Misunderstanding and Misapplying 1 Corinthians 13
The rebuke of sin has often become seen and equated to a hate-crime. Many events within the last couple of weeks, including the firing of a professor in a Christian college, have pushed many to reference Paul’s admonition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. Further, people have gone as far as to cite Jesus in the two most important commands recorded in scripture (Mark 12:30,31). The question remains: is disciplinary action over sinful nature an expression of hate?
The thing about 1 Corinthians 13 is there are 12 chapters before it. Included in those previous chapters: a condemnation of division (1:10), an appeal for the power and wisdom of Christ (1:18-2:16), an encouragement for those who are persecuted for the cause of Christ (4:1-15), TWO whole chapters on the condemnation of sexual immorality — not just homosexuality (5, 6), the giving up of Christian liberties (7, 8, and 9), a condemnation of idolatry (10), and proper living and fellowship (11, 12). These are ALL things Paul speaks of prior to chapter 13. It’s safe to say the church in Corinth needed some revision and so Paul provided such an instruction to help unify the assembly.
We cannot, and should not, rip 1 Corinthians 13 out of its context of strict rebuke and correction. Rather the two, love and correction, need to live in harmony. Paul was condemning the actions of the Christians out of love – he hated to see them head down a path that was unruly and unholy. He obviously wasn’t in it for selfish gain (1 Cor. 1:31) and he most definitely wasn’t winning any popularity awards (read 2 Corinthians where he has to defend his ministry as an Apostle). Paul was willing to preach the tough stuff. He did so out of love and concern for the souls of God’s Kingdom.
Scripture remains as the perfect standard for holiness and it is expected to be the proof for rebuke (2 Tim. 3:16). Condemning someone’s sinful actions for the sake of self-righteousness by means of negation of the other party is and will always be wrong. We don’t put others down to lift ourselves up. Such a motivation is foolish, for all have their own battles with sin (Rom. 3:23). However, we know from Jesus’ teaching that the unrepentant have a future of perishing (Luke 13:3), even those who are of the faith (Heb. 2:1). God not only intended His scripture to be used for our corrected, but He expected it.
If we came across an individual who was broken and dying on the side of the road, would we merely tolerate them? Or would we engage ourselves in attempting to help? Some may say there’s a stark difference in that illustration and someone who is struggling with a lifestyle sin. However, Jesus makes it very clear those who are holy are not tolerators of evil (Rev. 2:20). Toleration is not love, contrary to what the world has preached. Jesus may have taken people as they were, but He never expected them to stay there. Growth is a natural process in spirituality.
Paul didn’t want anyone to perish. In fact, he was willing to do anything he could to save souls (1 Cor. 9:19-23). When rebuking and confronting sin, love absolutely has to be present. Love means being concerned with eternal salvation over temporal sensation. Love means considering God’s Will, not our reveling in man’s mind. Love means helping someone through something, not abandoning them into the world. Love means building others up, not annihilating them beyond repair (1 Cor. 14:3,4,5, 12; 2 Cor 2:8).
“Be watchful, stand firm in the faith, act like men, be strong. Let all that you do be done in love” (1 Cor. 16:13,14).