times, but want us to look at it again tonight. Are we ready? Okay. I want you to notice the last verse of the twelfth chapter, because I think it'd be better if there was not a Chapter break here, this is all the same context. But covet earnestly the best gifts, and yet show I unto you a more excellent way. In other words, there were some gifts that were more profitable than other gifts, and we'll learn more of that as we get into the 14th chapter, but all of these things in themselves was not nearly as profitable as what we study about in this 13th chapter. Let me just read the first three verses of chapter 13. 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. And though I have the gift of prophecy and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Let's pray and we'll begin our lesson tonight. Gracious Heavenly Father, We bow unworthy heads before you and acknowledge, Lord, our difficulties through the day. Thank you for delivering us, and I thank you for the privilege to be here this evening to study this wonderful chapter in 1 Corinthians. I ask you to guide us, O Lord, and bless us with your presence. Pray for those who could not be with us tonight. Watch over any that are sick and help those that are working and laboring, those who are away traveling, watch over them. We pray in Jesus' name, amen. So there was a distinction of the gifts that were conferred upon the church, and I think this was connected with the baptism of the Holy Spirit. I've got to study this some more, but I can't help but go back and think about what Peter told the people in the second chapter of Acts. He said, repent and be baptized, every one of you, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. So I think there's a connection with these extraordinary gifts. So while these gifts are various, we're taught to desire earnestly the greater gifts. And what we're studying tonight is a far, far better way than to put stress on all of these things that they were undertaking during the first century. Now, stay with me here. Verse one says, though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels and have not charity, I'm become as sounding brass or tinkling cymbal. I've often thought that it would be great to have the gift of oratory. Some people said you need a silver tongue so you can speak well. Well, you know, if we're really able to have all of the qualities that are in men, say a man had the patience of Job, and the patriotism of Washington, and the wisdom of Solomon, and the strength of Samson, and the meekness of Moses. And so, if he had all of that, and he could speak with such tongues that people learn all the different languages of the world. They tell me Mr. Kissinger speaks, I don't know, eight or ten different Foreign languages, maybe more than that. But if we had all of that, and even if we could speak in an angelic tongue, whatever that is, if we didn't have charity, and we'll talk about that more, charity, then we're nothing. We become like a tinkling bell, a brass band. doesn't matter much, doesn't amount to much. And I wondered, I thought maybe you'd want to know, and so I asked myself, what does this word charity come from? What comes to mind when you think about charity? First thing that people think about is giving something to the Salvation Army or the homeless people or something like that. Giving away something. They think that's charity. So I wondered why the translators chose this word. Actually, charity is a translation of the Greek word agape. Agape is translated Eighty-six times as love, twenty-seven times as charity, and one time as dear, one time as feast of charity. So the English word charity actually in the etymology comes from Old French. It's similar to using the word believe and the word faith. believe is an English word, and faith is a French word. It's kind of like that. So, I looked this up in the dictionary. I'm never satisfied with dictionary definitions, but I looked this up in the dictionary. The Oxford English Dictionary defines the word charity as God's love to man. I don't think scripture teaches that. as man's love of God and his neighbor, nor that, or Christian love for our fellow man. It's not that either. I believe none of these dictionary definitions truly show the biblical use of charity. The English word charity is found 28 times in 24 different verses of the New Testament. And the idea in each and every one of those places is that the saints have love one to another in the churches. It's Christian charity, the love which church members have one for another and for members of others in the Lord's churches. It's love between the saints. Now, we're supposed to love our neighbor as ourself. That's true. But he used the word love, doesn't use the word charity. And so I think our Bible translators were exactly correct in these instances to use this term. Verse 2 of our lesson says, and though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains and have not charity, I'm nothing. Suppose I were like a walking encyclopedia. You ask me something, I got it right there. I know everything there is to know about everything. We could talk about animals, we could talk about trees, we could talk about the universe, whatever you want to talk about, I could converse with you about that and you with me. So we have all knowledge about everything. Suppose a man had that. Suppose he understood all of the mysteries. You know there's a lot of things that are mysterious in the world. I don't understand how There are springs and rivers all under the earth that brings us water to drink. And how there's blind fish that don't even have eyes that live in those streams. I wondered about all of that. How is it that a vine grows and a grape comes out? And could you explain to me a vine and a watermelon? You can never do that. Lots of mysteries. And so, Even if a man had all of that, suppose he could say to Mount Augustine or Mount Spur or Mount Redoubt, be gone, and away it goes. If you didn't have love for the saints, it's nothing. You know, there's a lot of people that are qualified about so many things. and you look up to them, the greatest, the greatest quality is charity. That's you loving me and me loving you. Now, notice verse three. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, And do I give my body to be burned? And have not charity profited thee? You know, if you took everything you had, sold your house, sold your car, sold everything you had, and give everything you had to feed the poor, that's a noble deed. Think about it. Or you just laid down your life for someone else, you, Give your body to be burned. People can do that and still not love the saints. So this kills the idea of charity being something that you give to someone who is unfortunate. It's not charity in the Bible sense at all. Lots of rich people like to give away. There's zillions of dollars. Everybody knows the name Rockefeller that's associated with philanthropy. And Bill Gates. Bill Gates has so much money, he don't know how to get rid of it. He, every day, is giving away millions and looking for somebody to give it to. I should write him a note. Anyways, though people do that and have non-charities, they're nothing. Now, verses 4 through 8, we see what charity is and we see what it is not. Let's look closely. Remember, this is our special love. for the members of Christ's Body Church was greater than our love for family or neighbors or friends. Charity suffers long. Look, if you're doing this, if you have this, these qualities will come to the top. And if you don't have this, these things will not appear in your life. When a person suffers long, that's part of the quality of charity, suffering with the saints. He's kind. The law of kindness is in charity, which means it's never unkind. What does it mean to be kind? I think we all know what it means to be unkind. And so kindness speaks of a quality of being well disposed, having a gentle, sympathetic, or benevolent nature. Ready to help. Showing consideration for others. A person is generous and he's courteous. That's being kind. Charity envieth not. We know what envy is. It's wanting something that belongs to someone else. Charity doesn't do that. It doesn't desire something that belongs to someone else in any respect whatsoever. Charity vaunteth not itself. It doesn't push itself forward to be seen. doesn't have prideful thoughts, doesn't display self and our own accomplishments, doesn't boast and brag and deal with self-glory or give that appearance. Every one of us, when we first think about what we're going to do, we almost generally think first of self. But Charlie doesn't do that. Charity is not puffed up. When one praises or extols or commends himself in extravagant terms, that's being puffed up. Usually has an ulterior motive. He kind of advertises himself with extravagant words and terms. In other words, full of self. Do you have charity? Think about it. Do you have charity? These things are carnal fleshly. The things that it talks about charity, it's not. Verse 5. Charity does not behave itself unseemly. Charity never behaves itself in an inappropriate or an unfitting way. not by using unbecoming words or doing indecent things. No filthy, corrupt communication comes out of a person's mouth that offends others. A person doesn't use ridiculous gestures which may expose himself and grieve the saints. A lot of people don't outwardly cursed, but they use filthy gestures and all. People know what that means. It doesn't behave itself unseemly. Seeketh not her own, her own thing, or her own way. Charity puts others above. themselves, not easily provoked. I was thinking about this today. Someone I know very close to me is a hothead, and it grieves me when I hear and I see that going on. Charity doesn't have a short fuse. It doesn't become quickly irate and angry. It takes a whole lot to provoke charity. Charity thinks no evil. It doesn't think of the evil that's done him by another. He forgives as God has forgiven him. So he forgets the injury done and refuses to remember it again. I've seen people who claim to love, but some in the church have offended them And they hold it against them, and that's all they think about is what has happened. It's an evil thing. Not good. The sixth verse says, Charity rejoiceth not in iniquity. I was talking to a woman on a Facebook page not long ago. In fact, she was akin to me, akin folks. She was talking about how some people spoke against evil when they ought to be kind to people. I told her that charity does not rejoice in evil things. I sent a scripture to her. They don't rejoice in evil in herself or in others. We mourn over our own iniquities, the corruption of our own heart, infirmities of our life, our secret sins which none know but God. We're greatly troubled about the profaneness and immorality of the men of the world. And the sins of professing Christians cut us to the heart. We don't rejoice in injustice. There's a lot of injustice going on today, but we're talking about the congregation with another congregation and so on. Charity rejoices in the truth. The word truth here stands opposed to iniquity. It means virtue, godliness, goodness. It does not rejoice in vices, but in the virtues of other people. It's pleased and rejoices when they do well. That's charity. Verse 7 says, it beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. The word beareth is a word that means cover, to hide, or conceal, or not to make known. It means that charity is disposed to hide or conceal the faults and imperfections of others, charity would not announce them or blaze them abroad or give any undue publicity to those things. Benevolence to other saints would require that these faults should be concealed. You know, it's the glory of God to conceal a thing. It's the honor of kings to search it out. We ought to bear all things in that respect, believe all things. The man of charity is willing to believe all the good things reported of men, and he accepts such things, and he's unwilling to believe ill reports of persons unless it's open and glaring, well supported, full evidence of it. Just put it aside. God help us to be charitable. Charity hopeth all things. It hopes the best for everyone. All of our brothers and sisters in Christ. We even hope the best for wicked men that happen to be in our midst. Hope that they will be better, brought to repentance. Charity endureth all things, all things that are, even things disagreeable to the flesh, afflictions, tribulations, temptations, persecutions, and even death itself for the elect's sake, for the cause of the gospel, for the sake of Christ. The next section, starting in verse 8, is it's the same context, but it teaches us a valuable lesson about spiritual gifts and about charity. Verse 8 says, charity never faileth. Charity is a permanent and perpetual grace. It's going to last all through this life and on into eternity. The extraordinary gifts have vanished. They've passed away. They were only to edify the church for a time. And so, when the New Testament was finished, the whole of the canon of scripture, these would be gone, but charity would remain and be the pinnacle of the Christian virtues. This is an important section and it makes a clear distinction between Baptist and charismatic people concerning spiritual gifts. Notice that it said, but whether there be prophecies, they shall fall. This phrase along with knowledge in the same verse is qualified by the next verse. Verse 9, this is prophesying in part and having partial knowledge. This prophesying in part stops. The verb is future, passive indicative. So from Paul's time, his writing, ahead of him, it would stop. Whether there be tongues, they shall cease. This is like the tongues that the apostles spoke on the day of Pentecost, like the twelve spoke when they were filled with the Holy Ghost, and like the house of Cornelius spoke. They are languages. Whether to be tongues, they shall cease. Now I want you to notice this. The verb shall cease is in the middle future indicative. And what does that mean? It means that they would stop on their own. In the middle voice in the Greek, it means it stops itself. That's the idea. Whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. Again, this is knowledge in part. The Greek word is gnosis, G-N-O-S-I-S, as opposed to epinosis. You have knowledge and then you have full knowledge, partial knowledge as opposed to full knowledge. This would vanish away. It's also future and passive. Verse 9, Paul says, for because we know in part And we prophesy in part. Listen carefully. While the New Testament was being written during the time that Paul was with the churches, the saints in the churches only had partial knowledge about the will of God and about church truth. The New Testament had not been finished. The full revelation of the Lord's will and church doctrine would be in the Finnish New Testament. They didn't have it. They had the Old Testament, and that's all. Therefore, they knew in part. They had partial knowledge. And so the church had great need of prophets and of tongues and interpretations of tongues. And the same is true of prophesying in part, the prophets gave a partial prophecy. We have the whole ball of wax. We have everything today. Verse 10, but when that, an impersonal pronoun, when that which is perfect is come, or that which is complete is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. It means that when anything which is perfect is seen, then that which is imperfect is forgotten, laid aside, and vanishes. It's like when the light of day comes, the stars vanish. So that's the way this was. I believe, hear me now, I believe this speaks of the completion of the New Testament and does not speak of our place in glory as most of the commentators speak about. We have a perfect and complete revelation of the Holy Scriptures since the New Testament was finished. Nothing is to be added and nothing should be taken away. We're warned about adding and taking away from God's Word. God has said all he's going to say. Someone said, I wish I knew what the will of God was about such and such. We have it all right here in the book. It's all here. He said all that he's going to say. In Proverbs chapter 30 and verse 5 and 6, the Bible says every word of God is pure. He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar. What about people that said, I have a revelation, that God gave me a revelation, and it's not in the scripture. What do you know about him? He's a liar. Just clear as it can be. There's much of that goes on today. Revelation 22, verses 18 and 19. John said, I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book. If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book. And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life. and out of the holy city and from the things which are written in this book. You say, well that applies to the revelation and indeed it does, I agree. But the principle applies to all of the scripture. No doubt, there's no doubt in my mind, the completed scripture will be present at the judgment. John 12 verse 47 through 49 says, And if any man hear my words, and believe not, I judge him not. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him, The word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken of myself, but the Father which sent me, he gave me a commandment what I should say and what I should speak. It will judge men in the last day. In Daniel chapter 7 verse 10 we read, A fiery stream issued and came forth from before Him. Thousands and thousands ministered unto Him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before Him. The judgment was set, and the books were opened. Books were opened. Revelation 20 verse 12, And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God. And the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. Brother, they'll have no excuse. So, right there, plain as it can be. So this section says, when that which is perfect is come, the completed scripture, then that which is in part shall be done away. Both knowing in part and prophesying in part shall be finished. When the writing of the New Testament was completed, we had a full word of prophecy. Now, there's nothing, as we said, nothing to add to the scripture. By the way, there are no extra books, there are no external books, there are no other books anywhere that would add to this. These are the books that were copied by the churches of the Lord Jesus Christ through the centuries and have passed down to us today. Thank God for the Bible that is full and complete. Verse 11. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child, but when I became a man, I put away childish things. That verse seems to be out of place. Why do you suppose that's there? Paul said, when I was a child, he's talking about himself, when I was a child, I'd speak like a child. I understood like a child, I thought like a child, but I grew up. And when I became a man, I put away childish talk and childish understanding and childish thinking. What is he talking about? Why is that there? I'll tell you what I think. I think he's speaking of the infancy of the church. As we study the church through the Book of Acts, one thing becomes very clear. It's not exactly like it is today, except in principle. Churches were different. They were fluid. Some of them were house churches. There were a lot of different things that were going on. The baptism of the Holy Ghost had bestowed these gifts upon the church, which they were to use during the days of the growing up of the church. When the completed scripture came and they could behold themselves in the mirror of the Word, they would be children no longer. Childish thoughts and speaking and understanding would be swallowed up in maturity. Now, Paul said in verse 12, For now we see through a glass darkly. He's talking about the time that he was writing. Now, today, Corinthians, as we look at this, we see through a glass darkly. It's like looking in a mirror. We don't see much of an image. It's kind of distorted. But then, Then what? When that which is perfect has come, when we are grown up, when we have a full revelation, then face to face. Now, he said, I know in part, as he's writing, I now know in part, but then shall I know even as also I am known. I want to ask you a question. When you read the Word, do you not see yourself as God sees you? I believe you do. James says, Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers, only deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass. For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. He saw himself. We see ourselves when we look in the scripture, and we see ourselves as God has shown us what we are. 2 Corinthians 3.18 says, But we all, with open face, beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. It is why we are looking at the Word, looking at Him in the Word. We are changed. We are transformed. Word is like the picture of the larva that becomes the butterfly. Paul said, I'll know even as I'm known. Now think about this. Turn to Hebrews chapter 4 and verse 12. For the word of God is quick, alive, and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Are we not laid bare by the word of God? Do we not see ourself as it divides soul and spirit and discerns the thoughts and intents of our heart? Yes, it does. He said, neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight, but all things are naked and open unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. It's like the entrance. of his words give light. And Paul said in Ephesians, all things that are reproved may manifest by the light. The light of God's word shows us ourselves. Then the last verse, verse 13. And now, he said, once this is done, now abideth faith, hope, charity. These three. But the greatest of these is charity. These, contrasted to the spiritual gifts enumerated in chapter 12, remains with the church, with the saints. The greatest is charity. It's with us now. It'll be with us through all eternity. Faith is going to become sight. Hope will be realized, but charity shall continue in eternity. God bless you.