The More Excellent Way

Today the Lord began answering one of my unspoken questions, or “wonderings”, namely, “Why in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14 is the chapter on love sandwiched in between 2 chapters written about spiritual gifts.” Though all three chapters are rich with meaning, what was the purpose of speaking about gifts, then love, then gifts again? Some have supposed that love is the more excellent gift, but that’s not what is written. Paul writes that love is the “more excellent way” (1 Cor 12:31). Way of what?

In 1 Corinthians 12 Paul teaches the church about the gifts of the Spirit and the functioning of those gifts in the body of Christ. Near the end of the chapter he states that the body is to have “equal concern for one another” (1 Cor 12:25). We are getting the picture that the body of Christ is supposed to serve each other in a concerned, or loving way. This segues into the “more excellent way” of serving one another, described in 1 Corinthians 13. Paul was careful to teach the church that how we serve God is important, and includes our treatment of one another. In speaking to the Galatians he wrote that the “thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love” (Gal 5:6).

Paul begins 1 Corinthians chapter 13 with statements about serving God from the wrong motive. He tells us that the end result are that we are ineffective, do not benefit ourselves, and do not benefit others. Then Paul gives us a description of what love behaves like, for love is an expression, and not just a feeling.

1 Corinthians 13 verses 11-12 have been equally puzzling in their placement compared to those around them. They speak of being a child, and then maturing to manhood. A closer look shows that this ties in with how we think, or reason, about love. Herein lies the problem with our relationship with God and with our fellow man; if we are not mature in respect to love, we remain selfish. A child sees God’s love as one that does everything for him, and gives him everything he wants. But these thoughts should be done away with as we mature in God. Instead of having everything done for us, and handed to us, Paul instructs the Christian to “work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need” (Eph 4:28). This is re-stated in other Epistles (1 Thess 4:11 & 2 Thess 3:10). So the childish ways progress to the mature ways, not only from play to work, but in things of the Spirit. This calls for a change in the way we think and reason, adding concern and love of our fellow Man.

It is only right, then, that Paul returns to his discussion about the gifts of the Spirit. He ends 1 Corinthians 13 telling us that three of the gifts, tongues, prophecy, and knowledge, are incomplete. After talking about going from childishness to maturity, Paul continues the theme of the incompleteness of these three gifts, showing that our knowledge is partial, as is our understanding. What makes our service to God and Man complete is love.

Paul wanted Christians to care for each other. We see this in his many passages which use the word “edify”, or “to build up”. He pointed out that prophecy was the most excellent gift because it was the best way to edify someone else. In chapter 14 of 1 Corinthians he instructs us that prophecy edifies the church, and that should be our objective (vs 4 and 12). As our reasoning matures about God’s love for us, it also matures concerning our love for others. We no longer expect God to shower His love and affection on us alone, but desire to share it with others. Our spiritual growth works its way into the things we say and do, including prophecy. Even our every-day speech shows self-discipline as we pare away “unwholesome” speech and seek to speak those things that will edify others (Eph 4:29).

Why is prophecy such a great gift? Because it has the power to edify the believer, and to bring understanding to the unsaved (1 Cor 14:24-25). Speaking the truth is likened to showing love in Proverbs 24:25; “An honest answer is like a kiss on the lips.” The truth contained in prophecy actually reveals God to the unbeliever as the Lord speaks about the contents of his heart through someone who does not know him.

Paul continues to speak about prophecy in the church, but then states that the person who has a revelation should be heard and the one who is prophesying should stop (1 Cor 14:30). Revelation is knowing fully, and therefore supersedes prophecy. Prophecy supplies parts of the knowledge imparted by God: revelation puts all the pieces together. Therefore, the one having revelation can best edify the church.

Paul speaks of the Spirit of Revelation and the Spirit of Wisdom helping the believer to know Jesus better (Eph 1:17). The Christian who is in a childish state grows into maturity by coming to know his Savior better. We know that carnal knowledge “puffs up” (1 Cor 8:1), but spiritual knowledge and wisdom leads to spiritual maturity. Just as in the temporal world we go to school to learn, so in the spiritual world we gain knowledge about God to “grow up”. The child has an incomplete knowledge about love and so must grow in understanding its use. The mature man has an increasing knowledge and a more complete ability to love because this nature of God lives in him (1 Jn 4:16-18). In fact, love begins to “constrain” those who submit to God’s Spirit (2 Cor 5:14-15). Love compels and guides us in a more defined way as we grow, maturing in Christ. We find that we no longer live for ourselves, but for Christ.

God has left instructions for us about how to love and what love is, as well as what the spiritual gifts are and how they should be used. I want to encourage you today to grow in the Lord and in your understanding of love. Love will dwell in us and show us how to love and edify others. Amen