Saturday, March 11, 2006

Charity makes a big difference


"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." (1 Cor. 3:1-3)

Paul declares in 1 Cor. 13:1-3 something that we need to be careful about. It is possible to serve the Lord without heart, or love, or benevolence, or affrection, or 'charity' (KJV). In these verses we could 'speak' (utter words), 'prophesy' (predict the future), 'understand all mysteries' (know secrets and revelations), 'understand all knowledge' (mastering lots of facts and figures), have and display exemplary faith, take up the cause of the poor, and even be martyred - - and if we do these things without a heart for God, then all these amounts to vanity. A true understanding and practice of Biblical love will enable us to serve God in the manner which is glorifying to God and meaningful to others.

Post Script: I believe that the revelatory gifts have ceased, I just wanted to make the point that Paul made to the Corinthian church. They had lots of 'spiritual gifts' but they needed a lot more 'spirituality.'

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