1 Corinthians (Written)

Sunday, 11 January 2015

But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 1 Corinthians 13:10

Paul here speaks in an overall way concerning that which is imperfect in comparison to that which is perfect. As long as there is imperfection, that is all that is truly perceived. But when something perfect comes, it completely overshadows imperfection. This is even true in gradations of perfection. As an example, we can think of the development of the internet.

It first began with a single connection between two computers. The language was slow and very limited. Eventually, a larger network was developed and the less perfect system was overshadowed by the better. In due time, the internet grew into something that anyone could access, but it was limited to dial-up modems using the land-line phone system.

Along came higher speed land-line systems and they swallowed up the slower ones. Then cam DSL and people forgot about land-lines. Then came cable, and after that fiber optics. Each step replaced that which was less perfect. The old systems were done away with.

Such is true with the gifts of the Spirit which we now employ. The Giver of the gift is perfect, but we are imperfect. Our prophecies may miss the mark; our tongues may mispronounce words as we translate languages; and our knowledge is riddled with misunderstanding and misevaluations of spiritual matters.

However, someday, there will be a perfect unity between the Giver of the gifts and the glorified saints. There will no longer be a need for that which is lesser because that which is perfect will swallow up the imperfection in its perfection, just as dial-up modems have been dispensed with and forgotten.

All “that which is in part will be done away” with at that time. This is the hope of the saints; it is the anticipation of the redeemed; and it is the joy which is set before us because of the work of Christ. His perfection will be realized in us. We ourselves will not be God, but we will have a direct and unstained access to that which is perfect. We shall walk in His presence and see His glory illuminating our path for all eternity.

Life application: At this point in time, we perceive all things from a faulty perspective. This is because we are fallen and thus we often misperceive spiritual matters. However, this doesn’t mean that we should sit on our hands and wait for our glorification before seeking out perfection. We should always strive to learn more from God’s word. We should attempt to commune more closely with God at all times. And, we should fix our eyes on Jesus who is our model for perfect living as we walk in this fallen world.

Glorious Heavenly Father, Your word shows that there is a time coming when all that is imperfect will be done away with. You have prepared a place for Your glorified saints which will swallow up imperfection and only Your radiant purity will be seen for all eternity. I know that this is available only through the work of Christ and I know that I want a part of that. I bow my knee to the Lord and I receive His work done on my behalf to make this possible. Thank You for Jesus. Amen.

Saturday, 10 January 2015

 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 1 Corinthians 13:9

It is good to remember that Paul’s words here were given based on divisions within the church because of the possession of various gifts of the Spirit. In verse 12:28, Paul listed “prophets” as second in ranking only behind apostles. This then is an indication that the appointment as an apostle was limited only to a select few in the early church who were designated as such by Christ. And so, instead of showing the limitations of the position of an apostle, he shows the limitations of the next highest ranking appointment, the prophet, one which would continue on throughout the age.

Prophecy in this case is being tied to “knowledge” and therefore it is speaking of the gift of “forth-telling,” not “foretelling.” Foretelling is communicating the words of God when directly influenced by the Spirit. On the other hand, forth-telling is a gift which is based on knowledge of what God has spoken. Truly no one can fully comprehend the depths of the word of God. Even when studied day and night for a lifetime, there will always be more that can be learned from it.

Because of this, Paul says that “we know in part and we prophesy in part.” This doesn’t mean there is a certain defect in prophesying, but that it is never fully complete. Two thousand years of preaching has not used up the well of knowledge or fully plumbed the depths of what can be preached. God’s word is a useful tool at all times, in all languages, and for any circumstance in any culture. It is wisdom, it is direction, and it is the power of God for salvation for all who believe.

However, there are aspects of God which are not recorded in the Bible. There are events in human history which pertain to biblical prophecy and yet they can only be determined to fit the prophetic scenario once they have happened. Others will become evident as they prepare to happen. But no matter what, our knowledge of the events is limited because the future is not fully known to us. For these, and for a host of other reasons, our knowledge is limited and our prophesying is incomplete.

So why did Paul include this statement? It is because the gift of prophesying is an incomplete gift. The prophet cannot claim all-knowledge or all-ability. He is dependent on others who possess other gifts. He is one part of the body and not the Head. Again, when taken in context of Paul’s discussion about various gifts, the reason for this discourse on love becomes evident. The one who prophesies without love is truly just a clanging cymbal who is puffed up in and of himself. To prophesy with great knowledge but without love is to be ineffective at prophesying.

Life application: The preacher who possesses great knowledge in the word of God should be even more humble than when he knew little. With greater understanding of the word of God should come a greater understanding of how little one really knows about the word of God.

Lord, I have come to realize that the more I understand in Your word, the less I know in comparison to what I don’t know. Every time I think I’ve got it all figured out, I read a commentary or see a chart concerning something I had completely missed. Truly Your word is beyond amazing. I will read it, study it, and cherish it all the days of my life because I know that I could never exhaust the supply of wisdom and knowledge it provides. Thank You for this treasure! Amen.

Friday, 9 January 2015

 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.  1 Corinthians 13:8

Paul now takes a new direction in his great discourse on love. He has been giving both positive and negative descriptions of love. They have been descriptions which define love and which are forever unchanging in the truth they convey. He will now contrast this with the nature of “gifts” which have been given to the individual members.

It must be remembered that this discourse on love is given based upon the previous discourse on gifts. He is specifically connecting the two issues to show the supremacy of love over that of gifts. Properly used gifts are dependent on love and will be based on love, but love is not dependent on gifts. As he closed out Chapter 12 he said, “And yet I show you a more excellent way.” The “more excellent way” is love.

And why is this true? It is true because love (which he has just been defining) “never fails.” The use of a gift is perfected in love, and when love is displayed in the use of a gift, it will always be used for the benefit of the entire body. “But whether there are prophecies, they will fail.” Prophecies, both foretelling and forth-telling, have their limits. There is a time when the gift of prophecy will be ended. There will be no more need for future prophetic utterances and there will be no need for searching the mysteries of the Bible and explaining them to others. When this time comes, love will still exist, for God is love.

Paul next tells  us that, “whether there are tongues, they will cease.” Tongues are a way of conveying information. At one time, there was but one language on earth. However, in order to effect His purposes for man in redemptive history, God divided the tongues of the people. There are now many languages and there is a need for tongues to be used to teach others the word of God, to build up those who speak a different language, and to unite churches into a cohesive body. However, some day, there will again be but one spoken language. The book of Zephaniah says that will occur among the Hebrew people during the millennium –

“For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language,
That they all may call on the name of the Lord,
To serve Him with one accord.” Zephaniah 3:9

Eventually, all humanity will speak in one tongue again. When this occurs, there will be no need for instructing others. Tongues will cease.

Finally in this verse, Paul tells us that “whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.” He speaks here of earthly knowledge. It is the knowledge possessed by the teacher who must then instruct his pupil. Again, let us remember that he is contrasting love with the possession of gifts. Teachers, scholars, pastors, etc., all possess certain knowledge which must then be shared with others in order for that knowledge to be assimilated by them. This type of knowledge will pass away. In its place will be the pure knowledge which was from before the creation of the world. There shall be no need for the “gift” of knowledge because we will be in the presence of the One in whom is all knowledge. We shall learn, for all eternity, the workings of God. Thus, the gift of knowledge “will vanish away,” but love will remain.

Life application: When all of our “gifts,” which are given by the Spirit for this earthly dispensation, are brought into the presence of the Lord, they will no longer be needed. In their place will come the perfection of all of those gifts, directly from the One who bestowed them. The wonders of heaven are beyond our ability to grasp, so let us cling to this now and share our temporary gifts in love and in harmony with those we fellowship with.

O God, because You are the Source of all things, then whatever thing I desire now originally came from You. These things are temporary, but You are eternal. And so I wait in expectation for that day when I shall see You. No greater desire can be fulfilled in my heart than that wondrous moment; a moment which will then last for all eternity. Thank You that this is possible because of the work of Jesus. All hail to You, O God, for this sure promise and this eternal hope. Amen.

Thursday, 8 January 2015

…bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:7

Continuing on with the attributes of love from the previous verses, Paul now mentions four more of them. First, it “bears all things.” This is the Greek word stegó. It means “to cover closely.” It is used in the idea of keeping water out. A well made rain-suit is designed to keep the contents within it dry. A ship’s hull is made in a way which keeps water out in order to keep it from sinking. We may wear a mask, or even a full-body suit, to cover ourselves if there are germs present. The idea here then is to not disclose the faults or troubles of others, but instead to cover them and protect them. To act in a loving manner means to bear the burdens of others willingly, keeping them tightly sealed in the process.

Love also “believes all things.” This small portion of the verse could be misread in a way which would lead an individual to a state of naiveté which is unintended. The best way to interpret Paul’s words here is that Christians should “give the benefit of the doubt” to others. When questioned about forgiveness, Jesus responded in the most gracious manner. The exchange is found in Matthew 18 –

Then Peter came to Him and said, “Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?” ²² Jesus said to him, “I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven. Matthew 18:21, 22

However, Jesus always ties forgiveness in with repentance. Without repentance, one cannot truly forgive another anyway. And so there is a balance needed in such actions. In the case of love, there is to be an extra effort made to believe others in order to keep the bond of love alive.

Paul proceeds with the notion that love “hopes all things.” Rather than being gloomy and pessimistic about the future, about relationships, about finances, or any other issue, a truly loving person will demonstrate hope. God has made sure promises to His people and therefore we are to demonstrate hope in those promises, even when things seem to be falling apart around us. The reason for this is that a truly loving soul will, by their hopeful attitude, keep others afloat in the sea of hope as well. Without such an attitude, others will fall into their own gloom and depression.

Finally, Paul says that love “endures all things.” If the preceding attributes in this list last only a temporary time, then they have ultimately failed the test of love. Endurance is an ongoing and essential attribute for any display of love. To endure in love is, in and of itself, an aspect of true love. In enduring all things, complaints are avoided, help is provided, hope springs eternal, and comfort is given.

Life application: The essential thing about the love that Paul speaks of is that its attributes are volitional. They require more than just a temporary emotion, but rather they demonstrate a mental attitude which is of the will. It is as if a race is set before us and we prepare ourselves for it, start off with the right attitude, and persevere through the challenge as it unfolds before us. Such is the nature of love.

O Lord! How often love is thought of as an emotion which is separate from action. But in reading Your word, I see that it is a race, a challenge, and often a difficult sail on a stormy sea. Love requires me to be steadfast in my attitude, faithful in my relationships, and long-suffering in my demeanor. Help me to be the person that the Bible describes as truly loving. Help me to be a lamp of true love to those around me who need such a friend. Amen.

Wednesday, 7 January 2015

…does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 1 Corinthians 13:6

In this verse a contrasting thought is given. This is similar to how many of the proverbs are structured. For example –

“Fools mock at sin,
But among the upright there is favor.” Proverbs 14:9

This is a way of showing both a negative and a positive side of the same thing. In the case of love, it “does not rejoice in iniquity.” In other words, love doesn’t revel in that which is wicked. When someone does something perverse, harmful, or deceitful, a person who is truly loving won’t stand back and applaud what they have seen. By doing so, they will only bolster the wicked intent of the wrongdoer and propel them on to more wickedness. The only possible result of this is a bad end.

Love also doesn’t rejoice in the consequences of wickedness. When a person is punished for their wickedness, (a possible outcome of the previous scenario), there should be no reveling in their downfall, but rather mourning and a desire for their restoration. Such is the nature of a loving attitude, even towards those who have acted in iniquity.

In contrast to this is that love “rejoices” in the truth. Where there is truth, love will rejoice in it, even if it is a tough pill to swallow. If someone’s child has committed iniquity, a truly loving parent will be more satisfied in their conviction and punishment than that they “gotten away” with their wrongdoing. This doesn’t mean there is a pleased demeanor in their punishment (which would belie what Paul just said in the previous point), but that it is better to see iniquity punished than for it to continue.

Also in this thought, Paul’s words are more correctly stated that love “rejoices with truth.” In other words, love and truth are being personified. This is a common biblical way of demonstrating to us the very character of these traits in a way that we can then apply to ourselves. A good example of such personification is found in the 85th Psalm –

“Mercy and truth have met together;
Righteousness and peace have kissed.” Psalm 85:10

Life application: Paul’s words today, if properly applied to our lives, will often ask us to act in a nature contrary to what our initial emotions may hint at. We wish to protect those we love, even if it means keeping them from some type of correction that they deserve. But in this, we are only harming them, not truly helping them. It is better to have the consequences of one’s actions meted out than to find them in an even worse position later because they didn’t learn their lesson the first time.

Lord, the loving path to take is often the most difficult one. When someone we love needs correction, we often want to protect them from it. But in the end they will fail to learn the necessary lesson and they will be sure to repeat the same mistake again. If this happens, things may turn out even worse than before. So Lord, help us to act in true love at all times, even when it is painful or heartbreaking. We ask this that Your people will stand approved before You, mature and properly instructed in life. Amen.