My Reflection on 1 Corinthians 13 - What is Real Love?
1 Corinthians 13 is the love chapter in the Bible that talks about what real love is. The older language uses charity or love in action. The Greek word used is agape or ag-ah'-pay. Strong's definition has it as love that is the affection or benevolence. Thayer's definition would have it as affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love. This is not the worldly kind of love but genuine love.
1 Corinthians 13:1-3
I thought about the many times I wish I had the tongues of men and of angels but all of that becomes useless without love. How can that be? I could think of how men wish they had the tongues of men and of angels to court someone they like - but if that motive was for lust or power then all those fine speeches mean nothing. It can also apply to how somebody can explain stuff so well - but if it were not in love then it's comparable to a sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. It's further validated by the proverb that says, "Words are like leaves. It's rare to find fruit among them."
What's the use of having the gift of prophecy and to understand all mysteries of knowledge. Knowledge is useful and you need it to gain wisdom. We all need wisdom or how to put your knowledge to good use. It's good to gather knowledge and learn how to apply it wisely. The problem is when all that knowledge and wisdom are not accompanied by love. I could have all the faith in the world that I could move somebody's heart or literally move mountains but it profits nothing without love. What use is it that I could have all the knowledge and faith when all of it is not done out of love? Both are good as nothing if there was no love.
Do you know you can give without loving? Yes, it's possible even if you can't love without giving. This makes me think of how some people give money to the poor for show and not out of love. It makes me think at times that I may be giving money to charity but what if it was just for show? I could even go ahead and allow my body to be burned but what good will it do without love?
What's the use of having the gift of prophecy and to understand all mysteries of knowledge. Knowledge is useful and you need it to gain wisdom. We all need wisdom or how to put your knowledge to good use. It's good to gather knowledge and learn how to apply it wisely. The problem is when all that knowledge and wisdom are not accompanied by love. I could have all the faith in the world that I could move somebody's heart or literally move mountains but it profits nothing without love. What use is it that I could have all the knowledge and faith when all of it is not done out of love? Both are good as nothing if there was no love.
Do you know you can give without loving? Yes, it's possible even if you can't love without giving. This makes me think of how some people give money to the poor for show and not out of love. It makes me think at times that I may be giving money to charity but what if it was just for show? I could even go ahead and allow my body to be burned but what good will it do without love?
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
What therefore are the characteristics of real love? We can read from these verses that love is patient, love is kind, it doesn't give room to worldly envy or be covetous, it does not boast and it is not proud. As I've mentioned earlier, I have given some examples of how all greatness means nothing if it were done for boasting.
One can think of how many people today confuse love with lust. Lust can't wait but love can. Why do so many people engage in premarital sex and adultery? It's because they lack patience. Some people end up wrecking marriages instead of waiting for Mr. Right or Ms. Right. Since love is kind then it wouldn't do anything to wreck happy homes since it's a very unkind thing to do. Also, if you love your spouse then don't give them any reason to feel jealous by having a third party or to get jealous of what they have and you don't have. Also, if you marry for status then it's not love but rather boasting. Did you marry for status or did you marry for love? Do you train your children right out of love but only so they could be used for boasting?
There is the virtue of self-restraint. Another reason why premarital sex happens a lot is because of a lack of self-control aside from lacking patience. That's why I don't advocate for teenagers having relationships because they tend to behave more unseemly than those who have matured. True love practices self-restraint from immorality. This also means that in case a sexually moral couple have committed fornication - it means standing up for each other. Some may have broken the rule by having sex before marriage but decided not to right that wrong with another wrong.
I've observed at how many families fail because they are seeking their own than others. It's time to ask why certain people want to marry so and so. Did they want to marry for status, wealth, prestige or is it because that's the person they care for the most? Some people just get married to form political or business alliances at the expense of the family and children. It's no wonder why we have so many broken homes. It's time to think about how some parents can push their children to excel so they can later brag about their children. While pushing to excel is indeed a good thing but the question is that's the motive behind it? Is it for the good of the children or just for the parents' ego? If it's done for the parents' ego then expect the children to rebel sooner or later.
There is the virtue of self-restraint. Another reason why premarital sex happens a lot is because of a lack of self-control aside from lacking patience. That's why I don't advocate for teenagers having relationships because they tend to behave more unseemly than those who have matured. True love practices self-restraint from immorality. This also means that in case a sexually moral couple have committed fornication - it means standing up for each other. Some may have broken the rule by having sex before marriage but decided not to right that wrong with another wrong.
I've observed at how many families fail because they are seeking their own than others. It's time to ask why certain people want to marry so and so. Did they want to marry for status, wealth, prestige or is it because that's the person they care for the most? Some people just get married to form political or business alliances at the expense of the family and children. It's no wonder why we have so many broken homes. It's time to think about how some parents can push their children to excel so they can later brag about their children. While pushing to excel is indeed a good thing but the question is that's the motive behind it? Is it for the good of the children or just for the parents' ego? If it's done for the parents' ego then expect the children to rebel sooner or later.
There's the statement that you can always tell the truth without loving but you can never love without telling the truth. Love doesn't rejoice in sin but in the truth. What is the motive to why we offer some advice to others? Are we doing it to put them down or to help them be lifted up from their error? Unfortunately, the world today thinks that love means condoning to error. True love tells the truth out of concern for others. It's like how Jesus and the prophets don't sugar coat God's message. They take the risk the other person will be upset or even hurt them for the sake of the other person. That is very different than people who correct others only to look good and make the other person look bad.
The power of love is in its capacity of endurance to bear all things, believes all things, hopes all things and endures all things. This can be seen if you love someone then you will stretch your patience no matter how bad things can get. It reminds me of the song "Stubborn Love" where Jesus' stubborn love for sinners is indeed marvelous. I feel like quitting but why should I quit when Jesus has His stubborn love for me?
1 Corinthians 13:8-13
The conclusion comes to this with the fact that true love never fails. There are prophecies yesterday but where are the prophecies today? All the prophets of God are in Heaven now. There are no more prophecies as the Book of Revelation have concluded them. Every other "prophecy" today is no longer valid. There are "prophets" today who make "prophecies" but they have failed. The age of speaking in tongues has ceased. There may be a lot of knowledge today but they all pass away. You can see how many things have become obsolete and new knowledge is developed.
This is the big understanding to think about spiritual maturity. We can read how St. Paul mentions about the view of a child the view of a man. He was a child and he had very little understanding. But now it's time for spiritual maturity to understand what love truly is. This means you understand what it means to be a man. Impatience has been replaced by patience. Pettiness has been replaced by kindness. Boasting is replaced with humility. Self-seeking behavior is replaced by selflessness. That's part of growing up and putting away the childish things.
I could talk about what it means to be like a child and to understand like one. Do you realize children are by nature, selfish? Do you remember the time you go to go to the candy store or to the mall? Just think how it's a pain for any parent to have to discipline their children who want something and throw a tantrum to get it. The child doesn't know the world doesn't remove around him or her. That's why they must be disciplined out of that behavior. When the child slowly matures - the more he or she understands that what they are doing is wrong. Becoming a man is not becoming a bully, a sleazy character and do as many vices as possible. Instead, it's all about walking in the path of righteousness in Christ Jesus - rejecting the world and embracing the cross.
This is also increasing self-awareness of one's imperfection. It's all about knowing how one is not as good as one thinks. This is why I am pretty much against the self-esteem movement. It's considerably dangerous to keep feeling good about yourself instead of seeing yourself as a flawed human in need of a Savior. It's to value humility over pride. Unfortunately, this world gone mad continues to hate humility and love boastfulness.
I could talk about what it means to be like a child and to understand like one. Do you realize children are by nature, selfish? Do you remember the time you go to go to the candy store or to the mall? Just think how it's a pain for any parent to have to discipline their children who want something and throw a tantrum to get it. The child doesn't know the world doesn't remove around him or her. That's why they must be disciplined out of that behavior. When the child slowly matures - the more he or she understands that what they are doing is wrong. Becoming a man is not becoming a bully, a sleazy character and do as many vices as possible. Instead, it's all about walking in the path of righteousness in Christ Jesus - rejecting the world and embracing the cross.
This is also increasing self-awareness of one's imperfection. It's all about knowing how one is not as good as one thinks. This is why I am pretty much against the self-esteem movement. It's considerably dangerous to keep feeling good about yourself instead of seeing yourself as a flawed human in need of a Savior. It's to value humility over pride. Unfortunately, this world gone mad continues to hate humility and love boastfulness.
In the end, we know that there's faith, hope and love. But it's love that is the greatest for this reason. The reason is that John 3:16 says that God the Father so loved the world (people) that He gave His only begotten Son to save people from their sins. God the Father had only one begotten Son and He gave it so all who will believe can be saved. It's that love that gave hope and faith a reason. If it wasn't for love then there would be no real hope and faith.