Friends,
Let's consider the "Love Chapter" ...
...for once, not as preached by the law-preacher to incite condemnation, but for what it is - A DECLARATION OF LOVE AND GRACE!
We are all familiar with the "Love Chapter" - 1 Corinthians 13:
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.
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 spake 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. 1Co 13:1-13
Charity is the well-known Greek word agapē. It is Gods-kind-of-love. Not
fallible human kind of love one-to-another. Not erotic, physical kind of love. But deep intimate, over-the-top love.
The equivalent of agapē in the Hebrew is ahabah and we posted on it here.
The intro (first 3 verses) of this love-chapter talks to us. It really counters pride and works done in the name of Jesus.
Then comes verses 4 to 8 where Paul describes what love is.
Did you notice something here?
He is describing Jesus!
He is not describing how you should be. Or what you should do. And then measure up to. He is saying this is what you need to receive and embrace - not work for!
What is our position now? (let me paraphrase from the original Greek from here)
Verse 9 - we know (ginōskō - have the deepest, intimate knowledge and relationship) in part and prophecy in part.
Why?
Verse 10 - because that (He who is Perfect - Jesus) had not yet returned physically.
I have received all of Jesus ... so I can say ...
Verse 11 - when I was untaught and unskilled (renewing my mind daily), I spoke as an untaught and unskilled one and I had an untaught and unskilled opinion and walk in life, but ... when I became betrothed I put away the inabilities of my childhood days. HalleluYAH!
Betrothed? See here, here and here.
I now have intimacy with Him even if don't know and physically see Him yet in His glorified appearance ...
Verse 12 - looking at Jesus, the Mirror of my reflection, not face to face yet, not feeling His full, physical, glorified embrace yet, but knowing fully well that as He is so am I in this world. Looking ahead with beautiful anticipation towards full and complete intimacy with Him even on the level that He loves me! Oh, HalleluYAH!!!
Remember how we came to the knowledge that Jesus is our Hope, that He is our Faith in our previous post here. The Bible says that God is love, so ...
Verse 13 - and now we are fully confident Who abides in us. It is Faith (Jesus), Hope (Jesus), agapē-Love (Jesus), these three; but the greatest of these is agapē-Love (Jesus).
Why?
Because it is agapē-Love (Jesus) that covers a multitude (all) of sins 1Pe 4:8. It is His agapē-heart that moved Him 2015 years ago in affection towards His own and reconciled us onto Him so that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Rom 8:37
Download MPEG4 by right clicking here and save as ...
Does Love ever fail?
He can not!
He is the all victorious One!
We are no longer untaught. We are no longer unskilled!
We can say to sickness leave! Poverty Leave! Mountain be thrown into the sea!
Amen!
The equivalent of agapē in the Hebrew is ahabah and we posted on it here.
The intro (first 3 verses) of this love-chapter talks to us. It really counters pride and works done in the name of Jesus.
Then comes verses 4 to 8 where Paul describes what love is.
Did you notice something here?
He is describing Jesus!
He is not describing how you should be. Or what you should do. And then measure up to. He is saying this is what you need to receive and embrace - not work for!
What is our position now? (let me paraphrase from the original Greek from here)
Verse 9 - we know (ginōskō - have the deepest, intimate knowledge and relationship) in part and prophecy in part.
Why?
Verse 10 - because that (He who is Perfect - Jesus) had not yet returned physically.
I have received all of Jesus ... so I can say ...
Verse 11 - when I was untaught and unskilled (renewing my mind daily), I spoke as an untaught and unskilled one and I had an untaught and unskilled opinion and walk in life, but ... when I became betrothed I put away the inabilities of my childhood days. HalleluYAH!
Betrothed? See here, here and here.
I now have intimacy with Him even if don't know and physically see Him yet in His glorified appearance ...
Verse 12 - looking at Jesus, the Mirror of my reflection, not face to face yet, not feeling His full, physical, glorified embrace yet, but knowing fully well that as He is so am I in this world. Looking ahead with beautiful anticipation towards full and complete intimacy with Him even on the level that He loves me! Oh, HalleluYAH!!!
Remember how we came to the knowledge that Jesus is our Hope, that He is our Faith in our previous post here. The Bible says that God is love, so ...
Verse 13 - and now we are fully confident Who abides in us. It is Faith (Jesus), Hope (Jesus), agapē-Love (Jesus), these three; but the greatest of these is agapē-Love (Jesus).
Why?
Because it is agapē-Love (Jesus) that covers a multitude (all) of sins 1Pe 4:8. It is His agapē-heart that moved Him 2015 years ago in affection towards His own and reconciled us onto Him so that in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. Rom 8:37
Download MPEG4 by right clicking here and save as ...
Does Love ever fail?
He can not!
He is the all victorious One!
We are no longer untaught. We are no longer unskilled!
We can say to sickness leave! Poverty Leave! Mountain be thrown into the sea!
Amen!
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