The Way of Love
	Paul valued the gift of prophecy highly (see 14:1), and the Corinthians placed a premium on spectacular gifts such as speaking in tongues, as well as on the gifts of understanding spiritual mysteries and faith to do dramatic miracles. Yet even these spiritual gifts do us no good in God’s sight unless we live in love.	1 Cor 13:4-8 "Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
	Love is…	Without Love…	Love is Greater Than…
	Patient, kind, unselfish, truthful, hopeful, enduring (vv. 4-7)	Tongues are mere noise (v. 1)	Prophecies, which will fail (v. 8)
	Not envious, proud, self-centered, rude, or provoked to anger (vv. 4, 5)	Prophecy, mysteries, knowledge, and faith amount to nothing (v. 2	Tongues, which will cease (v. 8)
		Good deeds are unprofitable (v. 3)	Knowledge, which will vanish (v. 8)
	Love is one of the dynamic terms Paul uses to speak of the holy life enabled by the fullness of the Holy Spirit. It encompasses motive and deed. Love is characteristic of the mature believer.