Why Love Is the Most Important

Why is love the most important? Have you thought about which is the most important thing in your Christian life? Is it faith or perhaps spiritual gifts, or maybe perseverance?

These are all important things, but Scripture tells us explicitly that the most important thing in our Christian life is walking in love following the example of Jesus, and imitating His love.

“I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34-35)

The love of Christ is the number one characteristic of the believers, the distinguishing mark of the true followers of Christ.

Here are 5 reasons why love is the most important thing mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

The love of Christ is the number one characteristic of the believers, the distinguishing mark of the true followers of Christ. #love #Biblestudy Share on X

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#1 Love Is Greater than Spiritual Gifts

Spiritual gifts like speaking in tongues, the gift of healing, the gift of faith, the gift of prophecy, the gift of knowledge, the gift of wisdom, and all others are necessary equipment for believers to live a life with God’s power. The gifts enable the believers to serve others and love them well.

Nevertheless, Scripture tells us that without love, they are useless. “If I speak human or angelic languages, but do not have love, I am a sounding gong or a clanging cymbal.” (1 Corinthians 13:1)

Paul makes an interesting comparison of using spiritual gifts without love to a sounding gong. In his time, there were such big gongs at the entrances of various temples. The worshipper strikes the gong in an attempt to wake up the gods so they can help him. As useless the gong is for waking up the idols, so useless is exercising spiritual gifts without love.

#2 It Is Greater than Knowledge

Having knowledge and understanding is extremely valuable. They help us navigate life and shed light on our path, guiding us in the right direction. Especially knowledge about God, His character and promises, and His word is something extremely precious, enabling us to trust Him and live victorious Christian lives. However, love is greater and more important than knowledge and understanding.

“If I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge…. but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2)

“Knowledge inflates with pride, but love builds up. If anyone thinks he knows anything, he does not yet know it as he ought to know it. But if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. (1 Corinthians 8:1-3)

#3 Love Is Greater than Faith

This one may surprise you, but the Bible says it: love is more important and greater than faith. Yes, it is impossible to come to God and please Him without faith but is also true that faith without love amounts to nothing.

The most important is faith, working together in love. “For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision accomplishes anything; what matters is faith working through love.” (Galatians 5:6)

“And if I have all faith so that I can move mountains but do not have love, I am nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:2)

#4 It Is Greater than Giving and Self-sacrifice

Here is the fourth reason why love is the most important thing. It is because love is also greater than any act of giving and self-sacrifice with the wrong motivation.

There are many different motivations for the act of giving. Some people give because they want to appease their guilty conscience, or because they want to feel good, or because they want to control and manipulate. However, the only true motivation remains love.

“And if I donate all my goods to feed the poor, and if I give my body in order to boast but do not have love, I gain nothing.” (1 Corinthians 13:3)

#5 Love Remains Forever

God is love and since He lives forever, love lives forever too. All other things, gifts, knowledge, prophecy, giving, faith, hope will come to an end one day when God will make everything perfect. But love will never come to an end.

We need faith and hope on this earth. But we will not need them in eternity. At the time of the complete restoration, when God will make everything new and eliminate death and suffering, we will face Him face-to-face.

We will not need faith because we will see things as they are. We will not need hope, because everything is already done. But God’s love, as well as our love for Him and for all people who we carry in our hearts, remain forever. Love remains with us in eternity. It is the meaning and the center of everything.

“Love never ends. But as for prophecies, they will come to an end; as for languages, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will come to an end. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when the perfect comes, the partial will come to an end.” (1 Corinthians 13:8-9)

Love remains with us in eternity. It is the meaning and the center of everything. #love #encouragement Share on X

Love Needs to Become Our Priority

Because love remains, it needs to become our priority. We need to ask God every day to fill us with His love so we may put it into action and deeds. The more we receive God’s love, the more we are able to give it. We are first recipients and then givers. We are to become living testimonies of God’s unfathomable, deep, and unconditional love.

We need to train our hearts in the right motivation testing ourselves regularly. If our actions and deeds are fueled by love, then they bring glory to God and help us develop a character of love that stays for eternity.

“Now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.” (1 Corinthians 13:13)

More Helpful Resources for You

If you need more resources and encouragement in your Christian life, I can highly recommend these books. Check them out.

Draw Near: How Painful Experiences Become the Birthplace of Blessings by Hadassah Treu

A Testimony of Voices: 100 Devotionals Rising as One by EnLiven Devotionals

A Movement of Hearts: 100 Devotionals Beating as One by EnLiven Devotionals

Transforming Your Thought Life  by Sarah Geringer

Knowing God by J.I. Packer

Forward: Discovering God’s Presence and Purpose in Your Tomorrow by David Jeremiah

Reasonable Faith: Christian Truth and Apologetics by William Lane Craig

Faith Talk: Christian Women & The Gospel  by Heather Hart and contributing authors

Suffering and the Heart of God by Diane Langberg

This page contains affiliate links, which means I make a small commission at no extra cost to you. The commission I make from these items will help keep this blog going. Thank you!

Your Turn

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Here are 5 reasons why love is the most important thing mentioned in 1 Corinthians chapter 13. #love #Biblestudy #encouragement Share on X

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