Week 13, Day 4: The Greatest of These is Love
Today’s Reading: 1 Corinthians 14:1-15:58
Some thoughts from yesterday’s reading…
Much of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 have to do with spiritual gifts given to the first century church to help it until the word of God was completed (1 Corinthians 13:9-10). But, at the end of chapter 13, Paul tells us that faith, hope and love would endure; and the greatest of these is love. Paul spent most of the chapter establishing what “love” is for us, so that there is no misunderstanding. But, I want you to specifically consider 1 Corinthians 13:1-3.
Paul shows us in these verses just how useless all the “good” we can muster would be if we have not love for others. We could be the most eloquent speaker, or the most beautiful singer, but if we do not love those around us it will not do us any good. Even the spiritual gifts were of no use if the one using them did not have love for those around them. And faith? Even faith so great that it could move mountains was useless if one did not have love. All of the good deeds that we can do go for naught if we do not have love for either man or God!
This passage makes me think of the many people in the world who claim that they love God, but then refuse to do what He has commanded them to do. They seem to believe that His love is so blind that they simply have no responsibility toward Him. They think that God, being the gracious and merciful God that He is, will simply turn a blind eye to their disobedience (even if they believe He will judge others.)
We simply do not love God if we are unwilling to be obedient to Him. We should also consider that we don’t love those around us very much if we refuse to be obedient to God. Love would demand that we try to help them in any way possible to avoid the punishment of Hell. Love would demand that we seek what is best both physically and spiritually for those who are around us, whether it be friends, family or other acquaintances.
Let us love not in word only, but in deed and in truth (1 John 3:18).