1 CORINTHIANS

Chapter 13, Verses 1-13

“The More Excellent Way!”

[5-22-22]

 

Review: “How Many Baptisms Are There?”

1 Corinthians 12:27-31) [NAS] Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.

28) And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

QUESTION: What do you notice about the about the list of gifts mentioned above?

ANSWER: There are gifts mentioned from each of the three categories of gifts:

Service Gifts From Jesus:            Spiritual Gifts From the Holy Spirit:        Working Gifts From God:

Apostles; Prophets; Teachers         Miracles; Healing; Tongues                            Helps; Administrations

29) All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

30) All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

QUESTION: What do all of the above questions have in common?

ANSWER: They are all rhetorical questions with the understood answer, “No!”

QUESTION: Why is Paul pointing out the obvious?

ANSWER: He is teaching on the need for unity in the body. The body needs a variety of gifts in order for it to function properly.

31) But earnestly desire the greater gifts. And I show you a still more excellent way.

 

This Week’s Lesson: “The More Excellent Way!”

1 Corinthians 13:1-13) [NAS] 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.

QUESTION: What is Paul talking about here?

ANSWER: If you or I had the ability to speak in languages we don’t know (gift of tongues), rather those languages are languages of men, or languages of angels, if you or I don’t love the people around us when we speak those languages then we are nothing more than noise makers.

2) If 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.

NOTE: If we could speak the very word of God (prophecy), and nothing was a mystery to us because we knew absolutely everything (words of knowledge and wisdom), and if we had enough faith to perform amazing miracles (gifts of faith and miracles), but we don’t love those who are the recipients of the very word of God we are sharing, the very wisdom and knowledge we are articulating, and the results of the faith we are operating in, then we are of no value to the church.

3) If I give all I possess to the poor (motivational gift of giving) and surrender my body to the flames [dedication to the cause], but have not love, I gain nothing.

QUESTION: What is Paul talking about here?

ANSWER: If we give everything we own to help the needy, and if our dedication to the cause is so great that we would die for that cause, but we don’t love the very children of God to whom we minister, then we have gained no rewards from God.

4) Love [love] is patient [patience], love is kind [kindness]. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.

5) It is not rude [gentleness], it is not self-seeking [self control], it is not easily angered [peace], it keeps no record of wrongs.

6) Love does not delight in evil but rejoices [joy] with the truth.

7) It always protects, always trusts [faithfulness], always hopes, always perseveres [goodness].

Galatians 5:22-23) [NAS] But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

23) gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

QUESTION: Why have I placed certain words in brackets after the highlighted descriptive words in verses 4-7?

ANSWER: Those words in brackets are the fruit of the Spirit.

QUESTION: What is the point I’m trying to make?

ANSWER: I want you to notice that Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13:4-7 is very similar to the list that makes up the fruit of the Spirit.

8) Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will cease; where there are tongues, they will be stilled; where there is knowledge, it will pass away.

Regarding “Love never fails,”

That phrase is translated: “Love has no end” [BBE], “Love is eternal” [GNB], “Love never comes to an end” [GW], and “Love never dies” [MSG].

QUESTION: Why is that an important point?

ANSWER: The remainder of the verse tells us that prophecies will cease, tongues will be stilled/silenced, and knowledge will pass away. Love doesn’t “cease,” it’s value will never be “stilled,” and it will never “pass away.” LOVE IS ETERNAL!

9) For we know in part and we prophesy in part,

10) but when perfection comes, the imperfect disappears.

QUESTION: Again, what is the subject Paul is teaching on in chapters 12-14?

ANSWER: He is teaching his readers about the correct use of gifts, rather they are Spiritual gifts, ministry gifts, or motivational gifts. However, his main focus is to correct their misuse of Spiritual gifts.

NOTE That means that he’s talking about the Spiritual gift of prophecy, not the ministry of the prophet. He’s talking about the Spiritual gift of tongues, not mere speech. He’s talking about the Spiritual gift of the “word of knowledge,” not scientific knowledge. The need for scientific knowledge will also run its course, as will the ministry of the prophet, but that is not what he has in mind here.

QUESTION: When will these gifts cease to function?

ANSWER: They will cease to function when “perfection comes.”

QUESTION: When will “perfection come”?

ANSWER: We will demonstrate the answer to that question in a few moments.

11) When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me.

***NOTE: Paul is showing us that Spiritual gifts, as great as they are, are like child’s play when compared to the perfection that’s coming.

QUESTION: Why is that true?

ANSWER: It’s true because the Spirit only allows us partial revelation at this time, but we will have full revelation at that time.

12) Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

NOTE: At this time, because of our human condition, we only see “a poor reflection as in a mirror.”

13) And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love.

QUESTION: What is Paul doing in this verse?

ANSWER: He’s showing us that as great as faith and hope are, love is better. Why? Love is eternal!

**QUESTION: What do verses 12 and 13 show us regarding the coming perfection?

ANSWER: The coming perfection represents that time when we no longer “see but a poor reflection as in a mirror,” but we “shall see face to face.” When will that happen?

QUESTION: When will that happen?

ANSWER: Please note:

1 John 3:2) [NAS] Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we shall be. We know that, when He appears, we shall be like Him, because we shall see Him just as He is.

QUESTION: What is the coming perfection?

ANSWER: It’s not talking about the completion of New Testament revelation, as some suggest. It’s talking about a time when we have complete knowledge and when faith and hope is no longer necessary, but love will remain, because love is eternal; and love is God!