1 Corinthians 13:7 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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1 Corinthians 13:7

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What does it mean to bear all things? It is very similar to the beginning. It is about long-suffering. Husband and wife will face the trials of life together. Let us say he is made redundant; he loses his job. What does she do? Does she say, ‘It must have been your own fault’? Does she turn on him: ‘Why did they select you for the redundancy? How are we going to manage now? What are we going to do?’ Not where there is love. She puts an arm round him, and she stands in solidarity with him. ‘We’ll pray this through, and face this together.’ If she has a misfortune or either of them have a health problem, then they stand and bear the burden together. If there is a problem in the church then we stand together. Troubles are not the basis of a fight or quarrel, or criticism. They are a time for solidarity. ‘Believeth all things’, particularly the promises of God. Love hopes and anticipates. God will show us the purpose of this trial. God will bring us through and we will prove him. We anticipate the blessing of God at the end of every test. Love is trusting. It isn’t suspicious or cynical. It gives people the benefit of the doubt. It doesn’t mean to say, love is naïve, as if it is ignorant about man’s fallen nature, but it is not suspicious-minded and cynical. That is a short cut to wisdom.‘Hopeth all things.’ The word hope in the New Testament means anticipate. In other words, love does not just hope against hope that things will turn out well. It is not the meaning of the verse. ‘Endureth all things.’ It is a military word in the original. As a verb it indicates active support. I am a soldier. The battle is hot. For the moment the enemy is pushing us back, and we are losing ground, and then all the soldiers, the troops rally. More effort is needed to push that line back again, and that is the idea of enduring here. Christian people, because they are supportive, and because they have high respect and love for each other, will rally together and support each other, like soldiers fighting for a cause. In the church there is a certain department of the work that needs more help – perhaps the visiting team is floundering. More help is needed here or there. Love brings us together to serve the Lord, and to support each other.

Application

Love looks forward in anticipation to better and greater things. If I have had blessing up till now, love says, ‘I have known answers to prayer and wonderful things, and God has strewn along my pathway some great surprises and wonderful pleasures spiritually. I anticipate that that will continue into the future, no matter how hard the way, all the way to glory.’ So love anticipates. ‘My fellow believers in the church will go on. We will have our difficulties sometimes, and maybe some disagreements, and some will suffer setbacks. But by and large these people are the Lord’s people. They are the people I love. And they will be manifesting fruits of the Spirit, and the blessing of God. They will be making spiritual conquests, and we will be going on in happiness and proving the Lord.’

Husbands and wives, you are going to have happy years ahead of you. You are going to prove the Lord more and more. You are going to know his goodness. Although there may be times which are hard for you, even now you anticipate that grace will prevail, and the Lord will bless you and see you through.

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1 Corinthians 13:7 Commentary and Bible Study