by Timothy W. Burnett
It is because of God's love that the body of Christ exists in the first place. Because of God's love it is now possible for spirit-filled people to get born-again and become the children of God. As it is written, "Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God." (1John 3:1). The ability to show God's love is directly related to having the spirit of God sealed in us through Jesus Christ.
"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us, and sent His only begotten son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another." (1John 4:10-11). Just as Jesus Christ did his Father's will and gave his life for us, so also must we give our lives for each other in the church of God (1John 3:16).
To love in this context means to love each other with the kind of perfect and powerful admiration that God has for the world. Amazing, isn't it? It's not about how we feel about others in the church, or the way they act and live their lives. Instead, it is about demonstrating God's love admiration toward them.
God's love edifies the church. Ephesians chapter 4 covers this in more detail. God gave gift ministries to the church. They are people with certain gifts from God for the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry which is for the edifying of the body of Christ in love (Ephesians 4:11-16).
In 1Corinthians chapter 12 we learn of nine different ways to manifest the spirit of God. It concludes with, "But covet earnestly the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way." (verse 31). With the spirit of God, we can walk with great power from God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Each member of the body of Christ will be stronger in certain areas, yet every one has the fullness of the spirit of God and all that is available. And with all this, there is a more excellent way.
"If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as a sounding brass or a tickling cymbal. And though I prophecy, and anderstand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could move 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).
The word charity is translated from the same word as love. both come from the Greek word agapeo. This is astounding! It is possible to walk by the power of God mightily and not show His love. Chapter 13 sits like a gem between chapters 12 and 14. It grabs our attention and drives in the basic truth that although what you have learned in chapter 12 and will learn in 14 are very important, God's love is most important.
"And now abides faith, hope and charity, these three. But the greatest of these is charity." (1Corinthians 13:13).
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