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First Corinthians“Solving Church Problems”

Lesson 18, Section Seventeen

Problem Fifteen:

“Overlooking Love”

First Corinthians 13:1-13

Page 86

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Love - A More Excellent WayFirst Corinthians 12:31

Having listed most of the miraculous gifts that Paul had earlier left them with, he now tells them that there is a more excellent way -- “Love”

The Corinthians lacked love among its members This could easily be a problem in churches today

With the proper feelings for one another, they could solve many of the church problems that threatened the unity of the body of Christ

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They Showed A Lack of Love In...First Corinthians Chapter 1-12

Dealing with sin, Not treating other saints as brethren, Displaying selfishness in the eating of certain

meats, and Inappropriate behavior regarding spiritual gifts

Now, we will study how they could overcome

“Overlooking Love”

especially in the use of special gifts

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What Is Love?

“A strong liking for someone or something; a passionate affection for another person” (Webster)

“Charity” (King James Version) “Brotherly love, affection, good will,

benevolence” (Thayer)

Synonyms = admiration, affection, fondness, pleasantness, tenderness, warmth

Antonym = hate, detest

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What Did Jesus Say About Love?Matthew 22:36-40

36 “Teacher [a Pharisee lawyer speaking], which is the great commandment in the law?”

37 Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

38 This is the first and great commandment.

39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

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What Did Jesus Say About Love?John 13:34-35

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another.

35 By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”

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Read First Corinthians 13:1-3

1 Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

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Speaking In TonguesFirst Corinthians 13:1-3

“Speaking in tongues of men and of angels” is... The ability to speak in a language without learning or

knowing the language “Of angels” would be speaking such as they speak

• [If it had been available to men, it would probably have been the highest sought-after gift]

It was a highly valued gift among the Corinthians

Paul uses the personal pronoun “I” for himself rather than those guilty of the misconduct

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The Value of LoveFirst Corinthians 13:1-3

Without love: Speaking in tongues is like one beating a cymbal [no

certain sound] Having the gift of prophecy, understanding mysteries,

having all knowledge and all faith reduces a person to nothing

Giving all of ones goods to the poor and giving ones body to be burned profits nothing

The use of all spiritual gifts had to be motivated by love for others and a desire to do them good Without love, they were empty gestures

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Read First Corinthians 13:4-7

4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;

5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;

6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;

7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

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Love suffers long for another Love is patient toward the shortcomings of others, and Keeps our displeasure with others from causing us to take

retaliatory action

It is kind Love is gentle, tender, sympathetic with others It is not harsh or overly critical of others

Love envies not It is not jealous of what others have or what success they have

It does not parade [vaunt, vain display] itself Love is not made the center of attention

It is not puffed up [proud] As one who is in love with himself and his accomplishments

Characteristics of Love PersonifiedFirst Corinthians 13:4

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Characteristics of Love PersonifiedFirst Corinthians 13:5

Love does not behave itself rudely [unseemly] Love shows respectful manners in speech and actions

It does not seek its own [way] Love is not selfish, it denies itself if necessary

It is not easily provoked [offended] Love is not quickly angered by inappropriate actions of

others

It thinks no evil Love does not make hasty conclusions about the

actions [motives] of others

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Characteristics of Love PersonifiedFirst Corinthians 13:6

Love does not rejoice in iniquity [injustice] It is not pleased with the wrong doings of others

But, rejoices in the truth It enjoys others when they tell the truth and when

they seek the truth

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Characteristics of LoveFirst Corinthians 13:7

Love bears [supports] all things It is not easily moved away from things and people As long as it can be done lawfully

Believes all things It believes in the other’s person conduct or motives

Hopes all things It works toward successful outcomes

Endures all things It holds up under persecution from wrong doers

without bitter condemnations

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8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.

9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part.

10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.

Read First Corinthians 13:8-10

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Spiritual gifts were temporary Their purpose was to provide knowledge and

understanding of God’s word in the absence of the written word

They were given to confirm God’s word as the truth They were not complete because no one member

had it all and apparently some gifts were not used as fully intended

Love is a more excellent way - it never fails Prophesies will fail, tongues will cease, and

knowledge will pass away

Their Gifts Would Not Last ForeverFirst Corinthians 13:8

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Only prophecy and knowledge are cast in the role of “part” revelations coming to the church at Corinth

The “gifted” members at Corinth had a piece of the whole picture of God’s plan for them It was only when all the members put all their

resources together that they approached the complete plan

Their Gifts Would Not Last ForeverFirst Corinthians 13:9

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The “in part” gifts of knowledge and prophecy are contrasted by Paul with the “perfect” [complete] revelation to come later All miraculous gifts would be removed when the full

revelation had been made available to lost mankind

Today, as we look back, “we” can now see that the writings of Paul to the Corinthians were only a part of the 27 books of the New Testament as a whole

“We” can see and study the “perfect” revelation

Their Gifts Would Not Last ForeverFirst Corinthians 13:10

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Read First Corinthians 13:11-12

11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.

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Paul compares the partial, incomplete word with that of a young child who later matures into a young adult A child’s speech, understanding, and thoughts are

put away as the child matures into an adult A fully-revealed gospel would provide far more

satisfying guidance to God’s body than the partial gifts ever could

Gifts had a place in the early church But, the gifts had to be replaced with the perfect

thing just as an adults puts away childish things as they mature

The “Childish Things” ComparisonFirst Corinthians 13:11

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Ancient mirrors were not nearly so clear as those we have today They only produced vague images compared to the

real image The apostles knowledge seem to be in part

When the gifts passed away, the Corinthians would see the word of God “face to face” Knowledge will be clear and distinct

The time would come when the full revelation would allow all seekers of truth to know and fully understand God’ plan

The “Dim Mirror” ComparisonFirst Corinthians 13:12

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“And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love”

Verse 2: “Though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing”

Verse 7: Love...hopes all things

Grand conclusion: Without love, I am nothing

But The Greatest Of These Is...First Corinthians 13:13