Paul in Hebrew

But now faith, hope, and love remain, these three; but the greatest of these is love. 1 Corinthians 13:13 NASB The greatest – How many times have you read this verse?  How often have you been told that love is the answer?  How frequently has Christian theology proclaimed that God’s fundamental characteristic is love?  All of these questions…

Love – Revised

For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.  John 3:16  NASB Loved– There’s hardly a more famous verse in the whole Bible than this one (if you’re Christian).  And most believers who have given it even a cursory look realize that the…

The Art of Perfection

There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.1 John 4:18  NASB Perfect love – What does “perfect love” mean to you?  Not Hollywood’s version, I’m sure.  Maybe you think of the ideal bliss of complete vulnerability (or maybe that seems…

Origins

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. I John 2:15 NASB   The world – Every idea has a history. Ideas about biblical truths are not self-generated from the text. Biblical truths are products of interpretation, and…

Yes, But

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. 1 John 4:8 NASB Love – John’s statement seems pretty clear, right? God is love. We get that. Unless you’re one of those who doesn’t understand the necessity of judgment in the fabric of love, and you conclude that all the…

Charity

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 1 Corinthians 8:1 KJV Love – We need to resurrect an old word. If you have an old King James Bible, you will sometimes notice that the word “charity” appears in odd places. There are…

Mass Hallucination

Do not love the world nor the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but…

What Difference Does It Make?

 If I have the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 1 Corinthians 13:2 NASB All knowledge – Day 28. We are coming close. But lest we imagine that these last days are…

Agape Again

Let all that you do be done in love.  1 Corinthians 16:14  NASB Love – An overworked word loses its meaning.  An overlooked word has no meaning at all.  Such is the case with the Greek noun, agape.  We may realize that agape is connected to the Hebrew ‘ahav, but did we know this? Love…

Filling in the Gaps

And He said to him, “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.”  Matthew 22:37 Love – Does this commandment apply to you today?  Of course it does!  I don’t know anyone in the believing community who would argue that this commandment…