1 Corinthians 13:7

beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

'beareth all things' -'the verb (bear)..originally meant "to cover, to conceal"' (Willis p. 458)

Comments:

1. 'There is nothing love cannot face.' (NEB) 'Love has. tenacity in the present, buoyed by its absolute confidence in the future, that enables it to live in every kind of circumstance...Paul's own ministry was. perfect example of such love.' (Fee p. 640) (2 Corinthians 6:3)

2. In the sense of "cover" (1 Peter 4:9). Love would rather deal with sin privately (Matthew 18:15), than immediately drag everything out of public. Love can keep. confidence.

3. When love is in my life,. can handle,. can deal with properly and effectively the sins which fellow Christians happen to find themselves enslaved to. (Galatians 6:1)

'believeth all things' -'always eager to believe the best' (Mof).

Comments:

1. This doesn't mean that love is gullible, or that love clings stubbornly to. belief, when all the facts contradict it. (1 Thessalonians 5:21; Acts 17:11) Neither, does love refuse to accept the fact that someone is in sin, when faced with the clear evidence.

2. 'When love has no evidence to the contrary, it believes the best about its fellowman, it refuses to yield to unfounded suspicions and doubts, it gives people the benefit of the doubt.' (Willis p. 459)

3. Regardless of the circumstances, no matter how bad things get or look, love remains convinced of the truthfulness of God's word and His promises. (Romans 8:31)

'hopeth all things' -'Does not despair' (Robertson p. 179).

Comments:

1. This isn't. hope grounded in people or the "good" in all men. Rather it is hope centered in God. Because. believe the Bible,. know people can change,. know people can repent,. know that unity is possible,. know that marriage can work.

2. Since Jesus is Lord (1 Corinthians 8:6), the Christian is never given the right to despair, become cynical or pessimistic.

3. Jesus died for all men, man is free-willed, the gospel is still the power of God unto salvation--what right do. have to say, 'it's no use'?

4. There needs to be an application here to evangelism. Jesus took time to teach "hopeless" cases. (Luke 15:1) If we find ourselves becoming cynical about teaching others, then we have lost our confidence in what God has said about His word (Romans 1:16; Hebrews 4:12) and man.

'endureth all things' -'undaunted, undiscouraged, even to the end. Patient even in moments and days and long, long years when hope is deferred, love grows not weary.' (Erdman p. 136) 'endures without limit.' (Ber)

Comments:

1. 'but what this word really describes is not the spirit which can sit down and passively bear things, but the spirit which, in bearing them, can conquer and transmute them..."not with dumb resignation but with holy joy; not only with the absence of murmur but with. song of praise."' (Barclay pp. 138-139)

2. Love doesn't run away from problems, troubles, adverse circumstances or situations which would tend to discourage others.

3. 'Paul does not describe love in its greatest works, sacrifices...he goes into the ordinary circumstances of life as we meet them day by day...We find ready excuses when great things are made the goal of our attainment.' (Lenski p. 561)

4. 'Perhaps that point could best be captured by putting one's own name in place of the noun "love" and not neglecting thereafter to find. proper place for repentance and forgiveness.' (Fee p. 640)

5. How shallow is the world's definition of love. Such expressions as 'love means you never have to say your sorry', or, 'if you love me, then your spend the night'..just fall pitifully short. One rock group had. song that said, 'I want to know what love is'. Well, long ago, God informed us.

6. These verses inform us that love has. certain "toughness" to it.

THE PERMANENCE OF LOVE: