Introduction

Believers are encouraged to show love (reflecting the character of the loving God of the Bible).

Verses
1If I speak with the languages of men and of angels, but don’t have love, I have become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
2If 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.
3If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing.
4Love is patient and is kind. Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud,
5doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, is not provoked, takes no account of evil;
6doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth;
7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
8Love 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.
9For we know in part and we prophesy in part;
10but when that which is complete has come, then that which is partial will be done away with.
11When 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.
12For 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.
13But now faith, hope, and love remain—these three. The greatest of these is love.

Questions

1. What things are useless, if we don’t have love?

v 2 and 3 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith ... If I give away all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burnt, but don’t have love, it profits me nothing. 

2. What sort of behaviour indicates that we are showing love to others?

v 4 to 7 ... patient ... kind ... is not provoked, takes no account of evil; doesn’t rejoice in unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.

3. What sort of behaviour do we avoid if we show love in our lives?

v 4 and 5 ... Love doesn’t envy. Love doesn’t brag, is not proud, doesn’t behave itself inappropriately, doesn’t seek its own way, ...

Summary Points

  • v 1 to 3 We must show love, otherwise all that we do is of no value
  • v 4 to 7 We are shown that love:
    • is selfless and not proud
    • is not easily provoked and doesn't bear grudges
    • holds to what is true and dislikes what is wrong
    • endures all problems
  • v 8 to 13 Love is the attribute that will continue past our present partial knowledge and experience

 Timeline AD 60

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