If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. 1 Corinthians 3:1-3
Everyone who is a disciple of Christ knows this passage on love. Love IS the issue. But what theologians DON’T want to discuss are the components listed in these verses. Can someone really speak in the tongues of angels? Or understand mysteries or have knowledge beyond the current knowledge? Or have massive faith to move the physical properties? Certainly Jesus talked about and displayed many of those components. I know that as I grow older and am ‘schooled’ more and more by the Holy Spirit my ‘certainty’ about certain spiritual knowledge is being put back into the ‘I really don’t know’ category. As the expanse of the spiritual realm is MUCH much larger and complex than I ever considered or imagined. It seems the farther in I am led by the Holy Spirit the more I am undone by the things I have no explanation for, or that I can describe in terms I understand. I am more and more at a loss for words as He leads me into places .. that completely dismantle what I thought I knew. I am continually humbled by His revelation. I constantly return to the fact that He is my Cornerstone / rock of my life’s foundation by the relationship I have with Him. I return to His …love.
There definitely ARE spiritual mysteries! There is definitely knowledge out there that we have a zero clue about. There ARE heavenly languages. Spiritual faith CAN move physical properties. The angelic species has much more diverse capabilities than we know. What happens in heavenly realms and cursed spiritual realms is SO much more intense and complex than we know. Yes… the scriptures are our ‘safety’ and the fence to keep us on ‘the path’. And the Holy Spirit IS our Teacher and Guide that helps us navigate His path, scriptures, and our lives.
Honestly? I am more certain that I know less now than I thought I knew years ago. His realms are WAY beyond me. Farther in and farther up — each step bringing a larger dimension and awareness that surpasses the last understanding. I look to Jesus my Savior, King, and friend, who gave me His Holy Spirit to help me know Him more, on an increasing and never ending basis.
Agape love listed in 1 Corinthian 13 is God’s love. It is NOT like human love. It is beyond our complete understanding. We can experience it, and when we do it usually defies our ability to really describe it’s complete impact and work in us. In the list of the fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) love is the first fruit listed, which I’ve come to know is the culmination of ALL of the fruit listed and MORE! One needs to understand the other eight deeply before even scratching the surface of understanding the agape love of God. Studying the fruit of love in depth could easily take a lifetime and MORE! Agape love is implanted into us BY the Holy Spirit. He is the master Gardener of our lives.
If you want to grow in God and His ways you need the Master Gardener / Holy Spirit in your life to begin to implant His fruit into you. He will guide you and teach you how to nurture those fruits in your life. How those fruits operate and what they are to be used for in your life are essential in growing in spiritual maturity in Him.
Have you even asked the Holy Spirit about His fruit and what He wants them to do in your life?