Charity – Love Reviewed

CHARITY, n.

1. Charity is in a general sense, love, benevolence, good will; that disposition of heart which inclines men to think favorably of their fellow men, and to do them good. In a theological sense, it includes supreme love to God, and universal good will to men.

1. See 1 Cor. 8:1-3; Col. 3:11-17; & 1 Tim. 1:3-6.

2. Charity is in a more particular sense, love, kindness, affection, tenderness, springing from natural relations; as the charities of father, son and brother.

3. Charity is  giving liberality to the poor, consisting in almsgiving or benefactions, or in gratuitous services to relieve them in distress.

4. Charity is alms; whatever is bestowed gratuitously on the poor for their relief.

5. Charity is liberality in gifts and services to promote public objects of utility, as to found and support bible societies, missionary societies, and others.

6. Charity is candor; liberality in judging of men and their actions; a disposition which inclines men to think and judge favorably, and to put the best construction on words and actions which the case will admit. The highest exercise of charity, is charity towards the uncharitable.

7. Charity is any act of kindness, or benevolence; as the charities of life.

8. Charity is a charitable institution. Charity school is a school maintained by voluntary contributions for educating poor children.

1 Timothy 1:5-6 (KJVR). Now the end (goal) of the commandment is charity (love) out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: (6) From which some having swerved have turned aside unto vain jangling;

1 Timothy 1:3-6 (ISV). The apostle Paul speaking to Timothy said: "When I was on my way to Macedonia, I urged you to stay in Ephesus so that you could instruct certain people to stop teaching false doctrine (4) and occupying themselves with myths and endless genealogies. These things promote controversies rather than God's ongoing purpose, which involves faith. (5) The goal of this instruction is love that flows from a pure heart, from a clear conscience, and from a sincere faith. (6) Some people have left these qualities behind and have turned to fruitless discussion."

Colossians 3:11-17 (KJVR). (11) Where there is neither Greek nor Jew, circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond nor free: but Christ is all, and in all. (12) Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; (13) Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do you. (14) And above all these things put on charity (love), which is the bond of perfectness. (15) And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you are called in one body; and be you thankful. (16) Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. (17) And whatsoever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by Him.

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (KJV). (1) Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but charity (love) edifies. (2) And if any man think that he knows any thing, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. (3) But if any man loves God, the same is known of Him.

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 (CEV). (1) In your letter you asked me about food offered to idols. All of us know something about this subject. But knowledge makes us proud of ourselves, while love makes us helpful to others. (2) In fact, people who think they know so much don't know anything at all. (3) But God has no doubts about who loves Him.

1 Corinthians 13:1-13 (CEV). (1) What if I could speak all languages of humans and of angels? If I did not love others, I would be nothing more than a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. [Exercise clarity in speech!]

(2) What if I could prophesy and understand all secrets and all knowledge? And what if I had faith that moved mountains? I would be nothing, unless I loved others. [Bottom line: the attribute of love is an essential practice!]

(3) What if I gave away all that I owned and let myself be burned alive? I would gain nothing, unless I loved others. [Is your motive pure and true?]

(4) Love is kind and patient, never jealous, boastful, proud, nor rude.

(5) Love isn't selfish or quick tempered. It doesn't keep a record of wrongs that others do. [Forgiveness looks to the future, not the past!]

(6) Love rejoices in the truth, but not in evil. [Avoid gossip!]

(7) Love is always supportive, loyal, hopeful, and trusting. [Praise God!]

(8) Love never fails! Everyone who prophesies will stop, and unknown languages will no longer be spoken. All that we know will be forgotten.

(9) We don't know everything, and our prophecies are not complete.

(10) But what is perfect will someday appear, and what isn't perfect will then disappear. [Evil and darkness will be eliminated!]

(11) When we were children, we thought and reasoned as children do. But when we grew up, we quit our childish ways. [Have your matured?]

(12) Now all we can see of God is like a cloudy picture in a mirror. Later we will see Him face to face. We don't know everything, but then we will, just as God completely understands us. [Do you want to see the Father and Jesus.]

(13) For now there are faith, hope, and love. But of these three, the greatest is love. [We all need faith, hope, and especially love!]

1 John 4:8-16 (ISV). The person who does not love does not know God, because God is love. (9) This is how God's love was revealed among us: God sent his unique Son into the world so that we might live through him. (10) This is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. (11) Dear friends, if this is the way God loved us, we must also love one another. (12) No one has ever seen God. If we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. (13) This is how we know that we abide in him and he in us: he has given us his Spirit. (14) We have seen for ourselves and can testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. (15) God abides in the one who acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, and he abides in God. (16) We have come to know and believe in the love that God has for us. God is love, and the person who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.

Romans 6:23 (KJVR). For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. [Have your accepted God's gift of life or are you waiting for "payday?"]

Romans 3:23 (KJVR). For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; [Yes, all humans have sinned except Jesus our Savior.]

Romans 5:8 (KJVR). But God commends His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. [Will you accept the Love of God?]

[A warning:] Revelation 13:8 (KJVR). And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship "him" [the dragon gave power unto "him," the beast! Rev. 13:4], whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.

John 3:16-19 (ASV). For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes on Him should not perish, but have eternal life. (17) For God sent not the Son into the world to judge the world; but that the world should be saved through Him. (18) He that believes on Him is not judged: he that believes not has been judged already, because he has not believed on the name of the only begotten Son of God. (19) And this is the judgment, that the light is come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the light; for their works were evil. [Are your works good or evil…]

Originally written May 31, 2014