Spiritual Gifts of Others

You may remember when Mr. Delzandro was going to speak and found he couldn't make it, that I stepped in and I began a series on spiritual gifts. And I picked it up again on January 11th to finish Chapter 12 and just begin in Chapter 13. So I thought what I do today is finish up that series on spiritual gifts with Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 of the book of 1st Corinthians. You may remember in Chapter 12, we'll go back there, in Chapter 12 he's speaking about spiritual gifts in verses 4 to 11. I won't go over all that again, but he's talking about to respect what God is building in other people and what he's establishing with other people. And he uses the word diversity of gifts in 4, 5, and 6, and the Greek word is all the same. It's translated differences in Chapter 5, but the Greek word is all the same. And the assignments of gifts, as Thayer mentioned, is a division, distribution, distinction, difference, in particular, distinction arising from different distributions to different persons. He gives different spiritual gifts to different people. And that's important. We'll see that. And God distributes or assigns, he could say, these spiritual gifts to individual members. In verse 11, the verb of the form of that noun is used, distributing, and clearly indicates that God is the one who is assigning or distributing the spiritual gifts. He says in Chapter 12, verse 7, I'll just highlight it just a little bit, the manifestation of the Spirit is given to each one for the profit of all. In verse 11, using the Revised Standard Version, he said, all these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually, as he wills. And in verse 18, he said, God has set the members in the body. He set them. God's the one that has done that. Verse 24, he said, God composed the body. And in verse 28, he says, God has appointed these in the church. God did this. So in Chapter 12, he's showing that God is in charge of building his church, and that shouldn't come as a surprise to us. In verses 4 to 6, again, he talks about different ministries, different gifts, different ministries or services or activities or operations. And, of course, spiritually gifted members will be givers. Enrolls large and small, visible and invisible. They benefit the whole body. The Father and Jesus Christ abide in converted people. And then they share those gifts with others. So in verses 7 to 11, he talks about diversities of gifts, but the same spirit. And they're given to profit all. And chapter 14, those led by God's Spirit are one body. And I know it sometimes doesn't seem like that, but it is. That's what it is. That's the truth. They just don't strive to be one. They are one. If they're connected through the Holy Spirit. And each part of the spiritual body of Christ is connected through the Holy Spirit to Jesus Christ. Mr. Armstrong used to liken it to an umbilical cord, by which were fed as infants in the womb. There are other analogies that are there, but that one is always very graphic. But any part of the body, any thing or any one that is not subject to the head, Jesus Christ, cannot be part of the body. Just like anything that's not subject to your head is not part of your body. Anything you don't control with your mind is not your body. What you control with your mind is your body. It's the same way.

And then in verse 21 to 27 he talks about they care and serve one another. And 28 to 31 he talks about the leadership structure in the church. Just as in a family, not to oppress, but to lead. And that's the way it's supposed to be. And verse 28a, we can go back to differences of ministries. He talks about the same Lord. He has apostles, and we don't see anyone fulfilling that function today. And that has an effect on the whole body when there's not one of those key chosen by God. That has an effect. As I say, we don't see anyone in that. And we have prophets. Today, those are those who proclaim or preach God's word in the Old Testament. And even in the New, to some extent, there were prophets that actually spoke God's word. And then he had teachers. And when other preachers were talking about teachers. And so they're able to teach. And then in the second half of verse 28, he has diversity of activities. But it's the same God who works all in all. And he said after that, after those ministerial duties, then our miracles, he said, which is the Greek word, dunamis, power, to be able to accomplish things. And then he talks about administrations. The actual Greek word means a ship's pilot, as I mentioned last time. And I love that analogy. It's somebody who can show you the way through difficult waters. And that's a wonderful analogy there. And that's invaluable. And the last one is helpers, that enables things to run smoothly. They help things to run smoothly. And they're just, God gave them that ability to help. And it's a wonderful ability, and we need to appreciate it and respect the gift-giver for giving that gift. And then verse 31, as you know, he says, But earnestly desire the best gifts, and yet I show you a more excellent way. They apparently had a fascination with these gifts. And so we tell them the desire to give, but there's a more excellent way. And then we come to chapter 13, which many call the love chapter. And he's still describing spiritual gifts, but in a different way.

Paul begins in chapter 13, verse 1, Though I, it's interesting he starts with, he's on me, if I say this, if I speak without love, and he applies it to himself, and he begins talking about himself, that if I do this, he didn't say, if you do this, it's still true, but he says, but if I do this, if I don't speak, if I speak with the tongues of men and angels, if Paul could speak with every language known, now that would be quite a feat. I'm sure God can do that, and maybe language is not known.

But it seems the Corinthians put a status in spiritual gifts, particularly those speaking in different languages. That seemed to be something they delighted in. When we lived in Africa from 1969, I better bring it back to 1978, I learned that most Africans speak at least two, three languages, everywhere in the continent. It's just that there's usually a smaller language of their own people, and then there's a bigger one, a bigger society, and sometimes a European language, and sometimes two or three European languages. I once had a man in our home, an African man, who spoke 11 languages, and he spoke on the South African broadcasting that were to explain different cultures to different people. We have to learn how different cultures think, and when you understand that, then you can make adjustments.

But it seems the Corinthians were like many in Africa. They delighted in speaking multiple languages, and maybe saw the gift of languages as something very important there. When Paul listed nine spiritual gifts around verse 10, he put languages dead last. He put that the last of all. He's trying to get them away from thinking like that.

And as I mentioned before, as we used to say in Spoken Club, if we're not speaking to benefit other people, it's just noise, and he will have that point made here. He said, though I speak with the tongues of men and angels, but have not love, I've become a sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. So even if Paul himself had known all the languages of heaven and earth, and if his motivation wasn't from godly love, it was just noise. And that's what he's saying. And as I mentioned last time, a characteristic of heathen worship is always clashing, is often clashing cymbals and blaring trumpets and noise, loud noise. And they say they do it to drive evil spirits away. And we know Satan's world loves noise. I'm taking increasing comfort in Paul's words to 1 Timothy 2, verses 1-2. 1 Timothy 2, if you want to turn there, if not, I'll just read it. 1 Timothy 2, 1-2, he said, therefore, he's writing to Timothy, who's pastoring the church and showing him what to emphasize to the brethren, he said, therefore I exhort, first of all, that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men, for kings, and for all who are in authority. Why, though? Why pray for all these things, for these people? That we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence, to pray for leaders so that we can lead a quiet and peaceable life. The older I get, the better that sounds, folks.

It's just a very quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and reverence. God's people are known for peace, and that's an important consideration. We covered some of these things last time, so I'll go on a little further. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I can remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. It's important that we understand the languages, prophecy, understanding various biblical mysteries, and knowledge, and even all faith, is useless if it's used to exalt oneself. Understanding Bible knowledge does not guarantee conversion.

I've mentioned it many times, but to understand the Sabbath and the Holy Days, and tithing and unclean mates, they are all biblical truths. Even the identity of Israel, and the United States, and Britain, and the gates of their enemies, and this knowledge can be had without necessarily having the Holy Spirit.

I've known people who, because of U.S. and me, that their main interest didn't come in being part of the Kingdom of God. Their main interest was avoiding the tribulation. Now, I would like to avoid the tribulation, too. But if your goal is to save your skin, you've got the wrong goal, folks. It's to get it replaced with spirit. That's got to be the goal. Get it changed that our lowly body would be transformed like his glorious body, as Paul wrote it. Such knowledge as trying to save your skin is not godly love. Even knowledge of Christ's Second Coming. In Luke, he mentioned many would be saying he would be coming, and the time draws near. Remember that in Luke? That doesn't guarantee the conversion or technical knowledge of the Kingdom of God. Last time we went into 1 Corinthians 8. I won't go there again, but he said, knowledge puffs up. Knowledge tends to make people proud. And he said, but love builds up, tries to build up other people. If you look at Matthew, these verses we cover often, I'm going to cover them again here today, Matthew 7. The final verses of the Sermon on the Mount, where he's summing up his teaching. Matthew 7, verse 21. Matthew 7, verse 21. Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, and as I've said before, it's interesting when he's referring to people who call him Lord but don't do what he says, he always uses the word twice, like they use the word a lot. The Lord said this, the Lord said that, and they use the word a lot.

Not everyone who says to me, Lord, Lord, shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of my Father is in Heaven. The way to the Kingdom of Heaven is doing God's will, not saving, not seeking to save ourselves. Many will say to me in that day, many seem to indicate most or a lot, many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in your name, people who prophesied about Jesus Christ, and cast out demons in your name, and they had used his name, and apparently the demons came out, or they thought they did, and done many wonders or many nice things in your name, and then I will declare to them, I never knew you depart from me, you who practice lawlessness. Lawlessness, by the way, according to David Stern, in the New Testament, tends to refer to not following God's law, particularly. It's the opposite of, it's God's law that they're not following, and that's where we're going in our society as we heard in the sermon at. It's going that direction. But they don't respect God's teaching, of which the words of Jesus Christ are an important part. He says in verse 24, therefore whoever hears the sayings of mine and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock. And notice it's the rock, the article there. There's only one rock in the universe. That's Jesus Christ. It's the most permanent thing in the universe. Or he's the most permanent thing in the universe. Liken to a rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house. And it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. But everyone who hears these sayings of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat on that house. Both houses get beaten on. Both houses have wind, storms. One stands, one falls. And it fell, and great was its fall. The one founded on the rock, obviously, is the one that stood. So conversion involves when we stop doing our will and start doing God's will. That requires conversion, a converted mind, one led by the Holy Spirit. That's a big difference. And Paul adds, and all faith. That may be a surprise, but he says, even trusting God, if based on selfish motives, and you can do that if based on selfish motives, is useless.

I'm sure we've all run into people who are eager to tell you how much faith they have, how much trust in God they have. And that's not a good sign.

Others try to hold God to a promise which he never promised. We have to be careful how we pray. We know Jesus said, ask, it'll be given to you. But to whom did he say that? Just anybody? He said that to his disciples, who he said would be poor in spirit. At the beginning of the sermon, he described them as poor in spirit.

He described them as mourning, as meek. He described them as hungering and thirsting for righteousness. He described them as merciful and pure in heart and peacemakers. And then, if you're striving to do those things, and you ask, you can ask what you will, and you're more likely to get hurt or guaranteed if you go and look at it from a certain perspective. Remember in John 15-16, he said, you did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain.

They were chosen and they were appointed, that whatsoever you ask the Father in my name, he may give you. Whatever you ask the Father in my name, in his name, means completely in accordance with Christ's will. He said, John wrote in 1 John 3, 22 and 23, and whatsoever we ask we receive from him because we keep his commandments, number one, and two, and do those things that are pleasing in his sight. We keep his commandments and we do those things that are pleasing in his sight. So we're asked, we receive of him. And this is the commandment that we should believe in the name of his son Jesus Christ and love one another as he gave his commandments.

So he's speaking to the church. He's speaking to his saints. James, writing, he said, you ask, this is James 4.3 from the New American Standard Bible, you ask and you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives so that you may spend it on your pleasures. So we want to be sure that what we ask for is in accordance with his will, in accordance with his commandments, doing what's pleasing in his sight, and that their gods call people that he's leading with his spirit.

So even faith can be misapplied or misunderstood. And he said in verse 3, back to verse 3, And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. The idea of giving goods to the poor is considered an ideal service. Today, if somebody is prominent in the nation, from whatever point of view, athletes or movie stars or business people, they want to start giving to the poor and be seen as charitable people.

Machiavelli recommended this. If you're going to be the prince, well, then you better be seen as charitable. Fake it. As much as it says that. But see, giving to the poor can be done for completely selfish reasons. In fact, today, what Jesus called charitable deeds – at least that's what they translated the phrase in English – can be seen as great resume builders. And kids actually try to get some charitable things on there so that they can be seen as somebody that does things charitably. Well, God knows the heart. If they're doing it from the right motive, they'll be okay. If they're doing to fill out their resume, not so likely.

And he says, if my body burned, martyred them. In Africa and Asian countries, protesters have burned themselves. They pour gas on themselves and immolate themselves. And it's terrible. I mentioned last time about Hindu widows previously were expected to do this when their husband was on the funeral pyre. They were expected to throw themselves on as well. That's officially banned now, but I presume it might still happen. And, of course, suicide bombers give their bodies to be burned or cut to pieces. But they're filled with hate. And it's not love.

And it's going from the wrong way. And he says, if it's not from Agape, it profits me nothing. Now, in verses 4 to 8, we didn't get into this. This is where he gets very specific. And from verses 4 to 8, he will say how the gift of God's love shows itself. Remember, the context of 12 and 13 is focusing on spiritual gifts. In chapter 12, he wrote about those spiritual gifts which are given to members individually.

In chapter 13, he addresses one spiritual gift which is given to every spirit-led member of the body of Christ. That's as important as every member of the body of Christ will have that. In fact, he's describing how God's church will be.

Remember, Jesus said, a new commandment I give you, love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples, not that they keep the Sabbath. His disciples will keep the Sabbath.

Not that they keep the holy days. His disciples will keep the holy days. By this, all men will know that you are my disciples if you love one another. That's the NIV translation. Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus lives in His disciples.

With Jesus dwelling in them, we see His love in them. Jesus loves all His disciples. And if He's living in us, He'll also love all His disciples. That's how you know His disciples. When we see godly love in someone, we're actually seeing Jesus Christ dwelling within His disciples.

A few other scriptures on that. You might, I don't know whether you want to go there or not. Romans 13, verses 8 to 10. I'll read it to you from the NIV. Romans 13, verses 8 to 10. This is where He's summing up in the book of Romans. In verse 8 He said, Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another. Some people think He's speaking against debt. No, He said, if you have a mortgage and you have to pay at a certain time, you pay at a certain time, everybody's happy. I presume.

Let no debt remain outstanding. I think that's a nice way to say it.

Except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellow man has fulfilled the law. The commandments, do not commit adultery, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, and whatever other commandment there may be are summed up in this one rule. Love your neighbor as yourself. By the way, there are critics that say, well, we didn't mention the Sabbath here. Why not? Because He's talking about loving one another. He's talking about the Sabbath part of loving God. Here He's talking on loving fellow man. So all these examples are the commandments that have to do with loving our neighbor. So he says in verse, he said, do not murder, do not steal, do not covet, or whatever commandment there may be are all summed up in this one rule. Love your neighbor as yourself. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law. When Jesus Christ said, oh no, you're my disciples, He was saying they'll also be keeping the commandments in spirit and in truth. Now, let's continue here. Please note, Paul uses verbs to describe love. Verbs describe actions. Love will act or not act in certain ways. This section does not describe emotions or feelings, but active and visible qualities of character. And all the verbs in this context here are in the present continuous tense, which means this is what love always does. Always, always. It's the way it conducts itself.

Actually, when you look at it that way, these verbs describe the character of the Father and Jesus Christ. They tell us how they have always lived. It's an amazing thing when you look at it that way. Paul begins with two positive statements about love. Two positive statements. Love suffers long, that's in the New King James, or in the NIV, love is patient. And the word could be translated either way. The Thayer definition of the suffers long or patient is one to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart. One A, to persevere patiently and bravely in enduing misfortune and troubles. One B, to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others. One B, one, to be mild and slow in avenging. One B, two, to be long suffering, slow to anger, slow to punish.

Love does this. Love suffers long or love is patient. And it's interesting that the Greek word, the verb, is always used in the New Testament with patience with other people. That's usually where we need patience the most, isn't it, right? Patience with other people, not with circumstances. The first two times the word is used in the New Testament is in Matthew 18, verses 26 and 29. You know the verse. It says, have patience with me and I will pay you all. Have patience with me. Be long suffering with me. Be patient with me and I will pay you all.

Now, brethren, you've known me a long time, or you've been around here for a long time, and you know that patience has never been a strength of mine. I have to say that that's true. When I was in college, Ray McNair, who was the deputy chancellor and a respected teacher and good friend, he told me once we were out somewhere doing something. I forget what he said. Bob, I almost bought a t-shirt for you. I saw it and I thought, boy, that'd fit Bob. And it says, Lord, give me patience, and I want it right now. That stuck in my head for a long time. Then, a year later, we were up in Vancouver, living in Vancouver, and I was to drive to a congregation that was outside of Vancouver. And somehow, I don't know what the circumstances were, but I was late. Whether I got lost or whatever happened, I forget the circumstances, but it's getting later and later, and I was up there grumping away. And then I thought to myself, wait a minute, this isn't good. So I took a deep breath, and I said, well, being late like this is no problem for us patient guys. Well, the family broke out in laughter, and we use this phrase now from time to time, it's no problem for us patient guys, because, as I say, no one's ever said that that was the strength of mine. Now, we need to be long-suffering and patient with everyone. That's what we need to do. The Father and Jesus Christ are. They are long-patient. They are long-suffering and patient with everybody else. And their children will also be, because this is what love is.

And then he puts in another positive. First one's patient or long-suffering, and then he puts in another one. Kind. Religious people tend to overlook this one, or at least not focus on it. Have you ever thought about it, that when we become judgmental of others, we also become unkind? Philip of Spain, thought to be a Christian, founded the Spanish Inquisition.

Now, that wasn't very kind. It wasn't very kind at all. With the woman taken in adultery, Jesus was kind, without justification, without nullifying law. He was kind in her terrible circumstance. And also, when we become impatient with others, we also become unkind. Paul described one work of the flesh as outbursts of wrath. And impatience, and all of a sudden you go, vroom! It just flares up instantly. I know that's never happened to you. Of course, that impatience flies up, and it usually triggers unkindness. We say something like you blockhead, or some encouraging word like that. No, that's just the opposite of an encouraging word. It's unkind. Have a look at Proverbs 11, verses 16 and 17. I will read it to you from the NIV. I like the NIV in the Old Testament, as you know. And sometimes it puts things in a context that I find helpful. Not so much in the New Testament, but more often in the Old Testament. Proverbs 11, verse 16. A kindhearted woman gains respect but ruthless men gain only wealth. Our congregation is blessed with kindhearted women, and they are respected. They are respected. And then, verse 17, a kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself. Notice the contrast between the two. A cruel man brings trouble on himself. Notice the contrast here.

The contrast, a kindhearted woman is contrasted with a ruthless man, and a kind man is contrasted with a cruel man. Those who pursue wealth above all else become ruthless and cruel.

Because it's getting for self. And it just goes down the drain. I thought it was an interesting combination of problems there. A kindhearted woman gains respect, but a ruthless man gain only wealth. A kind man benefits himself, but a cruel man brings trouble on himself.

It's not kind to gossip. It's not kind to accuse or to point the figure. It's not kind to speak badly behind the back. Look at Luke 6. Luke 6.

Let's begin in verse 31. Jesus said, And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise. If you don't want somebody speaking about you, then you don't speak about others, and so on. But if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do that to you. And if you lend to those from whom you wish to receive back, what credit is that to you? For even sinners lend to sinners to receive as much back. But love your enemies. Do good and lend hoping for nothing in return, And your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For he is kind to the unthankful and evil. He is kind to the unthankful and evil. Therefore be merciful, just as your father is also merciful. Verse 37, judge not, and you shall not be judged, condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven.

So he starts off with two positives.

Love is patient, or love is long-suffering, and love is kind. Interesting, today I looked up in the majority translation. It's called ALT 3. The text, the translation from the majority text, close to English, can be. It says it this way, love waits patiently, it acts kindly. I thought this was nice and simple. Love waits patiently, it acts kindly. As I said, I was going over this and studying it. Lately, when feelings of impatience arise, and I know, you know, and they do arise, I've been reminding of myself this several times. Love is patient, love is kind, and I go over and I remind myself of it. Keeping Paul's first two definitions of love in mind has been quite instructive and helpful, and I hope it's helpful to you. Then he continues with eight examples of what love never does. Eight examples of what love never does. Number one, does not envy. Love does not envy. Envy covets benefits for self and grieves at not having them. Envy is, first of all, a feeling of discontent and ill will because of another's advantage, possessions or whatever. Two, a desire for some advantage, quality that another person has. That's envy. Envy hates those who have what it doesn't have.

Many contend, I don't know if this is true, but many contend that the Islamic world hatred of the U.S. is based on envy. The West is free, productive, and prosperous. The Islamic countries are often oppressed, unproductive, and poor. They manufacture very little. Their income comes mostly from pumping oil out of the ground from wells built by Westerners, usually, and some claim that's why they dislike us. There are those today, even in our nation, who seek to encourage envy between the rich and the poor. Dictionary.com. I typed in class warfare. It came up with class struggle. Notice this. Dictionary.com. Class struggle, noun, one. Also called class conflict. Conflict between different classes in a community resulting from different social or economic positions and reflecting opposite opposed interests. Two, also called class war or class warfare. In Marxist thought, it adds, the struggle for political and economic power carried on between capitalists and workers. So that was how Marxist thought conducts it. Today, political arguments for income equality tend to pit the poor against the rich. You know, we're the 90 percent, they're the 1 percent. We got to get those guys. They got it all illegally and are not good. I wrote about that yesterday in the pastor's update. Encouraging envy in people is corrosive to any society. It's going to start tearing itself apart. Or beginning to start tearing itself apart. Love generates efforts to benefit others. Envy generates hostility toward others. The body of Christ, because of God's love, cares for each other, rejoices when others are blessed, and weeps when others suffer. The second one that doesn't do is does not parade itself. Barkley says, not inflated with its own importance. The Greek is said to say, doesn't boast. If you ever think about it, Jesus never bragged. He never bragged. No one likes someone impressed with their own importance. But it is so human, and it happens to us very easily. The third one is not puffed up. The RSV says, is not proud. Love never struggles with pride. Godly love seeks to benefit others, not exalt oneself. True love, godly love, is humble and small in one's own eyes. Four, does not behave rudely. You know, politeness, courtesy, and tact all demonstrate love. Of course, politeness, courtesy, and tact can be used to deceive, too. There's a negative way to do most anything, which, of course, trying to deceive somebody is not love at all. There is a time for directness. There is a time for bluntness. But more often, they do more harm than good. It's got to be very carefully handled.

I have in my notes, I'm still working on that.

Number five, things that it doesn't do, does not seek its own. The RSV says, love does not insist on its own way. From my understanding, that pretty well summarizes most human problems.

We all tend to want our own selfish will to be done. Think of a problem you may be having now with somebody else. Basically, you'll find out you want your way and they want theirs. Usually, that's the way it is. I remember a conflict when I was just a kid in my grandparents' home. We had two arches, one into the dining room from the entrance hallway, and one was square, and the other was shaped like this. My grandmother was kind of annoyed that they were different. She wanted them the same. She kept saying, I want this fixed. I said, please, nothing was happening.

So she got a bar of some kind, crowbar or whatever, and she started tearing down the square one. This ended with a lot of conflict. Eventually, both were arches. It all worked out, but man, they had different wills, and their wills got into the way. One person went one thing, one person went another, and this leads to conflict. It's with what it is with every human conflict, it seems. Christians have learned to be cautious, even wary of wanting their own way. Because they want God's way. They want God's will to be done. And sometimes our will does not always reflect God's will, and sometimes it's quite opposite. So Jesus taught us to pray, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven, not our will. So in number six, and what Lev never does, it is not provoked. The Phillips translation is, is not touchy.

Moffat says, is not irritated. The RSV says, is not irritable.

Berkeley never flies into a temper. So we can see from all these different translations that love never becomes exasperated with others. It's patient and it's kind.

Number seven, thinks no evil.

Love doesn't think evil. The NIV, I think, is better, and it reflects more the Greek understanding. It keeps no record of wrongs. Keeps no record of wrongs. Or more literally, keeps no record of bad things. And apparently, no record is an accounting term. Maintaining accurate real records of negative things people did. Is it accountant did? People do that. If when the Kosovo war was going on, the seeds of that had gone back 600 years of bad will. And look where that leads. There's a tribe in Polynesia that had frequent wars with its neighbors. So they kept momentas of the wrongs done on their huts. They hung them from the ceiling of the hut. They hang down so they would not forget what those bad people did.

That doesn't produce peace. Some of our political leaders are said to maintain a list of their enemies. They have a list of them. They want to remember who the bad guys in, what they do. You know, a grudge is all by itself a record of wrong. It's a grudge. And we're taught not to have grudges. Christians are learning how to reconcile, forgive and forget, and even how to live at peace with enemies. Proverbs 16 and 7. I won't go there. If we don't forgive others, God said very plainly He won't forgive us. It doesn't mean we're to be naive. He told us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. But we want to be looking for the best in others, hoping for the best in others, and not taking this negative, suspicious view with our arrows and arrows out of all you ought to. It doesn't produce peace. The last thing it doesn't do that Paul listed does not rejoice in iniquity. Some say it's better translated, it does not delight in injustice or sin.

We humans tend to have a perverse pleasure in someone else's misfortune when things go wrong for them. Love grieves at someone's misfortune. Love grieves at sin, understanding its harmful effects. Remember Ezekiel wrote of those who sigh and cry over the abominations done in the nation.

And that's important for us to keep in mind. Next, after eight statements of what love doesn't do, Paul continues with six additional statements of what love does do. Rejoices in the truth. Love rejoices in the truth. You know, that sounds so easy.

It's more difficult than we think because it's been said perhaps the most difficult things for humans to do is to admit when we're wrong. Christians never run from the truth. There's no denial. They don't deny drinking problems, they don't deny drug problems, they don't deny financial problems, and they don't deny relationship problems. Because to deny them is not the truth.

There's no deceit. They don't speak behind others' backs, but they are friendly to their face.

That's not true. There's no hypocrisy. If you rejoice in the truth, hypocrites can never rejoice in the truth because the truth is different than what they're projecting.

Love has nothing to hide. It doesn't mean it's not discrete. And it rejoices when the truth prevails. Look at 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, please. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2.

Beginning in verse 9. 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 and verse 9.

The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan with all power, signs, and lying wonders, and with all unrighteous deception. Remember, Mr. Armstrong once said, if Satan never had to fill out a job interview, you know, and he'd have to put down, what's your occupation? He'd have to put down deceiver. But because he's deceiver, he'd never put down deceiver. He'd have to put something else down. Perhaps Angel of Light. I don't know, but with all unrighteous deception. Among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth. The truth is something God's people love, even when it tells them they're wrong. And with all unrighteous deception among those who perish because they did not receive the love of the truth that they might be saved. And for this reason, God will send them strong delusion that they should believe the lie, and they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

I made it this far.

We were going to make some ginger root tea, but it didn't get around to it.

Anyway, but we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren, because from the beginning, God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth, to which He called you by our gospel for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. It's important that we love the truth and rejoice in the truth, but it's a little harder than people may think. Verse 7, 1 Corinthians 13, I'll use the NIV translation. It, love, always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. King James says, bears all things. The new King James says, bears all things. NIV has, always protects. Barkley has love that can bear any insult, any injury, any disappointment. That's pretty good. It always trusts. It trusts God first and foremost. It believes God's promises, and it's positive toward people too. But again, not naive. Christians, Paul wrote, have no confidence in the flesh, their own or anybody else's own. We don't have confidence in the flesh. We have confidence in God. Then he says, always hopes. In God first and foremost is our hope.

But encouraging toward others as well. Not thinking the worst, always hopes. Hope this works out well. Hope it turns out okay. And then always perseveres. Our congregation should know that one. It's the form of a word, hoopomony, or as I call it. This is the form of it. It always abides under it. It always stays under there. And it's a result of trust and hope in God. A man, one of the commentaries quotes, a man who lost his sight and was disappointed in love, wrote that he wanted to accept God's will, quote, not with dumb resignation, but with holy joy.

Not only with the absence of murder, murmur, but with a song of praise. That's quite big. Always perseveres. Stays right there.

Barkley translates it.

Love bears everything with triumphant fortitude. Nice way to put it.

Now begin verse 8.

Paul has three more points to make about love. He says in verse 8, Love never fails. But whether there will be prophecies, they will fail. Whether there are tongues, they will cease. Whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. Love never fails. Love will remain after everything man made has passed away. Love endures forever. Verse 9, For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. And when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will 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 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. We only see in part right now. I ask myself, how much more did Paul understand than what I do or than we do? How much more understanding did he have? I'm sure it's a great deal. It's interesting also that mirrors were made in Corinth. They made mirrors. But only by polishing metal. They didn't have the mirrors we have today, which are deadly accurate. So their polished ones were poor reflectors, and they couldn't see things very clearly. And we are like little children. And you know, little children who are unaware of much they don't hear and see. There's all kind of stuff going on that they're not aware of, and they have no idea of. And we too are like those little children who are unaware of much that we don't see and hear. And even completely ignorant of a lot more things that we don't see. You know, there are whole concepts that you can't talk to kids about until they're in the 20s and 30s. You just have to wait. But we will see God and His love clearly, as Paul says. In the end, God's love will be completely understood and completely prevail in the entire universe as it will be at that time. So he said, for we know in part, and we prophesy in part, but when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will 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. But 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 am known. It will all be there. And he says in verse 13, And now abides faith, hope, love. These are the three key graces, faith, hope, and love, these three. But the greatest of these is love. Love is supreme. It is the greatest spiritual gift.

I hope this review of 1 Corinthians 12 and 13 has been helpful to you.