ELNORA'S BIBLE STUDY WITH FRIENDS, 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13

                       

                                  Friday, August 23, 2024                             

 INTRODUCING 1 CORINTHIANS, CHAPTER 13 (NLT)

Much of 1 Corinthians 12 corrected misunderstandings about spiritual gifts among the Christians in Corinth. Some believed that those able to speak in tongues or prophesy were more spiritual than others. This may have created yet another reason for division in the church, along with jealousy or a sense of inferiority. Paul insisted that every spiritual gift was given by God for a reason and was essential to the church, the body of Christ. He did urge them, though, to desire that the "higher" gifts of apostles, prophets, and teachers be given to the church. But he concluded by promising to show them "a still more excellent way" to serve each other (1 Corinthians 12:31). I believe Paul describes the more excellent way in chapter 13.

Lack of love was at the heart of most of the Corinthians' problems and divisions. As Paul describes it, God's kind of love sets self aside, over and over, endlessly, for the good of others. Spiritual gifts exist for the building up of the church now, but believers will live in love for eternity. Christ-like love is the greatest of all the virtues, and it should be the priority of every Christian.

 (https://www.bibleref.com/1-Corinthians/13/1-Corinthians-chapter-13.html) 

Love is the Greatest, Part 1, Verses 1-7, TEANNIE

¹ If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn’t love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. ² If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God’s secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn’t love others, I would be nothing. ³ If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;^[a] but if I didn’t love others, I would have gained nothing. ⁴ Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous or boastful or proud ⁵ or rude. It does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. ⁶ It does not rejoice about injustice but rejoices whenever the truth wins out. ⁷ Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance.

^{SECTION QUESTIONS:} 

1. How does Paul correct the misrepresentation of Spiritual gifts? (Verses 1-3) 

THOUGHT QUESTIONS: 

1. How does Paul’s comparison of love and spiritual gifts influence your understanding of Christian service? 

2. Some might suggest that you can't operate in spiritual gifts without love. What would you think about that?

Love is the Greatest, Part 2, Verses 8-13, CHARLES

⁸ Prophecy and speaking in unknown languages^[b] and special knowledge will become useless. But love will last forever! ⁹ Now our knowledge is partial and incomplete, and even the gift of prophecy reveals only part of the whole picture! ¹⁰ But when the time of perfection comes, these partial things will become useless. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke and thought and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things. ¹² Now we see things imperfectly, like puzzling reflections in a mirror, but then we will see everything with perfect clarity.^[c] All that I know now is partial and incomplete, but then I will know everything completely, just as God now knows me completely. ¹³ Three things will last forever—faith, hope, and love—and the greatest of these is love.

^{SECTION QUESTIONS:} 

1.  When will prophesy and speaking in unknown languages and special knowledge become useless? (V.8)

2. What do you think Paul was saying when he said, "When I was a child, I spoke, thought, and reasoned as a child. But when I grew up, I put away childish things?" (V.11)

^{THOUGHT QUESTIONS:}

1. Why does Paul say love is greater than faith and hope?

Prayer Confession for 1Corinthians, Chapter 13

Heavenly Father, thank You that you give each of Your children one or more gifts of the Spirit, to be used in love and to Your glory. Help us to use the gifts that you have bestowed on us, in a way that does not dishonor or displease You. May our spiritual gifts be rooted and grounded in Christ’s love. Keep us ever humble before Your throne of grace. Help us to use our spiritual gifts and graces to encourage and edify our brothers and sisters in Christ and to glorify Your name. May we live our lives in love. May the love of God stream through us so that by Your Spirit, our lives may enrich the lives of others and glorify our Father in heaven.

Keep us from jealousy and boastfulness, or any unbecoming actions or motives, and may the love of Jesus be seen in and through us, by the power of Your Holy Spirit. Identify in us any areas of our lives that discredit our witness for You, and we pray that we walk in the way of righteousness.

Develop in us that spiritual fruit that does not delight in evil, but rejoices in the truth. May we learn to live in total dependence upon You so that the beautiful fruit of love may bud, blossom, and mature in our lives. We pray that in the power of the Holy Spirit, we may learn through obedience, to develop the exquisite characteristic of Christ-like love in our lives. May others see Your love reflected in us and be drawn to You.

How great is Your love for us, Father, and how we long to be more like You. May we be transparent channels through which Your love may flow out to others. In Jesus' name, AMEN.

Source: https://prayer.knowing-jesus.com/1-Corinthians/13