LOVE Lessons from First Corinthians 13 "Vaunteth Not. . . περπερεύεται"

This post is part of a series addressing the Apostle Paul's words in I Corinthians 13:4-8. The words Paul chose to teach the church at Corinth in 57 A.D. are just as powerful today. And just as necessary.

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

. . . Charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly. . . .

~ I Corinthians 13:4, 5

When Paul wrote I Corinthians, he alluded to the "super-spiritual" people in Corinth who boasted of their superior spiritual condition while exhibiting very little love in their lives. He said they were like "sounding brass" and "tinkling cymbal."

As noted earlier (see February 10, 2009), these particular phrases in the original Greek language refer to people who talk incessantly. It refers to people who annoy everyone around them with constant self-centered chatter.

In fact, the word translated into "tinkling cymbal," μακροθυμίᾳ - makrothumia (mak-roth-oo-mee'-ah), depicts the clanging of cymbals that announced the onset of a war.

This gives the word-picture and very clear impression that the bragging and non-stop self-centered talk that Paul was referring to made its hearers fighting mad!

Maybe this is why Paul makes a point of characterizing agape love by telling us that it vaunteth not. . . .

Sadly, the word vaunteth has lost its meaning in our vernacular, but in the Greek it is a very, very powerful word! περπερεύεται perpereuomai (per-per-yoo'-om-ahee) means a lot of self-talk!

In other words, it describes a person who endlessly promotes him/herself and exaggerates their own virtues. This person's self-promotion is usually nothing short of exaggeration that borders on flay-out lying. One Greek scholar has said that the word perpereuomai pictures a person who is full of hot air. Another has said this word refers to a windbag!

Even as I write, my thoughts focus on an individual who fits the description and if you know someone who fits the description, you're probably thinking of that person too. It's hard to forget people like this isn't it?

Okay. . . that said, do you know a perpereuomia? Who do you know that blows hot air? Wait. . . are you a perpereuomia? Do you blow hot air?

How does this apply to you and me?

Remember this: Paul was writing to people who thought they were spiritual. They were convinced that they were okay. They were religious and self-righteous. The self-righteous person does not realize they are self-righteous. What a conundrum!

If you were to confront a person who you consider to be a self-important "windbag," how would he/she respond?

Exactly! They'd deny it and call you judgmental.

What if someone were to confront you?

In what ways are we like the people of Corinth? In what ways do we vaunteth ourselves?

Do we vaunt in public worship? Do we vaunt in our dress? Do we vaunt by slighting others because of envy? Do we vaunt by filling conversation with our agenda and our accomplishments? Do we vaunt by overlooking others in need. . .

Agape love is so strong, so sure, and so confident that it does not need to speak of itself or its accomplishment, even if those accomplishments are great.

While I do not wholly agree with Rick Warren's all-inclusive ecumenical approach to Christianity, I do agree with the premise of his Book, The Purpose Driven Life:

"It's not about me."

It's about sharing Christ -- not ourselves -- with a lost world!

Part 1: I Keep Hearing the Word Tolerance . . . And in the same context as Agape Love!
Part 2: Love Lessons from I Corinthians 13 "Suffereth Long. . . μακροθυμίᾳ
Part 3: Love Lessons from I Corinthians 13 "Love is Kind. . . χρηστεύεται"

~ Esthermay

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LOVE Lessons from First Corinthians 13 "Love is Kind. . . χρηστεύεται"

This post is part of a series addressing the Apostle Paul's words in I Corinthians 13:4-8. The words Paul chose to teach the church in Corinth in 57 A.D.
are just as powerful today. And just as necessary.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not. . .
~ I Corinthians 13:4

The word "kind" is the Greek word χρηστεύεται [chresteuomai], which means to be adaptable or compliant to the needs of others. That's a fairly straightforward definition that should get very little resistance, but. . .

When God's highest level agape love is present in our lives, kindness means that we demand nothing (nothing!) of others -- and specifically, we do not demand that others be like us. Instead, agape love makes us want to bend over backwards to become what others need us to be for them?

Thus, the word "kind" portrays a willingness to serve and to change ourselves in order to meet the needs of others. This is completely opposite of the self-absorbed culture we live in today.

My goodness! I'm trying to remember myself when was the last time I wanted to bend over backwards to actually become what someone else needed me to be?

Real agape love doesn't think of itself first. Instead, it is always reaching out, thinking and focusing on the needs of others. The person walking in agape love adapts to those around her/him in order to touch them, help them, and impact them in a meaningful way.

It's sort of sad that there are entire books written -- and entire "Bible Study Methods" -- that instruct us on how to better ourselves, better our lives, make our lives easier and even make God more powerful in our lives by our own thoughts, words, and self-focused actions.

Oh! puh-lease! How ridiculous. And how against God's Word.

Paul tells us in Philippians 4:11: "I have learned that whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. . . . "

And I Timothy 6:6 tells us that "godliness with contentment is great gain. . . ."

If you desire a deeper and more biblical understanding of God, His ways, and His agape love -- if you desire to see Jesus Christ exalted in your life as you follow His pattern of humility, self-denial, and agape love -- if you believe a Christian's greatest hunger should be for righteousness (Matt. 5:6) and not for self. . . you (we!) would do well to think about what kindness really means.

~ Esthermay

Part 1: I Keep Hearing this Word Tolerance. . . And in the same context as Agape Love!
Part 2: Love Lessons from I Corinthians "Suffereth Long. . . μακροθυμίᾳ "

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LOVE Lessons from First Corinthians 13 "Suffereth Long. . .μακροθυμίᾳ"

This post is part of a series addressing the Apostle Paul's words in I Corinthians 13:4-8. The words Paul chose to teach the church in Corinth in 57 A.D.
are just as powerful today. And just as necessary.
♥ ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

Charity [agape love] suffereth long, and is kind;
charity envieth not. . .
~ I Corinthians 13:4

The words "suffereth long" are taken from the Greek word μακροθυμίᾳ (longsuffering or makrothumia) and can be translated as the words forbearance and patience.

A great word picture would be a good quality solid candle with a very long wick that is prepared to burn for a very long time. It is ready to forbear and wait patiently until someone changes - finally comes around, makes progress, or hears what you are trying to communicate or teach them.

OR - what GOD is trying to communicate and teach . . .

It is the picture of a person whose feelings for someone else are so passionate that giving up is not an option. It is the picture of a person who does not and will not give up. Ever!

Does this sound a little like God's love for us?

Agape love doesn't throw in the towel and quit. In fact, the harder the fight and the longer the struggle, the more committed agape love becomes. Like the candle it just keeps burning and burning and burning and burning . . . . It does not know how to quit. And this, of course, is contrary to human nature and this is why we see it so rarely.

I'll go out on a limb here: "It's the reason so many marriages fail!"

Romans 5:5 tells us that the agape love of God has already been "shed abroad" in your heart by the Holy Spirit (that is, IF you have accepted his sacrifice on the Cross and surrendered your life to HIM). This means you don't have to come up with this supernatural longsuffering love on your own.

God's love has already literally been poured forth -- already dispensed -- and shed into your life. You only need to ask the Holy Spirit to help you.

Are you in a relationship that tests your patience? Are you tempted to throw up your arms in exasperation? Are you ready to walk out on someone? If so, you need a good dose of agape love. Ask for it.

And if you're reading this blog and haven't yet read GOD's Word today, start with GOD's Word. It's far better.

~ Esthermay

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I Keep Hearing this Word Tolerance . . . And in the same context as Agape Love!

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

Love needs to be based on character, if you know and love God you see He has a lot of character we are in love with. The best thing we can do . . . is to grow in character as listed in 1 Corinthians 13. It’s a love of choice. We choose to love God, He chooses to love us. Love of choice is the most powerful love, God calls that agape love, it’s a love that lasts, we should never settle for anything else between us and God and others. It’s a love that grows. Keep fervent in your love, allow it to stretch and strain as you watch it grow.

~ Wayne Corderio

In I Corinthians 13, the Apostle Paul uses the word agape to describe the highest level of love in this world. While it is the kind of love that God expects every true believer to demonstrate in his or her life, the word agape itself describes a love so completely different from what the world offers that it is used in the New Testament only to describe God's love and the love that should flow from the hearts of believers.

In each expression of agape love, we find NO suggestion, reference or insinuation to Tolerance. Rather, we find that agape love underpins and strengthens every other attribute of God, including wrath, mercy, jealousy, anger and righteousness.

But let's back-up to the very beginning of the Chapter . . .

Paul had encountered a group of people in the city of Corinth who were "super spiritual." And Paul was quite unimpressed with them because of their obvious lack of love. Their deficit clearly bothered him and he alludes to this when he writes I Corinthians 13:1:

Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not love, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal."

The words "sounding brass" are very important. The word comes from the Greek chalkos which refers to metal. But is wasn't just any metal. It was bronze or copper to which a small amount of tin had been added. This tin caused the metal to have a hollow, empty sound when it was beaten. That is why Paul also used the word "sounding."

So when Paul wrote about a "sounding brass," he was borrowing from the pagan world of Corinth to make his point about super-spiritual people who demonstrated no real love. They were hollow and empty.

Q:
Do you think a comparison could be made between the Corinthians of Paul's day and the "super-spiritual" Christians of 2009 who have adopted the Gospel of Tolerance (in the name of Agape Love), so as to appear god-like and loving and accepting while neither understanding or practicing true Love?

Do you think the First Century Corinthians became "tolerant" of the culture (and thereby accepting of it) because they feared the reputation of being intolerant?

Is it possible that these First Century Corinthians were the forerunners of the "emerging church," the "post-evangelicals," the "postmodernists," the attempt to replot New Testament Christianity into a pluralistic and secular world?

Just wondering. . .
Indeed. . . true Love never fails.
But does it tolerate?

. . . if you know and love God, you see He has a lot of character.

It is, however, a dangerous thing to emphasize one attribute of God at the expense of His Full Character. Love is but one of many attributes . To place Love at the top as a supreme or preeminent quality is not Scriptural.

Yes. We can rely upon, emphasize, and live by the words of 1 John 4:16, "God is love," but in doing so, we forget that:

♥ God is also Truth (I John 1:6,8;2;21).

♥ God is also Righteousness (I John 1:9; 2:1, 29; 3:7).

♥ God is also Eternal Life (I John 1:2; 2:17, 25).
♥ God is also Hope (I John 3:3).
♥ God is also Purity (I John 1:7, 9; 3:3).
♥ God is also Confidence (I John 2:28; 3:21; 4:17).
♥ God is also Wrathful (Exodus 32:9-10; Deut. 9:7-8; John 3:36).
♥ God is also Righteous and Just (Deut. 32:4; Isa. 45:19).

♥ God is also Jealous (Exodus 20:5-6; 34:14)

The Apostle John is a desperately needed voice of Truth in today's pluralistic and tolerant culture. His writing is bold. It is very direct. It is very dogmatic. I don't believe there is another New Testament writer that is as authoritative in his writing. John is committed to absolutes. Committed to black and white. I like him. I like him very much.

John does indeed write that God is a God of Love -- that God loved His Son -- that God loved the disciples -- that God loved the world -- that God is loved by Christ -- that Christ loved the disciples -- and that Christ taught that we should love one another -- and, finally -- that love is the fulfilling of the whole law.

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

John never slid into sentimentality. John never slid into tolerance masquerading as love. John never tolerated deception. He never tolerated lies. He was always committed to truth. He never tolerated sin of any kind. And in his second epistle (II John), he calls for complete separation from all those people who aren't faithful to the truth. His third epistle says essentially the same thing.

To live the Christian life refusing to acknowledge each and every attribute of God is to invalidate His Divine nature as GOD. To deny the "black and white'ness" of the Gospel is as incompatible in the Christian as it is in God!

To accept that God is loving is one thing. To deny that God is also a God of wrath and anger and vengeance because these qualities just don't match-up with his loving kindness (in our human thinking) is quite another.

No where is Tolerance equated with Love in John's writings. Nor anywhere in the New Testament for that matter!

Yet a great number of Christians have made Tolerance synonymous with Love! A great number of Christians refuse to believe God's Word if/when it contradicts their own rigid belief system. A system rooted in a false understanding of God's Love.

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

We choose to love God, He chooses to love us. Love of choice is the most powerful love. . .

Absolutely! But regrettably, there is this growing phenomena in today's churches. It's called Tolerance. It masquerades as Love. It is a choice, but the only "power" it hold, is the power to keep church members from knowing and experiencing God's True, Powerful, and Unconditional Love!

It is the fashion in churches today to tolerate just about anything in the name of Christian love lest we “Christians” gain a reputation of being intolerant. And in doing this we have totally sacrificed the spiritual health and maturity of the Church for years to come.

Q: What kind of things do we tolerate?

I think most of my readers can answer that. . .

. . . But I personally believe that most evangelical churches in America have become completely useless when it comes to sharing the True Message of Salvation and the True Meaning of Agape Love because they have chosen to practice Tolerance.

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.

But does it tolerate?

. . . agape love, it’s a love that lasts, we should never settle for anything else between us and God and others.

And over the next few posts, I want to address the Apostle Paul’s words in I Corinthians 13:4-8, where he speaks of love because they are powerful, powerful words. Paul lists fifteen points about the love of God and how it behaves. By peering into these verses, we can determine if our lives are indeed a reflection of this highest level of love.

Please come back!

Indeed. . . true Love never fails.
But does it tolerate?

~Esthermay Bentley-Goossen
© 2009 The Heart of a Pastor's Wife

This installment of InOtherWords is hosted by Karen on her blog In Love W.I.T.H. Jesus.

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