²²If anyone does not love the Lord, he is to be accursed…

“Anathema”—that’s a powerful Greek word, translated “accursed.” The apostle Paul used the word four times, reserving it for his gravest denunciation. Twice he used it concerning anyone who would preach a different gospel than that of grace, even if it were himself (Gal. 1:8–9). Once he used it to convey his deepest concern for his fellow Jews, where he said, “I could wish that I myself were accursed (lit. “anathema”) separated from Christ for the sake of my brethren, my kinsmen according to the flesh” (Rom. 9:3). Now here, to the Corinthians, he expresses his same grave concern about those who do not “love the Lord.”

This is the very thing the Corinthians were failing at, being completely eclipsed by their self-evident self-love. Chapter 13, the love chapter of this letter, is no fluffy matter to be taken lightly. Love saturates this letter. The first mention is in reference to prophecy, “‘Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard, and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him’” (1 Cor. 2:9 alluding to Isaiah’s writings). What a tremendous incentive to love, when we see all that God has now done for us, things unimaginable before we were given the knowledge of Christ and Him crucified.

Paul goes on to say that “if anyone loves, he is known by Him” (1 Cor. 8:3). Without love, the human experience is completely void of significance and empty of meaning (1 Cor. 13:1–3). Love is the greatest of all (1 Cor. 13:13), not just as an abstract concept or a poetic sonnet smelling of flowery sentiments. Love is to be pursued tenaciously (1 Cor. 14:1) and to saturate everything we do (1 Cor. 16:14).

And now we find that if anyone does not love the Lord, he is anathema. To some this may seem like hyperbole, an exaggeration for effect. The NLT version eases this to a simple statement: “that person is cursed,” but the Greek uses the imperative form, which is properly rendered, “Let him be accursed” (ESV, KJV, similar NIV and NASB). Such a construction conveys the speaker’s (in this case, Paul’s) intense desire. Sacrificial love is a command, stated in the strongest possible terms!

We who have come to know Christ and Him crucified are called to more than knowledge and spiritual experience. We are called to love as Christ loved us and gave Himself for us. Anything less betrays a selfish life, unworthy.

Lord, teach me to respond to Your love and reflect it back to You and to others rather than live with a focus on self-love.