Love is the very essence of Christian religion. The whole structure of it is built around love, for the bible tells us that God is love. His love was so great for the men of the earth that He willingly sacrificed His only begotten son on the cruel cross of Calvary to redeem us, one and all, from the curse of sin. This is the greatest love that any personality can have, for Jesus said, Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." Now this is the kind of love that a Christian must have for his Christina friends because Jesus, while here on earth, gave us this commandment, "This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you." It was Jesus' great love that a Christian must have for his Christian friends and mockery of the Jews and give His life on the cross. Surely this is something for us to seriously consider. Do we have that kind of love for the brethren? It is Jesus' command that we do have it. Also we are told in the writing of Peter that Jesus left an example and that we are to follow his footsteps. That doesn't mean that that we must die on the cross, but it does mean that we that we must be willing to do so if occasion demands it. When we think of the love and humbleness of our Lord Jesus Christ and how that we must earnestly strive to be more and more like Him, then we can really grasp the truth of His saying that it is a strait and narrow way and only few are going to find it. As we look upon the lives of our modern church members, how many do you suppose are really following the lowly Master and have that intense love in their hearts for their brethren that they would give their very life for them? I know that you will have to agree with me that there are very few that have that kind of love. Jesus said that we would know people by their fruits; and actions speaks louder than word. It take more than mere church membership to be a true child of God, either. It takes genuine repentance and a forsaking of all sin and living a holy life to make it safely thru to heaven. But remember that the reward at the end of the Christian life is worth all it cost.

WITHOUT CHARITY WE ARE NOTHING

1 Cor 13:1---Though I speak with the tongues of men and angel….

It matters not how talented we are, if we do not have the love of God, in our hearts we are nothing in the sight of God. Isa 64:6 tells us that our own righteousness is as filthy rags in the sight of God. Therefore if we desire to have favor with God we must take the humble route of repentance and forsake our sins.

1 Cor 13:2---And though I have the gift of prophecy…

Paul mean to tell us here that the physical gift of prophecy in itself is of no avail in the kingdom of God unless it has the anointing of the Holy Spirit. The possessor of this gift must be a born-again Christian filled with the Holy Spirit and called of God for this special work, for it is God that places the members in the body and not some ecclesiastical board.

1 Cor 13:3---Though I bestow all my goods….

Our hearts may be tender and compassionate to the extent that we would give everything that we have to relieve the suffering of the unfortunate, yet without the love of God in our hearts our good deeds would not see us thru heaven. Nothing but the precious blood of Christ can do that.

THE FRUITS OF CHARITY

1 Cor 13:4---Charity suffereth long…..

The love of God in our hearts will help us to bear long with others. We will not be jealous of someone who is being honored or that has more of this world's goods than we. We will not think of ourselves as being better than our brethren. We will really show forth the fruits of the Spirits.

1 Cor 13:5---But doth behave unseemly….

Charity will cause us to strive to follow in the steps of the Master and it will be our desire that everything we will do will be done to the glory of God. We will not be always trying to have our own way and will not be offended by what others may do. David said, "Great peace have they which love thy law: and nothing shall offend them." (Psalm 119:165). Our thoughts will be pure and acceptable in the sight of God.

1 Cor 13:6---Rejoiceth not in iniquity….

If we have the love of God we are new creatures in Christ Jesus and will hate the thngs of the world and all sin and ungodliness. We will buy the truth and sell it not. We will have a genuine hungering and thirsting after righteousness and will desire truth above everything else in the world. Jesus said, "Ye shall know the truth: and the truth shall make you free."---free from the bondage of sin and the devil.

1 Cor 13:7---Beareth all things…

Charity will help us to realize that all things work together for good to them that love the Lord, and we will strive to get the good that God intents for us out of every trying situation. We will be inclined to believe the best of every person and in cases of adverse reports we will give him the benefit of the doubt until we receive positive proof of the evil report. Our faith and hope is in God and we will not be crossing our bridges before we get to them.

CHARITY IS EVER ENDURING

1 Cor 13:8---Charity never faileth….

Charity or the love of God, is just as eternal as God himself, and it shall never be withdrawn from the faithful follower of the Lord Jesus. It is only the thing that we can take beyond the grave. No matter how much we may have been used of the Lord here on earth, nor how many spiritual gifts we may have had, they will not follow us into heaven for we will have no need of them there.

1 Cor 13:9---For we know in part….

Our knowledge of earthly things is very limited and our knowledge of the heavenly is very meager, indeed. I suppose that the knowledge of the very wisest among us is very, very small in comparison to the great unknown.

1 Cor 13:10---But when that perfect is come….

This is speaking of the state of eternal blessedness which shall be the inheritance of the faithful few in the world to come. The Bible tells us that the glory of and splendor of the new world will be so wonderful and amazing that the things of this old earth, shall never come to mind.

1 Cor 13:11---When I was a child I speak as a child…

Paul is trying to show us that the knowledge and wisdom of a mature man is so very much greater than that of a child, so will the wisdom and knowledge of a mature man here on earth be little, indeed, in comparison to our understanding after possessing the kingdom up in heaven.

1 Cor 13:12---For now we see through a glass darkly….

Now in this present world we behold the beauties of heaven by faith, for things eternal cannot be seen by human eyes; but in the world to come we should be able to see and touch eternal beauties and enjoy them throughout ceaseless ages of eternity. Praise God for His goodness and His wonderful works to the children of men!

1 Cor 13:3---And now abideth, faith, hope, charity….

We must have faith, for without faith we cannot please God, neither can we get saved and live a Christian life, for the just shall live by faith. Our hope of eternal life, and of some day gracing the courts of heaven keeps us encouraged to press the battle on to the very end. Love is the greatest of these three virtues for Jesus said that love is the fulfilling of the law. Love is the Spirit of God in the soul for the Bible says that God is love and it is His great and abiding love within us that enables us to successfully run the Christian race.