Essential To Implementation-1

ESSENTIAL to IMPLEMENTATION-I—1Corinthians 12:31-14:1

Attention/Need:

Valentine’s Day is upon us. Our society is confused about the meaning of love. “Love” can actually carry a variety of meanings in our society. Most often love is portrayed in a romantic, sexual or setimental sense.

Paul highlighted/elucidated the necessity of agape love to the application of Christianity.

Agape love is essential to the implementation of Christian belief.

How is agape love essential to the Christian faith?

*Implementation of Christianity becomes mere/empty social reform&/or interaction without agape love.

Php. 2:12-13—“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear & trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will & to do for His good pleasure.”

1Pet. 4:8—“And above all things have fervent love for one another, for “love will cover a multitude of sins.”

1Tim. 1:5—“Now the purpose of the commandment is love from a pure heart, from a good conscience, & from sincere faith,”

*This chapter is actually the definition for agape love.

The umbrella of agape love presented here is neither romantic or sexual love(erov), nor is it sentimental(pleasant feeling about someone or thing), nor is it friendship or brotherly love(filia), nor charity(KJV) for the poor.—MacArthur

The supreme example of agape love is God’s love toward humanity.

Agape love is always giving &/or sacrificial love.

1—Agape love is essential to Christianity thru its...

MASTERY/Control(:1-7)

Explanation/Argumentation:(:1-7)

:1—“Though I speak with the tongues of men & of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal.

“Tongues”(See :8)—glwssa—1) The tongue, a member of the body, an organ of speech; 2) A tongue—1a) The language or dialect used by a particular people distinct from that of other nations.

—The context suggests—Chapt. 12 & Chapt. 14— that the problem with “tongues” involved something beyond human ability.

“Love”—agaph— ‘...one of the rarest words in Greek literature, but one of the most common in the New Testament.’—John MacArthur, Jr. Used or implied thruout this chapter.

“Sounding/Noisy/Resounding”—hcew—1) To sound—1a) Used in Lk. 21:25 of the roaring of the sea. Used 2X.

“Brass/Gong”—calkov—1) Brass; 2) What is made of brass, money, coins of brass (also of silver & gold). If instrumental it is unknown.

“Clanging/Tinkling”—alalazw—1) To repeat frequently the cry "alala" as soldiers used to do on entering into battle; 2) To utter a joyful sound; 3) To wail, lament; 4) To ring loudly, to clang. To wail in oriental style; to howl in a consecrated, semi-liturgical fashion. Used in Mk. 5:38 to describe a wail of grief. Used 2X

*This verse highlights the indistinction in the absence of agape love,....

....& what is potentially distinct in the control of agape love.

:2—“And though I have the gift of prophecy, & understand all mysteries & all knowledge, & though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Declaring the future, nature’s mysteries, & having vast intelligence is pointless apart from agape love.

Prophecy(foretelling) without love becomes arrogance.

Prophecy(forthtelling) without love becomes intimidation.

“Understand”—eidw—1)To see(with the eyes); 2) To know. Signifies a clear & purely mental perception.

“Knowledge”(See :8)—gnwsiv—Knowledge signified in general intelligence, understanding.

“Remove/Move”—meyisthmi—1) To transpose, transfer, remove from one place to another.

Mat. 7:21-23—“Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, & done many wonders in Your name?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’”

Mat. 17:20—To the disciples when they couldn’t cast out a demon—“So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ & it will move; & nothing will be impossible for you.”

*If it were possible to “embrace the whole range of [spiritual gifts] & the full measure of any one of them, but at the same time would fail to...” exercise them in agape love, then “...such a person would be nothing in the sight of God.”—Gordon Fee

:3—“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, & though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.

“Bestow...to feed/Give”—qwmizw—1) To feed by putting a bit or crumb (of food) into the mouth; 1a) Of infants, young animals etc.; 2) To feed, nourish; 3) To give a thing to feed someone, feed out to. Strong—To supply with bits, i.e. (generally) to nourish:-- (bestow to) feed.