But I didn't have the love...

Last night at the Bible study we discussed 1 Corinthians 13 and in this short report I limit myself to the first three verses.

“If I should speak the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I should have become sounding brass or a resounding cymbal.
And if I had the gift of prophecy and knew all mysteries and had all knowledge, and had all the faith to move mountains, but had not love, I was nothing.
And though I distribute all my possessions for the sustenance of the poor, and though I give up my body to be burned, but I have not love, it profits me nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:1-3)

Today's church through Paul's glasses

With events and movements such as Opwekking, NewWine, Vrij-being, 'There-is-more', DeLaatsteReformatie and many others, the charismatic body of thought enters all Christian homes and communities. It is remarkable that in many cases it concerns these two themes:

• 'tongues' as a sign that you really have the Holy Spirit, so that you can now also experience 'intimacy with God'. Moreover, this is often the stepping stone to the next theme:
• the 'prophesy'. Praying prophetically, hearing God's voice, receiving knowledge and passing it on to others, and miracles of faith (that can move mountains or heal the sick).

Of course this is a bit simplified and the reality is more diverse. We've talked about these events before – see the various posts on the blog. It is striking again and again that all the attention is paid to special experiences and workings 'of the Spirit', but that it is always not is about Christ the Crucified. He is the great Absent.

In the third verse of the chapter it is about say 'social justice'. Sacrificing your possessions and even yourself for others is something that there are plenty of opportunities for in the Christian yard. At every event you will find a whole line of organizations that need you and where you can work in God's Kingdom. “But if I didn't have love...Paul also says here, it all makes no sense.

Love

This chapter is not about the natural human love that we humans can have for each other. But here it is about divine love,”the love of God, which has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). We already have about that earlier thought.

It is the love of God in me that goes out to the Lord Jesus; to Him”the Son of God, Who loved me and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). It is also this love that brings about in us the love for God's Word and the love for the brothers and sisters.

In other words, in this first part of 1 Corinthians 13, Paul says that Christians can be concerned about all kinds of special manifestations of 'the Spirit' and devotion in the Kingdom of God, but that

… it makes no sense at all if your life is not primarily about the Lord Jesus and the Word of God.

That is the most important thing in the Christian life! That is the road that surpasses all this and that we must go!

A touchstone

Paul doesn't go hard, so to speak. He calmly indicates three times what is most important: love! Doubtless Paul taught what he taught in the letter to the Romans about this also to the Corinthians when he stayed there for 1.5 years (Acts 18:11). Then they know aboutthe love of God' and he believes they are capable of testing their own actions and drawing the right conclusions. In 1 Corinthians 14:1 he confirms it again:Chase the love…”.

It remains a touchstone for each of us too – what about my love for the Lord Jesus and my love for the Word of God? That should be the most important thing in our lives above all else. Above any wondrous things.

But it is also a touchstone to test what presents itself to us or imposes itself on Christian property. The question is always whether you can see and notice that it is primarily about the Lord Jesus and the Word of God.

Love, in You is all our life,
You are now our highest good.
Yes, Your cross has given us
which makes us rejoice eternally.
How are we connected to You,
Jesus, Saviour, the Father's Son!
Our hearts, our mouths
shout thankfully to Thy throne.

Spiritual Songs 120:3 (2016 edition)