by Timothy W. Burnett
"Though I speak with tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profits me nothing" (1Corinthians 13:1-3).
This kind of ove should not be confused with brotherly love which involves reciprocal sharing of love between close family members. Brotherly love breaks down when one party refuses to reciprocate. The love of God is shown without expecting anything in return. God gave His son Jesus Christ while knowing that the world could truly give nothing in return.
"Charity suffers long and is kind. Charity envies not. Charity vaunts not itself and is not puffed up, does not behave itself unseemly, seeks not her own, is not easily provoked, thinks no evil, rejoices not in iniquity, but rejoices in truth. It bears all things and believes all things and hopes all things and endures all things. Charity never fails" (verses 4-8). This is packed with information about God's love in Christ Jesus. We can do a word study on each area mentioned.
"But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail. Whether there be tongues, they shall cease. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away." There will be a day when it will no longer be available for God's saints to speak in tongues. This will be after Christ returns for the born-again saints. Knowledge as we know it will aso vanish away. When Christ returns, the born-again saints will know all things as they truly are. And when the Lord returns to establish the new heaven and new earth, all things will be eternally perfect for the rest of God's saints.
"When I was a child, I spoke as a child. I understood as a child. I thought as a child. But when I became a man, I put away childish things" (verse 11). Once children become men and women, they must think as men and women and put away the childish ways and thinking patterns.
"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." The word "glass" referred to a mirror. We see ourselves as God's children and saints through a dark mirror. But when Christ returns we will see our selves in full.
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