1st and 2nd Corinthians were letters written by Apostle Paul to the church in Corinth. All through the letter, he urged the church to grow more in Lord and remain strong, even in his absence.
1 Corinthians 13: 13:-
So now faith, hope and love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
So now faith, hope and love, abide these three; but the greatest of these is love.
The church in Corinth is believed to be a congregation with diverse range of people. Many of the church members were from humble backgrounds. It also had people from noble families who were wealthy and powerful. Social division and separatism due to this diverse range are signaled in Paul's letter. This socioeconomic differences might have caused frictions and internal tensions in the church too.
Paul writes this beautiful and practical text on love in the midst of his letter to the Corinthians. In Greek, different words are used to describe different kinds of love. Agape is the word used in this context. Agape is the love which is self-sacrificing. It is a virtue by which we are distinguished from the rest of the world. God loved us beyond all our flaws and mistakes. And so we should also understand, honour and love others. So through this entire passage on Agape, the apostle is writing on how church members are to deal with personal relationships.
Churches are to grow in love. Love is a gift that we receive from the spirit of God. In the epistle to the Galatians, spiritual fruits are pointed out starting with love. It is a commandment in the New Testament to love our neighbours as ourselves. We are to live an exemplary life, with a depth of love which covers everything. The love that is received and understood only through the Holy Spirit.
Ansu Susan Oommen
Ansu is a student of Delhi University and a youth leader in Crossway. She can be reached at ansususan9828@gmail.com
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