EXPOSITION OF I CORINTHIANS 13 – PART 7
March 10, 2010
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I Corinthians 13:7 – Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.
“BEARETH ALL THINGS,”
Love carries and endures under heavy burdens, without disclosing to the world its stress or complaint.
It does not brag over the weight of stress it is bearing, or has borne. The most common weight it bears is putting up with those who place the burden on it. I am deficient to a great degree in this characteristic of love. A church member, who practices this kind of love, loves the local church of which he or she is a part. The degree of love we have for maintenance
of unity within the local body of Christ is a direct manifestation of our personal love for him.
Ephesians 4:2 – With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love;
Colossians 3:13 –Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.
The King of the Jews went to Golgotha bearing his cross in love for those who had rejected him without a word of complaint.
He carried it outside the walls of
the city of Jerusalem, which represented being outside the camp of Israel, so that he would be the Savior of both Jew and Gentile. This is the manifestation of the fact that God is love, and that in Jesus dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily.
Isaiah 53:7 – He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.
John 19:15-19 – But they cried out, Away with him, away with him, crucify him.
Pilate saith unto them, Shall I crucify your King? The chief priests answered, We have no king but Caesar.
[16] Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away.
[17] And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: [18] Where they crucified him, and two others with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst. [19] And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was, JESUS OF NAZARETH THE KING OF THE JEWS.
It is only by the love of his Spirit in us that we can bear all things, even reproach for our faith in him.
Hebrews 13:13 – Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.
“BELIEVETH ALL THINGS,”
This does not mean that love is so mentally blind that it believes everything it hears or reads. The love we have from God examines everything by truth, and believes all the things it finds to be true. In order to be in accord with the local body of Christ, one must examine the Word in truth, and it is the love of the truth that binds each local church into one accord, the love of God according to his Word.
Philippians 2:1-3 – If there be therefore any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any bowels and mercies, [2] Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
[3] Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
A person who believes all things written in the inspired word of God are true, loves with the love of the one who inspired them, the Spirit of truth. Such a love does not impute evil intent to those who believe his word is truth.
“HOPETH ALL THINGS,”
The faith by which we are justified in Christ, gives us peace with God, and it gives us access by his grace to rejoice in hope of the glory we will one day see in the glory of God, which fortifies us to glory in tribulations, because each one he leads us through assures us he will continue do so along the future path we travel. And the growing experience we gain, in watching him deliver us time after time, builds up in us an ever increasing hope he will always deliver us in all our trials.
This hope came by the growth of our faith in him by the love of God shed in our hearts when he saved us.
Romans 5:1-5 – Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: [2] By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. [3] And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; [4] And patience, experience; and experience, hope: [5] And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
A growing hope is the sign of someone who overcomes because he or she sees the love of God manifested in all of his promises.
Revelation 21:7 – He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.
“ENDURETH ALL THINGS.”
The love of God is manifested by the willingness of his children to endure all persecutions and tribulations they incur. The application of his love in us will allow us to endure all things that cause us adversity.
II Thessalonians 1:3-5 – We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth; [4] So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure: [5] Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
Hebrews 10:34-39 – For ye had compassion of me in my bonds, and took joyfully the spoiling of your goods, knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better
and an enduring substance. [35] Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompense of reward. [36] For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. [37] For yet a little while, and he that shall come will come, and will not tarry.
[38] Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.
[39] But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.