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NASB | 1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire the greater gifts. ¶ And I show you a still more excellent way. |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | 1 Corinthians 12:31 But earnestly desire and strive for the greater gifts [if acquiring them is going to be your goal]. And yet I will show you a still more excellent way [one of the choicest graces and the highest of them all: unselfish love]. |
Bible Question:
Scripture ... 1 Cor 12:9, 31, 13:13 ... Emmaus, God's day to you, Are you saying that "faith, hope and charity" are gifts? I know that faith is (1 Cor 12:9) ... but what about hope and charity? Searcher |
Bible Answer: Hope is the result of trusting God. Rom. 5:2 through Rom. 5:6 (KJV) 2By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; 4And patience, experience; and experience, hope: 5And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us. 6For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. So what is hope? We in today's terms look at hope as a wish, "I hope it doesn't rain tomorrow, or I hope I get an A on the test." Biblical "hope" is the greek word elpis- a confident expectation with a sure basis. If we look at the scriptures above we see that hope is a result of truwstin God to see us through the trials and tribulations that come our way. and based on that experience we develop hope. God saw me through the last trial when I leqaned on Him totally to see me through, and God will see me through this time when I lean on Him completely so it is my expectaion on a sure basis HOPE that He will see me through now. Hope is a development in our having our minds renewed by God to His way of thinking and living. Charity as used in the King James version of the Bible is the word love. The way I am to love others as directed in the Bible is an impossibility for me to accomplish in my own ability. 1 Cor. 13:1 through 1 Cor. 13:8 (KJV) 1Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 2And 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. 3And 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. 4Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 5Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 6Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 7Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 8Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. I cannot bring about that kind of love on my own. When God gives instruction He always provide a means to carry out that instruction, and He has in His instruction to love as indicated in the scripture above. It is by the fruit of the Spirit thast we are able to love with the God Kind of love. Live by the Spirit and the Spirit's fruit will show in your live. It is through submission that we allow the Spirit to live through us that His fruit come forth. Not a gift but a result of our surrender to the Lordship of Jesus. |