Love: The Eternal Constant Series

Intro

Our text is found in 1 Corinthians 13. In verses 1-3, Paul writes: “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.”i

Last week we saw the preeminence and necessity of love in those verses. We are to pursue the gifts of the Spirit, we should seek to excel in edifying the church; but, all that must be done with the right motives. Otherwise, it loses its validity in the eyes of God. In the beginning of this letter Paul commends the Corinthians for their zeal in spiritual gifts. But he soon begins to confront their problems, the major one being conflicts with one another.ii So Paul is issuing some correction in this teaching. It doesn’t matter how spiritual you think you are, if you are not operating in love, it is of no real value.

Then Paul uses 15 Greek verbs in verses 4-7 to describe what love is. Love is about the choices in behavior that we make, especially in our relationships with one another. “Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.”

Now we come to today’s text in verses 8-13: “Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. 13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.”

Paul is comparing the permanent nature of love to the temporary nature of the gifts. (1) (vs 8) States the comparison (his point). (2) (vs 9-10) Identifies when the temporal will pass away. (3) (vs 11-12) Provides two analogies to illustrate his point. (4) (vs 13) Finalizes his point with a concluding statement.

I. TEMPORARY NATURE OF SPIRITUAL GIFTS VERSUS PERMANENCE OF LOVE (vs 8)

In verse 8, Paul states the difference between the temporary nature of spiritual gifts in contrast to the permanence of love. “Love never fails” The Amplified Bible says, “Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete, or comes to an end.” The idea here is that love is permanent. It’s not like the flower that fades away after its seasoniii or the leaf that falls to the ground when the weather changes. The qualities of love are enduring;iv Love never fails; therefore, it continues forever. The RSV simply says, “Love never ends” and the Living Bible catches the flow of Paul’s thoughts when says, “All the special gifts and powers from God will someday come to an end, but love goes on forever.” Love will go on forever.

Then Paul selects three highly prized gifts and states their transitory nature compared to the eternal nature of love: prophecy, tongues, and knowledge.

(1) “But whether there are prophecies, they will fail;” The NIV is more consistent with Paul’s contextual argument: “But where there are prophecies, they shall cease.”

(2) “whether there are tongues, they will cease;”

(3) “whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”v The Corinthians have seen the gifts of the Spirit as an end in themselves.

But Paul wants them to understand the gifts as a temporary tool God is using to prepare them for eternity. The end objective is love out of a pure heart. Our redemption began with love and consummates with love. It was love that moved God to send His only begotten Son to die on the cross for our salvation. It was love that moved God toward rebellious mankind. And God’s purpose is to transform our nature to be like Him. The end objective is a company of people who are like God from the core of our being.vi The end objective is a Bride who is like her Husband, Christ. God is love. God will have a people who operate forever in His love.vii