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What Ranks the Highest? 1 Corinthians 13
We all have a way of ranking others as to who ‘has arrived’ or not in our churches. This happens naturally due to our human nature. We all want to be accepted as being high on the spiritual grid before others. Who doesn’t? Not only that, but each church or denomination has things they value and rank higher than others so if you want to be respected, you will need to find out what those good works are for each church. The works in and of themselves are good, but it is our rankings that come into question. Let’s see how God views our rankings, and what He has to say about them. I Corinthians 13 addresses this. Let’s look at the broad groupings of what is valued in particular churches, then we’ll go back and see how these rank before God.
I Corinthians 13:1-3 (first parts of verses only)
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, …”
What church group highly values speaking in tongues? The charismatic churches. If you want to rank high in this church group, you will exercise this gift and do it well. People will look up to you for it.
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge …”
What church group highly values knowledge, and the number of books read, and discussing theology? I believe the reformed churches in particular highly value this trait. If you want to impress people in this group with your spirituality you would display your knowledge by joining book groups, in depth Bible studies and being able to discuss topics well. Knowledge is everywhere and to be valued. All of this is well and good.
“and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains …”
What group highly values faith as a badge of honor and looks up to those who can move mountains and accomplish great things? I believe that this would fall to the missionaries and full time ministries in particular. They value those who have great faith and the works to show it. As missionaries ourselves, if I wanted to impress this group, I would be avidly displaying how many mountains we have moved lately and souls won. Advancing the kingdom on earth is the focus here and the bigger the faith with the right end results, the better.
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor…”
Liberal churches place a high value on feeding the poor and mercy works. If you want to be ranked high here, give a lot, till it hurts. Feeding the hungry is a wonderful work.
“And though I give my body to be burned, …”
What group is this? The Martyrs. Who doesn’t look up to them for giving the ultimate sacrifice? They are revered saints for their great faith. If only we could attain to their heights. They are at the top of the pinnacle and to be admired greatly.
So, which church is right on where we should focus? Let’s see how God views these rankings, since He is the most important one to impress. We want to make sure we are concentrating in the right areas to get His praise. I will now complete the verses from above:
“Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.”
This spiritual discipline doesn’t even rank with God if love is absent. He is not impressed and you might as well be clanging a cymbal.
“And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.”
Nothing! No credit at all. None of this even counts with God. All those books you’ve just read or mountains you’ve just moved is only wasting your time because it doesn’t rank if His love is absent from the equation.
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me … nothing.”
What? You mean I just gave away all my possessions and it didn’t increase my standing before God? He doesn’t accept me more because of it? Or, even being burned at the stake? No glory? Nothing to my credit at all for the sacrifice if I did it without the foundational love of God being my driving motive? Nope.
So it appears from God’s view that love is the highest thing you can do, and it is so powerful, that when absent, it will nullify His acceptance of any of the above good works that you do to get approval with Him. Without love, there is no credit in God’s eyes, nothing worth doing. Since love is so central to pleasing God, let’s find out what it really is.
“Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a).
So now that we know what to shoot for, we might as well concentrate here. But wait, what if we have just changed the game and do the ‘love’ thing now as a work before men to get recognition and standing before them? Unfortunately, it won’t work, because if you parade it before others, it is no longer love and therefore doesn’t rank anymore. God has you there.
So all the above works are obviously not the objective. We don’t gain acceptance that way. What is the objective? Exactly what He says in scripture and it is not a work, it is a heart condition:
“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ ‘This is the first and great commandment. ‘And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” (Matthew 22:37,38).
When this is done, the works springing from His love within you will pour out to help your neighbor. It is not works based but a relationship that multiplies good through the power of His love. You were already accepted in the beloved due to the blood of Jesus Christ at the cross. Now it is time to put your hand in His, accept that love, and stop trying to earn your approval by Him or before men. Let God’s love work out through you. He will carry the burden because you are His. All good works that flow out of that will be for His glory alone.
“and now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.” (verse 13)