Acting in love
And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing (1 Corinthians 13:2-3).
In these verses Paul lists the gifts of prophecy, understanding, faith and sacrifice. These are all needed to build up the people of God. Prophecy reveals the mind of God in terms of the past, present and the future. Understanding brings us into an appreciation of all that God is doing. Faith demonstrates our complete trust in God in the ordinary and extraordinary experiences of life. And sacrificial giving benefits others. But Paul surprises us by saying that all these things can be done without love.
Paul had been transformed by the love of Christ. He never ever forgot that Christ loved him even when he had used all his influence, gifts and energy to destroy the Christian Church. It was the love of Christ which compelled Paul to minister in love to the people he once persecuted. This love was the basis of his first epistle to the Corinthians. By the Spirit of God, he highlighted how the love of God was evidently lacking amongst them. In the Old Testament God had to highlight the hypocrisy of the nation of Israel. Their outward behaviour suggested a spiritual life, yet their hearts were far from God. The Lord Jesus condemned the practice of the Pharisees. And, as we are seeing, Paul has to address similar problems in Corinth. The Church has been afflicted in the same way ever since. And love has to expose such failure in order to change it.
In verse 3 the apostle surprises us by focusing on the sacrificial giving of all material goods for the benefit of those in greatest need, The National Lottery provides a fascinating insight into human nature. Its principle is simple and effective. Funds raised are distributed to different causes. Give people the incentive of enormous prizes, and they will buy tickets, even though the likelihood of winning is extremely remote. Remove the lottery factor, and the giving diminishes. Why do we need to have the possibility of gaining something before we give? What is lacking? He also speaks of the sacrifice of life itself. People can be willing to sacrifice everything in the pursuit of a cause. In our time, we have seen the emergence of suicide bombing. These dreadful actions involve the complete sacrifice of a life to completely destroy the lives of others: giving life to destroy life. The motives for sacrifice are not always marked by purity and can be based on pure hatred. We believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, who sacrificed Himself in love so that we could live in His love.
Paul was asking the Christians at Corinth, and Christians today, about their motives. Do we express the love that redeemed us, or do we tend to act in self-interest even in spiritual matters? He challenges the basis of our communications, understanding, faith and practice with one incisive question, “Does the love of Christ motivate us?” The Holy Spirit in love exposes our behaviour in order to transform it. In making us look into our hearts the apostle prepares us to look at the heart of Christ. We should not be afraid, guided by the Spirit of God, to search within to judge our motives. This will lead us to the One who will reassure us of His love for us and teach us to live in its power.
“Yes, I have loved you with an everlasting love;
Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you” (Jeremiah 31:3).
