Faith is a blessed thing.\u00a0 For it is by grace through faith that we are saved.[1]\u00a0 Faith is what gives us hope of eternal life in God\u2019s Heavenly Kingdom.\u00a0 So, I think we\u2019d all agree that faith and hope are two of the most important things a Christian can possess.\u00a0\u00a0 The Apostle Paul would agree that faith and hope are essential things that every Christian must have.\u00a0 But, he wouldn\u2019t say they are the greatest things a Christian must have in their hearts.\u00a0 So, what then is the greatest thing of all?\u00a0 Well, Paul teaches us this:\u00a0 \u201cAnd now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is LOVE.\u201d 1st Corinthians 13:13 (NIV)\u00a0 <\/p>\n
So, with LOVE being the greatest of all Christian attributes, it is essential for us to understand what LOVE is all about. \u00a0In the 13th chapter of 1st Corinthians, Paul gives one of the best explanations as he defines the many aspects of Christian LOVE.\u00a0 This morning, we are going to explore the first three verses of chapter 13 where we are told how empty our efforts are when they lack Christian love. <\/p>\n
In verse 1, Paul makes a very sobering statement.\u00a0 He declares:\u00a0 \u201cIf I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.\u201d\u00a0 1st Corinthians 13:1 (NIV)\u00a0 To understand what Paul is saying here, it helps to have a little background surrounding this epistle.\u00a0 1st Corinthians was one of the two letters Paul wrote to the early Christian Church in Corinth, Greece. \u00a0Corinth was a major city in the Roman empire noted for its diverse citizens and pagan immorality.\u00a0 Paul faced many challenges in guiding the Corinthian church.\u00a0 In this first letter to them, Paul sought to correct their misguided views about what the life of a Christian is supposed to be.<\/p>\n
When Paul referred to the \u201ctongues of men,\u201d he was speaking of the gift of the Holy Spirit that was given to the first members of the early Christian church on the Day of Pentecost.\u00a0 It was then that some of Jesus\u2019 followers were given the unique gift enabling them to speak foreign languages that they had never before spoken (Acts 2:4-12). \u00a0But, when Paul referred to the \u201ctongues of angels,\u201d he wasn\u2019t\u00a0 describing some unknown heavenly language.\u00a0 Rather, it was more likely a local expression meaning to speak with divine eloquence.\u00a0 In other words, it referred to someone who was noted as an exceptional speaker.[2]\u00a0 Both the \u201ctongues of men\u201d and the \u201ctongues of angels\u201d were highly prized by the Greeks living in Corinth.\u00a0 As newly converted Christians, members of the Corinthian congregation yearned to have the gift of tongues as a mark of status within their new faith.\u00a0 And, on a purely secular level, Greeks naturally loved good oratory.\u00a0 They\u2019d sit for hours listening to men whose silver-tongues produced flowery words that sounded as if they were from the \u201ctongues of angels.\u201d\u00a0 So, if a Corinthian could speak in the \u201ctongues of men\u201d or the \u201ctongues of angels,\u201d he or she would have been quite pleased with themselves.\u00a0 But, Paul had news for them.\u00a0 Even if they possessed the gift of tongues (in either form), but had no GODLY LOVE in their hearts, they were no better that a \u201cresounding gong or a clanging cymbal.\u201d\u00a0 Without living out the love of Christ in their daily lives, the gift of tongues would amount to nothing.\u00a0 All they would be doing is making a lot of noise!\u00a0 That, of course, must have been a great shock to these Corinthian Christians.\u00a0 For Paul to open in this way, surely got their attention.<\/p>\n
Now, just in case someone missed the point, Paul built upon his original statement by adding:\u00a0 \u201cIf I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I am nothing.\u201d\u00a0 1st Corinthians 13:2 (NIV)\u00a0\u00a0 \u00a0This reference to the \u201cgift of prophecy\u201d is a little confusing for us today.\u00a0 The Greek word Paul used for \u201cprophecy\u201d does not necessarily mean the ability to give prophetic predictions about the future.\u00a0 Within the context of Paul\u2019s letter, it simply refers to \u201cthe gift of inspired preaching\u201d[3] or the ability to publicly proclaim the Gospel in an effective way.[4]\u00a0 This gift appealed to the Christian Greeks in two ways.\u00a0 First, they loved to hear great speakers. Secondly, they also wanted the public attention and acclaim that came with preaching the Gospel message.\u00a0 The only thing Greeks loved more than such spiritually inspired oratory was knowledge\u2014i.e., the pursuit of learning new things and solving the mysteries of life.\u00a0\u00a0 Knowing this, Paul emphasized his point by adding the gift of knowledge to the gift of public preaching.\u00a0 Then, he capped this off by including another spiritual dimension:\u00a0 A faith so strong that it could \u201cmove mountains.\u201d\u00a0 Thus, Paul rolled all these treasured gifts together and concluded that you could be blessed with them all, but if you lacked LOVE, then you would still amount to NOTHING! (1st Corinthians 13:2)\u00a0 \u00a0Or, as Christian theologian,\u00a0 D. A. Carson put it:\u00a0 \u201cWithout love, even the Christian who has the most effective faith contributes nothing to the edification of the church.\u201d[5] <\/p>\n
Next, Paul moved on in verse 3 and stated: \u201cIf I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, BUT HAVE NOT LOVE, I gain nothing.\u201d 1st Corinthians 13:3 (NIV)\u00a0 \u00a0The first part of this verse is plain enough.\u00a0 We\u2019ll come back to its meaning in a moment.\u00a0 But, what does Paul mean by surrendering one\u2019s \u201cbody to the flames?\u201d\u00a0 Some interpret this as referring to the ultimate self-sacrifice in support of a cause.\u00a0 In other words, it points to the sacrificial death of a martyr. \u00a0\u00a0But, this isn\u2019t the only interpretation.\u00a0 The early church writer, Clement of Rome, believed that Paul was referring to those who would actually sell themselves into slavery and then use the proceeds to pay for feeding the poor.[6]\u00a0 This latter interpretation fits well with Paul\u2019s reference to giving all one possesses to the poor.\u00a0 Under either interpretation, it points to a Christian totally dedicated to helping those in need.<\/p>\n
Now, back to the opening phrase of verse 3 that refers to a Christian, so dedicated to the Lord, that he or she gives all they possess to the poor.\u00a0 Such an act would also be very self-sacrificial.\u00a0 In this regard, it encompasses something Jesus told the rich young ruler he must do to start on the path of salvation.\u00a0 This wealthy man asked Jesus: \u201cTeacher, what good thing must I DO to get eternal life?\u201d Matthew 19:16 (NIV)\u00a0 As a starter, Jesus told him to follow the Ten Commandments\u2014specifically, Commandments 5 through 10 that deal with one\u2019s relationship to his fellow human beings. \u00a0The man responded:\u00a0 20 \u201cAll these I have kept.\u00a0 What do I still LACK?\u201d 21 \u00a0Jesus answered, \u201cIf you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven. Then come, follow Me.\u201d 22 \u00a0When the young man heard this, he went away sad, because he had great wealth. 23 \u00a0Then Jesus said to His disciples, \u201cI tell you the truth, it is hard for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. 24 \u00a0Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the Kingdom of God.\u201d Matthew 19:16-24 (NIV) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Note that Jesus informed this rich young man that he was LACKING something.\u00a0 With this in mind, why did Jesus tell him to part ways with his possessions and give them to the poor?\u00a0 How could giving these things away allow this man to gain what he\u2019d been lacking? \u00a0And, more to the point\u2014exactly what was the man lacking?\u00a0 \u00a0He was lacking the LOVE OF CHRIST in his heart.\u00a0 When we say the \u201cLOVE OF CHRIST,\u201d what does it entail?\u00a0 Well, just as the Cross had a vertical beam and a horizontal beam, so too does the \u201cLOVE OF CHRIST\u201d have a vertical dimension and a horizontal dimension.\u00a0 Vertically, it is the love we must have for God.\u00a0 Horizontally, it is the love that we must have for each other.\u00a0 Speaking of the relationship Christians are to have with each other as members of the Body of Christ, Jesus said: 34 \u00a0\u201cA new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 \u00a0By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you love one another.\" John 13:34-35 (NIV) \u00a0But, that is not the only love Christians must display.\u00a0 The demands of GODLY LOVE (agap\u0113, \u1f00\u03b3\u03ac\u03c0\u03b7) go much farther than that.\u00a0 In this regard, Jesus said:\u00a0 43 \u00a0\u201cThere is a saying, \u2018Love your friends and hate your enemies.\u2019 44 \u00a0But I say: Love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45 \u00a0In that way you will be acting as true sons of your Father in Heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust too.\u201d Matthew 5:43-45 (TLB)<\/p>\n
This was something that Paul was trying to get the Corinthian church members to understand.\u00a0 He was telling them that they were treasuring the right things, but for the wrong reasons. The Corinthians in the Church were pursuing the gift of tongues, the gift of preaching, the gift of knowledge, and the gift of faith, but they were doing so without the LOVE OF CHRIST in their hearts.\u00a0 And, because of that, they were not putting their spiritual gifts to use for the betterment of God\u2019s Kingdom.\u00a0 Rather, they were misusing them to make themselves look superior to other members of the church.\u00a0 They loved these spiritual gifts as status symbols, just as the rich young ruler loved his material possessions for the status and worldly pleasures they brought him.\u00a0 It wasn\u2019t so much that they lacked love.\u00a0 In fact, they had plenty of love.\u00a0 The problem was their kind of love was of the worldly variety.\u00a0 As such, it was a misdirected love because it was focused on their worldly pride and materialism.<\/p>\n
When someone volunteers to feed the homeless at a soup kitchen or engages in some other charitable acts, have you ever heard them say they do it because it makes them \u201cfeel good\u201d? \u00a0They don\u2019t always complete their statement, but what they are really saying is that it makes them feel good about themselves.\u00a0 Even worse, some take it a step farther and think to themselves, \u201cOh, what a good person I am for doing such a gracious thing!\u201d\u00a0 I am not trying to be cynical, but the reality of such declarations is \u201cdo-gooders,\u201d like that, would have fit well within the Corinthian church congregation that Paul was trying to correct.\u00a0 When a person\u2019s motivation to do good things for others is rooted in making themselves feel good, it is a sure sign that he or she is motivated by seeking a sense of self-superiority and worldly praise.\u00a0 Worldly praise, like the material things of this world, will not last.\u00a0 They are merely temporary treasures that are here today, but gone tomorrow.\u00a0 That is why Jesus said: 19 \u00a0\u201cDo not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 \u00a0But store up for yourselves treasures in Heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 \u00a0For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.\u201d Matthew 6:19-21 (NIV) \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0The Corinthians had a worldly love in their heads, but lacked the LOVE OF CHRIST in their hearts.<\/p>\n
Now, we come to Paul\u2019s declaration that you can engage in self-sacrificial acts (such as giving all you have to the poor or even to the extreme of martyrdom), but if you lack the LOVE OF CHRIST in your heart, those sacrificial actions will not benefit you in the least!\u00a0 That was a shock to the Corinthians.\u00a0 It is an even bigger shock to those in the churches across America this morning who have never truly considered the message Paul is delivering here in 1st Corinthians 13.\u00a0 So, it is critical that we probe further to grasp Paul\u2019s meaning when he said that such people \u201cgain nothing\u201d when their actions are devoid of CHRISTIAN LOVE.\u00a0 <\/p>\n
So, what did Paul mean when he said it gained them nothing,[7] or it was not of any benefit to them[8]?\u00a0 To answer this, consider Paul\u2019s letter to the Church in Ephesus.\u00a0 In that letter, Paul declared that we are saved by grace through faith and not by our good deeds.[9]\u00a0 Also, note that James, the brother of Jesus, provides us with further insight when he stated that: \u201cJust as the body is dead when there is no spirit in it, so faith is dead if it is not the kind that results in good deeds.\u201d James 2:26 (TLB) \u00a0Reading Paul and James together, it is apparent that LIVING FAITH, which opens our way to Heaven, is evidenced by the good things we do that spring from our faith.\u00a0 When we add what Paul is saying here in 1st Corinthians 13, we can see that faith without GOD\u2019S LOVE in the hearts of those performing good deeds is also a dead faith.\u00a0 In order to be saving faith, it must be infused with the LOVE OF CHRIST.\u00a0 Even if the rich, young ruler had sold his billion-dollar estate and distributed the proceeds to the poor, but did so solely for his self-interest in gaining entry to Heaven, it would have profited him nothing.[10]\u00a0 The Gates of Heaven would have remained closed to him because he did it for his own self-advancement, and not by being motivated according to GOD\u2019S LOVE in his heart.\u00a0 The LOVE that matters is the LOVE that seeks to gain benefits for others.\u00a0 It is \u00a0NOT the love of one\u2019s self that seeks solely personal gain.[11]\u00a0 You can speak in tongues until your tongue falls out.\u00a0 You can fill your head with all the biblical knowledge available, until you head explodes.\u00a0 Or, you can climb the mountain of faith and jump from the top.\u00a0 But, unless you have the LOVE OF GOD in your heart, it is a lifeless faith that is of no benefit to you whatsoever.\u00a0 Christian writer, Grant Richison says the spiritual mathematics look like this: Gifts minus love = 0;\u00a0 Preaching minus love = 0; and, helping others minus love = 0. [12]\u00a0\u00a0 And, if you don\u2019t correct those equations, your soul will remain lost.[13] \u00a0Sadly, when you stand before God at the final judgment, you will receive no reward.[14] \u00a0\u00a0Paul isn\u2019t making this up!\u00a0 He is telling us exactly what Jesus taught when He said:\u00a0 21 \u00a0\u201cNot everyone who says to Me, \u2018Lord, Lord,\u2019 will enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in Heaven. 22 \u00a0Many will say to Me on that day, \u2018Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles [and worked in soup kitchens to feed the poor, and did a thousand other \u2018good deeds\u2019 that made us feel so very \u2018good\u2019]\u2019? 23 \u00a0Then I will tell them plainly, \u2018I NEVER KNEW YOU. AWAY FROM ME, YOU EVILDOERS!\u2019\u201d Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV)\u00a0 They would be terrible words to hear from our Lord because you would be denied access to Heaven and the only place left for you to go would be Hell!\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t you want to hear a different judgment from Jesus?\u00a0 Wouldn\u2019t it be infinitely and eternally better to hear Him say to you, \u201cWell done, good and faithful servant\u201d for when you did those good deeds for \u201cthe least of these, you did them unto Me\u201d?[15]\u00a0\u00a0 THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT PAUL IS EXPRESSING HERE IN 1st CORINTHIANS 13!<\/p>\n
Now, to avoid such an eternally tragic situation, we need to continually examine ourselves carefully.\u00a0 In doing so, we must be certain we are not making the same mistakes as many of those in the Corinthian church.\u00a0 As Christians, we need to direct our actions\u2014all that we do\u2014in a manner that displays a God-like nature.\u00a0 And, since \u201cGod is LOVE,\u201d[16] whatever we do should be motivated by our love for God and our love for our fellow human beings.[17] \u00a0As one Christian commentator put it, we should ask ourselves if we are \u201cdriven by LOVE or by a desire for recognition or self-righteousness.\u201d[18]\u00a0 \u00a0Bear in mind that we cannot produce this LOVE all on our own.\u00a0 We must allow the Holy Spirit to transform our way of thinking to allow the LOVE OF CHRIST TO GROW within our hearts.\u00a0 In this regard, LOVE is the first fruit of the Holy Spirit in those whose saving faith is alive.[19]<\/p>\n
When you allow the Holy Spirit free reign in your life, GOD\u2019S LOVE within you will grow.\u00a0 And, when this happens, the LOVE OF CHRIST changes everything.\u00a0 Instead of using your God-given gifts and your personal resources exclusively for your own advantages, you will begin to take advantage of the opportunities to serve the needs of others.\u00a0 You will also experience a noticeable growth in your FAITH and HOPE.\u00a0 The seeds of FAITH and HOPE will start to flourish in the soil of your heart.\u00a0 Whereas before, they lay there dormant, now the sunshine of GOD\u2019S LOVE will bring them to life.\u00a0 And, when the storms of life come and the rain beats down, no longer will you sit there drenched in despair. \u00a0Rather, you will know that you are blessed and realize the truth of James\u2019 declaration when he said: 2 \u00a0\u201cDear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. 3 \u00a0For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow. 4 \u00a0So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.\u201d James 1:2-4 (NLT2) \u00a0\u00a0And, when you come to realize that those in Christ are in need of nothing, you will begin to be more willing to share everything with others.\u00a0 Instead of doing \u201cgood deeds\u201d to make yourself \u201cfeel good,\u201d you will engage in good works because you know it pleases God.[20]<\/p>\n
FAITH, HOPE and LOVE\u2014the greatest of these is LOVE because GOD IS LOVE and He loves us more than we\u2019ll ever know. \u00a0\u00a0So, don\u2019t be a \u201cresounding gong\u201d or a \u201cclanging cymbal.\u201d\u00a0 \u00a0Gongs and cymbals do not define us as Christians.\u00a0 Rather, we are defined by the CROSS OF CHRIST. For by His wounds, we are healed[21], and by His Light, we are granted spiritual sight.\u00a0 For as Paul reminds us: \u201cFor though once your heart was full of darkness, now it is full of LIGHT from the Lord, AND YOUR BEHAVIOR SHOULD SHOW IT!\u201d Ephesians 5:8 (TLB)\u00a0 So, shine His LIGHT today by ensuring that your heart, mind and soul are filled with the LOVE OF CHRIST, inspiring all that you do!<\/p>\n
Let us pray.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Darvin Satterwhite, Pastor<\/p>\n
Forest Hill Baptist Church<\/p>\n
January 26, 2025<\/p>\n
\u00a92025 All Rights Reserved as follows:<\/p>\n
Anyone is at liberty to use this sermon or any portions thereof for educational or religious purposes, with or without credit. The pastor believes the material presented herein to be true to the teaching of Scripture, and desires to further, not restrict, its potential use as an aid in the study of God\u2019s Word. The publication of this material is a grace ministry of Forest Hill Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia.<\/p>\n
Visit us on our Face Book page at https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/4409sspotswoodrdgordonsvilleva.<\/p>\n
[1] Ephesians 2:8\u00a0 \u201cFor it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.\u201d (NIV)<\/p>\n
[2] GotQuestions.org, https:\/\/www.gotquestions.org\/heavenly-language.html [accessed January 21, 2025].<\/p>\n
[3] Ronald Trail, Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 10-16, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2001, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 170.<\/p>\n
[4] MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. Thomas Nelson Publishers.<\/p>\n
[5] Carson, D. A., ed. (2018). NIV Biblical Theology Study Bible. Zondervan.<\/p>\n
[6] Ronald Trail, Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 10-16, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2001, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 174.<\/p>\n
[7] 1 Corinthians 13:3\u00a0 \u201cIf I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.\u201d (NIV) <\/p>\n
[8] 1 Corinthians 13:3 \u00a0\u201cIf I give away everything I own, and if I give over my body in order to boast, but do not have love, I receive no benefit.\u201d (NET1) <\/p>\n
[9] Ephesians 2:8-9 8 \u00a0\u201cFor it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God, 9 \u00a0not by works, so that no one can boast.\u201d (NIV)<\/p>\n
[10] Roy E. Ciampa and Brian S. Rosner, The First Letter to the Corinthians, (Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing Co., 2010), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 634-635.<\/p>\n
[11] Ibid, 638.<\/p>\n
[12] Grant Richison, 1 Corinthians 13:3, VersebyVerseCommentary.com, https:\/\/versebyversecommentary.com\/2002\/12\/14\/1-corinthians-133\/ (December 14, 2002).<\/p>\n
[13] James Burton Coffman, Coffman Commentary: 1 & 2 Corinthians, (Abilene, Texas: ACU Press, 1974), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 16.<\/p>\n
[14] Ronald Trail, Exegetical Summary of 1 Corinthians 10-16, An, (Dallas, TX: SIL International, 2001, 2008), WORDsearch CROSS e-book, 174.<\/p>\n
[15] Matthew 25:40 \u201cAnd the King will answer them, \u2018I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for Me.\u2019\u201d (NET1)<\/p>\n
[16] 1st John 4:16 \u00a0\u201cAnd so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in him.\u201d (NIV) <\/p>\n
[17] Tryon Edwards, D.D., 1st Corinthians 13:3, BibleHub.com, https:\/\/biblehub.com\/sermons\/auth\/edwards\/love_the_importance_of.htm, (accessed January 23, 2025).<\/p>\n
[18] 1st Corinthians 13:3, BibleHub.com, https:\/\/biblehub.com\/study\/1_corinthians\/13-3.htm (accessed January 23, 2025).<\/p>\n
[19] Galatians 5:22-23 22 \u00a0\u201cBut the fruit of the Spirit is LOVE, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 \u00a0gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.\u201d (NIV)<\/p>\n
[20] J. Lyth, D.D., 1st Corinthians, BibleHub.com, https:\/\/biblehub.com\/sermons\/auth\/lyth\/love_importance_of.htm\u00a0 (accessed January 23, 2025).<\/p>\n
[21] 1st Peter 2:24 \u00a0\u201cHe personally carried our sins in His body on the cross so that we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. By His wounds you are healed.\u201d (NLT2) <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Faith is a blessed thing.\u00a0 For it is by grace through faith that we are saved.[1]\u00a0 Faith is what gives us hope of eternal life in God\u2019s Heavenly Kingdom.\u00a0 So, I think we\u2019d all agree that faith and hope are two of the most important things a Christian can possess.\u00a0\u00a0 … Continue reading