Angelic Conflict part 220: Human history (the Church) – 1Co 13; Joh 13:34-35; 17:25-26; 1Pe 4:8; Gal 5:22-23; 2Co 3:18.

Title: Angelic Conflict part 220: Human history (the Church) - 1Co 13; JOH 13:34-35; 17:25-26; 1PE 4:8; GAL 5:22-23; 2CO 3:18.

 

 

1CO 12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware.

 

1CO 12:2 You know that when you were pagans, you were led astray to the dumb idols, however you were led.

 

1CO 12:3 Therefore I make known to you, that no one speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus is accursed"; and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

 

1CO 12:4 Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit.

 

1CO 12:5 And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord.

 

1CO 12:6 And there are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons.

 

1CO 12:7 But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good.

 

1Co 12: 8 For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit;

 

1CO 12:9 to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit,

 

1CO 12:10 and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues.

 

1CO 12:11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills.

 

1CO 12:12 For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ.

 

1CO 12:13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit.

 

1CO 12:14 For the body is not one member, but many.

 

1CO 12:15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

 

1CO 12:16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body," it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body.

 

1CO 12:17 If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be?

 

1CO 12:18 But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired.

 

1CO 12:19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?

 

1CO 12:20 But now there are many members, but one body.

 

1CO 12:21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; or again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."

 

1CO 12:22 On the contrary, it is much truer that the members of the body which seem to be weaker are necessary;

 

1CO 12:23 and those members of the body, which we deem less honorable, on these we bestow more abundant honor, and our unseemly members come to have more abundant seemliness,

 

1CO 12:24 whereas our seemly members have no need of it. But God has so composed the body, giving more abundant honor to that member which lacked,

 

1CO 12:25 that there should be no division in the body, but that the members should have the same care for one another.

 

1CO 12:26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; if one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.

 

1CO 12:27 Now you are Christ's body, and individually members of it.

 

1CO 12:28 And God has appointed in the church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, various kinds of tongues.

 

1CO 12:29 All are not apostles, are they? All are not prophets, are they? All are not teachers, are they? All are not workers of miracles, are they?

 

1CO 12:30 All do not have gifts of healings, do they? All do not speak with tongues, do they? All do not interpret, do they?

 

1CO 12:31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts.

And I show you a still more excellent way.

 

 

 

1CO 13:1 If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong [marketplace] or a clanging cymbal [hired mourners or cultic worshippers].

 

1CO 13:2 And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing.

 

As we have defined agapan love: A mental attitude love from mature virtue that recognizes the value of an object, which produces a preference and a regard for its benefit, without sin, nor motivated by any affection or attraction.

 

1Co 13 has suffered much misinterpretation. It is often taken out of context and made into a hymn of love. I've heard it read at weddings as if this has anything to do with romance. Yet it is the love of God, given graciously to believers, that is the ultimate application of virtue. It means the application of all virtue to all people, regardless of their merit or worthiness. That is why it is at the head of the nine fold fruit of the Spirit.

 

Many people fail to see that Paul was still dealing with the Corinthians' problems when he wrote these words: the abuse of the gift of tongues, division in the church, envy of others' gifts, selfishness (they took each other to court in lawsuits), impatience with one another in the public meetings, and behavior that was disgracing the Lord.

 

The only way spiritual gifts can be used properly, passionately, and creatively is when Christians are motivated by divine virtue love.

 

1CO 13:3 And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.

 

Paul explained three characteristics of Christian love that show why it is so important in ministry.

 

Paul mentions tongues, prophecy, knowledge, faith, and giving as spiritual gifts and then concludes that all of them are nothing without virtue love. Virtue love comes from a steady diet of doctrine under the teaching ministry of God the Holy Spirit and with that wealth of virtue the spiritual gifts become an outlet of wonderful, divine application.

 

Divine virtue love enriches the body of Christ and by it the world recognizes the power of the church.

 

EPH 4:15

but speaking the truth in love

 

1TH 4:9

Now as to the love of the brethren

 

1JO 4:11

Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.

 

JOH 13:34-35

"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. "By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another."

 

"A new commandment" - divine virtue love has been given to the church only so that the body would have power and impact in this world.

 

JOH 17:25-26

"O righteous Father, although the world has not known Thee, yet I have known Thee; and these have known that Thou didst send Me; and I have made Thy name known to them, and will make it known; that the love wherewith Thou didst love Me may be in them, and I in them."

 

ROM 5:5

the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.

 

This love can only be realized in the soul through a wisdom of the deep things of God:

 

1CO 8:1

Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies.

 

The purpose of spiritual gifts is the edification of the church. This means we must not think of ourselves, but of others; and this demands love.

 

1CO 14:12 So also you, since you are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek to abound for the edification of the church.