The apostle Paul tells us of all the spiritual gifts there is one which is preeminent. One which is to be desired above all others. One which will never fail. Charity, the pure love of Christ (1 Cor 13:8, 13, Moro 7:46-48). Why is charity, this pure love of Christ, head and shoulders above all other gifts?

Charity, love, is the defining characteristic of God, for God is love (1 John 4:8). It is the very essence of godliness. It motivates all He does. He loves His children (1 Nephi 11:17).

Latter-day Christians believe in theosis, the ability of man to become like God, for as God once was man now is, and as God is man may become (Teachings of the Presidents of the Church: Lorenzo Snow. Ch. 5, pg. 83.)

To become like Christ and his Father, as we are commanded to (3 Nephi 12:48), requires us to develop Christ like attributes, the foremost of which Paul and Moroni tell us is charity.

ἀγάπη / agapē    Charity

οὐδέποτε / oudepote    never

πίπτει / piptei    faileth

ἀγάπη / agapē   means affection, good will, love, benevolence, brotherly love. In its plural form it may also refer to the love feast, however grammatically and contextually this does not apply here.

πίπτει / piptei means to fall out of, to fall down from, to fall off, to lose, to perish, to fail, to become null and void.

Charity never faileth (1 Cor 13:8 KJV), or in other words “Love never ends.” (1 Cor 13:8 NET)

All other spiritual gifts with time will “fail”, or in other words become obsolete and perish. The gift of knowledge will not be necessary when we pass through this mortal veil and beyond the limitations of our finite minds. The gift of faith will not be necessary when faith becomes knowledge. The gift of prophecy will not be necessary when all is known, and like God we dwell in the eternities where all time is before us (Alma 40:8)

And so it goes, all gifts of the spirit have their time and place, and we all have them, but all will end, with the exception of one. Charity. Charity, the pure love of Christ, defines God; and God will not fail nor end. Charity reigns supreme, and is the gift of the eternities, the gift of godliness. This is the one gift which will stick with you. Seek for charity.