What's Love Got To Do With It - Study 10/13/11
What’s Love Got To Do With It
What’s love got to do with it as sang by Tina Turner? Well everything. It is not “a second-hand emotion” and yes your heart can be broken. “Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken” according to Tina Turner. What is love? Let’s define LOVE in the context of 1 Corinthians 13. I like this rendering by one scholar, “The Greek for this word love indicates a selfless concern for the welfare of others that is not called forth by any quality of lovableness in the person loved, but is the product of a will to love in obedience to God’s command. It is like Christ’s love manifested on the cross” (cf. John 13:34-35; 1John 3:16). You can’t earn love and you can’t love those who have earned your love.
Years ago I went through one of the most difficult times in my life. It was a church split. There was a division of two camps in our local assembly. One group was for the assistant pastor and the others like me without choice wanted to remain one as we were. I have not and do not plan to (by God’s grace) but I can imagine it is the same feeling for people going through divorce in marriage. It is literally like one body being torn apart. The Church is one body of Christ.
While are my recalling this painful time of my life? Well Apostle Paul was witnessing such division in the Corinthian Church. Like Paul I didn't care if you speak in tongues or prophesy or manifest any other gift of the Spirit, just love me and love the body of Christ. Please stop tearing us apart. The same tongues-talking, demon-casting brothers and sisters in the church were the same ones lashing out angrily with hatred toward the other members of the church. It ought not to be so.
I now have appreciation for the background of the greatest chapter penned by Apostle Paul, Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians. What's Love got to do? Yes, love has to do with everything including heaven and hell. In warning about false prophets, Jesus said, 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23).
Jesus said that his new commandment is that we love one another. He showed us how to on the cross. There is no greater love than giving his life for his sinful friends who did not deserve his love. It was not just a nice thing to do but it was the will of the Father. Jesus only did what the Father willed and that brought glory to the Godhead. Love is not just sacrifice but being and doing the will of God. Jesus would say depart from me for “I never knew you”. Yes they performed miracles and manifested all kinds of gifts. The people Jesus spoke about did their own thing at their own initiative and not initiated by the Holy Spirit of God. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 is echoing Jesus when it comes to anything we do including exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Do we get it? Are we just doing our own thing (regardless of how wonderful it may appear outside) instead of what God through His Holy Spirit and His Word is telling us to do? I have come to realize that often the things I want to do are not necessarily what God wants me to do or how he wants me to do it. The end does not justify the means. Now let's read.
1 Corinthians 13
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. We have to go back to chapter 12 for the introductory words of Paul for chapter 13. Having made the point that the body of Christ is one with differing gifts, Paul now introduces how to go about exercising those gifts. 31 “But eagerly desire[e] the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way”. (1 Corinthians 12:31. The greater (or best) gifts and the most excellent way? There are various ways but there is an excellent way that gets the job done as intended by God. Daniel in the OT was described as having an excellent spirit. I believe it is the spirit of obedience to the will of God. He did not even fear the lion’s den to obey God. That is the kind of Spirit I want. It may cost me all I have now but God will vindicate me at the end.
2. In verses 1-3, Paul summarizes the gifts though he does not name of them. He could have. He started off with the one gift that is causing the most contention and confusion among the Corinthians – the gift of tongues. Yes, even tongues of men and of angels, Paul says is not enough if not done for the benefit of the body and for the glory of God. Notice the phrase “have not love”. Having something leads to doing something. Having love is having God because God is love. Until we have God, we cannot truly have love and we cannot act in loving ways. It is a relationship with God that causes us to have God and love. You cannot love in the real sense of if you do not have God. That is why Jesus says, “I knew you not” (Matthew 7). Do you have God and does God know you on a first name basis as His son or daughter?
3. From the inside out comes loving actions. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres vs.4-7. These are all God’s qualities or character. Oh that we would be kind to each other. That is a reflection of God. Also God has never been rude to me so why should I be rude to you. Being rude ignores the existence of the other. The Corinthian Church were being rude to each other (see chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians).
4. The fruit of love as listed is a tall order to follow – kindness, no envy, no boast, no pride selfless etc. Compare the list to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. How on earth can we be and do all that except by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit? It is not something we have all mastered. Rather, these are ways of being at the appropriate time when it is called for. So, then I will pray and ask God to help me when the moment comes. “Oh God, this sister or brother or person is getting on my nerves, please help me not to retaliate and be rude, unkind, angry and etc. Sometimes we are able and sometimes we fail in the process of loving. God again gives us another opportunity to love. We get to do it again as long as we are alive and relating to people and not robots. Yes our hearts sometimes get broken in loving and being loved. We broke Jesus’ heart on the Cross.
5. Verses 8-13 gives the highest definition of love and love is ranked above all else – gifts of the Spirit, faith and hope. Love never fails. Guess who never fails, God never fails. God is the greatest because love encompasses all the gifts. Love is the greatest sign that shows that the Spirit of God lives in us. Some have used this section to justify that some gifts of the spirit have ceased because it says, “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears” If you read the entire paragraph vs.8-13, it can only mean but one thing. It is pointing to the end of time when Christ returns for us. There would be no need for prophecy, tongues, even faith and hope. Who hopes for what they have seen? If this section does not refer to the end when Christ returns for us, please tell us the exact date when prophecy and tongues and faith and hope ceased? The word translated “perfection” also means complete and mature but more so “complete” in this context. Anyway, whatever you believe on this subject of the gifts of the Spirit, above all please have love and love others.
Who has really shown you love? Is it the one who did what they thought you need or the one who listened and did for you what you truly needed at the time? You and I appreciated it most when we realize that whoever has acted kindly toward us did not have to because we have not done anything that merits the love action. As long as we continue to look for the reason why we have to show an act of love to the other party, we will never love as God loves. It will require as Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24). It is a daily action of love and obedience.
Are you looking for your wife or husband or any person else to earn your love? “I will love him or her when he or she acts right”. Well forget it! It will never happen. But we can love because God has commanded us to do so and because He did the same for us. Starting today, will you and I love our wives, husbands and all our other relationships just on our own terms or God’s terms? Lord, change me.
Love has everything do with it. Father, I confess that I am nowhere near your expectation to love as you have loved me. Most of my actions have been filled with self motive and not your motive. Please forgive me and cleanse me from every act of selfishness. Lord, empower me to love as you have loved me. Lord, help me to endure the brokenness of loving as I listen and obey your voice. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22) Amen.
What’s love got to do with it as sang by Tina Turner? Well everything. It is not “a second-hand emotion” and yes your heart can be broken. “Who needs a heart when a heart can be broken” according to Tina Turner. What is love? Let’s define LOVE in the context of 1 Corinthians 13. I like this rendering by one scholar, “The Greek for this word love indicates a selfless concern for the welfare of others that is not called forth by any quality of lovableness in the person loved, but is the product of a will to love in obedience to God’s command. It is like Christ’s love manifested on the cross” (cf. John 13:34-35; 1John 3:16). You can’t earn love and you can’t love those who have earned your love.
Years ago I went through one of the most difficult times in my life. It was a church split. There was a division of two camps in our local assembly. One group was for the assistant pastor and the others like me without choice wanted to remain one as we were. I have not and do not plan to (by God’s grace) but I can imagine it is the same feeling for people going through divorce in marriage. It is literally like one body being torn apart. The Church is one body of Christ.
While are my recalling this painful time of my life? Well Apostle Paul was witnessing such division in the Corinthian Church. Like Paul I didn't care if you speak in tongues or prophesy or manifest any other gift of the Spirit, just love me and love the body of Christ. Please stop tearing us apart. The same tongues-talking, demon-casting brothers and sisters in the church were the same ones lashing out angrily with hatred toward the other members of the church. It ought not to be so.
I now have appreciation for the background of the greatest chapter penned by Apostle Paul, Chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians. What's Love got to do? Yes, love has to do with everything including heaven and hell. In warning about false prophets, Jesus said, 21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?’ 23 Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ (Matthew 7:21-23).
Jesus said that his new commandment is that we love one another. He showed us how to on the cross. There is no greater love than giving his life for his sinful friends who did not deserve his love. It was not just a nice thing to do but it was the will of the Father. Jesus only did what the Father willed and that brought glory to the Godhead. Love is not just sacrifice but being and doing the will of God. Jesus would say depart from me for “I never knew you”. Yes they performed miracles and manifested all kinds of gifts. The people Jesus spoke about did their own thing at their own initiative and not initiated by the Holy Spirit of God. Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 is echoing Jesus when it comes to anything we do including exercising the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Do we get it? Are we just doing our own thing (regardless of how wonderful it may appear outside) instead of what God through His Holy Spirit and His Word is telling us to do? I have come to realize that often the things I want to do are not necessarily what God wants me to do or how he wants me to do it. The end does not justify the means. Now let's read.
1 Corinthians 13
1 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames,[b] but have not love, I gain nothing.
4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears. 11 When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. 12 Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.
13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.
Here are my observations in addition to the ones you may have:
1. We have to go back to chapter 12 for the introductory words of Paul for chapter 13. Having made the point that the body of Christ is one with differing gifts, Paul now introduces how to go about exercising those gifts. 31 “But eagerly desire[e] the greater gifts. And now I will show you the most excellent way”. (1 Corinthians 12:31. The greater (or best) gifts and the most excellent way? There are various ways but there is an excellent way that gets the job done as intended by God. Daniel in the OT was described as having an excellent spirit. I believe it is the spirit of obedience to the will of God. He did not even fear the lion’s den to obey God. That is the kind of Spirit I want. It may cost me all I have now but God will vindicate me at the end.
2. In verses 1-3, Paul summarizes the gifts though he does not name of them. He could have. He started off with the one gift that is causing the most contention and confusion among the Corinthians – the gift of tongues. Yes, even tongues of men and of angels, Paul says is not enough if not done for the benefit of the body and for the glory of God. Notice the phrase “have not love”. Having something leads to doing something. Having love is having God because God is love. Until we have God, we cannot truly have love and we cannot act in loving ways. It is a relationship with God that causes us to have God and love. You cannot love in the real sense of if you do not have God. That is why Jesus says, “I knew you not” (Matthew 7). Do you have God and does God know you on a first name basis as His son or daughter?
3. From the inside out comes loving actions. 4 Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. 5 It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. 6 Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. 7 It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres vs.4-7. These are all God’s qualities or character. Oh that we would be kind to each other. That is a reflection of God. Also God has never been rude to me so why should I be rude to you. Being rude ignores the existence of the other. The Corinthian Church were being rude to each other (see chapter 11 of 1 Corinthians).
4. The fruit of love as listed is a tall order to follow – kindness, no envy, no boast, no pride selfless etc. Compare the list to the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:22. How on earth can we be and do all that except by the empowerment of the Holy Spirit? It is not something we have all mastered. Rather, these are ways of being at the appropriate time when it is called for. So, then I will pray and ask God to help me when the moment comes. “Oh God, this sister or brother or person is getting on my nerves, please help me not to retaliate and be rude, unkind, angry and etc. Sometimes we are able and sometimes we fail in the process of loving. God again gives us another opportunity to love. We get to do it again as long as we are alive and relating to people and not robots. Yes our hearts sometimes get broken in loving and being loved. We broke Jesus’ heart on the Cross.
5. Verses 8-13 gives the highest definition of love and love is ranked above all else – gifts of the Spirit, faith and hope. Love never fails. Guess who never fails, God never fails. God is the greatest because love encompasses all the gifts. Love is the greatest sign that shows that the Spirit of God lives in us. Some have used this section to justify that some gifts of the spirit have ceased because it says, “But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part, 10 but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears” If you read the entire paragraph vs.8-13, it can only mean but one thing. It is pointing to the end of time when Christ returns for us. There would be no need for prophecy, tongues, even faith and hope. Who hopes for what they have seen? If this section does not refer to the end when Christ returns for us, please tell us the exact date when prophecy and tongues and faith and hope ceased? The word translated “perfection” also means complete and mature but more so “complete” in this context. Anyway, whatever you believe on this subject of the gifts of the Spirit, above all please have love and love others.
Who has really shown you love? Is it the one who did what they thought you need or the one who listened and did for you what you truly needed at the time? You and I appreciated it most when we realize that whoever has acted kindly toward us did not have to because we have not done anything that merits the love action. As long as we continue to look for the reason why we have to show an act of love to the other party, we will never love as God loves. It will require as Jesus said, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me (Matthew 16:24). It is a daily action of love and obedience.
Are you looking for your wife or husband or any person else to earn your love? “I will love him or her when he or she acts right”. Well forget it! It will never happen. But we can love because God has commanded us to do so and because He did the same for us. Starting today, will you and I love our wives, husbands and all our other relationships just on our own terms or God’s terms? Lord, change me.
Love has everything do with it. Father, I confess that I am nowhere near your expectation to love as you have loved me. Most of my actions have been filled with self motive and not your motive. Please forgive me and cleanse me from every act of selfishness. Lord, empower me to love as you have loved me. Lord, help me to endure the brokenness of loving as I listen and obey your voice. “To obey is better than sacrifice” (1 Samuel 15:22) Amen.
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