In one the last instructions Paul gives the church in Corinth he encourages them to “do everything in love.” After many advices regarding serious issues in the church, Paul summarized everything in one last statement. Just love one another, in everything that you do.
As we read and study the first letter to the Corinthian church it is made obvious that there are a lot of issues and struggles they are walking through, some that they seem not even aware that they are experiencing. And even though Paul gives long, thorough and instructive solutions to these problems – his heart is for them to understand that if they are to succeed in facing these issues they need to be motivated by love and love alone.
To do things through love we need to look at the creator and master of love, God. God is love and by being motivated by love as a people of God we also glorify and honor God.
In 1 Corinthians 10:23-33 Paul explains how just because “all things are lawful” doesn’t mean they all things are helpful or build others or ourselves up.
As we live life as Christians and walk through life in God’s mercy and grace through the salvation of Christ, do we have a tendency to take our freedom as Christians for granted? I think we do. Just as the Christians in Corinth are encouraged not to just seek their own good and their selfish desires in life, they are encouraged to seek the good of their neighbor. Paul even goes so far as to write: “whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31). Even as they eat and drink they should honor and love others and in that glorify God.
Loving others means putting away our selfish desires and to “simply get over ourselves. “ And if there is unwillingness in that, we need to ask ourselves the question: what are we willing do for God and for the salvation of others?
As Paul encourages the Christian Corinthians to be imitators of Christ and to be motivated by love and love alone, so are we to encourage each other of the same.
-Lovisa
SBS Student
