In saying love is the greatest, Paul is not belittling spiritual gifts. (“Suffering” sounds rather dramatic, but in Buddhism it refers to any source of profound dissatisfaction — be it … In fact, our membership has declined over the past ten years, our budget has slipped, we are giving less to missions, and we’re becoming liberal in our theology.” Our Christian radio station advertisements offer invitations to attend the church where “things are happening,” where “the Lord is at work,” where “the Spirit of God is blessing as never before … .” If we were to believe our own publicity, we would be proud, and if we actually advertise in this way, we are boasting. Not finished it yet but it has some wise words all of us would benefit from. Christians reject a great many movies for explicit sex, violence, or filthy language, and rightly so. She who was a “nobody” was a “somebody” in the kingdom of God, simply because she loved her Lord. Childish toys are great when we are children, but they should hold little attraction for adults. I see a great deal of jealousy in the ministry. If love is greater than spiritual gifts which do not last, love is greater than faith and hope, which “abides” and “endures.” I am not certain just how Paul can speak of faith and hope as abiding, when they seem to be unnecessary in heaven. The word “abuse” is one of the great “excuse” words of our day. If this is so, we can see two major dimensions to love’s consistent capacity to “hold up” rather than “fold up.” First, love bears up silently; that is, love covers sin with a cloak of silence. Even good musicians don’t make bad violins into good violins merely by playing them. It is companionship, or brotherly love. A woman regarded as a “nobody” came, uninvited, and washed the feet of our Lord. Christians are so thin-skinned and touchy they fall apart at a raised eyebrow. And so in these first three verses of chapter 13, Paul shows the importance of love. I pray … His surviving son, Mephibosheth, is crippled in both feet. The Bible says if love is real you will be able to see it. When others prosper at our expense, this is precisely what love intends. Unable to add item to List. I am reminded of the battery commercial that frequently runs on television. We don’t want him to be caught and sent to prison. Turning the other cheek is out because that would be tolerating physical abuse. Christians should be characterized by hope in the midst of adversity, and it may well be this hope which opens the door for sharing our faith with others: “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15). Patience is the quality that does not surrender to circumstances or succumb under trial; it is the opposite of despondency and is associated with hope, 1 Thessalonians 1:3; it is not used of God.174, Leon Morris adds this comment: “First, love is long-suffering. A weave of traditional texts, personal experiences and deep teachings on mindful living, this text defines the Four Immeasurable Minds - love, compassion, joy and equanimity - as concrete expressions of deep love. But how does pride and boasting manifest itself in the church—our church—today? You don't have to be Buddhist to learn from his writings, Reviewed in the United States on January 25, 2017. My wife and I were driving in our Pinto station wagon one day when a flashy Corvette pulled up along side us as at a traffic light. In fact, Paul’s word is the opposite of ‘short-tempered,’ it means—if we may invent a word—‘long-tempered.’”175. And yet Paul goes on to say that we “know in part, and we prophesy in part” (verse 9). Hope too seems to be temporal: “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for why does one also hope for what he sees? We want this person to die in the worst conceivable way. The Corinthians may profess to pursue and practice love, but they are surely lacking in love. 7 For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. Neither is it kindness which compels two believers to square off with each other in a secular law court (chapter 6). We all yearn to experience a love that is deeper and more joyful. 24 And the Lord’s bond-servant must not be quarrelsome, but be kind to all, able to teach, patient when wronged (2 Timothy 2:24). Rom. Suppose someone in the church has gifts or a ministry we covet. At times, distinguishing fine subtleties may have real value, but the truth of God’s Word was not written for the academic elite; it was written for every Christian. 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face; now I know in part, but then I shall know fully just as I also have been fully known. Kindness is also a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22). These examples could be multiplied. Now, in the second half of verse 4 through verse 6, Paul lets us know what love is not like. When our children walk with the Lord, it is solely due to the grace of God and not to our good parenting. Love is essential for eternal rewards. 11 When I was a child, I used to speak as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. Ananias and Saphira both “fell” dead when confronted by Peter (Acts 5:5, 10). Love is to be pursued as the “pearl of great price,” but the spiritual gifts are not to be neglected. We are told that our first priority is to love ourselves so that we can then love others. People give away their possessions for any number of reasons, and many of those reasons can be self-serving rather than sacrificial. Recently my wife Jeannette and I went to a friend’s home to celebrate one of their children’s fifth birthday. That “imperfect” spare is taken off and put in the trunk as soon as a “perfect” tire is available. Such arduous research and thought will inevitably enhance our understanding of the nature of God’s love and the love required of believers. Though these two things are different, they are both born of self-centeredness—and it is this that love rules out. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. Throughout history, man has sought to excuse disobedience or sin by convincing himself that his situation is an exception. The imperfect will be done away with. Had love been present in Corinth, it would have prompted them to wait (see 1 Corinthians 11:17-34). 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