Before continuing from where we left off in our exploration of the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians regarding Love, we should summarize the few verses that we have already discussed. As we have said, these words from the apostle can be seen as the defining terms on Love as the Master teaches it to us, as well as giving us instruction on how one should express that Love. We repeat again that Paul’s words are not intended to supplant the words of the Master but to amplify them; the Master tells us that we should Love ALL and He does give us His guidelines for how to do this in His references to neighbour, loving oneself and the Golden Rule. Paul amplifies these with his rather specific criteria on what should and should not be the thoughts and the motivations of one who is Love and is expressing Love. From yesterday’s post we came away with these ideas on the Love as we as disciples and aspiring disciples express it:\u00a0it is patient or it suffereth long<\/strong>\u00a0which\u00a0can be better understood as expressing\u00a0persistent, endurant Love\u00a0in all things<\/em>4<\/sup>. The Love that we express is kind<\/strong>\u00a0which is best defined by John Gill who tells us that this should mean we as Love or the expression of it are\u00a0liberal, and bountiful, does good to all men, even to enemies<\/em>8<\/sup>. We are a Love or an expression of Love that envieth not; <\/strong>that is that we do not envy<\/em>, we are not\u00a0moved with jealousy, or with envy6<\/sup>\u00a0<\/em>which is better understood by looking at Webster’s definitions that tell us that envy means\u00a0Malice; ill will; spite. [Obs.];\u00a0Chagrin, mortification, discontent, or uneasiness at the sight of another’s excellence or good fortune, accompanied with some degree of hatred and a desire to possess equal advantages; malicious grudging; — usually followed by of; as, they did this in envy of C\u00e6sar<\/em>1<\/sup>. <\/em>which should give us the clarity that we need to understand this idea that is so contrary to Love. The Love that we are or that we express vaunteth\u00a0not itself,\u00a0is not puffed up <\/strong>which tells us that our expression of Love should not\u00a0boast outwardly nor inwardly; Love does not\u00a0sounds his own\u00a0praises <\/em>nor should it do so of inward disposition, as the previous word denotes outward display<\/em>4<\/sup>. <\/em>Can we see in Paul’s words the needed sincerity of Love, that this \u00a0Love of which he speaks is not the sentiment nor emotional attraction that is the commonplace understanding.<\/p>\n We continue now with the rest of the apostle’s thoughts on Love:<\/p>\n Can we see here how much of the translator’s ideas seem to be regarding Love as it is commonly known in the world and not that Love that IS God. From the combination of these thoughts we can relate much back to the other verses;<\/p><\/blockquote>\n The reality of this last saying is tied to the next verses as much as it is to the former and in a broad stroke we should here see this as the stated fact….Charity (Love) never faileth<\/strong>\u00a0but ALL else that is of this world will cease to exist. “God is Love<\/em>” (1 John 4:8) is the understanding from which ALL discussion on Love must start; this is a spiritual thing, a thing of God and in the reality of a man, the Christ Within, the Soul, Love IS and it is here that it continues. Becoming a disciple is becoming a Soul expressing Love through form and this is what all of the above is referring to; that Love that IS God being expressed through the man in form, the disciple. The consciousness of the disciple continues and we should see in this Paul’s thoughts that all those things that are of use by the man in the world as aids to his expression of Love will cease when the worldly Life of the disciple ends….it is only the Love that will continue.<\/p>\n We will finish these thoughts along with the rest of our Quote of the Day in the next post.<\/p>\n This daily blog also has a Quote of the Day which may not be in any way related to the essay. Many of these will be from the Bible and some just prayers or meditations that may have an influence on you and are in line with the subject matter of this blog. As the quote will change daily and will not store with the post, it is repeated in this section with the book reference and comment.<\/p>\n Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging 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, but have not love, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. 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. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known. And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love. (1 Corinthians 13:1-13)\u00a0<\/strong>(New King James Version)<\/p>\n Today we repeat the entirety of 1 Corinthians 13 as our Quote of the Day and we will address additional comments to it in our next post.<\/p>\n Love is the Fulfilling of the Law ON GOD; Part\u00a0LXVII Before continuing from where we left off in our exploration of the words of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians regarding Love, we should summarize the few verses that we … Continue reading \n
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Note on the Quote of the Day<\/h2>\n
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