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Love is the foundation for a Godly life. Without love, everything we think, say, or do is in vain. Without love all spiritual gifts are temporary. Love is permanent.  Without the love agent, all ingredients remain materials but do not produce a permanent product. The gift of tongues without love leaves a hollow reverberation.  James Boyce, workinpreacher.org,  refers to love as the active agent.

I believe verses 2-13 AMP explains what love is more thoroughly than I can express.

And if I have the gift of prophecy [and speak a new message from God to the people], and understand all mysteries, and [possess] all knowledge; and if I have all [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but do not have love [reaching out to others], I am nothing. ³ If I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I surrender my body ^[b]to be burned, but do not have love, it does me no good at all.

⁴ Love endures with patience and serenity, love is kind and thoughtful, and is not jealous orenvious; love does not brag and is not proud or arrogant. ⁵ It is not rude; it is not self-seeking, it is not provoked [nor overly sensitive and easily angered]; it does not take into account a wrong endured. ⁶ It does not rejoice at injustice, but rejoices with the truth [when right and truth prevail]. ⁷ Love bears all things [regardless of what comes], believes all things [looking for the best in each one], hopes all things [remaining steadfast during difficult times], endures all things [without weakening].

⁸ Love never fails [it never fades nor ends]. But as for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for the gift of special knowledge, it will pass away. ⁹ For we know in part, and we prophesy in part [for our knowledge is fragmentary and incomplete]. ¹⁰ But when that which is complete and perfect comes, that which is incomplete and partial will pass away. ¹¹ When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; when I became a man, I did away with childish things. ¹² For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. ¹³ And now there remain: faith [abiding trust in God and His promises], hope [confident expectation of eternal salvation], love [unselfish love for others growing out of God’s love for me], these three [the choicest graces]; but the greatest of these is love.

The AMP version further explains love is the active ingredient, the basis for all things (vv. 4-7). According to Warren Wiersbe, love puts maturity into character. Love puts eternity into life (vv. 8-13). Love lasts, and what love does will last. Love is the greatest and does the greatest because “God is love”. (1 John 4:8)

Hayford’s Bible Handbook shares that this scripture focused on the Corinthians who were wasting their spiritual gifts. Jack Hayford further stated love is the motive for the gifts and the method by which they are to be conveyed.

Asheritah Ciuciu, Inspiring Bible Verses about God’s Love, ibelieve.com wrote – God is love and He loves us. We know that in our minds, but often we don’t live that way.  This is an on-going disconnect, in that Paul shared the same concern with the Corinthians.

She wrote, but the reality of God’s love surrounds us day by day, as revealed in these inspiring Bible verses about God’s love below. We learn that…

• God’s love is steadfast and unchanging
• God’s love comforts us
• God’s love is revealed to us through Jesus Christ
• God’s love is poured into us through  the Holy Spirit
• God’s love compels us to love one another

Image – YouVersion,  Roger Cole, Bible.com
Scriptures – Bible.com
Resources – James Boyce, workinpreacher.org; Hayford’s Bible Handbook; Asheritah Ciuciu, Inspiring Bible Verses about God’s Love, ibelieve.com