Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 13:1
God is going to walk us through 1 Corinthians 13. A portion of this passage is often used in a wedding ceremony, as it provides God’s definition of love. As God led Paul to write His Word, we read in 1 Corinthians 13:1, “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.” The Christians in Corinth were consumed by their desire to have all the gifts of the Holy Spirit. As God led Paul to write, God had Paul deal with some of the particular gifts given by the Holy Spirit but also added what those gifts would look like if they were not used through the love that only the Holy Spirit can give. The first gift Paul wrote about was speaking in tongues. God made it clear that anyone who spoke in tongues but did not have love to accompany what they said would only be making noise. God had Paul write it this way in Ephesians 4:14–15, “…we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; 15 but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ.” God definitely wants to use all of His children to proclaim His Gospel, but we must do it through His love. If we speak harshly, pridefully, condescendingly, or with judgment, our words are nothing but noise.
Challenge & Application
Why must we speak the truth in love?
Why are we simply speaking noise if our words are not spoken with the love of God?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!