Have you ever noticed that the chapter that teaches about the importance of godly love is sandwiched between 2 chapters that expound upon the use of spiritual gifts? Why do you think that is? Because of Gal.5:6. Where Paul tells us that the faith it takes to use God’s gifts works by love.

Right there between Paul’s teaching about speaking with tongues and prophesying and all manner of things that can, and many times are used, to bring attention to ourselves. Is the chapter he begins by saying, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.”

And actually this thought began in ch.12 with something Paul said to help us understand the true purpose of any of these gifts by asking, “Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?

30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret?”

And then instructing that while they are to “covet earnestly the best gifts.” In order that their usage would be done in the true spiritual sense in which God intended Paul said, “and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.”

This more excellent way is the way of love. The way of God’s love. A love that brought Jesus to join with men in our mortality. So that we might join with Him in immortality.

And as we do join with Him in immortality, Paul says it is in our best interest to live in and through God’s love. To allow His love to fill us to such a degree that we do not miss the real reason for any of the gifts He has given in the body of Christ. So that they will be used in the way God intended.

Used to edify the body of believers. And to encourage others to live godly lives in that same love. It is this love for these people at Corinth that brought Paul by the Holy Spirit to speak to them in regard to the spiritual gifts they were being blessed with.

Again this is why Paul says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.

3 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 profiteth me nothing.”

The reason it profits us nothing if what we do, no matter how magnanimous it may seem, is not motivated first and foremost by God’s love that has been shed abroad in our hearts. Is because when we stand before Jesus at the Bema seat judgment the rewards we could have had had we been motivated by love will not be there for us.

So that even though we are still saved as 1Cor.3:15 attests saying, “If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.”

This means that all the prophesying and tongue talking or any other gift they may have been given is not done with love as its full motivation. It becomes the wood, hay, or stubble that is burned up in the fire of the Bema seat judgment.

This is why in between the 2 main portions where Paul teaches on gifts that can be used to bring attention to ourselves. Paul teaches the more excellent way of love.

So that as a person is using the gift God has given to them to edify and build up the rest of the body. He will always do them in love. A love whose main characteristic is sacrifice. As it is defined in 1John4:9-11.

Here John defines this love Paul taught about in 1Cor.13 saying, “In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.

10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

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

Do you know what the word propitiation means? It literally means “mercy seat”. So love is also the main motivation that caused God come as a man to join with us in our mortality. So that by His death and resurrection the way could be made through the wall of death for all who will by their own free will choose to trust in Jesus. A choice that forever will join us with Him in eternal life and immortality.

When love is our motivation it will be easily seen in our relationships. Especially in our marriages. As they are the closest earthly relationships we have to our relationship with God.

So in our marriages we will want to sacrifice for one another in like manner as Jesus did for us. Paul even instructs husbands and wives to this end in his letter to the Ephesians saying,

“Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.”

And to the wife he says, “22 Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.

23 For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

24 Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.”

Please note that Paul says “as unto the Lord” here. He says this to show the wife that’s her submission to her husband is within the same bounds as her submission to the Lord. So that in whatever way she knows is good in her submission to the Lord. It is in this way that she also is to submit to her husband.

And Paul prefaces this statement to the wife saying, “Submitting yourselves one to another in the fear of God.” Showing that the marriage relationship is not a 50/50 proposition. But, is a 100/100 relationship.

One that expresses the love of God. Not only to each other. But, to a world that needs His love in them so they do not fall short of His presence, as Rom.3:23 says those do who do not yet know Him.

So that both husband and wife love each other with their whole heart. Showing their children, and the world, what a godly marriage looks like. And some might even be saved by seeing. Because for many you are the only gospel they will ever hear.

So for those in a marriage that is not all that it should be. Remember, the love, or lack thereof, that is expressed by you in your marriage. Is a direct reflection of your relationship with God.

It shows where you are at in your relationship with God. You can’t make the other person love you. But, you can love them as Jesus does even when they don’t reciprocate.

And if for some reason you might be letting the way you love them be affected by how they treat you, you should know that this is showing what is the opposite from how God’s love really is. Because God’s love is sacrificial first and foremost.

Which is why Paul said in Eph.2:4-7, “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us,

5 Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)

6 And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:

7 That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus.”

So that just as the spiritual gifts illustrated in 1Cor.12 and 14 are expressed in the body unto edification and exhortation. So too will be our love for one another. And will be an example both to the body of Christ and to the world, of the boundlessness and unconditionality of the love of our God.

Remember, God’s love is unconditional. But, not His salvation. He gave His Son to show His love for the whole world. But, His salvation only comes to those who by their God given free will choose to believe in Him according to the gospel of Christ.

So use the spiritual gifts that God has given you. Covet them even as Paul taught we should. But, do so in a manner that sandwiches between it, and completely permeates our being, with the love of God that gave the gifts in the first place.

Always showing that God’s love is what is motivating you to do so. In a way that puts all the attention on Him. And not on ourselves. Because the faith that saves us and receives these gifts only works by this love.

And if you have sensed God’s love drawing you to Him. Then you are being drawn to Him as only His love can. Which is why Paul says it is His kindness that leads men to repentance.

A repentance that comes from a recognition of our need for His love in our lives. That comes to us and lives in us by the Holy Spirit that is given to us when we turn from our idols to serve the living and true God.

With less attention to feeling sorry for what you may have done. As this is not a very good gage for repentance. Seeing that this is what drove Judas Iscariot to hang himself. Rather than to trust in Jesus.

The best gage for true repentance is an insatiable desire to know Jesus and His love in a greater and greater way. And the expression of this love in all that we do. And the relationships we have. In a way that Paul describes in 1Cor.13. And John describes in 1John4:7-11.

Knowing that He has done all we need for eternal life because of His love for us. And that it is this love that seeks to save them that are lost because they do not know Him or His love.

If you want to know Him then confess He is Lord. And believe in your heart that He has raised from the dead. This brings us salvation. Because it is with the heart men believe and are righteous. And with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

If you will do this then you will have eternal life now. If you will do this then you will have immortality at the resurrection. If you will do this then you will be a child of God and heir to His kingdom. If you will do this… then I will see you there or in the air!