I Corinthians 13:1-3: "Nothing without Love"
After exhorting the Corinthians for their divisive and envious actions regarding their ministries and spiritual gifts, Paul gets to the very heart of the matter. Although this section stands alone as a magnificent treatise on love, it completely gets to the root of the issue that is being dealt with in Corinth. They have lost their understanding of what love truly is. They forgot that we can only love "because He first loved us". They have downplayed the importance of love, and focused on the showy sign gifts that will bring themselves attention. They have focused on who lead them to Christ, and what ministry they were involved in, they have prided themselves on their own gifts and focused on individualistic achievement. Among all this, Paul wants them to see that they are missing everything when they focus on these things. He desires them to seek love above all these other things. He commands them to love as Christ has loved us. Paul will show in this section, that someone may be the best (fill in the blank) in the world, but is nothing if they do not do it with the motivation of love. Put simply "God is love" (I John 4:16), and it is this definition that should define those who follow God as well. When put in context we can see the heart and passion with which Paul is pleading with his audience to understand the proper motivation of a follower of Christ.
Paul begins, "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal". Paul will take gifts or skills with which the Corinthian church held highly and show them that even if they were the very best at that skill, but did not have love as their motivation, their gift was meaningless. MacArthur writes, "In verses 1-2 Paul uses considerable hyperbole. To make his point he exaggerates to the limits of imagination. Using various examples, he says, 'If somehow I were able to do or to be . . . to the absolute extreme, but did not have love, I would be absolutely nothing'." You will also notice that Paul switches to first person to include himself in the command to love. In this first example, Paul uses the gift of eloquent speaking. Tongues in this verse can best be translated "language". Paul is saying if he could speak in the most beautiful language you have ever heard, even to the extent of it being mistaken for ethereal, it would mean nothing if done without love. "Tongues . . . of angels" is not to be mistaken for some mysterious angelic language. There is no scriptural text that shows angels speaking in anything other than the language of the recipient of the message. MacArthur adds, "Paul is simply saying that, were the to have the ability to speak with the skill and eloquence of the greatest men, even with angelic eloquence, he would only become a noisy gong or clanging cymbal if he did not have love". For the Corinthians who lifted up the gifts, especially those that would bring praise, Paul is telling them that this gift would be rendered useless, and even annoying, if it were used without the motivation of love behind it. It is obvious when someone knows they are smart and able to speak well, and wants to show that gift off. However, instead of enjoying what is being said and how it is being said, we are turned off and annoyed by their arrogance. It is as if someone were just banging a gong. Instead of appreciating the beauty of the gift, we focus on the annoyance of it. It is when someone who truly is gifted by God, who humbly uses it for God's glory that we are truly impressed and refreshed by it.
The next example the apostle uses is various spiritual gifts that undoubtedly the Corinthians greatly valued and sought out. "And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing". Here Paul points out that even the spiritual gift of prophecy must be done in love or it is "nothing". Those gifted with prophecy or most obligated to minister their gift in love. The man held to this office was required to speak the truth to the people in love. Without love, his ministry would be nothing, he would be hypocritical to speak the truth without love as his motive. We can see in scripture that this is true. MacArthur explains, "Balaam was a prophet of god. He knew the true God and he knew God's truth, but he had no love for God's people. With little hesitation he agreed to curse the Israelites in return for a generous payment by Balak, king of Moab. Because God could not convince his prophet not to do that terrible thing, He sent an angel to stop the prophet's donkey (Num. 22:16-34). Several other times Balaam would have cursed Israel had he not been prevented by God. . . Because he led Israel into idolatry and immorality, Balaam was put to death (Num. 31:8, 16). The prophet knew God's Word, spoke God's Word, and feared God in a self-protecting way, but he had no love for God and no love for God's people". In contrast we can see the passionate heart that the prophet Jeremiah had for his people when, because of the fate of his people he cried out, "My sorrow is beyond healing, my heart is faint within me! . . . For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me. . . . Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jer. 8:18, 21; 9:1). Here we can see the difference between men using the same gift, one with love, the other without.
Paul also talks about knowledge without love. Paul talks about someone being gifted to "know all mysteries and all knowledge". Mysteries in scripture almost always refer to the plan of salvation that was now made known to mankind, which was once a mystery in the Old Testament. MacArthur writes, "Mysteries may represent divine spiritual understanding and knowledge may represent factual human understanding". The idea is that someone may have all the biblical, spiritual, and earthly understanding in the world, however, if this gift is applied without the use of love, it is a worthless gift. I could understand everything there is to know about God, I could completely understand His plan for salvation, His grace and mercy, however, if I did not love Him, all that knowledge would be useless.
The next example Paul uses is that of "faith". This refers to those who are specially gifted with the ability to trust in God's promises. This is not referring to the saving faith that is required for believers. Paul writes, "and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains". Even those who would trust in God to do might things, even to the extent of moving a mountain, are nothing if they do not have faith in love. Paul is again using hyperbole, most likely after the illustration used by Christ in Matt. 17:20, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'move from here to there', and it shall move". All this faith in God's ability and a super natural gift of relying on and trusting in God is absolutely worthless, if the person does not have love.
Paul moves from spiritual gifts to great acts of kindness and sacrifice. He wants to show the Corinthians that even wonderful acts are meaningless if not done with love as the motive. He writes, "And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing". Acts done apart from love are merely earthly rewards. Any praise or gratitude we get from the recipients on earth, is all the praise we will receive. God will have known the acts were done out of selfish motives, and we will receive no praise for this. Paul uses hyperbole again to say that even if he were to do the most charitable act there is, to give everything you had to the poor, this would mean nothing if it were done without love. We can see in Acts 5, with the story of Ananias and Sapphira an illustration of this, "But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it." What God is showing here is that it was not their gift that he cared about, but rather, their heart motive for doing it. We can even give up our lives and be a martyr, and this will not impress God unless it is done with a love for Him. MacArthur explains, "When persecution of the early church became intense, some believers actually sought martyrdom as a way of becoming famous or of gaining special heavenly credit. But when sacrifice is motivated by self-interest and pride it loses its spiritual value. Even accepting agonizing death for the faith profits . . . nothing if it is done without true divine love".
As believers we must recognize that it is not the gifts we are given, the ministries we have, the accomplishments, or the deeds we have done for Christ. It is the heart motivation with which we do these things. That is what matters to Christ and what should matter to us. Let us not waste time and effort on seemingly good things done with improper motives.
Paul begins, "If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal". Paul will take gifts or skills with which the Corinthian church held highly and show them that even if they were the very best at that skill, but did not have love as their motivation, their gift was meaningless. MacArthur writes, "In verses 1-2 Paul uses considerable hyperbole. To make his point he exaggerates to the limits of imagination. Using various examples, he says, 'If somehow I were able to do or to be . . . to the absolute extreme, but did not have love, I would be absolutely nothing'." You will also notice that Paul switches to first person to include himself in the command to love. In this first example, Paul uses the gift of eloquent speaking. Tongues in this verse can best be translated "language". Paul is saying if he could speak in the most beautiful language you have ever heard, even to the extent of it being mistaken for ethereal, it would mean nothing if done without love. "Tongues . . . of angels" is not to be mistaken for some mysterious angelic language. There is no scriptural text that shows angels speaking in anything other than the language of the recipient of the message. MacArthur adds, "Paul is simply saying that, were the to have the ability to speak with the skill and eloquence of the greatest men, even with angelic eloquence, he would only become a noisy gong or clanging cymbal if he did not have love". For the Corinthians who lifted up the gifts, especially those that would bring praise, Paul is telling them that this gift would be rendered useless, and even annoying, if it were used without the motivation of love behind it. It is obvious when someone knows they are smart and able to speak well, and wants to show that gift off. However, instead of enjoying what is being said and how it is being said, we are turned off and annoyed by their arrogance. It is as if someone were just banging a gong. Instead of appreciating the beauty of the gift, we focus on the annoyance of it. It is when someone who truly is gifted by God, who humbly uses it for God's glory that we are truly impressed and refreshed by it.
The next example the apostle uses is various spiritual gifts that undoubtedly the Corinthians greatly valued and sought out. "And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and If I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing". Here Paul points out that even the spiritual gift of prophecy must be done in love or it is "nothing". Those gifted with prophecy or most obligated to minister their gift in love. The man held to this office was required to speak the truth to the people in love. Without love, his ministry would be nothing, he would be hypocritical to speak the truth without love as his motive. We can see in scripture that this is true. MacArthur explains, "Balaam was a prophet of god. He knew the true God and he knew God's truth, but he had no love for God's people. With little hesitation he agreed to curse the Israelites in return for a generous payment by Balak, king of Moab. Because God could not convince his prophet not to do that terrible thing, He sent an angel to stop the prophet's donkey (Num. 22:16-34). Several other times Balaam would have cursed Israel had he not been prevented by God. . . Because he led Israel into idolatry and immorality, Balaam was put to death (Num. 31:8, 16). The prophet knew God's Word, spoke God's Word, and feared God in a self-protecting way, but he had no love for God and no love for God's people". In contrast we can see the passionate heart that the prophet Jeremiah had for his people when, because of the fate of his people he cried out, "My sorrow is beyond healing, my heart is faint within me! . . . For the brokenness of the daughter of my people I am broken; I mourn, dismay has taken hold of me. . . . Oh, that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!" (Jer. 8:18, 21; 9:1). Here we can see the difference between men using the same gift, one with love, the other without.
Paul also talks about knowledge without love. Paul talks about someone being gifted to "know all mysteries and all knowledge". Mysteries in scripture almost always refer to the plan of salvation that was now made known to mankind, which was once a mystery in the Old Testament. MacArthur writes, "Mysteries may represent divine spiritual understanding and knowledge may represent factual human understanding". The idea is that someone may have all the biblical, spiritual, and earthly understanding in the world, however, if this gift is applied without the use of love, it is a worthless gift. I could understand everything there is to know about God, I could completely understand His plan for salvation, His grace and mercy, however, if I did not love Him, all that knowledge would be useless.
The next example Paul uses is that of "faith". This refers to those who are specially gifted with the ability to trust in God's promises. This is not referring to the saving faith that is required for believers. Paul writes, "and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains". Even those who would trust in God to do might things, even to the extent of moving a mountain, are nothing if they do not have faith in love. Paul is again using hyperbole, most likely after the illustration used by Christ in Matt. 17:20, "Truly I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you shall say to this mountain, 'move from here to there', and it shall move". All this faith in God's ability and a super natural gift of relying on and trusting in God is absolutely worthless, if the person does not have love.
Paul moves from spiritual gifts to great acts of kindness and sacrifice. He wants to show the Corinthians that even wonderful acts are meaningless if not done with love as the motive. He writes, "And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing". Acts done apart from love are merely earthly rewards. Any praise or gratitude we get from the recipients on earth, is all the praise we will receive. God will have known the acts were done out of selfish motives, and we will receive no praise for this. Paul uses hyperbole again to say that even if he were to do the most charitable act there is, to give everything you had to the poor, this would mean nothing if it were done without love. We can see in Acts 5, with the story of Ananias and Sapphira an illustration of this, "But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property,
and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife's full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles' feet. But Peter said, "Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God."And as he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it." What God is showing here is that it was not their gift that he cared about, but rather, their heart motive for doing it. We can even give up our lives and be a martyr, and this will not impress God unless it is done with a love for Him. MacArthur explains, "When persecution of the early church became intense, some believers actually sought martyrdom as a way of becoming famous or of gaining special heavenly credit. But when sacrifice is motivated by self-interest and pride it loses its spiritual value. Even accepting agonizing death for the faith profits . . . nothing if it is done without true divine love".
As believers we must recognize that it is not the gifts we are given, the ministries we have, the accomplishments, or the deeds we have done for Christ. It is the heart motivation with which we do these things. That is what matters to Christ and what should matter to us. Let us not waste time and effort on seemingly good things done with improper motives.
posted by amesfam | 11:07 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home