1 Corinthians
13:3
Though I
bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned,
and have not charity, it profited me nothing.
In our previous study we saw that one can have
extra ordinary gifts of speaking in tongues, giving prophecy, performing
miracles and healings how ever if there is no Christian love, what good is it? We
saw this Christian love comes with regeneration, without regeneration there is
no true Christian love. Now we are going to continue to the next scripture that
is immensely important and that is if I give all my goods to feed the poor,
then I give my body to be burned and I have not Christian love, what does it
profit? Zero.
This is something very hard for many people to
understand, as they ask, how can this be? Well, scripture is above our notions
and understanding. I will explain this on this Lords Day.
Giving to the poor is our Christian duty. God has
compassion to the poor. The Bible mentions that when you give money to the poor
you shall not take interest. (Exodus 22:25) On the seventh sabbatical year let
the land rest and let the poor eat anything from that land. (Exodus 23:11) Do
not oppress the poor and the needy. (Deut 24:14) Defend the fatherless and the
poor. (Ps 82:3) Have pity upon the poor. (Prov 19:17) Rob not the poor because
he is poor. (Prov 22:22) He that gives to the poor shall not lack. (Prov 28:27)
Jesus told the rich young ruler who wanted to follow him, go give your wealth
to the poor then come and follow me. Judas was the treasurer of Jesus ministry
yet he did not care for the poor, as he was a thief. Paul said, we should remember
the poor. (Gal 2:10) The early church sold their rich possessions and
distributed the money among the poor. (Acts
What is he trying to tell? Before you became a
Christian giving was a performance. There are many religious people give goods,
foods and money to the poor but it is a performance they do. It is an external
performance. The honor goes to the giver and not to the Lord. Broadcasting to
the nation through TV saying so and so gave $1000.00 then trumpets blowing.
Broadcasting through media of your generous giving to the poor and all the
honor goes to you. Boasting how much tithes you give to the church and telling
others I give more than anyone else. These are external performances to show
how religious you are and craving for that honor and pride.
Mt 6:1 Take heed that ye do not your alms before
men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father, which is
in heaven.
2 Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not
sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the
streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, they have
their reward.
3 But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand
know what thy right hand doeth:
4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father
which seeks in secret himself shall reward thee openly.
All the great performances of good works are
nothing if you do not have true love.
Php 3:7 But what things were gain to me, those I
counted loss for Christ.
8 Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss
for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have
suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win
Christ.
The Pharisees of Jesus day boasted the great things
they have done to God and men.
Lu 18:11 The Pharisee stood and prayed thus with
himself, God, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are, extortioners,
unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.
12 I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all
that I possess.
There are many unbelievers who are famous of doing
great external things. Their names have been handed down through history and
they are being honored with glory among men.
Isa 42:8 I am the LORD: that is my name: and my
glory will I not give to another.
Then the apostles tell if I give my body to burned
and have not love I do not profit anything. Not only our external performances
but also our sufferings mean nothing if there is no Christian love. This is a
man that gives all his possessions then what else does he have nothing except
his body, then he gives his body to be consumed in suffering. This suffering is
the most extreme kind of suffering; suffering even unto death, yet if there is
no Christian love it does not mean anything. Christian love as we studied
before has to do with the new heart. How does this love differ from the other
love? This love is sincere, which comes from the heart.
The Islam faith is prepared to die in a war
thinking they will go to paradise. Some labor in religious exercise with much
fasting, deep devotion in worship denying their sleep, but without sincere love
in the heart all the suffering is useless.
It is not the external work that is done worth in
the sight of God or the sufferings that endured. If you give to God thousands
of dollars, thousands of animals and offer all the valuable external things to
God, now does God in real need of these things? No, as God is all-sufficient in
himself.
Ps 50:10 For every beast of the forest is mine, and
the cattle upon a thousand hills.
11 I know all the fowls of the mountains: and the
wild beasts of the field are mine.
12 If I were hungry, I would not tell thee: for the
world is mine, and the fullness thereof.
1Ch 29:12 Both riches and honor come of thee, and
thou reignest over all; and in thine hand is power and might; and in thine hand
it is to make great, and to give strength unto all.
13 Now therefore, our God, we thank thee, and
praise thy glorious name.
14 But who am I, and what is my people, that we
should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of
thee, and of thine own have we given thee.
1Ch 29:15 For we are strangers before thee, and
sojourners, as were all our fathers: our days on the earth are as a shadow, and
there is none abiding.
16 O LORD our God, all this store that we have
prepared to build thee an house for thine holy name cometh of thine hand, and
is all thine own.
There is nothing external acceptable to God without
sincere love to God in the heart.
The LORD seek not as man seek; for man looketh on
the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart. (1 Sam 16:7)
When someone does something externally our human
eyes can see the external thing that was done, however we cannot see the heart
and the motive. On the other hand the heart is naked and open to God just like
how we see external things so God can see the internal.
Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not
manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him
with whom we have to do.
Sometimes we need other friends and relatives to
take care of our burdens, when we suffer we need their help so when they come
to help they partake in our sufferings. This shows their love to us. But does
this mean that when we suffer God has to love us? No. There is lot of external
piety but not internal piety.
Musical instruments were made to give praise to God
in his temple. Yet these are lifeless instruments, which does not have no
thought, understanding, will or heart so these instruments alone cannot give
praise to God. Just like that a man has a heart, understanding and a will. If
he gives anything to God and gives without his heart what good is it? It is
just like the lifeless musical instruments. If there is no real sincerity in
his giving and suffering then what ever he does is not to God but for himself.
The true end motive in giving and suffering is not God but about himself. The
result is the individual gets famous and honored but not God. This is a mockery
to the most High God. They want to be seen by men and acknowledged by men.
Mt 23:5 But all their works they do for to be seen
of men: they make broad their phylacteries, and enlarge the borders of their
garments,
If you are making a great show of your love and respect
to God with your outward actions yet do not have sincere love to him, that is
called hypocrisy and truly you are lying to God. You are acting and performing
very well in front of the people as you pretend such love to God but there is
not in the heart. This is a lie, just like how the Israelites did when they
were delivered from Egypt.
Ex 19:8 And all the people answered together, and
said, All that the LORD hath spoken we will do. And Moses returned the words of
the people unto the LORD.
Ex 24:3 And Moses came and told the people all the
words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one
voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.
Ps 78:36 Nevertheless they did flatter him with
their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues.
1.
1. 37 For their heart was
not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.
We all need to examine and see if there is such
hypocrisy, examine and see if there is sincerity in our hearts towards God. God
hates hypocrisy but he delights when things were done with a sincere heart.
Even small little things done with a sincere heart is a great delight to the
Lord. Even a cup of cold water given to a disciple of Christ with a sincere
heart is greater than feeding a multitude of people poor people without a
sincere love to God.
Now what is the nature of sincerity? There are four
things.
·
Truth
·
Freedom
·
Integrity
·
Purity
The first nature of sincerity is truth.
It means there is outward action of your love to
God; your outward performance of your love to God comes because of your inward
love to God.
Ps 51:6 Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward
parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
This means that your words and actions flow
together. This is the opposite of hypocrisy. This is sincere Christianity.
Here is the opposite.
Lu 11:39 And the Lord said unto him, now do ye
Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward
part is full of ravening and wickedness.
In truth there is no deceit, cunningness and
craftiness. There are some who will try to help someone but there is deceit at
the end they will profit from the other person.
2Co 12:16 But be it so, I did not burden you:
nevertheless, being crafty, I caught you with guile.
What is the meaning of guile? Cleverness in
tricking or deceiving people.
Joh 1:47 Jesus saw Nathaniel coming to him, and
saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
Ps 32:2 Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD
imputed not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.
Let us examine our self and see when there is
external respect to God, do you sincerely feel it from your heart. Is it real
love, without it all what you are doing is nothing.
Freedom This is the obedience of the Christian.
This obedience is not a forced obedience, it is not slavery type obedience but
this obedience is performed in great delight and love to God. It is a free
obedience. We love Christ, we love to serve him, and our soul rejoices in him
when we serve him, it is our highest happiness and delight.
Do not come to church with a heavy burden, it is
another Sunday, that means I have to show my face to the church.
Ps 27:4 One thing have I desired of the LORD, that
will I seek after; that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my
life, to behold the beauty of the LORD, and to enquire in his temple.
When you are serving the Lord do not do it as a
duty and with a burden to please the church, please do not do it. Do not do
with the motive, I have to do this, let me hurry up so I can get out from this
place, quick.
Ps 100:2 Serve the LORD with gladness.
Ex 8:1 And the LORD spake unto Moses, Go unto
Pharaoh, and say unto him, Thus saith the LORD, Let my people go, that they may
serve me.
There was freedom to serve God.
It is a love relationship.
Joh 14:23 Jesus answered and said unto him, If a
man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will
come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Ga 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto
liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve
one another.
Let us examine and see where we stand.
The third nature of sincerity is integrity.
The word signifies wholeness. God is sought with a
whole heart; follow God and his holiness with a whole heart. Embrace God with a
whole heart.
Ps 119:2 Blessed are they that keep his
testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
2Ch 25:1 Amaziah was twenty and five years old when
he began to reign, and he reigned twenty and nine years in Jerusalem. And his
mother's name was Jehoaddan of Jerusalem.
2 And he did that which was right in the sight of
the LORD, but not with a perfect heart.
When God gives a new heart the whole man is
renewed. The whole body, soul and spirit are sanctified. All the parts of our
body are subject to his obedience and subject to his will.
Trusting with the whole heart.
Pr 3:5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and
lean not unto thine own understanding.
Giving the whole heart in love.
De 6:5 And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with
all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.
All the parts have the same function in bearing
fruits for the glory of God. Examine and see where you stand with God, a whole
heart or a partial heart?
The fourth that belongs to the nature of sincerity
is purity. Purity has to do against impurity, uncleanliness and defilement.
Which means not living in these things. It means not mixed not adulterated but
pure and holy.
Ps 24:3 Who shall ascend into the hill of the LORD?
Or who shall stand in his holy place?
4 He that hath clean hands, and a pure heart; who
hath not lifted up his soul unto vanity, nor sworn deceitfully.
Mt 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they
shall see God.
1Ti 1:5 Now the end of the commandment is charity
out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned.
1Ti 5:22 Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be
partaker of other men's sins: keep thyself pure.
1Pe 1:22 Seeing ye have purified your souls in
obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that
ye love one another with a pure heart fervently.
A person who says he or she is a Christian but
living in worldliness then on Sunday becomes a Christian is not living in
purity towards God. They are being polluted and defiled with sin.
Seek Christian love with diligence and prayer. Seek
it of God not of yourself, as our nature cannot give it only God can give.
Without sincere Christian love we cannot follow Christ.