Unwavering Love

First Corinthians chapter 13 has been referred to by others as a misconception of context. These verses are written from the pen of the apostle Paul because the Church of Corinth was in a place of division and total disarray. Paul wrote to them to correct their abuse of the gift of tongues and the working of spiritual gifts apart from the real love of God and the Commission to see sinners converted. These church members at Corinth had grown impatient one with the other, behaving disgraceful in the House of God and in their Christian conduct.

The only way spiritual gifts can be used creatively and correctly, is when Christians are motivated by the love of God. Paul explained 3 characteristics of Christian love to show why it is important in ministry.

*He taught them that love is enriching. Vs. 1-3 *He taught them that love is edifying. Vs. 4-7 * He taught them that love is enduring. Vs. 8-13

Too many people have just enough religion to make them hate one another and not enough God to make them love one another!

Spiritual gifts are needed in the body of Christ but at the same time we must be mindful to appropriate the love of God and that it made me shed abroad in our hearts. For without it all our words, songs, and yeah sermons, will be as sounding brass and a tinkling symbol. The church of Jesus Christ should be more than a name on the door; it should be a sinning light in the community. Let us not be a dead church with dead works.

I.] LOVE IS PATIENT

VS. 4,5,7 The purpose of spiritual gifts is to edify the local church, but the Corinthians had grown impatient and began to think only of themselves. They had grown so selfish that they had even begun to sue one another in courts of law concerning the things of the church and their personal business one with the other.

A.) Patience is not Abusive. - “Suffereth long” Vs.4 Patience will endure the suffering the injustice the persecution and the present circumstances.

B.) Patience is not easily Angered. - “Is not easily provoked” Vs.5 Patience will teach us how to be slow to anger and remember to speak the right kind of words when our emotions are speaking another language.

C.) Patience is not Avenging. - “Beareth all things” Vs.7 When you were mistreated and done wrong and you could get the advantage, but you choose not to, and you refuse to stoop to the same level as those who are trying to hurt you.

[II.] LOVE IS PURE

Vs.5 True love is holy. What the world says is love is often nothing but unholy lust or sensuality. And those things have nothing to do with the service of God. Love doesn't work as a motive for self-pleasure or self-preservation. Real love is filled with forgiveness and hope.

A.) Love is pure in Manners- “Doth not behave itself unseemly” Vs.5 Loves manners are not crude or vulgar, but proper and orderly.

B.) Love is pure in Mind- “Thinketh no evil” Vs.5 Pure love has a pure mind. It thinks no evil, when others are doing evil. The love of God will never fill the mind of its heart with the things of this world that are ungodly and wicked. Those which are pure and Holy, God delights in.

C.) Love is pure in Methods- “Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth” Vs.6 To be Simply put the message of the love of God is simple caring for the things of God and the well-being of others.

[III.] LOVE IS POLITE

Vs.4 These verses direct our attention to not only our motives but to our actions.

The life that we live is equally important to the words that we profess. Life and death are in the power of the Tongue.

A.) Love is polite in its action- “Is Kind” You can no more have love without kindness than you can have

springtime without flowers. Love is not rude, mean or vindictive. It knows how to say please and thank you and how to be courteous.

B.) Love is polite in its attitude- “Envieth not” Love is not envious or begrudging to those that are blessed and have been given privileges and advantages. The scripture teaches that we shall all reap if we faint not.

C.) Love is polite in its accusations- “Believeth all things” Love does never rejoice in the misfortune of others but remembers itself that we too can suffer from failure and mistakes. And real love will never boast or brag about a sin that is being committed but it will prayerfully seek repentance and restoration.

Conclusion

If our lives are to change the lives of others, it will be changed by our love not our intelligence. Compassion always makes a difference.