Our father loves us very much, and 1 John 4:8 says that God is love. He not only loves, but He is love, the source of true love. We have already learned that the word love in the New Testament comes from the Greek word agape, which means deep love, the highest level of love, and that is the love of God, who puts the needs of others above His own.

In this lesson, we will continue teaching from chapter 13 of 1 Corinthians, verses 8-13.

Look at what this passage says: Love never fails. But prophecies will cease, tongues will be silenced, and knowledge will pass away. ⁹ For we know and prophesy in part, ¹⁰ but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will be done away with. ¹¹ When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child; when I became an adult, I put away childish things. ¹² Now we see indirectly and veiled, as in a mirror; but then we will see face to face. Now I know imperfectly, but then I will know as I am known.¹³ Now, therefore, faith, hope, and love remain. But the greatest of these is love. (NIV)

Verse 8 has something very important to say about God’s love. It says that this love never fails, that is, this love remains and is eternal because God is eternal. And the last part of verse 8 and verse 9 talk about things that already exist but will one day disappear. Such as prophecy and tongues or other spiritual gifts. We need them now because we are still here on earth, but someday when we are in heaven we will no longer need these gifts. But love remains here and there in heaven because it is eternal. Verse 11 speaks of the importance of all of us maturing in God and in love.

And verse 12 shows us that someday in heaven we will see and know in a perfect way because we will see God face to face. Verse 13 is the great conclusion of this chapter. It speaks of the three things that are very important for Christians while we are here on earth. It says that faith, hope, and love remain. These three things are what matter most.

But it also says that of these three important things, love is the most important. This agape.

What we all need is more of God’s love in our lives. More love toward others and the world, and more love toward God as well. He is the true source of this love, agape. It is up to us to draw closer to Him to experience and have more of this blessed love. How wonderful that God is love and that he loves us so much and that this love will always be there.

If you need love, or if you feel that no one loves you and that you are not much or loved, know that you do have a God who loves you very much. You are loved by Him.