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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