satan's! They work, and work, and work, and boast too of their good i
Read more

"But the path of the just is as the shining light, that shineth more and more unto the perfect day." Proverbs 4:18

Posted by
Image
Proverbs 4 Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding. For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law. For I was my father's son, tender and only beloved in the sight of my mother. He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live. Get wisdom, get understanding: forget it not; neither decline from the words of my mouth. Forsake her not, and she shall preserve thee: love her, and she shall keep thee. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding. Exalt her, and she shall promote thee: she shall bring thee to honour, when thou dost embrace her. She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee. Hear, O my son, and receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many. I have taught thee in the way of wisdom; I have led thee in right paths. When thou goest, thy steps shall not be straitened; an
Read more

"And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they do not believe in Me; of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more; of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged." John 16:8-11

Posted by
Image
“Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me. “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.” Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is sufficient for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; so how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father in Me? The words that I s
Read more

Sound Words - As It Was in the Days of Noe and of Lot

Posted by
Image
As It Was in the Days of Noe and of Lot From: Sound Words - 1873 "Over 1800 years have rolled by since the Lord spoke these memorable words, and gave this prophetic picture of the state the world would be in at His return. The Son of Man has suffered many things and been rejected of this generation and nothing but judgment awaits those who form part of that system which, in the word of God, is called "the world." The world has crucified and rejected God's Son. The cross is the standing witness of man's hatred of God. It got rid, as it hoped forever, of the witness for God when it crucified the Son of Man. The nation of Israel, who are specially in view in this discourse of the Lord to His disciples, headed the world in its utter rejection of God's Son come in grace into it, as the Son of Man. "The kings of the earth stood up, and the rulers were gathered together against the Lord and against His Christ. For of a truth against Thy holy Ser
Read more

"For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." Hebrews 4:12

Posted by
Image
Hebrews 4  Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said,  As I have sworn in my wrath,  if they shall enter into my rest:  although the works were finished from the foundation of the world. For he spake in a certain place of the seventh day on this wise,  And God did rest the seventh day from all his works.  And in this place again,  If they shall enter into my rest. Seeing therefore it remaineth that some must enter therein, and they to whom it was first preached entered not in because of unbelief: Again, he limiteth a certain day, saying in David, To day, after so long a time; as it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus (i.e. Joshua )  had given t
Read more
_____________________

I'm a Christian saved by God, by His Sovereign grace. I want to encourage all to read, to hear, to believe, and to feed upon the only Words in all the world that are truly spirit and life, living and active; to know the One True God: God the Father, His Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit; Who has graciously given us the Holy Scriptures
“All Scripture is God-breathed..."
2 Timothy 3:16–17; cf., John 3:31-36; John 6:63; John 14:26; John 17:3, 17; Romans 1:1-6, 16-17; 1 Corinthians 2:1-16; 1 Thessalonians 2:13; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Peter 1:20–21; Hebrews 4:12-13. As for the commentaries I post and refer to; with much gratitude, as they have done for me, it is my hope and prayer that they serve to edify all who read them.

Shalom, beccaj
_____________________