“Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-12 ESV)
This word “love,” in this context, is “agapē love,” which in some contexts can mean merely “to prefer,” such as in the context of 1 John 2:15-17 where we are told not to “agapate” (love, prefer) the world – the lusts of the flesh and of the eyes, and the pride of life. But in the context of 1 Corinthians 13, the word love (agapē) refers to divine love, and it means to prefer what God prefers, which is what is holy, righteous, morally pure, upright, and faithful.
In this context this is referring to an unselfish and self-sacrificial kind of love like the love that Jesus Christ had for us when he left his throne in heaven, came to the earth, and took on a human body, and suffered like we suffer, and was put to death on a cross by those who hated him, who refused to believe in him. But in his death he put our sins to death with him so that we might now die with him to sin and walk in obedience to his commands.
And (agapē, divine love) never ends because God is love and he has no beginning and no end. He and the love that he has for us who love him will never cease. But spiritual gifts, which are of the Spirit, and given to us by the Spirit, will one day cease, when Jesus comes back for his faithful ones to take us to be with him for eternity. For spiritual gifts are for us now, while we live on the earth, but once we are with Jesus, they will not be needed.
Right now they are given to us by God so that we might use these gifts of the Spirit to encourage and to help strengthen our fellow believers in Christ in their walks of faith, and so that they might encourage us, too. But they are temporary and they are somewhat limited because they are in us people who are clay in the Potter’s hands being molded into his likeness, which is a work in progress which won’t be finished until Jesus takes us home.
So we don’t know everything perfectly, but we should always be learning. We know in part, and we prophesy (proclaim God’s word, preach the gospel) in part. And now we see in a mirror dimly, but one day we will see Jesus face to face when he takes us who love and obey him to be with him for eternity. And then we will know fully because we will no longer live in these flesh bodies with these finite minds, but we will be in our glorified bodies.
In the meanwhile, while we still live on this earth, in these human bodies, we should be aiming toward spiritual maturity and we should no longer be living as spiritual infants. We should not behave as we did when we were children. We should not be selfish and wanting our own way. We should not be childish and self-indulgent, irresponsible, and foolish. But we should now follow our Lord in walks of obedience to his commands in holy living.
Now when it says, “but when the perfect comes,” I believe this is speaking of the return of Christ (the perfect) for his faithful followers (his bride). Then, and then only, will our salvation be complete and our marriage to Christ spiritually consummated. So, while we wait for him we are to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and we are to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives for the glory of God, in the power of God, and for his service.
So, the Scriptures teach us that faith in Jesus Christ, which is genuine, dies with Christ to sin, not just once, but daily, and walks (in conduct) in obedience to his commands, in his power. But if we hold on to living in sin, and not in walks of obedience to our Lord, we will not have salvation from sin nor eternal life with God. For not everyone who professes Jesus as Lord will enter God’s heaven, but the one DOING the will of God the Father.
[Matthew 7:13-14,21-23; Luke 9:23-26; John 1:12-13; John 6:44; John 10:27-30; Acts 26:18; Romans 2:6-8; Romans 6:1-23; Romans 8:1-14; Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 10:1-22; Galatians 5:16-21; Ephesians 2:8-10; Ephesians 4:17-32; Ephesians 5:3-6; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 3:1-19; Hebrews 4:1-13; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 1:5-10; 1 John 2:3-6; 1 John 3:4-10]
Love Must Be Genuine
An Original Work / October 22, 2013
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
Based off Romans 12:9-21
Love must be genuine.
Hate what’s evil; cling to good.
Love each other with affection.
Show respect for ev’ryone.
Never lack in your zeal.
Serve the Lord with diligence.
Rejoice in steadfast hope.
In affliction, patient be.
Keep on praying; share with others.
Practice hospitality.
Bless those who persecute.
Feel with others sympathy.
Be not filled with conceit.
Daily sit at Jesus’ feet.
Live in harmony with others.
Live at peace with ev’ryone.
Repay not to someone
With the evil he begot.
Do not take your revenge;
Leave it to the wrath of God.
If your enemy is thirsty,
Give to him something to drink.
Do what’s right for mankind.
Evil: overcome with good.
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But Then Face to Face
An Original Work / February 10, 2025
Christ’s Free Servant, Sue J Love
www.ncregister.com
