1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (KJV) "Though I speak<1> with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. {2} And though I have<2> the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries<3>, and all knowledge<4>; and though I have all faith<5>, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. {3} And though I bestow<6> all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give<7> my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

<1> laleo{pronounced lal-eh’-o}, Present Active Subjunctive, I keep on speaking, keep on making sounds. The Apostle did not use "lego", which refers to more intelligable sound, but laleo, which in unintelligible sound. I can speak or make sounds without end, but if these sounds are not accompanied by Love they are nothing.
<2> echo {pronounced ekh’-o}, Present Active Subjunctive, keep on having and holding.
<3> musterion {pronounced moos-tay’-ree-on}, fraternal secrets, secrets that are unique to the fellowship of the Saints.
<4> gnosis{pronounced gno’-sis}, things known as opposed to epignosis, which is things known and applied in the life.
<5> pistis {pronounced pis’-tis}, conviction of the truth, faith.
<6> psomizo {pronounced pso-mid’-zo}, to feed by placing food in the mouths of the hungry
<7> paradidomi {pronounced par-ad-id’-o-mee}, Aorist Active Subjunctive, to give into the hands of another.

As I read through Paul's letter to the Corinthians, it is evident that these people somehow drifted far away from the normal practices of Christianity. Though Paul never questions the authenticity of their salvation - for salvation is truly an act of the Grace of God in Christ Jesus our Savior - the Apostle does question where their heart is. In chapter three Paul emphasizes that the Christian's works will be judged by fire at the Judgment Seat of Christ. In chapter five Paul chastises these people for allowing illicit sexual activity in their midst. In chapter six these carnal believers were taking one another to court, suing one another, and in essence were putting the Body of Christ on trial in a secular world. Believers were also engaged in sordid practices with prostitutes from the Temple of Diana. Others were eating meat that had previously been offered to idols, regardless as to whether their actions offended fellow believers. These carnal Christians were even taking the Lord's Supper and making a mockery of it, which was leading to premature death under the "sin unto death" (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

What caused the Corinthian believers to go so far astray from practical Christianity? The answer is quite simple: They forgot to practice the Royal Commandment, the heart of both the Law and of that which our Lord Jesus commanded us. Jesus said:

Mark 12:29-31 (KJV) "... The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: {30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. {31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these."

Our Lord and Savior quoted what the Hebrews called the SHEMA, the call to hearing, which is a direct quotation from Deuteronomy 6:4-5:

Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (KJV) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: {5} And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might."

To the SHEMA, or the "call to hearing" our Lord Jesus quoted from the Levitical Law:

Leviticus 19:17-18 (KJV) "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. {18} Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD."

What is the significance of these two Primary Commandments? First, by quoting Old Testament Law Jesus showed us that God has always expected us to operate from the basis of Divine Love. The Love that God commands of us is that we 1) Love God, and 2) Love man. Love should flavor all that the people of God do. Love should have been the mark of the Israelite in the Old Testament, and Love must be the mark of the Christian in the New Testament. The farther believers drift from God's Primary Commandments the more worldlike we become. How important is Love to the Christian? Well, the Love that God expects the believer to operate in must be supplied by God Himself. Love is the mark that a believer has accepted Christ as Savior and is saved:

1 John 3:14-16 (KJV) "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. {15} Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. {16} Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren."

If a person claims to love Christ but hates his brother, then John tells us that this loveless state is evidence that the professor is not a possessor. If you are a Christian you will have love in your life. Love will flavor all that you do. And, Beloved, the farther you walk away from this main operating principle in Christianity, the more your actions will conform to the things of this world.

The Corinthian problem was a love problem. Let's examine this truth and, if this is also our problem, let's repent before we go the way of the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 13:1 (KJV) "Though I speak<1> with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

A person can be the greatest orator the world has ever known. He can have the voice and pitch of H.G. Wells, or C.H. Spurgeon. He can sound like Charles Finney, or David Jeremiah, or Charles Stanley. A person can even have the countrified voice of the late great J. Vernon McGee, my personal favorite preacher. But if what I say is not tempered with love, then it becomes so much sound for people to ignore. A loveless tongue is a noisy distraction from Christianity. I know, I've been around loveless tongues my whole life. I have heard preachers raining down fire and brimstone on their audience, telling of certain future damnation with an almost glee in their voice. Now certainly, I tell you Beloved, there is a day of terrible judgment coming for all those who have rejected Christ as Savior. This Judgment is certain, and this Judgment shall be eternal and horrific. Yet there should never be any glee in the preacher's voice over that Coming Day, but only a sadness that so many refused to accept the freely given Grace of God in Christ. I have known women who, claiming friendship with others, have lain in wait, sharpening their tongues, until a fellow believer trips - then they use that sharp tongue to flay them alive. What else can I say of backbiting, or of murmuring, of muttered threats and hateful language among the Saints.

My Beloved, these things must not be!

Unless our speech is flavored with Love, how shall men see Christ in us? Jesus said:

John 10:27-30 (KJV) "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: {28} And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. {29} My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. {30} I and my Father are one."

In my early teens I loved to listen to a singing group called "The Carpenters". Richard and Karen Carpenter were truly an amazing duo. Richard played the piano beautifully, and Karen Carpenter had the most beautiful voice - an alto, I think - that blended wonderfully with Richard's playing. The Carpenters were famous for singing love songs. They sang, "Close to You" among others, and their songs stayed at the top of the Billboard charts when they were released. One day Karen Carpenter was reading a review of one of their songs when she saw that the critic referred to her as "chubby". This one word so impacted her life that Karen began to starve herself, and started a cycle of not eating, anorexia, that eventually led to her early death. Words can hurt. Words spoken outside of love can hurt a person terribly, and can even kill. Loveless words have no place among the people of God.

How do we know our Savior's voice? We know it is Him because of the tender Love and Kindness in each utterance. When the woman caught in adultery was thrown at Jesus' feet, when the hypocrites asked "What should we do with her according to the Law", Love answered, "Let him who is without sin cast the first stone" (John 8:7). When Jesus went to visit Simon, a woman of ill repute came forward, washing His feet with her tears and drying them with her hair. Simon condemned Jesus for allowing such a woman to touch Him, but Love forgave (Luke 7:44). As Love hung from a bloody Cross, condemned though innocent, spat on and beaten for no just cause, He looked from that Cross and said, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). Love, not hatred nor judgment flavored the mouth of our Savior. Love must flavor what we say.

More fires have been started in the Church by the tongue than by any other instrument. Though each one of us has a tongue, the challenge in Christianity is to learn how to use that little member in a way that Jesus would. Certainly there are times when the need arises in the Church for rebuke, yet even in rebuke our motivation must be to continue to uphold the Primary Commandment of Loving God and Loving one another.

Application: It is easy to speak noise, but extremely hard to recover from badly spoken words. Once the words leave my mouth they enter people's minds, and there either change their lives for the better or for the worse. God give us the strength and common sense to measure everything that we say before we say it. If we each temper our speech with love, this church will become a place that will attract other believers, a city set on a hill, a light in the midst of darkness (Matthew 5:14) - and NOT a place to be avoided at all cost because of a bad but well earned reputation. Each believer is a talking advertisement for or against Christ. Make sure that you are a good example that others will want to follow.

1 Corinthians 13:2 (KJV) "And though I have<2> the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries<3>, and all knowledge<4>; and though I have all faith<5>, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing."

What could be greater than knowing it all? What could be greater than having the gift of prophecy? What could be more wonderful than having so much faith in God that you could, as it were, move mountains from one place to another? These may be great things. In fact, many may have looked at Paul in his Apostolic Office and said, "I wish I was like Paul! God frequently speaks through him. God writes Scripture through him. Paul commands demons, and they come out. Paul was bitten by a deadly snake on Malta, and he just shrugged it off. Paul saw Jesus on Damascus Road. Boy, I'd like to be like Paul!" Paul was a great Apostle, a pivotal member in the Body of Christ. But, even as great as Paul was, if what he did was not from a source of love - love both Godward and Manward - then he was, in God's eyes, nothing. What a fascinating statement! We as humans regard the overt action as either great or small, but God looks at the inner motivation. Did you do what you did out of love? Is your knowledge flavored with love? If not, what you know has no value to the Body of Christ whatsoever. Look at what Paul said in chapter 8 of this same letter:

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (KJV) "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. {2} And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. {3} But if any man love God, the same is known of him."

There was a great Temple in Corinth that offered sacrifices to various false gods. After these sacrifices were made the Temple would turn the meat of the animals over to the local meat vendors who would resell the meat - all good meat - at a cheaper price. Several Corinthian believers were buying their meat from these vendors, perfectly acceptable meat, and were eating that meat in front of other Corinthian believers who were offended by this practice. You see, some Corinthian believers felt that, since the meat had been on an idolatrous altar, that that meat shouldn't be used. Paul concluded that the Corinthians who were eating the meat were technically blameless, since the false gods that these animals were sacrificed to really didn't exist. But he also concluded that knowledge without love puffs up with pride, and is not God's standard.

Let's put it this way. As Christians we are no longer under the Law of Moses, but we walk under a higher Law, the Law of the Spirit of God. We have freedom under that Law, a much greater freedom than anyone ever had under the Mosaic Law. For instance, believers have freedom in dress, in what we eat, in what we drink, in what we do. Yet, though we are free of the Mosaic Law and live under a higher Law, we are not free to work against the Royal Law, the Primary Commandments. Knowledge without love puffs up. We should have knowledge, but we must have love also. We know that we must have knowledge, for this is the reason we study the Scriptures. But, Beloved, we must temper our knowledge with love.

Philippians 1:9-11 (KJV) "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; {10} That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; {11} Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God."

The Philippian Church was one of the few that Paul wrote who "had it all together". They had no major problems, but were, one and all, focused on growing in knowledge of the Scriptures while keeping the Primary Commandments of love. The world is packed with "theologians" today, people who know every jot and tittle of the law and of the Scripture. They will mindlessly debate small points of doctrine that, truthfully, do not amount to a hill of beans if you were to stack them all together. Knowledge is wonderful, but knowledge must be expressed from a heart of love if it is to have any value.

Application: Let me use an example. In certain countries overseas it is an offense to show another person the bottom of your feet. This particular custom is even clearly held to in the local churches. Now both you and I know that there is nothing in the Scripture that says that showing a person the bottom of your feet is sinful. But because it is an offense to other believers, because it moves away from the Law of Loving your neighbor, then while in that environment I must not show the bottom of my feet to other believers. Though the Law does not compel, the Primary Law of Love compels. There are certain things that I may be free to do, certain things that God has allowed me to do without feeling that it is sinful. But I must never allow my freedom to offend my fellow believers in Christ. As the Apostle said:

Romans 14:15 (KJV) "But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died."

1 Corinthians 8:13 (KJV) "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

1 Corinthians 13:3 (KJV) "And though I bestow<6> all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give<7> my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

We have all seen it. Buildings donated, then named after the person who gave it. Or, if the building was not named after the person, the benefactor's picture was prominently posted in the main lobby of the building, displayed so as to alert all who entered "Here is the giver ... honor him!". Do these things honor God? Are such gifts worthy of a Christian? No, they aren't.

The Apostle Paul makes it plain that, even if I give to those in need, if I do not give from the motivation of pure Love - if my giving is poisoned by selfishness or pride or arrogance, then that giving is totally unprofitable. God honors giving that comes from the heart of love, but cares nothing for giving that promotes my own alleged self worth. Gifts that are given grudgingly, or out of a sense of obligation or law are not compatible to the Christian way of life.

2 Corinthians 9:7-10 (KJV) "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. {8} And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: {9} (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. {10} Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)"

Gifts must be given to the work of God. Not out of a sense that we will not be blessed unless we give. Not because we feel that some law, or that peer pressure in the Church demands we give. Such gifts are not desired by God, they are unworthy of a believer. When the three wise men, the magi, visited the baby Jesus on that wonderful night so long, long ago, they brought gold, frankincense, and myrrh:

Matthew 2:11 (KJV) "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh."

These gifts were not brought grudgingly nor of necessity, but out of a heart of love for the incarnated Christ. We bring our gifts to the church each Sunday and lay them at our Savior's feet. We do not do this grudgingly, nor do we do it of necessity, but we do it out of love for our Jesus. When we give to those in need we give knowing that our Jesus watches us, and honors the gifts that we give out of a heart of love. As He has said:

Matthew 25:34-40 (KJV) "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: {35} For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: {36} Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. {37} Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? {38} When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? {39} Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? {40} And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."

Application: Jesus gave from a heart of love. He gave, and expects His followers, His disciples to give. When we give to those less fortunate, we give to Christ. When we fail to give from a heart of love we show disdain, a lovelessness that dishonors our Savior. Some teach giving as a "formula", or teach giving as a "ritual". They teach that, if you give to God, God will give back to you. Though this is true, that is not the reason that we give. God does return our gifts to us, and blesses us when we give. You can never outgive God. But as believers we give because Love compels us to give. Jesus gave all that He had for me, and because I love Him I give all that I can give to you.

Colossians 3:12-15 (KJV) "Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, long-suffering; {13} Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. {14} And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. {15} And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful."

The church that has learned to give from a heart of love just as Jesus gave is the church that will grow both physically and spiritually. The church that is marked with the love of God is a peaceful community of believers, an oasis in this often chaotic world. As brothers and sisters together in Christ we must strive to be disciples of Christ, loving as He loved no matter what the cost. When we decide to do this, God will send others to our assembly to bless and be blessed.

Closing Statements:

As a Christian I am called to walk as my Savior Jesus Christ did, in love both with God and with man. As fellow Christians you are called to do the same. The moment that you accepted Christ as Savior you started down a road that Love paved with His very Blood. Jesus laid down His His life for us. We, in return, are called to lay down our lives for both God and for one another. That's a tough thing to do, but it is doable - if you are in Christ. And if you do not know Christ as your Savior, I want to give you an opportunity to know Him, to accept Him, to receive the Gift of eternal life that pure Love bought for you. As Jesus said:

John 14:6 (KJV) "Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

You have the opportunity this morning to accept Christ as your Savior. We will not have a long invitation, but I do want you to know that the only way to peace, to fulfillment, to perfect love is by accepting Jesus Christ as your Savior. You can do that now, right where you sit, or you can come forward and I will be more than happy to explain further what it means to accept Christ as Savior.

Preached To The Saints At Rock Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Lexington, Tennessee

Margin Notes: 1 Corinthians 13:1-3 (KJV) "Though I speak<1> with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. {2} And though I have<2> the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries<3>, and all knowledge<4>; and though I have all faith<5>, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. {3} And though I bestow<6> all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give<7> my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing." <1> laleo{pronounced lal-eh’-o}, Present Active Subjunctive, I keep on speaking, keep on making sounds. The Apostle did not use "lego", which refers to more intelligable sound, but laleo, which in unintelligible sound. I can speak or make sounds without end, but if these sounds are not accompanied by Love they are nothing. <2> echo {pronounced ekh’-o}, Present Active Subjunctive, keep on having and holding. <3> musterion {pronounced moos-tay’-ree-on}, fraternal secrets, secrets that are unique to the fellowship of the Saints. <4> gnosis{pronounced gno’-sis}, things known as opposed to epignosis, which is things known and applied in the life. <5> pistis {pronounced pis’-tis}, conviction of the truth, faith. <6> psomizo {pronounced pso-mid’-zo}, to feed by placing food in the mouths of the hungry <7> paradidomi {pronounced par-ad-id’-o-mee}, Aorist Active Subjunctive, to give into the hands of another. Introduction: Mark 12:29-31 (KJV) "... The first of all the commandments is, Hear, O Israel; The Lord our God is one Lord: {30} And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the first commandment. {31} And the second is like, namely this, Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." Deuteronomy 6:4-5 (KJV) "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: {5} And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." Leviticus 19:17-18 (KJV) "Thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine heart: thou shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbor, and not suffer sin upon him. {18} Thou shalt not avenge, nor bear any grudge against the children of thy people, but thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself: I am the LORD." 1 John 3:14-16 (KJV) "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. {15} Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. {16} Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren." 1. What I Say Must Spring From A River Of Love John 10:27-30 (KJV) "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: {28} And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. {29} My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand. {30} I and my Father are one." 2. Knowledge Without Love Has No Value 1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (KJV) "Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. {2} And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. {3} But if any man love God, the same is known of him." Philippians 1:9-11 (KJV) "And this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; {10} That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ; {11} Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God." Romans 14:15 (KJV) "But if thy brother be grieved with thy meat, now walkest thou not charitably. Destroy not him with thy meat, for whom Christ died." 1 Corinthians 8:13 (KJV) "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend." 3. What I Do Must Be Oriented To Love 2 Corinthians 9:7-10 (KJV) "Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver. {8} And God is able to make all grace abound toward you; that ye, always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: {9} (As it is written, He hath dispersed abroad; he hath given to the poor: his righteousness remaineth for ever. {10} Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister bread for your food, and multiply your seed sown, and increase the fruits of your righteousness;)" Matthew 2:11 (KJV) "And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh." Matthew 25:34-40 (KJV) "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: {35} For I was an hungered, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: {36} Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. {37} Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungered, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? {38} When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? {39} Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? {40} And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me."