Friday, August 21, 2015
1 Corinthians 13:4-10 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 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. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
GOD'S LOVE NEVER FAILS
People almost never do anything for someone else without hoping that they will be recognized or possibly better their station in life. But consider that "Christ Jesus ... made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Philippians 2:5-8).
"Love ... does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil ..." This also is a perfect description of Christ Jesus, of whom Scripture says, "[He] committed no sin, nor was any deceit found in His mouth, who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness--by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:22ff).
We are told that "Love ... does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails." Christ Jesus wept over the effects of our sins and He rejoiced to bring us the truth that "God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life" (John 3:16). In love for sinners He came and bore all of our sins in His body, believing that He could win God's favor for us, believing and hoping that He could move us sinners to respond to God's love, so that it is written "... for the joy that was set before Him [He] endured the cross, despising the shame ..." (Hebrews 12:2).
From eternity, Christ's love for us never failed. And it never does fail. His love for us continues for us to this day, in spite of our lack of love for Him.
Yes, our love is incomplete, as our text says, "For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known." Because of sin we are not able to love or to think of God as we ought. Because of sin we are incomplete in this world. But God's love for us in Christ makes us complete.
