LOVE’S DISTINCTIONS

My little children, let us not love IN WORD, neither IN TONGUE; but IN DEED and in truth – 1 John 3:18

The thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians is one of the most beautiful and familiar chapters in the Bible. Often described as the Love Chapter, it provides a splendid, poetic, reflection on love. Although this text is typically read at weddings and anniversary celebrations, its original context and intent were more sombre. Paul was writing a rebuke to the dysfunctional church in Corinth, mainly for their abuse of spiritual gifts. It is in this light that we can truly ponder the deeper meaning of the passage. Ignoring the context of the chapter poses the danger of missing its essence.

Two inter-related and strong strands run through this passage: first is that LOVE is ACTION; it is more than an EMOTION. The second strand: LOVE is the GREATEST of Virtues; therefore, we cannot afford to pay “lip-service” to love. We must love IN DEED, not just IN WORD or IN TONGUE. The kind of love described here is seen (visible), experienced (tangible), and demonstrated (practicable). It is far beyond “personal feelings” which are common in today’s popular culture. Nowadays, many people in the guise of ‘love’ simply do what they want, when they want, and as they “feel” like it. If they don’t “feel” like it, they don’t do it. The 1 Corinthians 13-type of love focuses more on an active and purposeful love; it is absolutely silent on personal feelings.

If love is an action, and not a mere emotion, we need to examine in greater detail what God says about it. We need to know what love is and what it looks like when it is lived out in the church and among fellow human beings. The thirteen verses in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthians present three distinctions of love:

- Love’s PRIMACY: love is greater than any spiritual gift; indeed gifts are valueless unless exercised in love (vs. 1-3)
- Love’s PRACTICALITY: the portraits of love consist of active characteristics, expressed by supernatural responses (vs. 4-7)
- Love’s ETERNAL QUALITY: spiritual gifts are temporal, but love is eternal (vs. 8-13).

We’ll consider each of these in subsequent devotions. As we delve deeper in this meditation, be ready for a “Love Revelation” that would produce a “Love Revolution” in all aspects of your life and positively pervade all dimensions of your destiny.