In 1 Corinthians chapter 12 the
apostle Paul wrote about how the Holy Spirit supernaturally gifts believers
above and beyond whatever skills and talents they might have to accomplish the
common good in the church. These gifts are coordinated with ministries overseen
by Jesus Christ as Lord in order to accomplish the intended outcomes of the
Father. We also see in this chapter the church as a body of diverse members of
which none are the same who are to function according to their own abilities for
the welfare of the body.
The chapter ends with “…And I show you a still more
excellent way.” Then comes chapter 13 which is all about love. It contains
great statement on the value of love, descriptions of love and not love and how
love functions. Included are two great statements on what love is--patient and
kind. Patience is the putting up with things that might otherwise push our
buttons having the meaning of being long-tempered. Kindness has the meaning of
showing active goodwill even when the other person is by our standard not
deserving. These are love in action, and the framework for this is remembering
just how much God has loved us when we were strangers and aliens, living in
active disobedience and yet He sent His Son to pay the price required to
satisfied the wrath of God and secure our forgiveness.
The greatest gift we can know from God is His great love for us and the
best way that we can walk with one another is by demonstrating that love.
Everything else will pass away when the Christian steps into eternity, but love
endures forever. We read at the end of chapter 13, “But now faith, hope, love,
abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.”
Sherman County eNews Spiritual Matters - 09/20/2019
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