2月5日；
哥林多前书 13；
唱诗：赞美诗 54:1, 5；

如今常存的有信，有望，有爱，这三样，其中最大的是爱。（林前 13:13）

在给哥林多的第一封信中，使徒保罗提到圣灵重要和常存的恩赐。哥林多教会的信徒们，正在为这些恩赐而彼此争斗。说方言曾是一项非常宝贵的恩赐，显示出一个人在服侍神上面所达到的高度。

使徒保罗并没有禁止说方言（林前 14：39）。在教会历史的这个阶段，说方言仍有它的一席之地。但是，保罗并没有把说方言看作一种常存的恩赐，它的功能是有限的、暂时性的。

在今天的阅读经文中，保罗谈到了会终止的恩赐和会持续的恩赐。那些存留下来的恩赐是信，望，爱。事实上，使徒更是把它缩小为，“其中最大的是爱”。这里保罗使用了“agape”一词，这个词象征了基督徒的爱与支持。

爱连络了其它所有恩赐的。任何东西在一段时间之后都有可能终止，但爱依然存在。在世上，这种爱的功能作为最基本的恩赐，使圣徒得以相通。在今生之后，当我们完全成圣，这爱将变得完全，并持续发挥作用。

爱成全了律法，它是我们理解主耶稣基督降生与受死的关键，它也是我们服侍基督之新生命的基础。

思考问题：我们用什么方法能加强对基督和邻舍的爱？

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February 5
1Corinthians13
Song: Hymn 54:1,5

THE GREATEST GIFT OF ALL

"And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."（1 Corinthians 13:13)

In this part of the first letter to the Corinthians, the apostle Paul writes about the important and lasting gifts of the Holy Spirit. The Corinthian believers were fighting amongst each other about these gifts. Speaking in tongues was a greatly treasured gift that showed how high one had climbed in God's service.

The apostle Paul did not forbid speaking in tongues (1 Corinthians 14:39). In this phase of the history of the church, speaking in tongues still had a place. Paul did not, however, see speaking in tongues as a lasting gift. The function of such speaking was limited and temporary.

In today's reading, Paul speaks about gifts that will cease and gifts that will remain. Those that remain are faith, hope, and love. Actually, the apostle narrows it down even more: "..but the greatest of these is love." Paul uses the word agape here, the word denoting Christian love and support.

Love is the gift that binds all other gifts together. Whatever may cease in the course of time, love remains. This love functions here on this earth as a basic gift which gives life to the communion of saints. After this life, when we are glorified, this love will be perfected and still function.

Love is the fulfillment of the law. It is the key to understanding the life and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is also the basis of our new life in Christ's service.

Question: In what ways can we improve our love for Christ and our neighbor?