1 CORINTHIANS 13: 8 - 13
LOVE NEVER FAILS
LOVE NEVER FAILS
8) Love never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.
9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10) But when That which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13) And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10) But when That which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.
11) When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.
12) For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.
13) And now abideth faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
COMMENTARY
8) Love never fails. "Fail" is described as when a leaf or flower petal falls to the ground, withers, and decays. Love will never die, will always be, because God is love and He will live for eternity. When we love, we are doing what God does; we are showing others what God is like.
Consider this: when someone close to you dies, does your love for them die with them? Of course not! Your love for them continues for the rest of your life. Love does not die.
Consider this: when someone close to you dies, does your love for them die with them? Of course not! Your love for them continues for the rest of your life. Love does not die.
Now, here is a controversial statement for you: tongues ceased. According to Dr. John MacArthur, we were given the gift of tongues as a sign and the need for tongues ended with the destruction of Jerusalem and The Temple around 70 a.d.
Tongues were 1) a sign to the unbelieving Jews of judgment, 2) a sign to the Gentile as a blessing that the Jew was no longer the favored people; that the barriers had been removed and all were included in God's blessing, and 3) a sign of a true believer after Pentecost.
Let me expand on the "judgement sign": We read in Deuteronomy that Israel would be conquered by a country speaking a foreign tongue, so when the Jews, especially those Jews in power during the lifetime of Jesus, heard The Word preached in a foreign tongue, they understood that it was a sign of judgement.
Prophecy is another way of saying "preaching the inerrant Word of God". When we speak the Word of God, unbelievers can understand and will be convicted of their sins. Believers hear and understand that they may have missed the mark, learning something new or being reminded of something they forgot, and they repent. With the coming of "the Perfect", prophecy will end.
Knowledge, likewise, will end with the coming of "the Perfect". Prophecy and knowledge will have to last at the very least through the thousand years after The New Jerusalem has come. So, "the perfect" must refer to the eternal state after that. Then, our prophecy and knowledge will be complete and not just partial.
The bottom line is that the gifts will not last forever but the fruit of The Spirit: faith, hope, and love continues or endures forever. The greatest of these is love.
Have you decided where you will spend eternity? I have great news for you: the work to get there has already been done. It is just for you to accept it. Please click here to learn more: https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html.
As always, if this post is a blessing to you, please share it on your favorite social media. We would also love to hear from you. You are encouraged to leave your thoughts or a prayer request in a comment. Please indicate if you do NOT want your comments published.
Tongues were 1) a sign to the unbelieving Jews of judgment, 2) a sign to the Gentile as a blessing that the Jew was no longer the favored people; that the barriers had been removed and all were included in God's blessing, and 3) a sign of a true believer after Pentecost.
Let me expand on the "judgement sign": We read in Deuteronomy that Israel would be conquered by a country speaking a foreign tongue, so when the Jews, especially those Jews in power during the lifetime of Jesus, heard The Word preached in a foreign tongue, they understood that it was a sign of judgement.
Prophecy is another way of saying "preaching the inerrant Word of God". When we speak the Word of God, unbelievers can understand and will be convicted of their sins. Believers hear and understand that they may have missed the mark, learning something new or being reminded of something they forgot, and they repent. With the coming of "the Perfect", prophecy will end.
Knowledge, likewise, will end with the coming of "the Perfect". Prophecy and knowledge will have to last at the very least through the thousand years after The New Jerusalem has come. So, "the perfect" must refer to the eternal state after that. Then, our prophecy and knowledge will be complete and not just partial.
The bottom line is that the gifts will not last forever but the fruit of The Spirit: faith, hope, and love continues or endures forever. The greatest of these is love.
Have you decided where you will spend eternity? I have great news for you: the work to get there has already been done. It is just for you to accept it. Please click here to learn more: https://omaswisdom.blogspot.com/p/path-to-salvation.html.
As always, if this post is a blessing to you, please share it on your favorite social media. We would also love to hear from you. You are encouraged to leave your thoughts or a prayer request in a comment. Please indicate if you do NOT want your comments published.
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