The Most Excellent Way

The Most Excellent Way
Words of Faith 7-18-25
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy © 2025
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
Faith Fellowship Church - Melbourne, FL
www.faithfellowshipweb.com
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1 Corinthians 12:31b-13:3

    [12:31b] And now I will show you the most excellent way.

    [13:1] If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not 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 have not love, I am nothing. [3] If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.

       Even if one is not a believer, chances are they are familiar with at least some of the words in 1 Corinthians 13. This "love chapter" is probably the most widely read passage for weddings, even though it was not directly addressed to the state of marriage. Paul speaks to the nature of love but also to the very character of God and the fruit of God's Spirit in the life of a believer.

       The thirteenth chapter of the Corinthians letter is in many ways so eloquent as to defy commentary. Left alone, it speaks quite powerfully. Many scholars believe that it was first a hymn that Paul wrote and then inserted at this point in the letter to illustrate and inform his arguments concerning the key issues that were dividing the church at Corinth. The simple, clear message is that love is the most excellent way.

        The word translated as "way" refers to a road, route, progress, or journey. There are many roads, but only one that is "most excellent." The "route" chosen speaks to how we live more than to the details. The "progress" of the journey speaks to the character more than it does the destination. How we get there is more important than how far we get. Character counts, and motive matters.

       The Corinthians had become enamored with the supernatural gifts of the Spirit. Some had allowed the expression of these gifts to become disruptive and self-focused. Paul's point is that without the fruit of the Spirit —love —the gifts of the Spirit are meaningless. The gifts of the Spirit are, in a sense, a set of tools in a toolbox. How they are used and the manner and spirit with which they are applied make all the difference in the world. If they are applied without love, they are empty.

       The examples that Paul gave are powerfully applicable as he rhetorically pointed the critique at himself.

       One could be the most eloquent speaker in the world (tongues of men) but those words are completely empty if they are bereft of love. Such words remain only as long as a gong resonates in a room. They have no more meaning than the clang of a cymbal.

       A sermon may be a brilliant piece of inspired verbiage but it falls flat if the speaker is arrogant, rude or selfish. Likewise, an excited utterance of heavenly tongues (of angels) may have a great appearance of spirituality, but if that expression is rude, self-seeking, or interrupts worship, it too is empty.

       The most powerful of spiritual gifts are nothing if they are expressed without the fruit of the Spirit-- love. Great prophecies that are motivated and girded with love are a powerful thing, but without love they are nothing. Supernatural knowledge that is not used in a spirit of love is empty and pointless.

       Great insights into spiritual mysteries are meaningless if they are not expressed with love. Even enormous faith that can trust God for the greatest of obstacles is without purpose and direction without love. Nothing is gained by the great sacrifice if that sacrifice is not bathed in love or is self-seeking in nature.

       We live in a world of flashy Christian speakers and entertaining presentations. Expressions of the spirit are many and varied. Efforts in ministry are creative and cutting edge. But none of what we do, see, or experience has any lasting meaning if it is not soaked in the love of God. If the motivations are ambition or competition or if the manner is self-focused or self-absorbed, nothing can ultimately come from such efforts.

        So, in reality, the "love chapter" is not so much a wedding soliloquy as it is a ministry mandate. It confronts us with the deepest part of our sin nature and that is that we are fundamentally selfish in our flesh. It is easy to get caught up in our flesh, even in ministry, maybe especially in ministry, and be motivated by ego, fear, insecurity, jealousy, guilt or raw ambition. Ministry that is not motivated by love is empty. Expressions of worship, music, preaching or serving that is not motivated by love is hollow and misguided.

        The "love chapter" is also a Body mandate. These thoughts in the thirteenth chapter flow out of the twelfth chapter which concerned the Body. The spirit with which we treat one another is more important than we can imagine. A church body may do the "right thing" or serve up the "right action" but do so without love and it is empty. It is an easy thing for folks to become envious and petty in a church body when they become self-focused rather than God-focused and lose the mandate of this most excellent way.

       What road will you choose today? Will you choose the most excellent route or a detour? Will you choose the progress that the Lord has set out for you? Will you choose His journey, His most excellent way?

         Father God, I want to be on the path You have for me. Fill me with Your Spirit so that I may overflow with Your love. Make Your path my path. Help me to focus on the people around me and hear Your heart for them. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

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© Jeffrey D. Hoy 2025
Dr. Jeffrey D. Hoy - Faith Fellowship Church (EFCA)
2820 Business Center Blvd.
Melbourne, Florida 32940 (321)-259-7200
Jeff.Hoy@faithfellowshipweb.com
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Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture is quoted from the New International Version (R) of The Holy Bible. Copyright (c) 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved. Words of Faith (c) 1997, 2025 Jeffrey D. Hoy.