The Greatest Of These

4. Love, the bringer of perfection

A Serial Study in 1 Cor.13.13

The main proof that Paul is not merely contrasting the Charismata in their various forms with the inward grace of Love (as this comes to be reflected in the various acts that make up a Christian's life) is found in Paul's statement in verse 12. Here two phrases are found which indicate, for the faithful foot - step follower of the Lord, that all imperfection and present indefiniteness is at an end. He will there see the realities of the Divine Plan "face to face", and will "then know even as he has been known". By whom has Paul been known while here on earth? Was he merely stating, that he hoped, one day, to be fully understood by those brethren, such as the Corinthians, who had so grossly misunderstood him and his work? Not a bit of it. At the very moment when the Corinthians misunderstood there was another place where he was fully known and fully understood, by Someone whose knowledge of all things pertaining to the Plan had then come to the "full". That Someone was his Lord. He knew Paul through and through, Paul hoped, one day, also to attain to such understanding that he too would "know" to the same degree, as his Lord had known him. But to "know" as he had been "known" would imply that he had been both "like" and "with" his Lord in the heavenly glory. Then he would have reached the vantage ground of being "face to face" with the Divine realities that had thrown their shadows backward into his earth life, where he had seen them as an indefinite reflection in the mirror of the Word in these present misty circumstances.

In some way therefore, this preview of that perfect state must tie up with his contrasts between Love and the 'other things'—the mysteries, the "gnosis" and the tongues—to give 'sense' and direction to his argument. Each one of these "other things" had stood for a 'way of life' for countless millions of the world's inhabitants. But Paul claims that the 'way of Love' would be the better way—a more excellent way. And yet to the common view of man that more excellent way is not apparent yet—it is not yet made manifest. Darkness still reigns over the minds of men, and binds them to the 'other things'. Only to the spirit - enlightened mind of Paul, as he looks forward to the future day, has that Way of Love any semblance of reality, and even then he sees it but "in part". But the big jump forward of his mind to that future day, when all preparation begins to give place to the "teleion"—"the perfectness", which is to be the climax and culmination of all the long preparatory work of God—shows that he is really contrasting the whole Plan of God—and Love. The motive force of the Divine Plan—with the spirit of priest - craft or culture - craft which had been the animating force of all these human institutions. Men had tried to explain the problems of the Universe, the mystery of God, and the riddle of human life, and had become inextricably entangled in their webs of philosophy. God himself would, one day, explain all these complicated enigmas of life and existence, and bring light out of this present darkness and gloom, and show men where they were wrong in their reasoning. By that happier day Paul would have arrived 'face to face' with the Divine realities and would then 'know' even as he had been known, and that which was 'perfect' having come for him, it would then begin to ripple out to all the dark places of the earth, and cause the knowledge of the Glory of God to be known by all.

While it is true there is the present activity of Love in the hearts of God's consecrated children, (as part of the preparatory work leading up to the 'perfect' state,) running through Paul's mind, it is more in the nature of a second line of argument lying parallel to his main line of reasoning. While also it is more excellent to have the Love of God dwelling in the heart than to be enmeshed in the mysteries of men, or even to be engrossed by the 'charm' of human 'tongues', this can only be considered as preparatory to, and anticipatory of, the 'perfect' state, and of the 'face to face' completeness that belongs to the better day. It is of Love as the solver of life's mysteries, not as a mere display of its minor graces in the lives of the saints, that Paul is mainly speaking, though the second strand of the argument is woven in and out here and there in the whole pattern of his reasoning.

The crux, therefore, of Paul's argument is that the Love of God will succeed in doing what all the artifice (good or bad) of a thousand generations of men has failed to do. We must not fail to appreciate the magnitude of Paul's greater argument because a minor one is intertwined.

What then will the Love of God do for men, and will it accomplish its task? That would be a long story to follow through from its beginning. The 'giving' of his Son to be man's Redeemer from sin - the story of that sacrificial life, - his death and Resurrection, and his long "henceforth expecting" period before He could come to man's relief, are all parts of that wonderful story. The comparison must begin with man awakened from the dead, and with the present embargo barring the outflow of the Love of God withdrawn.

First then, in contrast with the superstitious institutions of men, God will cause knowledge to abound. Only 'the few' were the initiates in the human way of life, the 'many' being kept purposely in ignorance of the supposed facts of life. But in God's better way even the least among men will know and understand all the deeper knowledge hitherto wrapped in mystery. There will be no necessity for one to ask his brother 'knowest thou the Lord', for all will know him from the least to the greatest of men. God will remove the superstition and the ignorance by making known the truth.

Then the language of THE TRUTH will reach the hearts of men. Unlike the influence of the cultured tongue (or pen) it will not merely entrance and embellish the mind of man - (that is of the few who were able to absorb it in the days gone by) - but will reach the deeper seat of affection in the heart. God will write his Law upon the tablets of the human heart, and will thus reach inwards to the very centre of each individual life, and as "all" are intended to know the Way of Love, so likewise all the hearts of men are thus to be reached by the Spirit of God. The contrast opens therefore by understanding replacing ignorance, and by 'all' becoming recipients thereof, instead of the 'few'.

Further God will restore man to his dignity. The ancient human ways of life dragooned and regimented men en masse. The idol worshipper was not asked to decide if he agreed to or approved the system to which he belonged - there was no option left to his choice. For the least demur the penalty was death. Compulsion surrounded him on every hand constraining him to yield obedience as his fathers, and his father's fathers, had done. The Way of Love will meet him as an individual. God will tell him he is free - a freeman of his wide domain. He will be free to choose the object of his own desire. This he never was under the old system of idolatry. There had been no more liberty than a beast of the fields. This is not the place to discuss the fundamental facts relating to the freedom of the human will. Suffice it here to say that God intended the will of man to swing free within such limits as would ensure to man the opportunity to live accordant with righteousness. Only if man choose to live righteously would his free will clash with God's sovereign right to dictate. It is an honour great beyond all earthly comparison that God should assure man that he is free to make his choice. It shows what confidence the Creator still has, or will then have in man's integrity and responsiveness to his own persuasive influence. Love will draw by its own power of moral suasion, and God knows there is that in man, when released from superstitious thraldom, that can respond to its attractive 'pull' and swing into alignment with his own righteous desires. Love will be 'long - suffering' - in that it will wait even if some wayward creature should choose to say "No" to the Divine overtures. It will wait a whole Age if there is the feeblest affirmative response.

Love will be 'kind'—it will have help to give and assurance to bestow. It will encourage faltering steps, and handle gently 'broken reeds'. Love will not chide man too harshly for inherited weaknesses, but will remind him what Redemption has cost. It will believe the best, and hope for the best, and wait while the battered affections grow strong again. It will cleanse his wounds, and pour upon them 'Good Samaritan' oil and wine, and take care of him till he is strong again. Then Love will ask "Will you live with Me, and permit Me to enjoy your company as I want you to enjoy Mine?"

As the knowledge of all that Love has done to restore this "teleion" - this perfect state - increases, the age - old mysteries will be explained. Who was the Great First Cause that created this mundane world with all its possibilities? Was there One or were there many Gods engaged upon this task? Was there a Good God and an evil god in eternal conflict over sunshine and storm? They will not again need to ask. Why did God seem always so hard to find behind the perplexities of life? They will learn that sin had been the barrier. They will learn that man is made to be monarch and caretaker of this world. Thus all the riddles of the Universe will be solved and Love, the outflow of the very heart of God, will have come into its own.

From the Fountain of eternal good, will come forth the Attribute that will have played a Creator - Father's part, and have linked together in one happy universal family every creature that his Hand has made whose choice it was to live in that happy home.

In this gladsome Paradise Paul will have found himself "face to face" with all these great realities - he will "know" as he was fully known - and for him, as for countless myriads besides, that which is "perfect" will have come. The "Way of Love" will have become the "Way of Life" for every willing soul. Surely it is "the most excellent Way!".

The End

TH