1 Corinthians 13:1,2 - "13 If I speak in the tongues[a] of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing."
Power or Love?
This question is often posed among Believers. Sometimes it is said in other ways. We might say, "Seek the Giver not the gifts." We might point out 1 Corinthians 13 -- "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels...though I have the gift of prophecy...though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains..." because that was the post-Pentecost assumptive standard for ministry.
There was never to be a juxtaposition of power vs. love. The standard was and IS that you should have this POWER, but it benefits YOU nothing if you are not motivated by love. But other people DO profit from demonstrations of the supernatural power.
There never was a standard that powerless Christianity is okay as long as you have love. If it were so, Jesus would not have told them to go wait in an upper room for supernatural POWER (Acts 1:8). He would have just said, "Remember to be loving with people as I have shown you for 3 plus years."
Power or Love?
This question is often posed among Believers. Sometimes it is said in other ways. We might say, "Seek the Giver not the gifts." We might point out 1 Corinthians 13 -- "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels...though I have the gift of prophecy...though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains..." because that was the post-Pentecost assumptive standard for ministry.
There was never to be a juxtaposition of power vs. love. The standard was and IS that you should have this POWER, but it benefits YOU nothing if you are not motivated by love. But other people DO profit from demonstrations of the supernatural power.
There never was a standard that powerless Christianity is okay as long as you have love. If it were so, Jesus would not have told them to go wait in an upper room for supernatural POWER (Acts 1:8). He would have just said, "Remember to be loving with people as I have shown you for 3 plus years."
