Becoming mature in the faith is not easy, but it dramatically affects our lives and interactions with others. As Paul writes his letter to the church in Corinth, it is to address problems in the church. One of the problems he was working through was people not loving others when using their spiritual gifts. Speaking …
When do the gifts end? Paul speaks of the end of the gifts, but can we tell the timing of this end from 1 Corinthians 13? Some streams of Christianity contend that gifts such as tongues, prophecy, and words of knowledge have already ceased. Other parts of Christianity say that these gifts continue to this …
Love is an action, and I believe Paul wanted the Corinthians to act in love. They boasted about their gifts and acted rudely toward each other. Love would humble them and allow them to promote others. If we love others, we are concerned about their needs and less preoccupied with our rights. They envied what …
Spiritual gifts without love are meaningless because love is the heart of all spiritual gifts. In our body, the heart makes everything work properly, like a motor in a machine. If our heart stops, the rest of the body will also cease to function. In 1 Corinthians 12:8-11 we learn spiritual gifts are the ability …
When I was picking scripture readings for our wedding, I found one entitled the Love Chapter. It said some fantastic things about love, and I could see that following what it said would benefit our marriage. 1 Corinthians 13 is often read at weddings for this reason. At the time, I didn’t know about interpreting …
People trust many things, but David was trusting God’s love. Psalm 13:5a But I trust in your unfailing love.[1] The word used for love here is the Hebrew word hesed. There is no English equivalent, and often translators use blended words to give a better understanding. These combinations are loyal love, steadfast love, faithful love, …
Having a loving father is a gift from the Lord and something I am very thankful for. Growing up, you may not have experienced a loving earthly father, but you have always had a loving heavenly Father. There is something special about being in God’s family. In the Lord’s family, you are accepted, highly favored, …
I believe your view of God influences worship. Why? If you think God is a mean, greedy being to be appeased, you will worship only to placate Him. You will not want to spend time or do more than is required. But, if you think God loves you, has a plan for your life, and …
Knowing God sees me and my situation is comforting, especially when life is not going well. You may be experiencing a difficult time in your life, and the Lord wants you to know He loves you and cares for you. The Lord also saw you before you were born. Psalm 139:16 You saw me before I …
What is the difference between serving in love and serving out of obligation? Merriam-Webster defines obligation this way: a formal contract, a promise, or the demands of conscience or custom that obligates one to a course of action, a duty.[1] When one serves out of obligation, it is a “have to” type of thing. On …