What does it profit to have supernatural understanding and mountain-moving faith without love?
Even if one has supernatural understanding of all mysteries and mountain-moving faith, without love it amounts to nothing. Such abilities, though beyond the norm, count for nothing when love is absent, so possessing them without love yields no profit whatsoever.
Les explains that even the best gift, prophecy, and the ability to understand all mysteries are not enough. He says if a person had supernatural ability to understand all mysteries and faith that could remove mountains, but did not have love, it would amount to nothing—nothing. He illustrates this with the church at Ephesus in Revelation: they were correct in everything, had doctrines straight and discipline in order, yet their major lack was love. Therefore, straight doctrines and perfect discipline count for nothing if love is absent. Paul brought correction to the Corinthians in the spirit of love.