DN A Hymn of Love 8/2/2007

DRAWING NEAR

August 2

A Hymn of Love

"I show you a still more excellent way" (1 Cor. 12:31).

Without love, spiritual gifts are meaningless.

First Corinthians 13 has been called the hymn of love, a lyrical
interpretation of the Sermon on the Mount, and the Beatitudes set to
music. It's a beautiful portion of Scripture that comes as a breath
of fresh air in a book dealing with one problem after another.

This chapter has often been isolated from its context, but its real
power lies in the balance and correction it gives to the rest of the
book. The Corinthians, like all Christians, had been gifted by God at
the moment of salvation to benefit the church in a special way. But
many were abusing their gifts, seeking prominence for themselves
rather than ministering to one another. So in chapter 12 Paul
discusses the concept of spiritual gifts, in chapter 14 their proper
use, and in chapter 13 the need to minister them in love.

Like many Christians today, the Corinthians forgot that spiritual
gifts can operate effectively only in a person who is truly
spiritual. They had the gifts of the Spirit but they weren't
displaying the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22), the first of which is
love.

In 1 Corinthians 13 Paul begins, "If I speak with the tongues of men
and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a
clanging cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy, and know all
mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove
mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. And if I give all my
possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver my body to be burned,
but do not have love, it profits me nothing." Love must be the motive
and driving force behind everything we do!

How has God gifted you for ministry? Are you ministering your gifts
in love?

Suggestions for Prayer:

Ask God to purify your love and make you a more effective minister of
the gifts He has given to you.

For Further Study:
Read 1 Corinthians 12.

Who distributes spiritual gifts?
Which gifts did Paul mention?
What is their purpose?

Drawing Near, Copyright 1993 John F. MacArthur, Jr.


All rights reserved. Used by permission.
http://www.gty.org

~~~


Galatians 5:22-23
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness,
23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.

1 Corinthians 12
12:1 Now concerning spiritual gifts, brethren, I do not want you to
be ignorant:
2 You know that you were Gentiles, carried away to these dumb idols,
however you were led.
3 Therefore I make known to you that no one speaking by the Spirit
of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord
except by the Holy Spirit.
4 There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.
5 There are differences of ministries, but the same Lord.
6 And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God
who works all in all.
7 But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the
profit of all:
8 for to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, to
another the word of knowledge through the same Spirit,
9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healings
by the same Spirit,
10 to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to
another discerning of spirits, to another different kinds of tongues,
to another the interpretation of tongues.
11 But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing
to each one individually as He wills.
12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members
of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body; whether
Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free; and have all been made to
drink into one Spirit.
14 For in fact the body is not one member but many.
15 If the foot should say, "Because I am not a hand, I am not of the
body," is it therefore not of the body?
16 And if the ear should say, "Because I am not an eye, I am not of
the body," is it therefore not of the body?
17 If the whole body were an eye, where would be the hearing? If the
whole were hearing, where would be the smelling?
18 But now God has set the members, each one of them, in the body
just as He pleased.
19 And if they were all one member, where would the body be?
20 But now indeed there are many members, yet one body.
21 And the eye cannot say to the hand, "I have no need of you"; nor
again the head to the feet, "I have no need of you."
22 No, much rather, those members of the body which seem to be
weaker are necessary.
23 And those members of the body which we think to be less
honorable, on these we bestow greater honor; and our unpresentable
parts have greater modesty,
24 but our presentable parts have no need. But God composed the
body, having given greater honor to that part which lacks it,
25 that there should be no schism in the body, but that the members
should have the same care for one another.
26 And if one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or if
one member is honored, all the members rejoice with it.
27 Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually.
28 And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second
prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of
healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.
29 Are all apostles? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all
workers of miracles?
30 Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all
interpret?
31 But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more
excellent way.

These devotions are posted with permission from John MacArthur's
first (1993) devotional work, _Drawing Near_, and they are also sent
out daily for free to several folks via e-mail.

In addition, John's second (1997) devotional, _Strength for Today_,
is also available free via e-mail only. _Strength for Today_ follows
the same format as what you have seen here from _Drawing Near_, but
with different monthly themes.

If you would like to receive daily devotions via e-mail from either
of these series, just let me know (via e-mail), and I will gladly add
you to the list(s) of your choice.

You can hear John MacArthur daily via the Internet by visiting:

http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/Grace_to_You/

and

http://www.gty.org.uk/

You may email John MacArthur in care of Grace to You at:
letters@xxxxxxx



NOTE for those of you reading via newsgroups: If you wish to reach
me, please contact me via e-mail for quickest results.

In Christ,



Peter

Peter G. Chase :: Columbus, Ohio, USA
pchase@xxxxxxxxxx

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There is a living God. He has spoken in His word. He means just what he says, and will do all that He has promised. - Hudson Taylor
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