Wednesday, October 10, 2018

Merely Sounding Brass—part 1


Merely Sounding Brass—part 1

            1 Corinthians 13:1, “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.”  There are a couple of thoughts that I would like to leave with you today.  The word charity which is used repeatedly in this chapter is translated from the Greek word agape (26). Albert Barnes, in his Commentary on the New Testament gives the following comments: “The words ‘And have not charity’ mean and have not love. This is the proper and usual meaning of the Greek word. The English word charity that is used in many translations of this passage of the New Testament, has, according to how it is used I a great variety of meanings; and some of them cannot be included in the meaning of the word here.”    It is believed by many Bible exegetes that agape connotes love in action or love that acts.

            Those who truly love someone act when they see that person in need.  So, conversely, failing to act is a pretty sure sign that one does not love deeply.  We all know that the just live by faith, but we also know that as James 2:26 teaches, “For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also.”  What a Christian musician says matters, but the test of love is action.  




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