Yes, love is more important than giving to the poor or sacrificing oneself because without love, those acts profit nothing.
According to 1 Corinthians 13:3, even giving all one's goods to feed the poor and offering one's body to be burned are worthless without love. Les Feldick teaches that love is the foundation of the Christian faith and the predominating factor in a believer's life. Without love, outward acts of service lack the value God intends.
1 Corinthians 13:3 — This verse directly states that sacrificial giving and martyrdom profit nothing without love.
In 1 Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul elevates love above all spiritual gifts and acts. He writes that even if one speaks with the tongues of men and angels, has the gift of prophecy, understands all mysteries, and has all faith so as to remove mountains, without love he is nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-2). Furthermore, 1 Corinthians 13:3 declares: "And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." This clearly shows that acts of generosity and self-sacrifice, as impressive as they are, are meaningless if not motivated by love.
Les Feldick teaches that love is the very foundation of the Christian faith. In [Clip 4], he states, "love is the very foundation of our whole Christian faith. Love is what prompted Christ to go to the cross. Love is what prompted Him to save us by simply believing, and then the other side of the coin is that love is the predominating factor in the life of the believer." He emphasizes that love is not the erotic love of Hollywood but a love that "seeks the other person's highest good" ([Clip 2]). In [Clip 1], Les notes that "without love... It's impossible to please God," and that love is the greatest of all three (faith, hope, and love). He also explains in [Clip 3] that love is the fulfilling of the law, and the epitome of love was expressed on the cross, where Christ's love for lost mankind led Him to die. This same love, imparted to believers, should be their attitude toward others. Les also points out in [Clip 7] that when love is operating, you cannot break the law—you cannot talk about someone behind their back, steal, or enter into an immoral relationship. True love seeks the other person's highest good.
Les Feldick defines the love Paul speaks of in 1 Corinthians as not erotic or Hollywood love, but a love that seeks the other person's highest good. He says, "It's the best definition of love I've ever come across" ([Clip 2]). This kind of love is the basis for all relationships and is the love that motivated Christ to go to the cross.
Les teaches that love is the fulfilling of the law. In [Clip 7], he explains that when love is operating, you cannot break the law because true love prevents you from harming others. He also references Romans 13:8, "he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law" ([Clip 2]). In [Clip 3], he says, "Love is the fulfilling of the law," and points to the cross as the epitome of love.
In [Clip 1], Les explains that even the best spiritual gifts, like prophecy, are nothing without love. He says, "if there is no love it's the same thing. It's impossible to please God." He also notes in [Clip 6] that love is still the greatest of all things in God's dealing with man, even when discussing spiritual things.
Approaching Others in Love
Les emphasizes that we must approach others with love and patience, not with offensive ultimatums, mirroring Paul's spirit of love.
Love Is Greatest
Les states that without love, it is impossible to please God, and that love is the greatest of all three (faith, hope, and love).
Defining True Love
Les defines Paul's love as seeking the other person's highest good, not erotic or Hollywood love, and connects it to fulfilling the law.
Love Fulfills the Law
Les explains that love is the fulfilling of the law and that Christ's sacrificial death on the cross was the epitome of love.
Love as Foundation
Les states that love is the foundation of the Christian faith, prompting Christ to the cross and being the predominating factor in a believer's life.
Christ's Motivating Love
Les points to Christ as the example of pleasing others for their edification, and that His love for mankind led Him to the cross.
Love Above Spiritual Things
Les reminds that love is still the greatest even when desiring spiritual things, and not to lose sight of the love chapter.
Love Prevents Lawbreaking
Les explains that when love operates, you cannot break the law—you won't steal, talk behind someone's back, or enter immoral relationships because true love seeks the other's highest good.
1 Corinthians 13:1: Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.
This verse establishes that spiritual eloquence without love is meaningless.
1 Corinthians 13:2: And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.
Even prophecy, knowledge, and faith are nothing without love.
1 Corinthians 13:3: And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.
This verse directly answers the question: sacrificial giving and martyrdom profit nothing without love.
Romans 13:8: Owe no man any thing, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law.
Les cites this verse to explain that love fulfills the law.
Because without love, the outward act has no value before God. Love is the foundation of the Christian faith and the motivation behind true service, as Les teaches ([Clip 4]).
Yes, Les defines the love Paul speaks of as not erotic or Hollywood love, but a love that seeks the other person's highest good ([Clip 2]).
Watch the Teaching: What the Bible Really Says About Love vs Spiritual Gifts