Enduring Love (LD 21, 1 Cor. 13)
Paul’s famous passage on love is often sentimentalized, especially in weddings, but Paul has a deeper intention when he talks about love. The Corinthian church, obsessed with status and spiritual gifts, had completely missed the point about the Christian life. The Corinthians wanted to celebrate their status, but they failed to see that charismatic gifts are not status symbols. They are to be employed in the context of the church. Love is not just a virtue, but it is the ultimate manifestation of the Spirit’s work. Gifts like prophecy, tongues, and knowledge will pass away, but love will endure because it begins in this age and will go into the age to come. This love is not mere emotion or willpower; it is a supernatural reality, made possible by the Spirit’s work in our hearts.
True love, Paul insists, is not self-seeking but self-giving. The Corinthians had made spirituality about their significance, and they used the gospel to advance themselves. Paul redirects them to the way of Christ—who, though rich, became poor for our sake, displaying love. Love, then, is not about gaining status but about sacrificial service for the Lord’s glory. It does not boast or envy but patiently endures, rejoicing in truth and seeking the good of others. This kind of love is countercultural; it cannot be manufactured through sheer effort but flows from a heart transformed by grace. To love like this is to reflect Christ, who bore our burdens and gave himself up for us. This is a love that is only given in the Spirit’s life giving power.
At the heart of Paul’s argument is a vision of eternity: faith and hope will one day be fulfilled, but love will never fade. The Corinthians saw their gifts as proof of spiritual arrival, but Paul reminds them they are still looking through a dim mirror. The greatest evidence of spiritual maturity is not extraordinary gifts but a life shaped by Christ’s spirit. A life oriented in a true love that is moved by the Spirit as a people informed by the Gospel. It is living in a way where we discern what is pleasing to the Lord, longing to see him face to face, and then experiencing the fullness of love. The Lord works through our Faith. It is as we walk by faith that we have the hope/assurance of glory. However, once we see our Lord face to face, then we no longer need faith and hope. We will see the fullness of love and taste the full glory of love when we see our Savior face to face. Right now, the Spirit gives us a sweet taste in this age.