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Tag: charity

  • To have and to hold Christian Love

    To have and to hold Christian Love

    Dearly beloved, Paul writes earlier – a greeting of agape love NOT inappropriate for a marriage, but the Apostle’s intent in this section addresses spiritual gifts and love of the CHURCH specifically.

    we have the mind of Christ.

    1 Corinthians 2:16 KJV

    ἔχω – echō

    • to have, i.e. to hold
    • to have i.e. own, possess

    So think of it this way:

    WE (referring to the Church) hold the mind of Christ. And WE possess the mind of Christ as HIS body, the Church. 

    AND, of course, don't miss this application to our vows of Christian marriage as well, (not to mention our relationship to a dearly beloved local church family). 
    Do our marriage vows model a Common Era witness of christianity to an uncommitted world?

    to HAVE and to HOLD

    used of those joined to any one by the bonds of natural blood or marriage or friendship or duty or law etc., of attendance or companionship

    Strong’s G2192 – echō

    Dearly beloved,

    Do you take this bond of your church (etc.) to:

    have and to hold?

    OR do WE just want to try out relationships of LOVE and church es — NOT having or holding any commitment to Christ Jesus and His body the Church?

    But because of sexual immoralities, each man is to have G2192 his own wife, and each woman is to have G2192 her own husband.

    Paul has already pointed the Corinthians to a higher standard.

    Abide in Marriage, Singleness and Christ – 1 Corinthians 7

    Yet HERE the Apostle continues to apply this love to the body of the CHURCH.

    So what is this agape LOVE?

    The Lord Jesus had warned those who would follow:

    And because iniquity shall abound, the love G26 of many shall wax cold.

    Matthew 24:12 KJV

    The Apostle had opened this section by listing what agape LOVE is NOT.

    Love’s clear contrasts in the love of believers 

    Paul now proceeds to list a few of the insufficient adjectives which describe the love of God in Christ Jesus - both what LOVE is and what agape LOVE is NOT.

    Love Charity

    ◄ 1 Corinthians 13:4 ►
    • is patient
      • long-spirited
      • forbearing
      • suffereth long
      • is long-suffering,
    • is kind
      • gentle
      • gracious
      • benevolent
      • desires to do good to others
    • does not envy
    • does not boast
      • brag
      • vaunt itself
      • employ rhetorical embellishments in extolling one’s self excessively
    • is not proud.

    ◄ 1 Corinthians 13:5 ►

    • Doth not behave itself unseemly
      • behave rudely
      • act unbecomingly
      • dishonor others
      • is not disrespectful
      • or inconsiderate.
    • It is not self-seeking
      • seeketh not her own
      • himself, herself, itself, themselves
    • is not easily provoked
      • irritable
      • resentful
      • angered
      • gets annoyed
      • aroused to anger
    • thinketh no evil
      • does not keep an account of a wrong suffered
      • no record of being wronged
      • love that forgives and forgets

    ◄ 1 Corinthians 13:6 ►

    it does not rejoice at wrongdoing,

    but rejoices with the truth.

    1 Corinthians 13:6 ESV

    • ἀδικία – wrongdoing
      • injustice, of a judge
      • unrighteousness of heart and life
      • a deed violating law and justice, act of unrighteousness

    The Greek word for “truth” is “aletheia,” which signifies not only factual accuracy but also sincerity and integrity.

    In the biblical narrative, truth is often associated with God’s character and His revelation to humanity.

    John 14:6

    source: BibleHub Study Bible

    Agape rejoices with the truth;

    It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

    1 Corinthians 13:7 BSB

    • It always protects,
      • always trusts,
      • always hopes,
      • always perseveres.
    • Love never gives up,
      • never loses faith,
      • is always hopeful,
      • and endures through every circumstance.

    ἀγάπη agapē never fails,

    1 Corinthians 13:8a

    And again, the Apostle's list and concern is for spiritual gifts.
    If I.. How NOT to worship

    BUT.. 

    Paul continues,
    • As for prophecies,
      • they will pass away;
    • as for tongues,
      • they will cease;
    • as for knowledge,
      • it will pass away.
    • 9 For we know in part
    • and we prophesy in part,
    • 10 but when the perfect comes,
      • the partial will pass away.

    1 Corinthians 13:8b-10 ESV 

    And let's not forget, the Apostle's instruction to the Corinthians is to contrast these to our agape love in Christ as His body the Church. 

    Now Paul, their teacher for a year and a half concludes his settling of their differences by essentially telling the Corinthian saints to:

    Grow up!

    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.

    1 Corinthians 13:11 NKJV

    Have YOU, dearly beloved, 21st century saint?

    For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.

    Now I know in part,

    but then I shall know just as I also am known.

    1 Corinthians 13:12 NKJV

    Take a look in the mirror

    TalkofJesus.com post [2 min.] from September 11, 2013

    and now abide 

    νυνὶ δὲ μένει

    menō – not to depart

    • to continue to be present
    • to be held, kept, continually

    to remain as one, not to become another or different 

    These are just a few of the meanings when the Apostle pleas with his beloved church to have and to hold Christ -- the love of God for saints chosen to abide in the love of the Lord.

    What Paul writes here sounds like a benediction — a closing thought. But is not since the Apostle has more to say about spiritual gifts.

    And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love [ἀγάπη agapē].

    1 Corinthians 13:13 NKJV 

    NEXT: (with an interruption for Lent 2025 CE) in chapter 14 the Apostle Paul will conclude this section of his epistle on order in worship and spiritual gifts.

    Comment on Scripture + Share the Gospel

  • Good Works – a letter from Peter – 3

    Good Works – a letter from Peter – 3

    What do our good works have to do with faith?

    Peter opens his letter to a persecuted church concerning this salvation with blessings.

    Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

    The Apostle calls us to holy living and then continues by defining it.

    1 Peter 2:

    Therefore, rid yourselves of all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all slander.

    Peter asks new Christians to ‘desire the pure milk of the word, so that you may grow up into your salvation, if you have tasted that the Lord is good.‘ He then continues by contrasting Christ, as the Living Stone of the Temple, to those who reject Jesus as a stone over which they stumble because they disobey God.

    This brings Peter to call upon all Christians to do good works now that we are no longer part of worldly unbelievers destined to destruction.

    Good Works

    1 Peter 2:11-

    11 [YLT] Beloved, I call upon [you], as strangers and sojourners, to keep from the fleshly desires, that war against the soul…

    Where do you stand with Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, asks Peter?

    • Are you now a stranger to the worldly and sojourner through this mortal life?
    • Or do you cling to those same fleshly desires which always drag our flesh into sin and our souls into judgement?

    Live honorably among unbelievers

    12 [CEB] Live honorably among the unbelievers. Today, they defame you, as if you were doing evil.

    Young’s Literal Translation speaks of ‘having your behaviour among the nations right’ and the NASB states: ‘Keep your behavior excellent among the Gentiles.’

    Believers know God and true followers of the Way of Christ Jesus have received the Holy Spirit through His grace. We must live differently, Peter urges us. And he also gives a reason for good works through our honorable witness to those who do not yet believe.

    Though unbelievers accuse us as if we are doing evil (which, of course, they commit as well), ‘they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us.’ [NIV]

    How do others recognize Christ through our good works?

    In a word, subjugation; Christians submit to authority for our Lord’s sake.

    Submit yourselves

    I can tell you right now that you are not going to like this next part… because I don’t. I resist it and want to talk about freedom and grace instead.

    Submit to every human authority because of the Lord, whether to the emperor as the supreme authority or to governors as those sent out by him to punish those who do what is evil and to praise those who do what is good.

    1 Peter 2:13 CSB

    You may say, “Emperor? That doesn’t apply to me.” But other versions use the example of ‘every human authority’ as ‘the king.’ And note that governors are sent out to praise those who do good, but to punish those who do evil.

    The sword of scripture gets even sharper by our examination of other versions.

    Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme… 1 Peter 2:13 KJV

    “Every ordinance of man?”

    A King, County Commissioner, Mayor… President of either political party? Ordinance, as in every Law passed by Congress or Parliament? I don’t like it one bit.

    The one in authority.

    Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others.

    Philippians 2:3-4 NASB

    “Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus,” Paul writes to the church in Philippians 2:5.

    Submit yourself for the Lord’s sake.

    It’s hard for us to act like Jesus. His humility is not the first thing that comes to mind in our witness of His benefits to us. Paul give us the reason in his letter to the Romans:

    “because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so.” – Romans 8:7

    We do not want to submit to anyone, yet because of our faith must do so ‘because of the Lord.’

    1 Peter 2:15 For it is God’s will that you silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. 16 Submit as free people, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil, but as God’s slaves.

    Slaves

    There’s another word we don’t like. (Not very politically correct either.) -Slaves! Submit as God’s slaves.

    Shall we water it down or dilute scripture’s meaning?

    Some English translations call on us to become ‘bondservants’ of God and others simplify it with the word ‘servant.’

    Maybe that’s a little better, like a butler, gardener, waitress or food delivery person at your door. I might occasionally take on the role as a servant of God with minimal complaint. The actual Greek word is δοῦλος doulos.

    • a slave, bondman, man of servile condition
      • (of the Lord, maybe, but not likely to other men)
    • metaph., one who gives himself up to another’s will those whose service is used by Christ in extending and advancing his cause among men
      • How can I do that?
    • devoted to another to the disregard of one’s own interests
      • This is Peter’s meaning for Christ’s servants.

    Honor by Christian Servants

    I could mention names here, causing dissension between the believers, but honor in our public witness by ‘christians’ frequently falls far short. I’ll just ask you (and myself), “Do you honor those Peter lists as a bondservant of God?

    Honor everyone. Love the family of believers. Have respectful fear of God. Honor the emperor.

    1 Peter 2:17 Common English Bible

    Honor everyone? I cannot keep words that do not honor some from my witness to unbelievers.

    Love everyone in our church? Is Peter serious? We are a bunch of sinners! And as Paul once suggested I can claim, ‘of whom I am the worst.’ The good works of Grace between Christians can be our most challenging witness. I have already mentioned that ‘the emperor could be the king, president or other most powerful government leader. Examine your own witness.

    Please note that Peter points to everyone or the world first. Then he narrows into our relational connection to others in the church. Peter reminds us to fear God. (Look it up.) And lastly, in essence, honor civil leaders responsible for the good works of our society at all level.

    Good Works of Christ’s Good Servants

    Next Peter will outline the reasons for us to serve from our various stations of this life in the flesh, a moral life of good works serving others. These include: masters and slaves, husbands and wives.

    Will you witness Christ when persecuted?

    Do your good works glorify God?

    To be continued...

  • but have not love,

    but have not love,

    1 Corinthians 13

    English Standard Version (ESV)

    The Way of Love
    13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love,

    Let us summarize the list (from the ESV):

    •  2 And if I have prophetic powers,
    • and understand all mysteries
    • and all knowledge,
    • and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains,

    • but have not love, I am nothing. 

    • 3 If I give away all I have,
    • and if I deliver up my body to be burned [to death],

    • but have not love, I gain nothing.

    WE are nothing and we gain nothing without this love – we are NOT Christians without Christ’s love evident in our faith and in our lives.

    This famous “love chapter” of 1 Corinthians 13 is most notably read (often at weddings) as an example of the love of a husband and a wife. The following verses, more notably than the opening verses, are truly much more than just the romantic love between a husband and wife; for the Apostle Paul speaks not of eros, nor phileo (brotherly love), but of agape – a godly love to which Christians must cling, pouring out sacrificially from the overflowing fountain of the love of Christ Jesus.

    The literal translation of agape love in the King James Version is charity. (Don’t get it mixed up with the giving away of money; charity is an outpouring of the overflowing love of God.)  Think of ‘charity’ as the love given so personally by our Lord Jesus Christ – charity is the touch of love Jesus would give to another, if He were you.

    1 Corinthians 13 in the original KJV.

    IF you were to replace the word ‘love’ with ‘charity’ or ‘agape’ in your Bible, you would likely come nearer the intention of what the Apostle is telling Christians about its importance in the witness of our lives. The following is such an example from the Amplified Bible:

     4 Agape [Charity] endures long and is patient and kind; charity never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
    5 It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Agape (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
    6 It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
    7 Charity bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
    8 Agape never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end].

    Please study more about this special love Christians must have for each other; for it is a command of our Lord Christ Jesus.

    Let us close in consideration of the briefness of this life in the flesh, in witness to the charity of Christ Jesus. Closing in the same manner of substituting “charity” or the original Greek word, agape. from the Amplified Bible:

      13 And so faith, hope, charity abide [faith—conviction and belief respecting man’s relation to God and divine things; hope—joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; charity —true affection for God and man, growing out of God’s love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is agape.