01

I Corinthians

Chapter 13
{'Anything' without the filling of the Spirit is 'human good' and is Nothing - Verses 1-3}

1~~ If I speak in the languages of men and of angels
- and I {Paul} do -
and I do not have the filling of the Holy Spirit . . .
which produces agape love {highest form of love - divine love},
I have become a noisy gong
  {a lot of worthless noise with no purpose}.

{The 'Nothings': I AM Nothing}
2~~And if I have the gift of prophecy
  - maybe I do, maybe I don't -
  and understand all mysteries
  {understanding the doctrine of the Bible before it was written},
and though I have all knowledge {gift of knowledge};
and if I have all faith {gift of Faith}
  so that I could remove mountains,
and yet have not the filling of the Holy Spirit
  which produces agape love,
I am nothing.

{Note: Paul gives an example from each of the three categories of temporary spiritual gifts - speaking, thinking, and working type gifts.}

{The 'Nothings':I PROFIT Nothing}
3~~ And if I give away all my goods
  - maybe I will, maybe I won't -
  to feed the poor,
and, if I give my body to be burned
  {some 'cults' of the time believed you could set yourself on fire
  and go straight to heaven},
and, I am not filled with the Holy Spirit that produces agape love,
it profits me nothing.

{Note: A right thing done in a wrong way is still wrong -described 'as filthy rags' and 'wood, hay, and stubble'.}

{Verses 4-7: 15 Characteristics of Agape Love}
4-7~~Agape love [agape]
keeps on 'being patient' . . .
  {1- love that gives you patience when dealing with others}
and is kind
  {2- it overtly treats other people well - with grace}.

Agape love envies not.
  {3- is not jealous}

Agape love vaunts not itself
  {4 - not a boaster - has the concept of a big ego}
and is not puffed up {inner pride}, 5~~
{agape love} Does not behave dishonorably {6},
{agape love} seeks not her own
  {7 - does not try to gratify their own lusts - material lust,
    approbation lust, etc. - their 'own' weaknesses in their
  old sin nature},
{agape love} is not easily provoked
  {8- 'provoked' here is the concept of throwing a tantrum},
thinks no evil
  {9 - not minding other people's business} 6~~
rejoices not in iniquity
  {10- expression of jealousy - not rejoicing when
  someone else has problems},
but rejoices in the truth. 7~~
  {11- a hunger to learn Bible Doctrine}

{Agape love} Bears all things
  {12- keeps things confidential and covered},
believes all things
  {13 - Faith Rest technique - put all things in the Hands
  of the Lord and worry not},
hopes all things
  {14 - expectations of the future - covers dying
  grace and eternal security issues},
endures all things
  {15 - no matter what the circumstances,
  you can endure it when you are filled with the Spirit}.

{Summary of above/ Then Temporary Gifts Will Cease}
8~~ Agape love . . .
produced by the filling of the Spirit . . .
never fails.

But where there be the gift of prophecies -
they shall become non-operational.

Where there be the gift of languages -
they shall cease.

Where there be the gift of knowledge -
it shall vanish away.

{Note: These were the temporary gifts needed to spread the Word of God before the Canon of Scriptures was completed.}

{Emphasis on 'The More Excellent Way'}
9~~ For we know in part,
and we prophesy in part.

{Note: Before the Canon was complete the missing 'part' had to be taught from the gift of knowledge and prophesy.}

{Temporary Spiritual Gifts will end when the Canon is Complete}
10~~ But when 'The Perfect {thing}' is come,
then the part shall be done away.

{Note: See James 1:25 - the Bible is 'The Perfect Law of Liberty'. And in the Greek syntax here, 'The Perfect' is in the neuter case so it does not refer to Christ. When the New Testament was finished, all temporary gifts would end. The gift of languages/'tongues' ended in Aug 70. The other temporary gifts ended in 96 AD with the Amen at the end of Revelation - the completion of the Canon of Scriptures - that neuter thing which is perfect.}

{Illustration of above point}
11~~ When I was a child,
I spoke as a child,
I understood as a child,
I thought as a child.

But when I became a man,
I put away childish things.

{Note: Paul is saying when the Church comes to full age (cannon is complete) then the 'childish things' used as crutches primarily in evangelism and in 'knowing doctrine without study' . . . must be put away. The temporary gifts are put away because we now have the complete written Word.}

12~~ For now by means of a mirror
we see an obscure form {the form of Christ)
but not as clear as looking right at Him,
but, then {eternity future} . . .
face to face {with Christ}.

Now I know in part,
but then I shall know {Christ} . . .
even as He knows me {and He is omniscient}.

{Note: This is an advancing analogy. As the pre-cannon period is to the post-cannon period . . . so is the post-cannon period to eternity future.}

13~~ And now
keep on abiding faith
  {faith rest technique},
hope/'absolute confidence'
  {pertaining to eternity future},
[and] agape love . . .

these three . . .
but the greatest of these
is agape love.

{Note: Agape love is the most important in the post-cannon period. And this can only be produced by the filling of the Holy Spirit.}

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