Probably the most well-known passage on love in the Bible is in Paul’s letter to the people of Corinth – the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 13.
In teaching the people of Corinth about love, what is the very first thing Paul has to say?
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1
He starts out with Spiritual Gifts. Makes sense … his letter was not originally divided into chapters like our Bible is today, and he had just been discussing Spiritual Gifts with the people. So, Paul’s teaching on love is a natural continuation of his teaching on Spiritual Gifts.
I find it curious that the primary thing noted about the people of Thessalonica (in the letter Paul wrote to them) is their love … while, in contrast, the primary thing noted about the people of Corinth is their emphasis on Spiritual Gifts.
Paul’s letter to the Christians in Thessalonica starts out with a declaration of how their faith is evident to the whole world because of their love. Whereas Paul’s letter to the Christians in Corinth starts out with a declaration of their speaking ability, their knowledge, and their spiritual giftings.
“For in him [God] you have been enriched in every way – in all speaking and in all your knowledge … Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.” – 1 Corinthians 1:5, 7
The Christians in Corinth were trying very hard to be spiritual and godly. They had impressive speaking skills and impressive knowledge … yet they were spiritually immature because they did not have love.
The Christians in Corinth likewise were very aware of their spiritual giftings and they were actively at work using their spiritual giftings. Yet they were spiritually immature because they did not have love.
They were using their impressive speaking skills to argue and quarrel with each other … about which Biblical teacher was better than the other. This was an obvious display of pride, arrogance, rudeness towards each other.
They were using their impressive speaking skills to take each other to court and file lawsuits against each other. This was an obvious display of being “self-seeking” and “keeping a record of wrongs.”
The Christians in Corinth were trying to excel in godliness by pursuing their spiritual giftings. Yet, for all their effort they were woefully spiritually immature … because they did not have love. Hence, right in the middle of Paul’s teaching about Spiritual Gifts he pauses. A long pause. (an entire chapter’s length of a pause) And he lets them know that none of their spiritual giftings matter at all if they do not have love.
The whole point of the Spiritual Gifts is so that love can be demonstrated towards others.
God loves all people! And God gave Spiritual Gifts for the express purpose that all people could know of his love for them. That is the whole point of the Spiritual Gifts.
Right at the start of Paul’s instruction on love, he calls out the Gift of Tongues and the God-given ability to speak articulately and communicate in a powerful and effective way.
“If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” – 1 Corinthians 13:1
None of it matters if there is no love. The whole point of the God-given ability to speak articulately and communicate in a powerful effective way is so that love can be demonstrated towards others.
The Gift of Tongues is only a “tool” … so that love can be demonstrated towards others.
The God-given ability to speak articulately and communicate in a powerful and effective way … this is only a “tool” to be able to demonstrate love towards others.
Paul is telling the people of Corinth: Don’t get it backwards. Your impressive communication skills aren’t the point. Your God-given ability to speak with power isn’t the point. Your miraculous ability to speak other languages isn’t the point. It’s not to make you awesome, so that everyone praises you because you are so amazing.
The whole point is to love others.
