Faith, Hope, and Love
Sabbath School
First and Second Corinthians
A Portrait of Love
Love That Lasts Forever
Scripture Reading
1 Corinthians 13:8–13; 1 John 4:8
Paul’s description of love in 1 Corinthians 13 is more than a beautiful list of ideals. It is a portrait of the character of Jesus. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love rejoices in truth. Love bears, believes, hopes, and endures. When we look at Jesus, we see these qualities perfectly displayed.
But Paul also describes what love is not. Love is not envious, boastful, arrogant, rude, self-seeking, easily angered, or eager to keep a record of wrongs. These negative qualities were painfully relevant to the Corinthian church. Their relationships were marked by many of the very attitudes that love should remove.
The Corinthians had much to learn about love. So do we.
It is easy to read 1 Corinthians 13 and think about someone else who needs to become more patient, kind, humble, or forgiving. But Paul invites us to look in the mirror. The real question is not, “Who in my life needs to hear this?” but “What is Jesus trying to change in me?”
The answer begins with Jesus Himself.
If we want to know what love looks like, we should look closely at Christ. He did not merely talk about love. He lived it. He loved people who rejected Him. He showed compassion to the hurting. He forgave those who mistreated Him. He served those around Him. And at the cross, He gave Himself for sinners who could never repay Him.
Christlike love is not merely a feeling. It is a way of living.
That is why Paul ends this great chapter by emphasizing that love never ends: “Love never fails” (1 Corinthians 13:8). Spiritual gifts have a temporary purpose. Prophecy, tongues, and other gifts will one day no longer be necessary. When Christ returns and we see Him face-to-face, our present limitations will give way to a fuller understanding of God.
Paul says, “Now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face” (1 Corinthians 13:12, KJV).
What a promise!
Today, we know God imperfectly. We have questions. We sometimes struggle to understand His ways. Our knowledge is incomplete. But one day, all of that will change. We will see our Savior face-to-face. What we now believe by faith will become sight.
Our hope will become reality.
And love will remain.
Paul concludes with three enduring qualities: faith, hope, and love. These three belong together in the Christian life. Faith trusts God. Hope looks forward to what God has promised. Love reflects the very character of God in the way we treat others.
And yet Paul says, “The greatest of these is love” (1 Corinthians 13:13).
Why is love the greatest?
Because “God is love” (1 John 4:8).
This does not simply mean that God has love or that God occasionally acts lovingly. Love is at the heart of who God is. Everything God does is consistent with His holy, self-giving character.
That is incredibly good news.
It means that when we wonder whether God truly cares about us, we can look at Jesus. When we are tempted to believe that our failures have caused God to abandon us, we can look at the cross. When we are uncertain about the future, we can remember that the God who loves us has promised to bring us home.
God's love does not excuse sin. Instead, His love seeks to rescue us from sin and transform us into the likeness of Christ.
The closer we come to Jesus, the more His love should become visible in our lives. We should become more patient with difficult people, more gracious when offended, less concerned with ourselves, more willing to forgive, and more eager to serve.
This is the work of the Holy Spirit within us.
The ultimate goal is not simply that we can describe love from 1 Corinthians 13. It is that people can see Christ's love in us.
Very soon, faith will become sight. Hope will become reality. We will see Jesus face-to-face. And when that day comes, the love we have received from God and learned to share with others will not have been wasted.
Love will endure forever because God is love.
Until that day, let us live by faith, hold firmly to hope, and above all, walk in love.
Reflection
Take a moment to examine your life in light of 1 Corinthians 13.
Are there areas where you are becoming more like Jesus—more patient, kind, forgiving, humble, and enduring?
Are there also areas where envy, pride, selfishness, anger, or resentment are getting in the way of Christ's love?
Ask Jesus not merely to help you understand love, but to make His love visible through your life.
Prayer
Heavenly Father,
Thank You for showing us what love truly looks like through Jesus. Forgive us for the times when we have been impatient, proud, selfish, easily offended, or unwilling to forgive. Forgive us when we have focused more on the faults of others than on the condition of our own hearts.
Lord Jesus, teach us to love as You love. Make us patient when others are difficult. Make us kind when we could be harsh. Make us humble when pride rises within us. Help us forgive when we have been hurt and serve when we would rather be served.
Give us faith to trust You, hope to look forward to Your promises, and love that reflects Your character.
Thank You that our present understanding is incomplete, but that one day we will see You face-to-face. Until that glorious day, help us live in a way that shows others what Your love is like.
May our lives point people toward You.
And when we finally see You, may we discover that the love You taught us to give was only a small reflection of the everlasting love You have always had for us.
In Jesus' name, Amen.
More on Lesson 7: A Portrait of Love
3rd Quarter Sabbath School: 1st and 2nd Corinthians
