QT 23/07/2026 Thu 1Cor 13 When Gifts Fade, Love Remains 恩赐消逝，爱仍长存
QT 23/07/2026 Thu 1Corinthians 13 When Gifts Fade, Love Remains
READ https://www.esv.org/1+Corinthians+13/
The most famous chapter 1Corinthians 13 on love isn't really about romance. It's about a church obsessed with spiritual gifts—and Paul's reminder that only love lasts forever. Imagine standing before Christ. Your gifts will no longer be needed, but your love will remain. You can preach, teach, sing, give generously, or gather people around you, and even have remarkable faith—but according to Paul, without love, it's all nothing. Let's see why.
The church in Corinth admired impressive spiritual gifts. Some believers prized speaking in tongues, prophecy, knowledge, and other extraordinary abilities. But Paul redirects their attention to something far greater: love. Without love, even the greatest gifts are empty.
"If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal." (1 Cor. 13:1)
One may possess remarkable talents, profound knowledge, unwavering faith, or extraordinary generosity, but without love, these accomplishments amount to nothing before God. The measure of spiritual maturity is not how gifted we are but how deeply we love, regardless of the type of love language deployed.
Paul then describes what love looks like. Love is patient and kind. It is not jealous, boastful, arrogant, or rude. It does not insist on its own way or keep a record of wrongs. Instead, love rejoices in the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, and endures all things.
This is more than a checklist of virtues. It is a portrait of the character of Christ. Jesus perfectly embodied every description of love, and through the Holy Spirit, He is shaping His people into His likeness. Paul then makes a striking comparison between spiritual gifts and love.
"Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away." (v.8)
The gifts God gives to His church are wonderful, but they are temporary. They exist to strengthen believers during this present age. One day, when Christ returns, prophecy will no longer be needed because we will hear His voice directly. Tongues and their interpretations will cease because every barrier will be removed. Partial knowledge will give way to perfect knowledge as we see our Saviour face to face.
But love will never end. Love belongs not only to this age but also to the age to come. Throughout eternity, we will love God perfectly and love one another without sin. What begins imperfectly now will continue forever in the presence of Christ. Paul concludes:
"So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love." (v.13)
Faith will one day become sight. Hope will one day be fulfilled. But love will continue forever because it reflects the very nature of God.
Therefore, while we should faithfully use the gifts God has entrusted to us, we must never confuse the gifts with the goal. Spiritual gifts are temporary tools for ministry. Love is the eternal mark of Christ's disciples. May we seek not merely to be gifted, but to be loving.
Reflection: Do not start with “Why this person or that person does not show love to me?” but with “What did I do today to demonstrate love to that person?” Do not fall into the trap of using this chapter to convict others and absolve yourselves of wrong doing, but to heed Paul’s warnings for self-examination and progress towards Christ-likeness.
Prayer
Heavenly Father, thank You for every gift You have given Your church. Help me never to value gifts above the Giver or ministry above love. Fill my heart with the love of Christ so that my words, actions, and service reflect His character. As I use the abilities You have entrusted to me, may they always be motivated by love for You and for others. Teach me to pursue what will never end. In Jesus' name, Amen.
QT 23/07/2026 星期四 哥林多前书 13 恩赐消逝，爱仍长存
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/1co/13/
《哥林多前书》第13章是关于爱的最著名章节，但它其实并非在谈论浪漫之爱。这章讲述的是一间沉迷于属灵恩赐的教会——而保罗提醒他们：唯有爱能永存。试想你站在基督面前的情景。那时，你的恩赐将不再被需要，但你的爱却会永存。你可以讲道、教导、歌唱、慷慨施舍，或聚集众人，甚至拥有非凡的信心——但据保罗所言，若没有爱，这一切都毫无意义。让我们来看看原因。
哥林多教会推崇那些令人印象深刻的属灵恩赐。有些信徒看重说方言、预言、知识以及其他非凡的能力。但保罗将他们的注意力引向了更伟大的事物：爱。若没有爱，即便是最伟大的恩赐也是空的。
“我若能说世人和天使的方言，却没有爱，我就成了鸣的锣、响的钹一样。”（林前13:1）
一个人或许拥有非凡的才华、深厚的知识、坚定不移的信心，或是非凡的慷慨，但若没有爱，这些成就在神面前便一文不值。属灵成熟的衡量标准不在于我们拥有多少恩赐，而在于我们爱的深度，无论我们使用何种爱的语言。
保罗接着描述了爱是什么样的。爱是恒久忍耐，又有恩慈；爱是不嫉妒，不自夸，不张狂，不做害羞的事；爱是不求自己的益处，不计算人的恶；爱是喜乐的，凡事包容，凡事相信，凡事盼望，凡事忍耐。
这不仅仅是一份美德清单，更是基督品格的写照。耶稣完美地体现了爱的每一项特质，并且借着圣灵，祂正将祂的子民塑造成祂的模样。随后，保罗对属灵恩赐与爱做了一个发人深省的对比。
“爱是永存不息的。先知的讲道终必过去，方言终必停止，知识终必消失。”（第8节）
神赐给祂教会的恩赐固然美好，但它们是暂时的。它们的存在是为了在现今这个时代坚固信徒。有一天，当基督再来时，预言将不再需要，因为我们将直接听到祂的声音。方言及其解释也将停止，因为一切隔阂都将被消除。当我们面对面看见我们的救主时，片面的知识将让位于完全的知识。
但爱永不止息。爱不仅属于这个时代，也属于将来的时代。在永恒之中，我们将完全地爱神，并在无罪的状态下彼此相爱。如今虽以不完美之态开始的事，将在基督的同在中永远延续。保罗总结道：
“现在常存的有信、望、爱这三样，其中最大的是爱。”（第13节）
信终有一日会变成眼见；望终有一日会得以实现。但爱将永存，因为它反映了上帝的本质。
因此，虽然我们应当忠心地运用神托付给我们的恩赐，但绝不可将恩赐与目标混为一谈。属灵恩赐只是事工中暂时的工具，而爱才是基督门徒永恒的标志。愿我们不仅追求拥有恩赐，更追求活出爱。
反思：不要从“为什么这个人或那个人不向我表达爱？”开始，而要从“今天我做了什么来向那个人表达爱？”开始。不要陷入这样的陷阱：利用这一章来指责他人，却为自己的过错开脱；而要听从保罗的劝诫，进行自我省察，并朝着效法基督的方向不断进步。
祷告
天父，感谢祢赐给祢教会的一切恩赐。求祢帮助我，永不将恩赐看得比赐恩者更重，也不将事工看得比爱更重。求祢用基督的爱充满我的心，使我的言语、行为和服务都能反映祂的品格。当我运用祢托付给我的才能时，愿它们总是出于对祢和对他人的爱。求祢教导我追求那永不终结的。奉耶稣的名祷告，阿们。
