What Love Is and Is Not: 1 Corinthians 13:4-6

Paul’s description of agape love in these verses is both exhortation to be loving and warnings about unloving attitudes and actions which were descriptive of the Corinthian church.

In this sermon we explain each term in its biblical context and show how it is important to all Christians in all ages. It is only right that Paul’s writing here has been held in high esteem throughout church history.

It is always applicable and ignored to our own harm. We show how the sort of love extolled in 1 Corinthians is grounded in God nature and part of His self-revelation in Christ.

For example, Yahweh’s appearance on Sinai reveals his loving kindness, truth, grace, and how He is slow to anger. The virtues revealed in the theophany on Sinai are found in Jesus Christ, God Incarnate. Thus they should be a very part of the body of Christ, gathered in His name. We are to be loving as we serve Him together.