Agape Love - Part 1
1 Corinthians 13v1-3
24th June 2022
1 Corinthians 13v1-3
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a
resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
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.
If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not
love, I gain nothing.
In Chapter 12, Paul writes about the use of spiritual gifts, like prophecy and word of knowledge, reminding us in verse 7 that "to each one the manifestation of the spirit is given for the common good". He asks us to think of ourselves as parts of one body. Every part is different, and every part is important. He says that we all have different God-given abilities, we're all called to different roles in the church, and we're all valuable. Having used this idea of our being "the body of Christ" (verse 27) to urge us to use our gifts for the benefit of others, he says at the end of verse 31, "And now I will show you the most excellent way".
It's good to see ourselves as all being important members of the body of Christ, with important God-given abilities including spiritual gifts. It's even better to see everything we do – everything – as being of value only if it's motivated by love and done in a loving way. We shouldn't choose between using spiritual gifts and loving each other, we're supposed to use spiritual gifts as one way of loving each other.
Speaking in tongues seems to have been the most fashionable spiritual gift in the church at Corinth at the time Paul wrote this letter to them, so he says, "If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal." It's a valuable gift from God. Paul wrote in Chapter 14, verse 5 that "I would like every one of you to speak in tongues". But speaking in tongues, if not motivated by love and done in love, is worthless, useless. It's no better than banging a gong or bashing a cymbal.
Speaking in tongues is, I suppose, an evidence that I'm a Christian, but it's not evidence that I'm a good Christian. Love is the evidence that I'm a good Christian.
When Paul writes about love here, he's using the Greek word agape. The Illustrated Bible Dictionary says agape is "that highest and noblest form of love which sees something infinitely precious in its object." The New Dictionary of Theology says agape is: "the self-giving love of God revealed in Jesus Christ which is the motivating power and pattern of Christian living." Without the sacrificial love that comes from God, without the understanding that all humans are of infinite value, our Christianity is empty and we're nothing.
Paul next says, "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." Paul values the gift of prophecy very highly. In Chapter 14 verse 1 he says, "eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy." God requires us to eagerly desire prophecy. Sadly, not all prophecy is genuine, but genuine prophecy is the very word of God. But if I prophesy in order to look good, or to reassure myself of God's approval, or to manipulate my brothers and sisters in Christ, or because I have a really good idea, and I think it would sound more persuasive if I prefix it with words "God says", then it's not worth doing. It does no good at all. It can only do harm. God is not mocked.
Or if I bring a word of knowledge, or a word of wisdom (see Chapter 12 Verse 8) but I'm not motivated by love, I achieve nothing. Even if I have a special gift of faith, the sort of faith that makes us certain that a particular prayer will be answered, that a miracle is about to happen, it does me no good unless I love God, the church and my neighbours.
In Verse 3, Paul moves away from spiritual gifts, and talks about acts of service that can be done using our natural abilities or just as an act of the will. He says, "If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing." Even extreme financial generosity, even martyrdom, do us no good, gain us no credit with God, if not motivated by love. If I give a large financial gift to salve my conscience, or in the hope that somebody will see me doing it and think more highly of me, then it's of no spiritual value. I gain nothing.
So whether you're more comfortable prophesying, or speaking in tongues, or preaching, or playing the guitar, or teaching Sunday School, or cooking for a church event, this lesson is for us all. If our actions are not motivated by love, then we gain nothing.
I would love it if more people came to the church prayer meeting. I genuinely don't understand why they don't. I know that not much will happen if we don't pray together. But there's no point in coming if you don't want to be there. You gain nothing, for yourself or for God, if you're there but wishing you were somewhere else. Similarly, I would love it if all the members of the church showed a genuine commitment to coming every Sunday morning they can, to giving generously to church funds, to attending a midweek group. But if you're going to do it with a bad, negative attitude, there's no point. You'll achieve nothing.
Agape love is fundamental to the Christian life. It's essential. Please pray for yourself, and for me, that we would love God more, love the church more, love our neighbours more. Everything worthwhile that happens, happens because of love.
In the next few verses, Paul describes agape love. He tells us two things that describe love, eight things that love never does, and five things that love always does. We'll look at that next time.