Paul's Address - Part 3

1 Corinthians 13, a chapter that definitely holds one of the most well-known bible passages out there. Here, Paul addresses the topic of love. In the first three verses, Paul relates it back to the previous chapter on spiritual gifts. All these gifts we have been granted are useless without love. Love is the backbone to all things. God is love, and without love, God is not there, and ultimately, there is nothing. Love cannot be measured by actions alone; motives must be assessed to determine what is loving.

"love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. it does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. it always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres."

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

Im sure everyone has heard this passage before one way or another. Now seeing it in context it makes a lot of sense as well. But especially in this passage, I think one should truly reflect on the words, and sees if it aligns with the love you show in your life. Are you envious? Are you kind? Are you easily angered? Are you showing love?

As I read through the commentary, it was interesting to see what the ESV version had to say. At the end, in verse 7, it says,

⁷ Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. - 1 Corinthians 13:7 (ESV)

Bears,
Believes,
Hopes,
Endures,

These four words dont seem to go together, but that is what love is, with friends, in relationships, with families and with others. One believes the best of others and hopes the best for them. In relationships you must bear and endure with one another's flaws and mistakes, but you work together to sustain and build the friendship. That is what true love is.

The next five verses are rather confusing, and have many different interpretations, but from what I got out of it, Paul is trying to say that the gifts we have will fade and pass, but love holds forever. Like it says in verse 8, love never ends, love never fails. It is able to endure through all things.

Faith, Hope and Love are the main themes that Paul touches upon in his letters but the greatest of these is love (v.13). Do you know how to love?

verse of the day: 1 Corinthians 13:13

¹³ So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.