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至上的爱
我若能说万人的方言并天使的话语，却没有爱，我就成了鸣的锣、响的钹一般。我若有先知讲道之能，也明白各样的奥秘、各样的知识，而且有全备的信，叫我能够移山，却没有爱，我就算不得甚么。我若将所有的赒济穷人，又舍己身叫人焚烧，却没有爱，仍然与我无益（哥林多前书13:1-3）
亲爱的弟兄姊妹们，没有能比爱更重要的了。对此，保罗在哥林多前书12章和13章有无与伦比的论述，有爱才能真正释放出属灵的恩赐。当时，哥林多教会过多地专注于表现他们的恩赐，所以使徒给他们显明了“更优秀的”爱（哥林多前书12:31你们要切切地求那更大的恩赐）。有趣的是，保罗没有试图给爱下定义，而是描述出爱的重要性和如何表达。
保罗论到的爱并不是源自人类的爱，而是上帝的爱（上帝完美品性的一部分），就是为了别人的益处，付出无私奉献的爱。上帝要把我们改造成有祂儿子的形象，首先就是使我们有完美的秉性，因为当我们无私地关爱彼此时，就是最像基督的时候。
本章前三节提醒我们，如果不是以爱为出发点和目的，那么我们所有的善行，甚至是侍奉上帝，都与我们无益。在上帝眼里，一个充满爱的灵比我们所有的感人之词、知识、信心、慷慨和自我牺牲更为重要。当我们站在基督跟前，为所行的受审判时，若我们是出于自私而行，那我们就不会得到奖赏。
我们都会在某种程度上忽视自己的动机，所以分辨侍奉上帝或行善的出发点就会变得非常困难。向上帝祷告，让祂使你懂得隐藏在你内心的目的，并且以上帝“优秀的大爱”（为别人的益处，付出无私奉献的爱）来取代你一切自私的动机，那么你的事工才会有恒久的价值。
Supreme Love
1 Corinthians 13: 1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 If I give all I possess to the poor and give over my body to hardship that I may boast, but do not have love, I gain nothing.
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
There is no emotion of greater importance than love. Paul’s incomparable treatise on this subject in 1 Corinthians 13 is sandwiched between two chapters that deal with spiritual gifts. The Corinthians focused too much on their display of such gifts, so the apostle showed them the “more excellent way” of love (1 Cor. 12: 31 Now eagerly desire the greater gifts.). Interestingly, he made no attempt to define love but instead described its importance and expression.
The type of love which Paul is talking about is not human in origin, but rather a love coming from GOD—a part of HIS very nature. It’s unselfish, sacrificial love which acts on behalf of someone else. Since GOD wants to transform our character into the image of HIS SON, this priority makes perfect sense, because whenever we display such selfless care for one another, that’s when we are most like CHRIST.
The first three verses of this chapter issue us a warning. Without the motivation of love, all our good deeds—even service for the LORD—will profit us nothing. In GOD’s eyes, a loving spirit is more important than all our impressive words, knowledge, faith, generosity, and self-sacrifice. When we stand before CHRIST to be judged for our good works, those deeds done for selfish reasons will not be worthy of reward.
We are all blinded to some degree when it comes to our motives, so discerning why we serve GOD or do good deeds can be difficult. Pray to know your heart’s hidden intentions, and replace any self-centred motivations with HIS “more excellent way” of love (unselfish, sacrificial love which acts on behalf of someone else). Then your works will be of eternal value.
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