The Love Chapter, A New Perspective...

The Love Chapter, a new perspective…

Spoiler alert, you may never look at First Corinthians 13 the same again; you have been warned.  Chapter 13 of First Corinthians is most often called The Love Chapter, and for good reason, love is patient, love is kind etc. etc.  This chapter is often used in wedding ceremonies among other things.  Most of the chapter is pretty self-explanatory, but when you get to the end and it starts talking about prophesying in part and thinking like a child, I always got a little confused; what does this have to do with love?… until I stepped back and looked at it in CONTEXT. 

Love is NOT the point Paul is trying to make here; most of this chapter is just a parenthetical statement (According to compopedia.com, Parenthetical statements are clauses or phrases used in sentences that contain secondary information unnecessary for the completion of the independent clause).  The beginning section about the resounding gong and the clanging cymbal, and the end part about prophesying and looking in a mirror are transition into and out of this parenthetical statement. 

Paul is instructing the folks of Corinth that they need to work together.  In chapter 12, Paul is talking about using their Spiritual gifts for the glory of God, and that they need to use these gifts by working together in love as if they were one body...  Then he ‘stops’ and says ‘but wait, I should probably tell you what love is’…If you have all these gifts, but don’t use them in love you’re just a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  In other words, if you can speak like an angel, prophesy, and fathom all mysteries but don’t do it in love, you’re BUGGING God.  I always picture that little monkey that just sits there and claps his cymbals together endlessly.  Then, at the end of the chapter he transitions back to talking about spiritual gifts.  When we get saved, we all receive spiritual gifts; and everything changes.  Turning to  the beginning of chapter 14 Paul goes back to speaking about the gifts of The Spirit again.

So there you have it; one of the most famous and beloved verses in The Bible is really just an aside, an ‘oh, by the way’ (it does make more sense when you realize that).  Don’t worry, it’s still a great chapter.  That doesn’t make it any less important, or for that matter any less beautiful.  It is, and it will always be The Love Chapter, and with good reason.

I hope you have found this helpful.  I’ll be honest, I need your feedback to keep motivated, so if you have any questions, or comments or you just found this helpful, please leave a little comment.  

Thanks

The Minute Bible Guy

http://theminutebible.com

For a quick overview of First and Second Corinthians, check out these Minute Bible videos

First Corinthians in one minute

Second Corinthians in one minute

The Whole Shebang

I have been blessed throughout my life to have been taught by MANY wise and Godly people.   One of those Wise and Godly people was Pastor Ken Solomon.  Pastor Solomon spent many years as a missionary in Argentina before “retiring” into the position of Assistant Pastor (as well as founding a local Spanish speaking church in town).  I was in my early teens when he came to our church, and one thing I always remember about him was that he prayed some of theLongest prayers I had ever heard.  I also knew that he just radiated wisdom; to this day when I think about wise men, he tops the list. 

The most important thing that I learned from Pastor Solomon was what he often said when he would read a few verses or a chapter especially from one of Paul’s letters.  He would say something to the effect that ‘these verses that we are reading are good, but remember, Paul wrote this and intended it to be read in one sitting like any letter that anyone would write’.  That always struck a chord with me.  I was never what anyone would consider an avid reader, so it was quite some time before I would see how right he was, but I never forgot him saying that.  In fact that was one of the early seeds planted that led to The Minute Bible. 

Reading an entire book of The Bible may seem a little daunting, but it certainly adds a new perspective to the message.  Paul’s letters in particular are so jam-packed with good stuff, verse by verse that it is often difficult to zoom out and read an entire book as if it were a letter, which in fact it is, but once you do, it will give you a whole new perspective; especially with Paul’s letters.  Let’s take a look at Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as an example.  A very friendly letter, Paul tells the Ephesians that they are saved through faith, they (basically Jews and gentiles) are now ONE body under Christ, that they should do good, imitate Christ, set good examples for non-believers, work on proper relationships with others, prepare for spiritual battle and be prepared to stand strong for Christ… It is a very encouraging book.  It is very easy to get focused on the many fabulous verses and sections that even though it is a short book/letter, reading it as a single letter takes some effort.

To help get an overview of this wonderful letter, check out The Minute Bible summary of Ephesians…

Some of the great verses in Ephesians:

Ephesians 2:8 for it is by grace you have been saved…

Ephesians 2:10 For we are God’s handiwork… or KJV workmanship - any Keith Green fans out there?

Ephesians 4:26 In your anger, do not sin…

Ephesians 4:29 Husbands love your wives, just as Christ loved the church…

And of course Ephesians 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power…

Soooo much good stuff in there!

I hope you have found this helpful.  I’ll be honest, I need your feedback to keep motivated, so if you have any questions, or comments or you just found this helpful, please leave a little comment.  

Thanks

The Minute Bible Guy

http://theminutebible.com

Time Well Spent

Time Well Spent

When I was about five years old my Aunt Pearl came to visit.  We went for a walk around the neighborhood that we had recently moved into.  I showed her all the important sights, my friend’s houses, the tree that I liked to climb and the places that had the best mud puddles when it rained, you know, all the important stuff.  I also found a rock that I thought was interesting and I gave it to her.  Looking back, I’m pretty sure that it didn’t make much difference to her which trees were the best ones to climb, or which puddles had the most mud for making mud balls.  What was important to her I suppose, was spending time with her little nephew who was terribly excited to show her around and tell her all that he had discovered in his new world.  The fact that it was so important to me was what made it important to her.    

I think spending time with God can be a lot like that.  What can we say to God in a prayer that He hasn’t already heard and what request can we make that He doesn’t already know about?  What good can truly come from just reading some ‘old book’ (The Bible)?  While I would argue that quite a bit of good can come from reading The Bible (and spending time in prayer), I realize sometimes it feels like it’s just reading some old book that doesn’t seem to have any relevance to my ‘real life’.  Like that walk with Aunt Pearl so many years ago, sometimes it is more important just to spend the time on the relationship and realize that what we go through IS important to God because it IS important to us.  Like any relationship, if you work at it a little, I’m sure you will become more comfortable reading The Bible and praying and strengthening your relationship with God… You will also start to see just how relevant that ‘old book’ can truly be in your life.  No doubt there are some sections of The Bible that are difficult to read, but believe me when I tell you, there plenty of interesting, exciting, emotionally fulfilling, encouraging and relevant passages in The Bible.  I recommend you find some good Bible study materials to help you get the most out of what The Bible has to offer.  Personally, I like to listen to podcasts of good Bible teachers.  If you have some good suggestions feel free to mention them in the comments section below.  I realize I am a bit biased, but The Minute Bible is a good start to help you understand the big picture before you dig in.  Remember, the time spent together in a relationship is often as valuable as what was done with the time.  

I hope you have found this helpful.  I’ll be honest, I need your feedback to keep motivated, so if you have any questions, or comments or you just found this helpful, please leave a little comment.  Also, let us know what Bible study tools you find helpful.  

Epilogue:  Several years later we went to visit my aunt… do you know she still had that rock that I gave her?  I gotta say, that made a little twelve year old kid feel pretty special. 

This weeks Minute Bible upload will be First and Second Timothy because…

16 All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness,  17 so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

First Timothy

Second Timothy

Thanks

The Minute Bible Guy

http://theminutebible.com/