I know I have written to you before on love, but today I want to refresh your memory, as this is just the third week of this year 2025. This would also make a great New Year’s resolution. I want to take another look at what we all call the “love chapter,” or 1Corinthians 13:1-13.
My son and I both see these numbers on our clocks, 1:11, 2:22, 3:33 etc. during the day and night occasionally. So I find this curious how the Holy Spirit directed men as they wrote and rewrote these letters, and to finally include chapter and verse, to make a long chain of sentences easier to remember as to where to find a verse or thought, without reading the complete letter. There are no coincidences in the Bible, Jesus said that every jot and tittle shall in no wise pass away from the law in Matthew 5:18, so you know it is just not coincidental.
In 1 Corinthians 12:28-30, God says through Paul’s hand as he wrote to the Corinthian Church that God has set some in the Church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, and after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversity’s of tongues. This is the God ordained Church that Jesus created by His resurrection from the dead. But todays letter is not about Church government, but specifically about the walk of love.
God has set up the Church and we would do well to follow what He has already done. Not the lame excuse the Church is today, but the real, blood bought, Church of Jesus Christ. The one who upset the whole world over two thousand years ago. (Acts 17:6) Then in verses 29-30 Paul ask a series of questions. Are all apostles ? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? Have all gifts of healing? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? Then he tells his readers to covet or yearn to possess, or have something which they all can each have.
Then he puts his hand back to his letter and begins to explain to them, and to us, how to covet or possess this very desirable object that each of can have or possess. Paul has by the Holy Spirit assigned the order of importance to these giftings. No Christian had all of these gifts working in their lives, but it is very important to see that Paul did point out the one thing that should be in every Christian’s life. What was this one thing that outshone all the other gifts? A simple four letter word that we call love.
The Amplified Bible translates this verse (31) as : “ but earnestly desire and zealously cultivate the greatest and best-the higher (gifts) and the choicest (graces). And yet I will still show you a still more excellent way- one that is better by far and the highest of them all, (love).
Paul then begins to tell them and us what real love is all about in chapter 13. We call this the love chapter, and if we will do the walk of love, all the other gifts will come out of each of us as they are needed by the Holy Spirit within each of us. Without love the greatest man of God will become a useless clanging cymbal. Totally without power to help those that are in need. So if we walk in the “love walk,” then we can and should desire certain gifts and they will be given to us.
One of the things I love to do is to take a scripture that I am studying apart with my concordance, and a good Webster dictionary, and my Amplified Bible, and then reconstruct the sentence with the information that I have learned. Let’s take part of verse 31 of chapter 12 apart, and then I will give you my view or translation of it. KJV- “but covet earnestly the best gifts….”
Mr Webster’s definition of the word “but” is- except, only, other than, unless.
2206-Covet-zeloo= to have warmth of feeling for or against, be jealous over.
2206-earnestly-zeloo= same definition as covet.
2909-Best-kreitton= better, dominion, nobler.
5486-Gifts-charisma= spiritual endowment, miraculous faculty, to grant as a favor freely given or grant, the divine influence upon the heart and its reflections in this life.
Now I will give you my translation of this verse-“only desire as the object of your affection and jealously pursue the better divine influence upon your heart and its reflection in your life to help others.”
Now let’s do the same thing with chapter 14:1- “ follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts….”
1377-Follow-dioko= to pursue, press forward.
Mr Webster’s definition of the word “after” is- behind in place, function word to indicate the object of a stated action.
26-Charity-agape= affection, love, benevolence.
2206-Desire-zeloo= same as covet and earnestly.
4152-Spiritual-pneumatikas= non-carnal, supernatural.
Mr Webster’s definition of the word “gifts” is- something given, a talent, special favor from God, aptitude implies a natural liking for some activity and the likelihood of success in it.
Now I will give you my translation of this part of verse 1-“pursue as your objective in life, the role of love, and desire to influence others with that agape love of God, which has consumed you as you walk in the special favor God has shown to you as His child, and use the gifts He has given you to bless the lives of those you meet along your journey.” Take your study of the Bible to the next level and do as I have shown you and make your KJV Bible come alive for you.
I hope this will help each of my brethren to begin to walk in love, remember, real love is an action word, don’t just say it, do it! Your greatest objective in this life should be to live a life of love, that all those who know you will not see your faults, because your life of love will so cover them, that they will not be noticed by those who know you.
The Church has forgotten how to love, so let each of us do our part to restore this greatest gift back to the Church, and freely give it away as we run our race towards the goal of Heaven. Remember, you will make it, just don’t give up.
In His Service As Kilted Priest
The Kilted Priest 