By This All People Will Know

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. 

– 1 Corinthians 13:4-8

If you are like me, you have probably heard this scripture passage recited or read during at least one wedding ceremony that you have attended. Of all the weddings ceremonies that I have presided over, I would guess that about half have included this section of Paul’s letter to the church at Corinth. The reason for why seems to be fairly obvious. It speaks about love, and weddings are the celebration of two people’s love being expressed and confirmed by a marriage covenant. Therefore, these are appropriate verses, for at their wedding ceremony, every couple desires to love, be loved, and never wants it to ever end.

Yet, when we look at the context of this section of Paul’s letter, it is clearly not about weddings and marriage. This “love chapter” is slapped right in the middle of two other ones that highlight, encourage, and explain spiritual gifts within the church. The question that some have wisely asked is, why did Paul pause his discourse on spiritual gifts to talk about love? Well, I believe that he did not pause, rather he, led by the Holy Spirit, cleverly raised up on a pedestal the whole purpose of one using their spiritual gift(s) within the church: to demonstrate genuine Christ-honoring love to others in order they the church may be edified into Christ-glorifying body as it shares and reveals Christ’s love to the world. The reason I say that is because this is reflected in Paul’s own reasoning. In verses 1-3, he expounds on the fact that one can be the best speaker imaginable, possess so great power and faith that it amazes everyone, or even give the most extreme sacrificial offering in the whole congregation, yet if that person does not have the love of Christ, or does not do them with the love of Christ, in God’s kingdom economy, it is nothing and it does nothing. Those are some powerful and sober words.

So, when we look at using our spiritual gifts through the lens of the love mentioned in 1 Corinthians 13, it does not really matter which spiritual gift we have. What matters is the motivation and heart behind us using it. The church at Corinth had lost focus of the most important thing: loving others by how Christ had gifted them so that He may be glorified in their lives. They were so focused on the what of their spiritual gifts that they lost sight of the why and who. So, rather than building up one another in the church, they were destroying it through division as they competed for, what they thought, were the most impressive gifts. Therefore, Paul reminded them that they were aiming at the wrong things. He helped them, and us at the same time, to realize that love is the greatest of all things. There is even coming a day, when Christ returns, that faith and hope will no longer be needed, for we will see Him. Yet, love will remain forever. That is why it is the greatest (v.13).

My encouragement for us is this: Christ has gifted each believer to use their gift(s) to build up the body of Christ, the church. So, we are to use our gifts in and for the church. Yet, as we do, we are to do so for the purpose of building up others in their faith in Christ. We are to use our gifts in order to love others. And when we do, it testifies of our faith in Christ. As Jesus told His disciples the night before His crucifixion, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (John 13:35). May we serve others in the love of Christ and be known by our love for one another.