“The Greatness of Love”

Tuesday, March 06, 2018

Why is love the greatest?  We need to know why, for love’s greatness is the motivation to practice it.  Why is love greater than faith?  If I lack faith then I will not love God or my brethren.  Why is love greater than hope?  If I lack hope then I cannot endure to reach heaven’s gate.  Faith justifies us (Romans 4); faith and hope preserve the soul (Hebrews 10:32-12:2).  Love may be the greatest in 1 Corinthians 13, but that does not diminish the greatness of faith and hope.

Paul targets the abuses of miraculous gifts among the Corinthians in chapters twelve through fourteen of this letter.  They were using their gifts for showboating and self-aggrandizement.  This was not in harmony with the intended use of miraculous gifts.  These gifts were designed to benefit “the common good” (12:7).  The apostle exhorted the Corinthians to let all things be done for edification (14:26).  Edification demands an outward-looking attitude that seeks to build up others rather than self.

The Bible calls such an attitude love.  When we seek the welfare of others, we love them.  “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13).  This is the highest love of all: caring love.  Caring love makes sacrifices for the benefit of others.  It takes ego out of the equation.  It does not want to be lauded for tongue-speaking; it wants tongue-speaking to build up others.  So then if there is no interpreter whereby people can understand what is said and therefore be edified, love keeps one’s trap shut (14:1-28).  An uncaring glory hound will speak anyway, inciting jealousy and resentment (13:4-7).  Love avoids this.  It seeks to build others up in faith and godliness, not knock them down to a carnal level.

Pride in our talents can be dangerous.  It can put the focus exclusively on self.  This is why love is, contextually, the greatest: it causes us to treat others the way we should treat them.  “Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies” (8:1).
Let us “pursue love” (14:1)!

Todd McAdams preaches for the Eastside church of Christ in Palestine, TX.


 

Share