What’s love got to do with it

What’s Love Got to Do With It?

Text: 1 Corinthians 13 (KJV)

Introduction

Beloved, we live in a generation that talks about love, sings about love, posts about love—but still struggles to live in love. We confuse love with emotion, with attraction, with agreement, and even with tolerance. But the Bible does not leave love undefined. In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul interrupts a conversation about spiritual gifts to remind the church that no matter how gifted you are, without love, you are still lacking.

Paul is writing to a church that was powerful but problematic, anointed but arrogant, gifted but divided. Yet Paul doesn’t rebuke their gifts first; he corrects their love. Because no matter how high you shout, or how strong you serve—if love is missing, God says it profits nothing (1 Cor. 13:1–3).And so he asks an unspoken question that still echoes today: What’s love got to do with it? The answer is—everything.

The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia Charity

CHARITY. Used 27 times in KJV, including eight times in

The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia Charity

Charity shows man’s love to man predicated on God’s love to man. The word comes from the Latin caritas, which influenced Wycliffe and the Roman Catholic translators. Tyndale and most modern translators prefer to translate the Gr. agape as “love,” which avoids the narrower modern implication of generosity to needy people or worthy causes, and conveys the idea of man’s loving attitude and action to his fellowman as a result of divine grace (

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Love

LOVE A feeling of deep affection. A central theme in Scripture and Christian theology and ethics. Defines our relationship with God and dictates how we should treat others.

The Eight Types of Love (Biblical & Classical Understanding)

Agape – God’s unconditional, sacrificial love

Love that gives without demanding.

John 3:16; Romans 5:8

This is the love of the cross.

Phileo – Brotherly affection

Friendship love rooted in shared life.

John 15:13; Romans 12:10

Love that walks with you.

Storge – Familial love

Natural affection between parents and children.

Romans 12:10 (natural affection)

Love that nurtures and protects.

Eros – Romantic/Marital love

Passion within God’s covenant design.

Song of Solomon 8:6; Hebrews 13:4

Love that unites.

Ludus – Playful love

Joyful, lighthearted affection.

Ecclesiastes 3:4; Proverbs 17:22

Love that laughs.

Pragma – Committed, enduring love

Love that lasts through seasons.

1 Corinthians 13:7; Ruth 1:16

Love that stays.

Philautia – Healthy self-love

Loving yourself through God’s identity.

Matthew 22:39; Psalm 139:14

Love that knows its worth.

Mania – Obsessive or distorted love

Love without boundaries that becomes control.

Judges 16 (Samson & Delilah)

A warning: love must be governed by truth.

I. Love Is Greater Than What You Do (vv. 1–3)

Paul begins by dismantling spiritual pride.

“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass…” (v.1)

In other words, you can be loud and still be empty.

You can speak in tongues and still speak without tenderness. You can prophesy and still wound people with pride. You can preach, shout, sing, and still make no eternal impact if love is absent. Love is not the decoration of spirituality—it is the evidence.

Matthew 7:22–23 – Gifts without relationship are rejected.

John 13:35 – Love is the badge of true discipleship.

Noise without love is just religious static.

Paul goes further:

Faith that moves mountains (v.2; cf. Matthew 17:20)

Knowledge of mysteries

Sacrificial giving—even martyrdom (v.3)

Yet he declares, “and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.”

Church, love is not validated by activity, but by authenticity. God is not impressed by our gifts if our hearts are graceless. Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another” (John 13:35). Not by miracles. Not by ministries. But by love.

II. Love Is Revealed in How You Live (vv. 4–7)

Now Paul moves from theology to behavior. He doesn’t define love by feeling—he defines it by function.

“Charity suffereth long, and is kind…” (v.4)

Love is patient when patience is inconvenient. Love is kind when kindness is undeserved.

Paul says love:

Envieth not (cf. James 3:16)

English Standard Version Chapter 3

16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.

Vaunteth (or boast)not itself

Is not puffed up

Seeks not her own (cf. Philippians 2:3–4)

English Standard Version Chapter 2

3 Do nothing from selfish ambition or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. 4 Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.

Is not easily provoked

Thinks no evil

This is not poetic language—this is corrective language. Paul is holding up a mirror to the church and saying, “This is what love looks like when nobody’s watching.”

People of God , love is not proven in worship, but in relationships. How you treat people who can’t bless you back. How you respond when offended. How you handle disagreement.

Jesus said, “Love your enemies, bless them that curse you” (Matthew 5:44)

English Standard Version Chapter 5

44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

. That kind of love does not come from emotion—it comes from transformation.

III. Love Outlasts Everything Else (vv. 8–13)

Paul now shifts to eternity.

“Charity never faileth…” (v.8)

Prophecies will cease. Tongues will stop. Knowledge will pass away. But love remains.

Why? Because love is eternal. Faith will one day become sight. Hope will one day be fulfilled. But love will never be obsolete, because God is love (1 John 4:8).

Paul says,

“When I was a child, I spake as a child… but when I became a man, I put away childish things” (v.11)

Spiritual maturity is not measured by how much you know—but by how well you love. Immaturity argues to win. Maturity loves to heal.

And then Paul concludes:

“And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity” (v.13)

Why is love the greatest? Because love motivated the cross.

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son” (John 3:16)

Conclusion

So, church—what’s love got to do with it?

Love has everything to do with it.

Love validates our gifts

Love governs our conduct

Love guarantees our legacy

You can have power without love and damage people. You can have truth without love and wound souls. But when truth and power are wrapped in love, lives are transformed.

Let us be a church that does not just shout about love—but shows it. Because when love leads, God is revealed.

Amen.