The Greatest Thing God gave to Man (3)

The Power of Love from Above

The Tony Evans Bible Commentary (C. Proper Order, Love, and Spiritual Gifts in the Church (11:2–14:40))

13:1–3 Paul insists that love is critical to any understanding and application of spiritual gifts. If love is absent, spiritual gifts do not edify. No matter what language one speaks (angels only spoke human languages in Scripture), without love the sound is nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal (13:1). No matter how visible and effective my gift or ministry may be, if I do not have love for my fellow Christians, I am nothing and I gain nothing because spiritual gifts are for the benefit of others (13:2–3). The gift does not matter when love is missing.

13:4–7 What does love look like? Paul explains what love does and what it does not do. Biblical love is the decision (not merely a feeling) to compassionately (out of concern for someone else), righteously (based on God’s standards), and sacrificially (giving to meet a need) seek the well-being of another. Notice each of the characteristics of love: it is patient … kind … not [envious] … not arrogant … not irritable. These things are only possible when we put others before ourselves (13:4–5). Love does not affirm someone in their sin or their false beliefs because love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth (13:6). Love does not quit; it endures through thick and thin (13:7).

13:8–10 One day when we experience the joyous intimacy of God’s presence, spiritual gifts will come to an end because we will no longer need them. But not love. Love never ends (13:8). When the perfect comes, though, the partial will come to an end (13:10). By “perfect,” Paul is referring to spiritual maturity. The more a person grows in spiritual maturity, the less dependent one is on the particular gifts of prophecy and tongues (13:8).

13:11–12 A child speaks, thinks, and reasons like a child. But a man has grown in maturity and put aside childish things (13:11). Our Christian goal is spiritual maturity. Full maturity will only finally occur in God’s glorious presence, but we are to progressively mature now. Currently, our experience is like looking at our reflection in a dim mirror, but eventually we will see face to face. Even as I am fully known to God now, one day I will know fully reality as God meant me to know it (13:12). All will be made clear.

13:13 These three remain: faith, hope, and love—but the greatest of these is love. In eternity, you will no longer need faith because you will have sight. You will no longer need hope because your expectations and anticipations will all have been met and exceeded. But the love that will characterize our eternal relationship with God will continue since “God is love” (1 John 4:8).

The Spurgeon Study Bible: Notes Chapter 12

12:31–13:1 “Desire the greater gifts. And I will show you an even better way.” Two things are in the text. There is, first, a good way. And, second, there is “an even better way.” First, the good way is for each individual Christian to “desire the greater gifts.” Paul was referring to spiritual gifts—gifts we ask God for, gifts we may expect the Spirit of God to bestow on us, gifts that can be used in the church of Christ, gifts we desire to possess that we may use them to the glory of God.

A certain way may be good, but another way may be even better. Gifts are good, but love is better. We should desire spiritual gifts, but above all we should seek love—the best love, the noblest love, the greatest love—that is, love to God, love to fellow believers, and love to the church of God. This is “an even better way.” We should seek this love, first, because we need it. I do not know if we need all the gifts, but I am sure we need this love. Next, we should seek this love because we can have it. There is no limit to God’s love. Perhaps even though we covet earnestly the greater gifts, there may be some gifts we will never receive. But all can have love. We need to get more love, also, because we will then be more useful. I am not sure any of us would be more useful if we had more gifts. Not every gift makes a person useful, but I am sure divine love makes us useful. A gift is often barren, but love is always fruitful. We need to get more love so we will glorify God. How little glory God often gets out of great gifts! Gifts may be prostituted to the vilest purposes, but love always brings glory to God’s holy name