A MORE EXCELLENT WAY
Text: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
2 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, and have not charity, I am nothing.
3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
Let's look back to chapter 12 verse thirty one. Paul is showing us a more excellent way. The more excellent way is in chapter thirteen.
If we have ALL the spiritual gifts and have not love we have missed it all.
1 Corinthians 13:1-7 The Message; If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate.
2 If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all his mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing.
3-7 If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love.
All the spiritual gifts listed in chapter twelve must be used to help us love one another.
What is love?
A warm feeling?
A fuzzy feeling?
Lust ?
Love never gives up. Suffereth long. Is kind.
Love cares more for others than for self. Unselfish. Generous.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Does not envy.
Love doesn't strut. Better than others.
Doesn't have a swelled head. Not puffed up.
Doesn't force itself on others. Doesn't behave itself unseemly. Has manners.
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle. Is not easily provoked.
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others. Thinketh no evil.
Doesn't revel when others grovel. Rejoiceth not in iniquity.
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.
Puts up with anything.
Trusts God always.
Always looks for the best.
Never looks back.
But keeps going to the end.
Love cares more for others than for self. Unselfish. Generous.
Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Does not envy.
Love doesn't strut. Better than others.
Doesn't have a swelled head. Not puffed up.
Doesn't force itself on others. Doesn't behave itself unseemly. Has manners.
Isn't always "me first,"
Doesn't fly off the handle. Is not easily provoked.
Doesn't keep score of the sins of others. Thinketh no evil.
Doesn't revel when others grovel. Rejoiceth not in iniquity.
Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth.
Puts up with anything.
Trusts God always.
Always looks for the best.
Never looks back.
But keeps going to the end.
King James Version
8 Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
Prophecies won't always get the job done.
Tongues won't achieve all that we need.
Knowledge isn't the total answer either.
None of the spiritual gifts will replace LOVE.
9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13 And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
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