1 Corinthians 13:1-13

I had to get rid of this. It couldn’t own me, nor could I OWN it. One of life’s lessons has been to use that anger to create forgiveness, truth, discipline, peace, justice, mercy, grace and love . . . Otherwise, the “right” to be angry is “JUST WRONG”.

Holding on to “righteous anger” appears justified in a world of entitlements. How many times have we heard advertisers tell us that we “deserve” this or that? Through our disobedience to God’s will and way, what we do deserve is punishment, or we deserve God’s wrath, but we actually receive His love! Yes, God so loves us! What greater evidence is this, that we receive grace and forgiveness?

Following Jesus Christ’s guidance through the Holy Spirit’s leading, we are renewed and restored, being renewed unto repentance crucifying our fallen selves, to rise faithfully to crucifying our fleshly inclinations, to be more and more like our Saviour Himself, “who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” (Hebrews 12:2)

Along with all of our “rights” and self-pronounced “privileges,” we are indeed “crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live: yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

1 Corinthians 13:1-13

1 Though I speak 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 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.

3 And 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.

4 Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up,

5 Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil;

6 Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;

7 Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

8 Charity 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.

9 For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
10 But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.

11 When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.

12 For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.