The Supremacy of Love
—1Corinthians 13
Our chapter for this study (1Corinthians 13) is a lesson on love in which Paul showed how love was greater than spiritual gifts, and even greater than faith and hope. We consider eight important topics that Paul mentioned. He taught that they were nothing unless they were ruled by love. Love is not everything, but it is the main thing. Love is supreme.
1 Accompanies MIRACLES
1Cor 13 Verses 1-2
Paul named spiritual gifts such as speaking in tongues, prophecy, knowledge of mysteries, or even faith to move mountains. He said that they, and their users, amounted to nothing, if they were without love. Miracles, of various sorts, had their place, but were never to be desired above love, or used without it.
Note:— Angels' tongues and moving mountains. Paul mentioned speaking in the tongues of angels, and faith that could move mountains. Paul did not say that anyone ever spoke in an angel language, or moved a mountain. But if Paul, or anyone else, did even these things without love, it would be to no profit.
2 Motivates GIVING
1Cor 13 Verse 3
Again, Paul spoke of giving to the poor all one's possessions and giving oneself to be killed as a martyr. The Christians of Corinth were told that there was no profit even in such acts, unless they were motivated by love.
3 Trancends SELF
1Cor 13 Verses 4-5
Paul wrote, "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" (NKJV).
Some of these qualities had to do with self-denial. The others had to do with self-control. Paul was indicating that there was no covetousness or selfishness where God’s love ruled. The Corinthian Christians needed to let that love rule in their hearts and lives, and be done with love of self.
4 Confirms TRUTH
1Cor 13 Verse 6
When Paul wrote that love does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth, he was thinking of the iniquity that was all around the Corinthians every day. If they had genuine love for God and man, they would be extremely saddened. They would be like Lot, who tormented his righteous soul over the lawless deeds of the people of Sodom (2Peter 2:7-8).
However, there was also occasion for rejoicing. Paul was indicating to the Corinthians that love exposed and conquered iniquity by telling the truth about it. That included being honest about their own sins, not just pointing the finger at others.
5 Encourages ENDURANCE
1Cor 13 Verse 7
Furthermore, Paul wrote that love "bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things".
There were many burdens to bear, many truths to believe, many promises to hope for, many troubles to endure. If love was not driving all this, then nothing worthwhile could be achieved. However, if the Corinthians loved God, loved others, and loved the truth, they would achieve much in every way.
6 Surpasses KNOWLEDGE
1Cor 13 Verses 8-10
Paul believed that miraculous spiritual gifts revealed the word, or were signs that confirmed the word as truth. These special gifts were going to pass away. When they vanished, they would leave behind a legacy of complete and perfect revelation. This was the gospel, the new covenant, of Jesus Christ.
Since Paul was thinking of revelation when he spoke of "that which is in part", he was also thinking of revelation when he spoke of "that which is perfectly complete".
The basis of this revealed truth was love, God’s love for man and man’s responsive love for God. Love was the more excellent gift because it would never pass away. Love was eternal. Heaven would always be full of love and truth (but no love would ever be found in Hell.)
7 Directs CHANGE
1Cor 13 Verses 11-12
While gifts of the Holy Spirit were operating, the revelation of knowledge came piecemeal. However, eventually it was fully embodied in the writings of the apostles, including Paul. He likened this to his childhood when he was developing in speech, thought, and understanding toward maturity. When he reached adulthood, he left behind the things of his childhood and replaced them with grown-up understanding.
The Corinthians were looking at everything as though in a shadowy looking glass. But if they loved God and each other, and used their spiritual gifts well, then they would come to see each other and themselves clearly in the light of revealed truth. They would see as it were face to face, and grow more and more in the knowledge of Christ. They would know as God knew them.
8 Outlasts FAITH AND HOPE
1Cor 13 Verse 13
Paul finished this discourse on love with the familiar words, "And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love."
Paul described love as the greatest gift because it would never cease. On the other hand, faith and hope will not last forever. The promise of full revelation, believed and hoped for, would be manifest and realised. The Corinthians would no longer be looking by faith and in hope. The promised revelation would be fulfilled and present.
The same principle applies to the promise of eternal life. Belief and hope will end in the promise's fulfilment, but love will always be.