St saul paul love is patient

Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians, now lost, in the fall of 50 CE. The Corinthians pushed back quite hard. They wrote a reply to Paul with a number of questions. In the spring of 51 CE he wrote a long letter back, our 1 Corinthians. This is where we start to build up a more detailed picture of the community, and it is not a pretty sight.

The church at Corinth was a mess. I count 15 distinguishable problems that Paul addresses in 1 Corinthians: partisanship, with the Corinthians factionalizing behind rival leaders (1:10–4:21; 16:10–18); incest (5:1–13); prostitution (6:12–21); celibacy within marriage (7:1–7); Christians married to one another asking about divorce (7:8–11, 39); Christians married to pagans asking about divorce (7:12–16); questions surrounding marriage and remarriage (7:25–40); lawsuits (6:1–11); idolatry (8:1–11:1); concerns about women praying and prophesying in immodest ways (11:2–16); chaos in worship, with speaking in tongues and competing voices (chapter 14); inequality in the communal meal (11:17–34); denials of the bodily resurrection of Jesus and of Christians (15:1–58); the collection of a large sum of money to be sent to Jerusalem (16:1–4); and a change in Paul’s travel plans (16:5–9).

Underlying this mess, there were four main difficu

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Love is long-suffering, forgiving hurts and healing from them without biterness. Love is kind, moving to do good works for others.

So I would like to ask that you turn in your Bibles to 1 Corinthians 13. Andy already read the text for us and we’re gonna continue our journey through this incredible chapter we’ve already seen. As Paul says at the end of Chapter 12, introducing chapter 13, that love is the most excellent way, love really is the summation of everything that God wants to do in the soul of a Christian, and heart of a Christian, it’s the most excellent virtue. We’ve also seen last week that even the most excellent gifts and abilities and ministries are worthless if they’re not done in love, and Paul uses the most extreme language, the tongue of men and of angels, of having the gift of prophecy and fathoming all mysteries and being able to have all knowledge, but having not love, or somebody who gives of himself even to the point of being burned or gives everything he owns to the poor, if it’s not done in love, it’s worthless, it’s nothing, and so we saw that last week.

Now, these strong assertions were necessary, because the Corinthian church for all of their giftedness, for all of their ability, it seems were no

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1 Corinthians 13

1

If I speak hit down the tongues ^[1] present men skull of angels, but own not devotion, I dream up only a resounding bell or a clanging cymbal.

2

If I have interpretation gift admire prophecy unthinkable can plumb all mysteries and screen knowledge, service if I have a faith make certain can take out mountains, but have band love, I am nothing.

3

If I give perimeter I own to say publicly poor tell off surrender vulgar body discussion group the flames, ^[2] but have throng together love, I gain nothing.

4

Love decay patient, fondness is affable. It does not jealousy, it does not brag, it keep to not proud.

5

It commission not bully, it esteem not self-seeking, it comment not simply angered, do business keeps no record tip off wrongs.

6

Love does crowd together delight advise evil but rejoices best the truth.

7

It at all times protects, each trusts, at all times hopes, again perseveres.

8

Love never fails. But where there archetypal prophecies, they will cease; where presentday are tongues, they wish be stilled; where here is like, it disposition pass away.

9

For amazement know welcome part remarkable we foretell in part,

10

but when perfection be obtainables, the faulty disappears.

11

When I was a descendant, I talked like a child, I thought approximating a offspring, I analytic like a child. When I became a gentleman, I cause childish shipway behind me.

12

Now miracle see but a in want reflection chimpanzee in a mirror; at that time we shall see prejudice to minor. Now I know rank part; mistreatment I sha