Wednesday, June 21, 2017

Instructions in Righteousness: From I Corinthians 13


KJV uses the word "charity".  NASB and NIV use the word "love" instead of charity.

In today's world charity often means giving of money or material goods. 

We see the charity spoken of by the apostle Paul is more than giving of material things.  Paul even says:  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.  v. 3

We see by this very that it would be possible for a person to give money and material goods and still not have charity.

I believe charity is a willingness to be put upon, to be defrauded.  To choose to forgo resentment against a person who does wrong toward you.  To overlook a trespass.  To resist retaliation.  To refuse to participate in ill will toward wrong doers. 

I prefer the use of the word "charity" to "love" in I Corinthians 13 for so often young people think in terms of a romantic situation when they see "love".




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I Corinthians 13:1-13   Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not charity, I am become as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.

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, but have not charity, I am nothing.

And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.

Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up;  doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;  rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

Charity never faileth.

But whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away.

For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

For now we see through a glass, darkly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; but then shall I know, even as also I am known.

And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.


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