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Pathways Through Paul
Daily Devotional
August 12
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Today's Pathway:
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I Corinthians 13:1-3
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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Paul concluded chapter 12 by stating that he was going to show the Corinthian church that there was something better than having spiritual gifts that would bring special attention to the one who possessed them. He begins this in today's passage. In the first three verses he compares several of the spiritual gifts to "charity". The gifts he mentions are tongues, prophecy, words of wisdom and knowledge, faith, giving, and helps. This is not an exhaustive list, but those gifts which are not specifically mentioned in these verses would fall into this comparison as well.
Before we move on we need to define some terms. The first word is "charity". This is a translation of the Greek word "agape", and is normally translated "love". I do not know why the King James Version translators used the word "charity" instead of "love" in this passage, but it was an excellent choice. Many people today have no idea what "love" is. For some it simply is another word for "lust". For others it refers to an emotional state characterized by warm, sentimental feelings. For many it is simply a response to something or someone that brings happiness or benefit to their lives. It is my opinion that this is very prevalent in our society today, which explains why so many married couples who "love" each other often wind up in divorce court. The husband "loves" his wife as long as the wife is exactly what he wants her to be. However, if she fails to treat him like he thinks she should, he suddenly decides that he doesn't "love" her anymore. Close friends who allegedly "love" each other have a falling out because one of the friends does something that the other one does not appreciate, and the friendship is ended. I have taught in our church that such relationships are not really based upon love, but instead are more like "business deals". In business, an agreement is reached that Customer B will pay Merchant A for providing him with some sort of service. However, if Merchant A fails to come through with what he has promised to do, then Customer B is not obligated to give him the money. This is what often happens in human relationships as well. Person B commits to love Person A as long as Person A does everything the way Person B wants it to be done. But should Person A fail, Person B now decides that he doesn't "love" Person B anymore. This type of scenario is certainly not the love that God intended for His children to have. He intended for us to have "charity". When someone gives to charity, he chooses to do it because of his concern for those that have a need, and he does so without expecting to receive anything in return.
Bruce Hurt gave an excellent and extensive definition of Biblical love. He wrote:
"Agape is that quality of love which is unconditional, sacrificial. Agape is what God is like (I John 4:8), what God shows to those who are undeserving (John 3:16), and what God enables by His Spirit in the heart of His surrendered saints (Galatians 5:22). Agape does not depend on the world’s criteria for love, such as attractiveness, emotions, or sentimentality. Agape is self-sacrificial and seeks the benefit of the one loved (without expecting anything in return), a love which means death to self since the essence of self is selfishness, self-will and self-gratification. Agape is a love activated by personal choice of our will and is not based on our feelings toward the one loved. Agape may involve emotion, but it must always involve specific actions, as Paul goes on to describe in I Corinthians 13:4-8."
Is your love for others an "agape" love? Or just "business"?
Pastor Mark J Montgomery
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