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"Love never fails."

Text: 1 Corinthians 13:8

A SPECIAL FEATURE OF LOVE

Fifteen qualities were highlighted (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). The sixteenth feature was given special prominence in this text.

“Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies,
they will fail; whether they are tongues, they will cease;
whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away.”
1 Corinthians 13:8

1. “Love never fails”

a) The word translated “fails” literally means “to fall down”.

b) Ramifications:

i) Love will never “fall down”.

ii) It will not fail you.

iii) Certainly not the love of God.

c) The word “love” in this context

i) It is highly developed.

ii) The origin of this love is to be traced to God.

iii) This love is poured into our heart.

iv) Our responsibility is to cultivate it till it is strong.

2. The gift of love compared to three other gifts

a) The gift of prophecy

b) The gift of tongue

c) The gift of knowledge

3. The limitations of the other gifts

a) Prophecies may fail (literally, to be done away with fully).

i) This can happen easily.

ii) The moment God does not send out any messages, the gift of prophecy ends abruptly.

b) Tongue

i) This was never meant to be a permanent gift in the first place.

ii) Hence, this word of admonition to teach believers that this gift had a temporary life span.

c) Knowledge

i) This will also be done away with (Same word was used to describe “prophecy”.

ii) Once the knowledge God intends to give has ceased, so will this gift of “knowledge” be done away with (“vanish”). This gift of knowledge was not meant to be a permanent one.