06/22/2026
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐: ๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐น๐น๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ ๐ผ๐ณ ๐ฎ ๐๐ต๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐๐ถ๐ฎ๐ป ๐๐ถ๐ณ๐ฒ
๐๐๐ ๐ ๐ก๐๐๐๐ฉ ๐จ๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ฃ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ค๐ช๐๐ ๐ ๐ฅ๐ง๐๐จ๐ข, 1 ๐พ๐ค๐ง๐๐ฃ๐ฉ๐๐๐๐ฃ๐จ 13 ๐๐๐จ๐๐ง๐๐๐๐จ ๐ฉ๐๐ ๐๐๐๐ง๐๐๐ฉ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฉ๐๐๐จ ๐ค๐ ๐๐ค๐๐ก๐ฎ ๐ก๐ค๐ซ๐.
๐๐บ ๐๐ข๐บ ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ธ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ
The hallmark of Christian victory is charity; and the Bible gives us the definition and nature of charity in the thirteenth chapter of 1 Corinthiansโthat beautiful chapter about love which is as a ray of light shining through a prism that separates the different characteristics, which together form Christian love. It breaks forth with beauties and magnificence; and as the Spirit of God illuminates this portion of Scripture, we see more clearly what God has for us.
The first verse says, โThough I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.โ We can see that charity is not merely talk. It is not eloquence or the gift of speech. It is not how we present the truths of God, but it is that which is within the heart. One may speak with great eloquence, but if he is devoid of the love of the Spirit of God, his words are as sounding brass or a tinkling cymbal.
The one who has the Spirit of God in his life and who studies the Word (not merely to establish a point of doctrine, but to satisfy his soul that he is walking in all the light of Godโs eternal truth), will do so much more for the Lord than one who is merely speaking fluently.
๐ฆ๐ฝ๐ฒ๐ฐ๐๐ฎ๐ฐ๐๐น๐ฎ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฑ๐
Verse 2 continues, โAnd 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.โ That is a tremendous statement. Many today are sweeping people away into false teachings by the thousands. It is a pity that some people who know the truth of the Gospel and who have the light of sound doctrine, let themselves be carried away because of great demonstrations and mass movements.
Some might say that if one has the gift of prophecy, he must be in perfect favor with God. However, one might appear to have the gift of prophecy, but if he does not have charity, the Bible says he still is nothing in the sight of God.
What is charity? Is it โunderstanding all mysteriesโ? No. Many who go to the pulpit today and preach on prophecy are mixed up. Some, during the past World War, said certain individuals were going to be the Antichrist. The men who they said would be the Antichrist are dead and gone, and the so-called prophets have had to eat their words because they were wrong in their prophecy. Many people seem to want to know the mysteries of the Kingdom, but it is far better to know the sound way of the Gospel and be sure of our standing before God. Salvation in itself is a mystery. We cannot explain how a sinner is transformed into a child of God in an instant of time.
Charity is not knowledge, for the Apostle said, โThough I have . . . all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing.โ People have been astounded by what things they have read concerning modern religionists who claim to have accomplished wonderful miracles, but a person may have many abilities and not have that which is all-essentialโcharity.
Charity is not just almsgiving. One definition of ๐ค๐ฉ๐ข๐ณ๐ช๐ต๐บ is โbenevolenceโ or โgiving to the poor,โ but that is not the charity spoken of in this chapter. Verse 3 clears up that point: โAnd though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor . . . and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing.โ
๐๐ต๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ถ๐๐ ๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ณ๐ถ๐ป๐ฒ๐ฑ
If all these things are ๐ฏ๐ฐ๐ต charity, what is? Charity is the very essence of Christian living and conduct. The love of God in the heart is the source and wellspring of all true godly love. The one who has Godโs love implanted in his soul is going to be able, by the grace of God, to extend charity and thus be pleasing in Godโs sight.
The Bible says that love is the fulfilling of the Law and if we have the love of God implanted in our very nature, we will spontaneously keep the Law of God. The Jewish men wore on their heads and arms phylacteries, on which passages of Scripture were written. However, the New Testament standard is the Law written and engraved upon the fleshy tables of the heart by the Holy Ghost, which prompts us to do the things God commands and not do the things God forbids in His Law.
When one reads and understands what charity is, and the nature of it, he will no doubt say, โLord, give me more of it; give me a baptism of love that will just fill my life with charity to the extent that it will motivate every thought, word, and deed.โ That is what will make one worthy of a crown of life.
๐ ๐ต๐ถ๐ด๐ต ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ฑ
As we continue to analyze this chapter, we recognize its standard of love as that found in a sanctified life. Verse 4 says, โCharity suffereth long.โ No matter what comes across our pathway, how many indignities are heaped upon us, how many take action against us, oppose us, slander us, or gossip about us, if we have charityโGodโs love in our heartsโwe will find that โcharity suffereth long.โ A good way to find out how much of that quality we have is to note how we respond to the hard things that come our way.
Every Christian is going to be tested and tried. All these trials and conflicts can come to the one who has charity, but he has no reaction of anger, wrath, malice, hatred, retaliation, or anything of the kind. It is a high standard! Nothing less than a sanctified experience!
Let us take the Word into our own hearts, individually, and not say that it is good for someone else. It is good for every soul. The Word of God is a two-edged sword. It cuts both ways. It goes down into the very secret recesses of the heart and shows us exactly where we stand spiritually before God. It is important how we stand before our fellow men, but it is more important how we stand before God.
๐๐ป๐ฑ๐๐ฟ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ด๐ฟ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฒ
Verse 4 continues: โCharity suffereth long, and is kind.โ This seems hard for some to put into practice. It is easy for them to say an unkind remark when something has not pleased them; but that spirit of retaliation is an indication of something within that should not be there. Remember, โCharity suffereth long, and is kind.โ We endure things and are kind, if we have charity. We take things that are hard on us and we react with prayer and kindness.
It is not always easy to be kind under stress and provocation. It is not easy to show patience and to attribute right motives to people who seem to be otherwise motivated. But Godโs Word demands it of His people and He will help us.
As we read more of this definition of charity, we find that it strikes at the very heart of human nature: โCharity envieth not.โ Envy and jealousy are so closely related that it is hard to distinguish between the two. They walk hand in hand. A person who is jealous or envious simply cannot stand to see anybody else do something he would like to do, or be assigned to or promoted to the place where he thinks he himself should be. He may not be qualified for that position or be worthy of it. He may not have the gifts and abilities to do it, but that does not make any difference to the one who is jealous or envious. May we let the spiritual virtues pe*****te to the very depths of our souls and filter right down into our spiritual beings until we radiate the humility of Christ and are ready to be used or not to be used, ready to speak or not to speak, as God wills!
Verse 4 also says, โCharity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up.โ Sometimes people are proud of what they have done, or what they are going to do. They are vaunting their own ability. Some people try to make themselves the main theme of everything that is said, of every conversation. One should be careful not to exalt himselfโnot to be puffed up.
Pride, it is said, is a disease that makes everybody sick but the one who has it. Lucifer, the son of the morning, vaunted himself (see Isaiah 14:11-12). That is why he was cast out of Heaven. God hates self-exaltation, self-praise. The sooner one realizes that, the safer he will be from the subtle temptations of the enemy. Satan tempted even Jesus. He showed Him the nations of the world and said, โAll these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship meโ (Matthew 4:9). Jesus overcame every temptation. He never vaunted Himself. He was humble in heart. His mind was set to do the will of the Father, regardless of what humiliation came His way. The cup of His suffering was more bitter than that which anyone else ever drank.
The Christian does not behave himself โunseemlyโ (verse 5). Paul tells us that a Christian has good manners. A man or woman who is really filled with the love of God does not act like the world. He is not forward, rude, or impolite. He does not act in a disorderly manner.
๐ง๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐ธ๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐บ๐ฎ๐ป
A Christian is a marked man or a marked woman. The Psalmist said, โMark the perfect man, and behold the upright: for the end of that man is peaceโ (Psalm 37:37). He is the one to observe. Mark that person! That is why the Word of God makes it clear that we are to be as a light on a hill that cannot be hidden; or a candle on a candlestick that lights the whole house. It does not matter how small our lights are, there is not enough darkness in the whole world to put them out. The light that burns in the heart of a true Christianโa heart filled with charityโcannot be extinguished by its surroundings.
Charity โseeketh not her ownโ (verse 5). That is the acid test. Are we selfish, seeking things for our own benefit? How do we walk before our fellow men and before the world? They will measure us by our walk, judge us by our conduct, our conversation, our actions. They measure our motives by what we say and do. Our motives are what count.
The one who has charity is โnot easily provokedโ (verse 5). How do you react when things come against your soul? You may be actually injured, talked about, scorned, ridiculed, framed. What is the reaction of one who has charity? He is โnot easily provoked.โ
๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ด๐ถ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ต๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐
One who possesses charity does not have evil thoughts. He โthinketh no evilโ (verse 5). He holds no grudge. It may be that he has been misunderstood. Someone may have misrepresented what he said. What is his reaction? He โthinketh no evil.โ He readily forgives. Who had more to forgive than Jesus on the Cross when He lifted up His eyes and said, โFather, forgive them; for they know not what they doโ?
Should we think evil of our bitterest enemyโone who has injured us most, one who has said things about us that should not have been said? No! We, as possessors of charity, are not going to let feelings arise within us and injure our spiritual standing in the sight of God. We quickly forgive a wrong done against us. We want people to know that we bear no ill will toward anyone, by the grace of God.
๐ก๐ฒ๐๐ฒ๐ฟ-๐ณ๐ฎ๐ถ๐น๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐น๐ผ๐๐ฒ
Charity โrejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; beareth all thingsโ (verses 6-7). If one has the real love of God in his heart, he can put up with a great many things. He can endure hardness as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. Someone may say, โI canโt bear this or that.โ But you can if you have the love of God in your heart.
Verse 7 says that charity not only โbeareth all things,โ it โbelieveth all things.โ It does not question Godโs truths. It โhopeth all things.โ It โendureth all things.โ And when the Word says, โCharity never failethโ (verse 8), neither will we fail if we have in our hearts the charity spoken of in this chapter. If we reach the mark that God has set forth for us in His holy Word, we will have triumphant victoryโfor โcharity never faileth.โ Set your sights on the mark of the high calling in Christ Jesus. Ask God to put this charity down deep in your soul.
๐๐ฆ๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐บ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐. ๐๐ณ๐ข๐ธ๐ง๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฅ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ด๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ง๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ต๐ฐ๐ญ๐ช๐ค ๐๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ฉ ๐๐ฉ๐ถ๐ณ๐ค๐ฉ ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ด๐ถ๐ค๐ค๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ช๐ฏ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ฑ๐ฐ๐ด๐ช๐ต๐ช๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฆ๐ณ๐ข๐ญ ๐๐ท๐ฆ๐ณ๐ด๐ฆ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฆ 20, 1936. ๐๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ฌ ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ต๐ช๐ญ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ข๐ต๐ฉ ๐ฐ๐ฏ ๐๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฆ 3, 1965. ๐๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ข๐ด ๐ข ๐ง๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ญ๐ฆ๐ด๐ด ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ง๐ฆ๐ฏ๐ฅ๐ฆ๐ณ ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐๐ฐ๐ด๐ฑ๐ฆ๐ญ ๐ต๐ณ๐ถ๐ต๐ฉ๐ด, ๐ข๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ฅ๐ถ๐ณ๐ช๐ฏ๐จ ๐ฉ๐ช๐ด ๐ง๐ช๐ง๐ต๐บ-๐ง๐ช๐ท๐ฆ ๐บ๐ฆ๐ข๐ณ๐ด ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ฎ๐ช๐ฏ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ณ๐บ, ๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ฉ๐ง๐ถ๐ญ๐ญ๐บ ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ฏ๐ช๐ด๐ฉ๐ฆ๐ฅ ๐๐ฉ๐ณ๐ช๐ด๐ต๐ช๐ข๐ฏ๐ด ๐ข๐ณ๐ฐ๐ถ๐ฏ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐ธ๐ฐ๐ณ๐ญ๐ฅ ๐ต๐ฐ ๐ง๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ต๐ฉ๐ฆ ๐จ๐ฐ๐ฐ๐ฅ ๐ง๐ช๐จ๐ฉ๐ต ๐ฐ๐ง ๐ง๐ข๐ช๐ต๐ฉ.
