Springs Article 2023-02 (1)

1 Corinthians 13:1-3
1 Corinthians 13:4-7
Ephesians 4:25-32
Hebrews 10:5-7

Why does the God-kind of love never fail, according to 1 Corinthians 13:8?

  • Love never fails because God is love 
  • Humans fail and human love can fail
  • For God’s love to work out through you, you have to yield yourself
  • You cannot yield unless you humble yourself, James 4:7
  • Yahavah is ahavah, 1 John 4:8, Psalm 68:4 NKJV, Exodus 3:25 CJB

What is the greatest (most important) commandment?

  • Matthew 22:35-40 AMP
  • You cannot love others properly without first loving God
  • You cannot love God properly and not love others
  • You cannot love others properly without allowing the love of God to reign in your heart
  • 1 John 4:7-13, 16-21

What are the desirable qualities of a good friend?

  • Kindness, forgiveness, trust, reliability, honesty (truth), respect, empathy, selflessness (generosity)
  • Notice that all these qualities are reflected in the God-kind of love, 1 Corinthians 13:4-7
  • What you say is as important as what you do
  • The person who provokes evil with their mouth is as guilty of sin as the person who performs evil with their body
  • Ephesians 4:25-32

Why is truth important to friendship?

  • You cannot trust someone who lies to you or deceives you
  • God is true because He is love and never changes: He can’t get better and He can’t get worse, Malachi 3:6, 2 Timothy 2:13
  • If you remove truth from the God-kind of love, it will collapse
  • The truth will sanctify you, John 17:17
  • The truth shall make you free, John 8:32
  • God’s Word is Truth, John 17:17
  • Jesus is called Faithful and True, Revelation 19:11
  • Truth means integrity, genuineness, honesty, reliability, faithfulness
  • To walk in love, you have to practise the truth
  • Don’t try to impress and deceive yourself with a false performance
  • ‘Performance and presentation’ without ‘truth and love’ is noise-making (A noisy gong – A clanging cymbal – A jingling tambourine), 1 Corinthians 13:1-3
  • You have to speak and practise the truth in love, Ephesians 4:15
  • The truth shall make you free, John 8:32

To find out more, listen to the audio sermon