Jehovah's Witnesses Straight Talk - Forum/Blog

The book of 1 Corinthians

Chapter 13

1Cor.13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.

Why does the apostle Paul speak about love here, when most people feel Paul was about as judgmental of person there was in the bible? First, Paul is not speaking about mankind's love here which has failed the human race time and again from Adam's and Eve's lack of love for God, passed on too their children.

Rom.8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

James1:16 Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers. 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

Paul instead is speaking about God's love in a gift of His Holy Spirit given to His children, which is part of the fruit of Holy Spirit. Subsequently, if one lacks in this gift, what value would a gift of angel language be of? Well, it would be an aggravating noise, meaningless words that would have no effect on God's children. In other words, let us take ones goodness out of the way, and put God's love as a gift in a person that communicates and speaks too them. Hence, any gift without love would be empty. This is Paul's meaning here, God's children are created from their Heavenly Fathers who is love, and He gives them His love expressed through Holy Spirit which becomes their life, teacher, and comforter.

Gal. 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faith,{or, faithfulness} 5:23 gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

1 John 4:16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

Nothing can excel God's love, because all other gifts of Holy Spirit are given because of God's love too his children it is the medium for the gifts of Holy Spirit. It is this context Paul speaks, Satan himself can give his follower powerful gifts in teaching, healing, discernment, tongues of angels, knowledge, prophecy, but not God's love, which Satan is void of.

1 John 4:8 He who doesn't love doesn't know God, for God is love.

John 13:34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, just like I have loved you; that you also love one another. 13:35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

2 Corinthians 11:14 And no wonder, for even Satan masquerades as an angel of light.

The demon can and have communicated with mankind since the start of the human race upon earth, they have powerfully mislead most of them by pride of gifts in leaders and teachers, some having such talent they are honored as gods, but the gift of God's love is not about self, it about God's glory given by undeserved kindness and kept in humility. Knowledge is not the mark of truth, nor tongues of angels, or mysteries, not even faith in what we believe or see, but love, not our love, but God's love coming from the Spirit which bears witnesses with our spirit that we are God's children, without this love there is no gain for teachings, no gain in secret knowledge, or powerful works. Moreover, this is how we test the spirits, how we hear the truth, and know the truth, by the Spirit in us. It is this Spirit that Christ speaks with as the great Shepard, whose voice the sheep hear and follow.

Matt.7:22 Many will tell me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, didn't we prophesy in your name, in your name cast out demons, and in your name do many mighty works?' 7:23 Then I will tell them, 'I never knew you. Depart from me, you who work iniquity.'

1 John 4:6 We are of God. He who knows God listens to us. He who is not of God doesn't listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

1 John 4:13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

This Spirit cannot lie, it is the truth, not one thing in life is missing from it, it does not teach us falsehood, it is pure truth because eternal life cannot come from anything less, it is God, and that is why it must be given us as a gift for we are a creation of God.

John 14:24 He who doesn't love me doesn't keep my words. The word which you hear isn't mine, but the Father's who sent me.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

1 John 4:17 In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world.

1Cor.13:2 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 don't have love, I am nothing.

The love of Christ should compel us to act in love towards others, not the misguided love of the world, but God's love in moral excellence that is not often found in this world. Paul is not talking of worldly love here, the general love that is proud to love unrighteousness. To boast in self, pride of sports, recreation, politics, and so forth.

1 John 4:19 We love Him, because he first loved us.

1 John 4:9 By this God's love was revealed in us, that God has sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.

1 John 3:1 Behold, how great a love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! For this cause the world doesn't know us, because it didn't know him.

Instead Paul is speaking to the body of Christ which has once for all time been delivered from the clutches of darkness into the wonderful light of Christ Jesus and transferred into love of Son's Kingdom. Paul is preaching what he always preached the new birth from corruption of human sin under the old personality, into God's love coming down from above perfect in light and eternal life.

Colossians 1:13 who delivered us out of the power of darkness, and translated us into the Kingdom of the Son of his love.

Romans 12:2 Don't be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what is the good, well-pleasing, and perfect will of God.

2 Corinthians 3:18 But we all, with unveiled face beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit.

It is the word of God that is life sustaining to our spirit, it is Christ as the manna coming down from above as our bread of life, without such bread one cannot have eternal life. Nor can they know the love of God. No matter how successful they are in every other way without God's love expressed in Christ Jesus indwelling a Christian's they have profited nothing.

1 Corinthians 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old yeast, neither with the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

John6:26 Jesus answered them, "Most certainly I tell you, you seek me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves, and were filled. 6:27 Don't work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For God the Father has sealed him." 6:28 They said therefore to him, "What must we do, that we may work the works of God?" 6:29 Jesus answered them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent."

Paul humbly stated without God's love he was nothing, Christ humbly acknowledge God's alone is love, in stating there is only one that is good God. After eons of time on told Christ knew the truth of God's love. Adam lost God's love, he lost Spirit of love flowing to him from the source of eternal life God, his Father YHWH. Once cutting himself off from its source he found nothing good in him would connect him back to the source of life.

Psalms 49:7 none of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give God a ransom for him.

Titus 2:14 who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify for himself a people for his own possession, zealous for good works.

No good motives, no amount of personal accomplishment, no teaching or preaching God's word, no love of family or friends the breach could only be healed by God. God must pay the price to heal the wounds of brokenhearted and sick.

Isaiah 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord Yahweh is on me; because Yahweh has anointed me to preach good news to the humble; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening [of the prison] to those who are bound;

Luke 4:18 "The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to heal the brokenhearted,{NU omits "to heal the brokenhearted"} to proclaim release to the captives, recovering of sight to the blind, to deliver those who are crushed.

Mankind must wait on God until the chosen one comes, Christ Jesus he would heal the wounds of those afflicted with sins of Adam, he would give them hope and faith in being restored to the source of life God, by Holy Spirit. Here Paul speaks the truth of love, the love of the Father that is our truth, which gives us life and freedom from the sins of Adam. No! Despite those thinking gifts of prophecy, decrement, healing, and speaking in tongues were proof of Christ working in them they were wrong the proof of God in us, is his love found in Christ Jesus indwelling the hearts and minds of wheat Christian's.

1 John 4:16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

1 John 4:17 In this love has been made perfect among us, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment, because as he is, even so are we in this world.

John 12:40 "He has blinded their eyes and he hardened their heart, lest they should see with their eyes, and perceive with their heart, and would turn, and I would heal them."{Isaiah 6:10}

2 Corinthians 4:4 in whom the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving, that the light of the Good News of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God, should not dawn on them.

1 John 2:11 But he who hates his brother is in the darkness, and walks in the darkness, and doesn't know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.

1Cor.13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.

What powerful shocking words by the apostle Paul, how could good works not be of God, without love? Isn't love feeding the poor, giving of ones material things? Paul even states that if he gave his body to be burned, it would not be enough without love. He says it is of no profit, profit in what? Is not all love, well, love?

1 Peter 2:25 For you were going astray like sheep; but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer{"Overseer" is from the Greek episkopon, which can mean overseer, curator, guardian, or superintendent.} of your souls.

Here each person must define what love it is that gives a person eternal life, with God? Is it the love of humans, or is Paul speaking about Gods love having it as a gift of a child of God, that is, in having Christ Jesus indwell us by Holy Spirit? The question is not hard to find if a person takes the time and reads Paul definition of love given below.

1Cor. 13:4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud, 13:5 doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil; 13:6 doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 13:8 Love never fails.

The definition of love Paul gives is a perfect love, it never sins, and it never fails. Can any of us actually say this the truth about our own love? The question is, not if we desire to do good, or to be a better person or wish that we could be so perfect in love, but does our own love match Paul's definition of real love? Once we have been honest here we know that we are speaking about a perfect love coming down to us from our Heaven Father that love is the love that will save the world. Moreover, if we don't have this love, no amount of giving, preaching, teachings, or good motive will save us. The first step is salvation provided for us in God's love from above in Christ Jesus. The next step is death of our old person, and being made new in Christ, being indwelt with his life leading, and directing us in God's good works found in Jesus Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17 Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old things have passed away. Behold, all things have become new.

John 15:1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the farmer.
15:2 Every branch in me that doesn't bear fruit, he takes away. Every branch that bears fruit, he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 15:3 You are already pruned clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. 15:4 Remain in me, and I in you. As the branch can't bear fruit by itself, unless it remains in the vine, so neither can you, unless you remain in me. 15:5 I am the vine. You are the branches. He who remains in me, and I in him, the same bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing.

2 Corinthians 13:5 Test your own selves, whether you are in the faith. Test your own selves. Or don't you know as to your own selves, that Jesus Christ is in you?--unless indeed you are disqualified.

Now in context this is Paul message in dealing with a fleshly idol worshiping congregation in men, set upon the wisdom of this world through mans goodness to save us. No matter how great the boast in doing things in the name of Christ, it did not matter if Christ life was not in them manifest by truth, which is, God's love saves us, and there is no other foundation under the Sun to build upon on, but Christ, and him alone impaled.

Romans 15:18 For I will not dare to speak of any things except those which Christ worked through me, for the obedience of the Gentiles, by word and deed.

1Cor.3:4 For when one says, "I follow Paul," and another, "I follow Apollos," aren't you fleshly? 3:5 Who then is Apollos, and who is Paul, but servants through whom you believed; and each as the Lord gave to him? 3:6 I planted. Apollos watered. But God gave the increase. 3:7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. 3:8 Now he who plants and he who waters are the same, but each will receive his own reward according to his own labor. 3:9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's farming, God's building. 3:10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another builds on it. But let each man be careful how he builds on it. 3:11 For no one can lay any other foundation than that which has been laid, which is Jesus Christ.

2Cor.2 Corinthians 4:5 For we don't preach ourselves, but Christ Jesus as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake.

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me. That life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for me.

2 Corinthians 13:11 Finally, brothers, rejoice. Be perfected, be comforted, be of the same mind, live in peace, and the God of love and peace will be with you.

1Cor.13:4 Love is patient and is kind; love doesn't envy. Love doesn't brag, is not proud.

Have you ever worked so hard at something that every muscle in your body hurt, and you thought: “this is impossible!” Than a professional step in and makes the same job look effortless? Some of us human have to work hard in making ourselves act lovingly towards other, we have to be educated and discipline to be loving and kind. Moreover, when we finally get it right we often pat ourselves on the back, and want recognition for our efforts.

Luke 18:19 Jesus asked him, "Why do you call me good? No one is good, except one--God.

But you see, the apostle Paul is not saying, his love, or your love, or my love is patient, kind, doesn't envy, doesn't brag, and is not proud, he is saying God's love is always this way. God does not fail at love, or work at love, we human do, and because we do, we assume God does also! No Paul is stating something profound, he saying God is not telling us work hard at love, gain merit by love, he is saying: “I am love, and because I am love you can believe in me not letting you down every!”

1Cor.13:8a Love never fails.

Rom. 8:37 No, in all these things, we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 8:38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 8:39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

As Christian's we all want to be loving and feel very bad when we are not, we often have a perverted view of love depending on our religious education, but God love expressed in Jesus Christ is perfect a gift too us in being translated into the kingdom of the Son love. In other words, we are learning the excellency of truth love, we are taking all the trials of this life in our flesh and learning in the school of hard knocks how to love like Christ did his Father under trials. Many want a hand book, a rule book if you will, but none really exist because love deals with each circumstance as it happens once love is canned, it becomes a law, which is applied each time the same way, next you have unloving rules used to judge and control the conduct of others, subsequently, makes their actions works of law to be accepted.

Rom.13:8 Owe no one anything, except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law.

This is the reason Christian's can find themselves right and fail at love and fall into judgment. Truth cannot be perfect without perfect love. In other words, when Michael the archangel of God got into a debate with the Devil, we are told that Michael did not bring abusive condemnation against him, but why? No one could be more guilty than the devil, or evil, no one fought harder against the truth. God's love went beyond Michael righteous hatred for the Devils wrong doing, it went to Michael heart, he acted with endurance and patience, he did not take God position in making judgments from his own heart, he trusted in God as love, knowing that YHWH is the perfect God of justice.

Jude.1:9 But Michael, the archangel, when contending with the devil and arguing about the body of Moses, dared not bring against him an abusive condemnation, but said, "May the Lord rebuke you!"

James 3:8 But nobody can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison. 3:9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who are made in the image of God. 3:10 Out of the same mouth comes forth blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. 3:11 Does a spring send out from the same opening fresh and bitter water? 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water. 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.

Let us remember love is not weak it does not condone evil, but let us also remember man's anger does not work out God's righteousness, no matter how right we thinking we are, or the hate we have for the wrong doing, let us not justify our evil with God's love.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Lord promised to those who love him.

James 1:16 Don't be deceived, my beloved brothers. 1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom can be no variation, nor turning shadow.

James 1:19 So, then, my beloved brothers, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger; 1:20 for the anger of man doesn't produce the righteousness of God.

James 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

1Cor.13:5 (Love) doesn't behave itself inappropriately, doesn't seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil.

We humans have a good and bad habit, to grow in this world from birth into adulthood we have examples in parents and peers throughout life our being challenge by them helps us to improve. However, when we compare ourselves to God we fall far short of His glory.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;

The problem with Christian's is when they think they are god in trying to be perfect like God of their own accord. In other words, they read Paul's words here and thinking it is speaking of human love so they act like love the best they can hiding the truth from others that they are not love, or loving all the time. Subsequently, they measure their love by comparing themselves to other humans whom aren't as loving, feeling justify in their own love. To compound the problem further is when Christian's have the misconception that their leaders in their religion should be God's love as Paul explained here and when not their faith is devastated.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn't fall.

Matthew 7:27 The rain came down, the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house; and it fell--and great was its fall."

This was not Paul's meaning here, although, we try to be loving all the time we are not promoting ourselves as perfect love because the salvation of our faith is Christ Jesus, whom proved he is love like the Father. We are truthful with sincerity and look to a time when we will live in God's love fully, without sins of our flesh, we do not commit more sin by being a hypocrite acting like we are a god on earth in word and deed. We are not in self-worship, we are in Christ as he gives glory to God through us for God's great love.

2 Corinthians 12:5 On behalf of such a one I will boast, but on my own behalf I will not boast, except in my weaknesses.

2 Corinthians 12:6 For if I would desire to boast, I will not be foolish; for I will speak the truth. But I refrain, so that no man may think more of me than that which he sees in me, or hears from me.

Many stop believing in God when human love fails them, when they burnout from trying to be perfect in love, those failing in this area have found the truth of worshiping men including themselves that they are not gods, and man cannot bring them salvation. Rejoice because God love has not failed you, it cannot, now fix your eyes where each Christian knows they should, in Christ Jesus seated above, and wait upon God to heal you in faith and love.

Ephesians 2:9 not of works, that no one would boast.

Psalms 41:4 I said, "Yahweh, have mercy on me! Heal me, for I have sinned against you."

Ecclesiastes 3:3 a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up.

Rom.8:24 For we were saved in hope, but hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for that which he sees? 8:25 But if we hope for that which we don't see, we wait for it with patience. 8:26 In the same way, the Spirit also helps our weaknesses, for we don't know how to pray as we ought. But the Spirit himself makes intercession for us with groanings which can't be uttered.

1Cor.13:6 doesn't rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; 13:7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 13:8 Love never fails.

Many humans have found themselves devastated by someones love, some have experience shipwreck of their faith due to a religion's lack of love. Than there are those whom find themselves hurting someone over love. The world is full of people that love has failed them, many of terrible crime have been pretreated because of a person lack of love.

1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands be careful that he doesn't fall.

So how can love never fail us? How can love bear all things, believe all things, hopes all things, endures all things? Each of us as Christian's are faced with this question? Many have chosen to deny their own lack of love selling their personality as proof of God's own love, only to be despise. Mankind loves glory, and seek self-glory instead of giving glory to his creator he wants others to look to him as the icon of love, but all fail short in love.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.

Some religions have set up material icons to make up for human imperfection, others have raised themselves up by dressing religiously, still others follow a person with a godly personality having charisma. Thus, being led and misled into all sorts of hurtful things, but love. Here than is the question we must face is Paul speaking man's love here or God's love? Is he saying: “this is the love you see in me!”

Matt.7:16 By their fruits you will know them. Do you gather grapes from thorns, or figs from thistles?

The apostle Paul speaks the truth of Holy Spirit this is clearly God's love that will change this world, it is the enduring everlasting love of God that will not fail us. We must love God more than this world, we must put faith in his love alone or be in a constant state of disappointed over the lack of human love. We must come up to this understanding of truth, this level of true worship, being lead by Holy Spirit and not, man spirit.

1Cor.2:4 My speech and my preaching were not in persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power,
2:5 that your faith wouldn't stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

We must stop worshiping man, religion, government, ourselves, and/or any other thing created under the heavens, but God alone. In this, we will not fail.

Rom.1:20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. 1:21 Because, knowing God, they didn't glorify him as God, neither gave thanks, but became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless heart was darkened. 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 1:23 and traded the glory of the incorruptible God for the likeness of an image of corruptible man, and of birds, and four-footed animals, and creeping things.

1Cor.13:8 Love never fails. But where there are prophecies, they will be done away with. Where there are various languages, they will cease. Where there is knowledge, it will be done away with. 13:9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.

Love is a language of few words it is felt and it surpasses all knowledge into compete trust, freedom in peace. Peace can only come from love, love is acceptance without fear of rejection, love is freedom from judgment. Love is equal giving and in receiving imputing only good and receiving the same good back. Love is the perfect bond of union and its is our God YHWH.

1 John 4:16 We know and have believed the love which God has for us. God is love, and he who remains in love remains in God, and God remains in him.

Something Christian's presently do not have in full measure, they long for it, and often strive for its, and fall short in love. We know partially our God, we talk of many things about God for lack of love, we sometimes argue with others to cover our own fears, and preach perfection because we lack love and loving God. These things are human, but they are not our God whom is in perfect peace at all times, why because he is love.

1 John 4:12 No one has seen God at any time. If we love one another, God remains in us, and his love has been perfected in us.

The life of a Christian's is one of testing in our flesh, we are tested in all respects as Christ was, but here is the secret that many never learn or fail to learn. It is our failure that teach us the truth of God's love. When we can no longer rely upon our own goodness and strength to deliver ourselves we find the constant everlasting truth of our heavenly Father. Failures, not in Christ, but just as truth is, in our flesh that we confuse with Christ. Our strengthen, our wants, and our needs in our flesh is not being perfected in Christ. We are being perfected in spirit, by the truth of our fallen condition into sin and death.

1 John 3:11 For this is the message which you heard from the beginning, that we should love one another.

1 John 2:15 Don't love the world, neither the things that are in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father's love isn't in him.

1 Peter 4:8 And above all things be earnest in your love among yourselves, for love covers a multitude of sins.

We are learning the truth of our Fathers love, the unfathomable goodness and righteousness of his love no matter what we think, we only know partially about the depth of his love. We must live a living expression of Christ life in us, to be transferred into God's complete love. It is a truth a walk that is life, it cannot be separated into divisions of learning through words alone, it must be experienced by the incorruptible seed of life planted into us growing into son's of God perfected in faith in God as always good and loving Father.

1 Peter 1:8 whom not having known you love; in whom, though now you don't see him, yet believing, you rejoice greatly with joy unspeakable and full of glory--

Hebrews 13:5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, "I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you."{Deuteronomy 31:6}

Love never fails, we will because we are but flesh, we know partially but than we will know fully and face to face the whole truth of God's love.

Colossians 2:2 that their hearts may be comforted, they being knit together in love, and gaining all riches of the full assurance of understanding, that they may know the mystery of God, both of the Father and of Christ,

Colossians 3:14 Above all these things, walk in love, which is the bond of perfection.

1Cor.13:10 but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.

Christ came into the world, he died for our sins, he was resurrected and the promised Holy Spirit was out-poured anointing Christ brothers, Christ came, and the Holy Spirit with its many gifts to teach and direct the lives of God's children upon earth was given teaching us all things about God's love. So what hadn't come that the apostle Paul would make such a statement?

1Cor. 2:9 But as it is written, "Things which an eye didn't see, and an ear didn't hear, which didn't enter into the heart of man, these God has prepared for those who love him."{Isaiah 64:4}

Why did these brothers and sisters only know partially instead fully, why did they need hope, faith, and love? Faith is the trust in the unseen God YHWH, and all his promises to us, hope is a fruit of Holy Spirit, which gives us reason to stay in the faith, love is God, his very personality. We as Christian's have all three of these gifts of Holy Spirit because we are in Christ Jesus. We have been made members therein as God's Holy Temple.

1Cor.2:14 Now the natural man doesn't receive the things of God's Spirit, for they are foolishness to him, and he can't know them, because they are spiritually discerned. 2:15 But he who is spiritual discerns all things, and he himself is judged by no one.

1Cor.3:16 Don't you know that you are a temple of God, and that God's Spirit lives in you?

Here than Paul speaks a reality, the Spirit tells us the truth, we are God's sons, we have the faithful witnesses in our hearts. Moreover, it cannot lie, proving we have God's love, that is, Christ Jesus. Now because of this witnesses of truth in us we have faith in the promises of God yet to come, hence, we have hope. We have life, we have the life of Christ in us proving that whom ever believes in Christ has life, right now, so what yet must come for Christian's? Not more knowledge because we have the Helper the promise Holy Spirit teaching us all things.

John 5:24 "Most certainly I tell you, he who hears my word, and believes him who sent me, has eternal life, and doesn't come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life.

John 5:31 "If I testify about myself, my witness is not valid.

1 John 5:6 This is he who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ; not with the water only, but with the water and the blood. It is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth.

1 John 4:13 By this we know that we remain in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit.

We await our putting off this flesh into incorruptibility with Christ than we need not faith or hope, we than will know only love, for love is the competition of our faith and hope in God through Christ Jesus. Than we will know fully all things of God's love face to face, we will be completed in God's love, it will be our reality, our own life consumed into complete freedom of the son's of God.

1Cor.13:1 If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don't have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
13:2 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 don't have love, I am nothing. 13:3 If I dole out all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but don't have love, it profits me nothing.

1Cor.13:11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I felt as a child, I thought as a child. Now that I have become a man, I have put away childish things. 13:12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know fully, even as I was also fully known. 13:13 But now faith, hope, and love remain--these three. The greatest of these is love.

What are childish things to those born of God's Spirit it would be works of our flesh, fits of our flesh, wanting things that are not good for us because we want to indulge the needs of our fleshly wants, the showy display of world. The worship of men, seeking glory and a position so we can boast in our accomplishment, being jealousy of other body members thinking they have placed themselves within the body of Christ.

James 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, yield olives, or a vine figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh water.
3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? Let him show by his good conduct that his deeds are done in gentleness of wisdom.
3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, don't boast and don't lie against the truth. 3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, sensual, and demonic. 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition are, there is confusion and every evil deed. 3:17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. 3:18 Now the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

These are very selfish childish things we should put them all away. Here the apostle Paul is speaking to a very fleshly congregation in Corinthians they are enamor with personality like the world they compare themselves against leaders of the congregation hoping to find favor, they look to men flesh and mimic their actions, voices, and gestures thinking it is godly, like Christ Jesus in his flesh. But Paul wisely with God's wisdom Christ Jesus points to something so powerful that only a person lost to worship of creature could not understand, and what is that?

2 Corinthians 5:16 Therefore we know no one after the flesh from now on. Even though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now we know him so no more.

It is the profound truth of love something so pure and wonderful that it takes God's own love to even imagine not having evil motives of our flesh, but pure righteous love that only looks for the good, never seeks its own interest, is not jealous, and continue to do good even when reviled. Love shuts the mouth of the flesh, it cannot stand in the gate of love. It cannot compare itself against God's love without coming up far short.

Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God.

However, love does not matter much to the flesh, flesh and the fleshly personality of great and wonderful speakers matter most to our fallen flesh where it can compare, walk and talk like parrots mimicking someone it can see and worship, but not with love. Love cannot come up second there is no wiping it away with the fleshly mind, it is a truth that only a God of love is perfect in. It proves beyond doubt that we are sinners, and we have been shown undeserved kindness beyond any kindness of humans. It checks us, into reality, helps us show love towards others when our hearts are raging because of someone faults. Love is our comfort, its what sets us apart from the world because the world cannot know God's love.

Now in one chapter or in this part of Paul's letter he sets things straight in simply saying: “why do you look at flesh and blood, why are you not looking to truth in God's love and comparing your conduct to perfection? Why do you see the speck in your brothers eye, why act like a child, do we not have enough of God's own love in us to wake up to soberness in truth righteousness?”

1 Thessalonians 5:8 But let us, since we belong to the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and, for a helmet, the hope of salvation.

1 Peter 1:13 Therefore, prepare your minds for action,{literally, "gird up the waist of your mind"} be sober and set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ--

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober and self-controlled. Be watchful. Your adversary the devil, walks around like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.

Jude 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to eternal life.

Revelation 2:4 But I have this against you, that you left your first love.

Completed on: April 4, 2014

by: Daniel a Slave of Christ Jesus