1 Corinthians 13:1 If I speak in the tongues of men or of angels, but do not have love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.
Paul now gives a series of conditional sentences that follow a similar pattern: If . . . but do not have . . . I am only. . . . The first gift mentioned is the one at the center of troubles for the Corinthians Christians. They evidently think that they are spiritual mature because they can speak in tongues like angels. Yet, this letter indicates that they are divided. They lack love for one another. They are even taking each other to court. They have missed the heart of the gospel. The gospel is not about outward appearances or so-called spiritual experiences. It is about bringing people to Jesus so they can experience new life in him. Any gift without love is meaningless. Speaking in “tongues of men” might refer to human languages that are known, the dialects of human communication. “Tongues of angels” might refer to ecstatic utterances in syllables that make no sense to a listener. Even the speaker does not know what the words express. They are more emotional than clear communication. Any type of speech, even the most elegant or artistic, is only equivalent to a loud clanging cymbal. Sometimes when drummers play music or I hear music on through a sound system, the clanging noise of the cymbals is obnoxious to me and just blares as “noise.” A clanging cymbal can really stand out in a musical group unless the drummer plays well. The gift of tongues can become obnoxious also unless it is governed by love.
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