Renungan, 29 Agustus 2022, 1 Korint 13 : 9-10

The Corinthians were passionate people, who prided themselves on having the Spirit. They feel wise and have special knowledge (1:20-29; 8:1-2). But the Apostle Paul warned them that they were not naturally wise in the past, and without the righteousness of Christ they are not wise today (1:26-31). They boast because they feel they have gifts, especially speaking in tongues (glosolalia). The Corinthians prided themselves on being spiritual, because they had the Spirit, but Paul claimed that they were “ordinary people”. The claim to have the Holy Spirit is meaningless if it is not accompanied by a life that demonstrates the power of that Spirit. Meanwhile they allow many actions that are not in accordance with the power of the Holy Spirit, and allow many problems to occur in their lives, such as allowing immorality to run rampant especially towards marriage and sex; they are not able to resolve all the disputes that occur between them, giving rise to groups and highlighting each other that their group is the right and the greatest. Then there is the problem of worship, where they participate in inappropriate ways in the communion of love and the Lord’s Supper; they abuse the gifts of the Spirit for their own selfish ends, their spiritual pride has resulted in a state of lovelessness. Thus Paul asserts that love is first and foremost which he writes in the form of “a song with a hymn of love”. In the end Paul reveals that love never ends, love will remain, love is part of the eternal part of God’s perfect world.

Brother and sisters in the name of Jesus Christ

We are part of the church that Paul warned against, which is studying theology and already wrestling with theology in this place. Do we realize that sometimes we are like the Corinthians who always boast about our spiritual abilities so that they show an attitude of spiritual pride. Proud of wisdom and intelligence, ability in language, ability in knowledge of theology and even the ability to prophesy…. Paul says all of that is not perfect and eventually disappears and ends, because of the love of God, that Agape is eternal and never ends. So let us live in God’s love, Agape love, because God’s Agape love will lead us to the perfection of life.

Kita adalah bagian dari jemaat yang diperingatkan oleh Paulus, yang belajar teologi dan sudah menggumuli teologi di tempat ini. Apakah kita menyadari bahwa terkadang kita seperti jemaat Korintus yang selalu membanggakan kemampuan rohani kita sehingga menunjukkan sikap kesombongan rohani. Membanggakan hikmat dan kepintaran, kemampuan dalam berbahasa, kemampuan dalam pengetahuan tentang teologi tersebut bahkan kemampuan dalam bernubuat…. Paulus mengatakan semuanya itu tidaklah sempurna dan pada akhirnya lenyap dan berkesudahan, karena kasih dari Allah, Agape itulah yang kekal dan tidak pernah berkesudahan. Maka marilah kita hidup di dalam kasih Allah, kasih Agape, karena kasih Agape Allah, akan membawa kita kepada kesempurnaan hidup. Amen

Pdt. Juniar Siregar, M.Th