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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