1 Cor. 13:8-138Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 9For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 11When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12For 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. 13And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. (1 Corinthians 13:8‑13) (R. V.)
“LOVE NEVER FAILETH.” Prophecies and knowledge, best of spiritual gifts, shall be done away. Though continuing long, their use will prove to be for this time-state only. Not only are they profitless during the centuries of their use unless love should move and sustain them, but also the day will come when they will be no more. Their long-lasting flower will eventually fall, but love is an unfading, everlasting bloom. Its beauty will grace heaven, and its fragrance pervade God’s holy dwelling-place, where it will flourish as in its own true habitat. When that which is perfect has come, prophecy and knowledge will have been superseded. But not love. Love will raise the new song around the throne, and sustain its worship evermore. Love will move hearts that serve Him in His eternal presence and light the eves that see His fact! The glory and perfection that will rest upon us will only be sufferable to ourselves by reason of the love, the Father’s love, which they will prove to the world and minister to us (John 17:22, 2322And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. (John 17:22‑23)). And our response to His love, though in measure vastly greater, in intensity wonderfully more glowing, will be, in everything essential, as it was here― “We love Him because He first loved us” (1 John 4:1919We love him, because he first loved us. (1 John 4:19)). His love will call forth ours. “Love is the life-blood of the church”: it will be the very atmosphere and breath of the Father’s house.
Removing worlds, dissolving “tabernacles,” the swallowing up of mortality (2 Cor. 5.), will neither remove nor dissolve nor swallow up love. Love’s very self as we have known it here (all too feebly) will survive all these changes. “Love never faileth.” The coming of our house not made with hands eternal in the heavens, will not shame love as being too lowly for its occupation, though all that is “in part” will be done away.
Now, however, in our own very day and here below, nothing need ever check the course of this love through us. “Love never faileth” At no point on the pilgrim way does it fail. Its source is in God and is inexhaustible. Through wars, even bitter civil war, and persecution in the world, through unreasoning strife, unrepenting luke warmness and even unbelief in the church, through strain and trial in business or the home, this love still diffuses its heat: is not its flame fed from the heart of God Himself? Obviously, you and I can only be conveyers of its blessing to others if we are in communion with Him. The love of God abiding in us will open our hearts and our resources to all the need we see, even though others are too distracted to direct a thought outside of themselves (1 John 4:1616And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. (1 John 4:16)).
“I ask Thee for a thoughtful love,
Through constant watching wise,
To meet the glad with joyful smiles
And wipe the weeping eyes;
And a heart at leisure from itself
To soothe and sympathies.”
Do we not forget that this love, love divine, came from heaven in Jesus? He declared the Father’s Name, that God is Love. The very word for love in the Greek tongue, as used in the New Testament, is a new one. A learned writer says: “The truth of God abstained from the defiling contact with” the usual words for earthly love; “yea, found out a new word for itself rather than betake itself to one of these.” The Lord Jesus planted this heavenly flower of love here in human hearts, the hearts of “His Own,” and waits to give it increase while we water and tend it. The love that will be at home when that which is perfect has come is with us so that whatever is “in part” may be fully profitable to us now.
Faith and hope are its necessary companions where we see oily through a glass darkly, and know only in part. How indispensable they are and precious! Yet linking love with these, “and now abideth faith, hope, love, these three”; the Word continues, “and the greatest of these is love.” Faith and hope, like prophecy and knowledge, are to cease. They are all included in the things belonging to “now.” Truly we have love “now,” but it belongs not to “now”; it really belongs to “then.” It is native to heaven, though sojourning on earth. What an opportunity for those in whose hearts is shed abroad the love of God! An opportunity to impart the peace, the joy, the holiness of heaven into the assemblies of God’s people. Into our homes, too! jealousy, ambitions, self-seeking, gossip and the harboring of ill-will would vanish by means of this love. We would be in a state, day of small things though it is, to profit by the best gifts God has been pleased to give us. Our eyes would look out in pity to a perishing world, and up to God in prayer. The more we felt the weariness and disappointment of having toiled all night and caught nothing, the more should we importune Him Who can give the word when and where to cast the net so that we might enclose a great multitude of fishes (Luke 5).
“Follow after love and” (1 Cor. 14:1,1Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14:1) R.V.). Putting this pursuit of love first, the way is open for the solution of the gravest difficulties and the regulating of the most serious disorders that may arise in the church of God. “Follow after love and” — what then? “Every one unto his work.” (Neh. 4:1515And it came to pass, when our enemies heard that it was known unto us, and God had brought their counsel to nought, that we returned all of us to the wall, every one unto his work. (Nehemiah 4:15)). Controlled by love, even the desire for spiritual promotion may be indulged to the glory of God (1 Cor. 14:11Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. (1 Corinthians 14:1); 1 Tim. 3:1313For they that have used the office of a deacon well purchase to themselves a good degree, and great boldness in the faith which is in Christ Jesus. (1 Timothy 3:13)). Under love’s sway let our hearts and hands unite to serve those far whom Christ died.