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The Greatest Thing in the World (TEMPERANCE LESSON) AUGUST 6 , 1916. LESSON VI. 1 Cor. 13:1-13. (Commit vs. 4 - 7 ). G olden T ext : “And now abideth .faith, hope, charity, these three, but the greatest o f these is charity.”— ! Cor. 13:13.
DA ILY BIBLE READINGS Mon., July 31— 1 Cor. 13:1-13. (The Lesson).
Tues., Aug. 1—Matt. 22:34-40. Wed., Aug^ 2—1 John 3 :14-24. Thurs., Aug. 3—Col. 3:12-17. Fri., Aug. 4—Matt. 18:21-35. Sat., Aug. 5—Janies 1:17-27. Sun., Aug. 6—1 Peter 2 :13-25.
EXPOSITION AND PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS
v. 1. Though (If) I speak with the tongues of men. and. of angels, and (but) have not charity (love) I am become as (omit, as) sounding brass (add ,) or a tink ling (clanging) cymbal." There were five things which were held in great esteem in Corinth. Paul brings them forward in rapid succession and shows the pre-eminence of love over .each and all o f them. The first o f these five things is given in this verse —speaking with tongues. The saints in Corinth seem to have been peculiarly gifted in this direction and to have been very proud o f and to have made a parade o f their gift (ch. 14:2-23). Each one of them was desirous o f outstripping others in the display o f this gift (ch. 14:23, 26-28). They could, not wait for one another to get through, but before one finished another one hurried to display his power to speak in tongues. The Spirit o f God here speak ing through Paul tells them that their much boasted gift, and much exhibited gift,
amounts to little; that the grace o f love is so far “a more excellent way” (ch. 12:31) than the gift o f tongues, that if love be lacking, speaking with the tongues not only o f men o f any or all races, but even o f angels, would leave them only as sounding brass' or a clanging cymbal. In certain places today we hear much o f this sound ing brass and clanging cymbal, people, parading the power that they suppose they possess^ to speak with tongues, but utterly lacking in love,- as described in the verses that follow ,.toward all other believers in Christ. / . v. 2 . "And though (if) I have the gift of prophecy, and understand (know) all mysteries, and all knowledge: and though (if) I have all faith, so that I could (as to) remove mountains, and (but) have not charity (love), I am nothing." Here we have two other things that were highly esteemed in Corinth: ( 1 ) The gift of prophecy. We are here told that though
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