Oct. 11, 2006
Lecture 1, Sound Bite 2
Posted in Lecture 1: Love, the Sum of all Virtue
1 Cor. 13:1-3 (NASB)
If I speak with
the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a
noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
[2] And 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.
[3] And if I give all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I deliver
my body to be burned, but do not have love, it profits me nothing.
"The word properly signifies love..."
So it is manifestly used by the Apostle in this epistle, as he explains
himself in chapter viii. 1* -- "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity
edifieth," etc. Here the comparison is between knowledge and charity --
and the preference is given to charity, because knowledge puffeth up,
but charity edifieth. And then, in the next two verses, it is more
particularly explained how knowledge usually puffs up, and why charity
edifieth; so that what is called charity in the first verse, is called loving God
in the third, for the very same thing is evidently spoken of in the two
places. And doubtless the apostle means the same thing by charity in
this thirteenth chapter, that he does in the eighth; for he is here
comparing the same two things together that he was there, viz.:
knowledge and charity. "Though I have all knowledge and have not
charity, I am nothing;" and again, "charity never faileth, but --
knowledge, it shall vanish away." So that by charity here, we are
doubtless to understand Christian love in its full extent, and whether it be exercised toward God, or our fellow-creatures.
Cat's Q & A:
1. Are you familiar with the interpretation that these passages on love
versus knowledge say Christians should throw out all knowledge-based
teaching and just go with their feelings? What's your take on that?
My response to this concept is just to go back to the same passage - 1
Cor. 8 - and point out that love edifies. So this isn't about turning
off the mind, or about "doctrine" being sinful, but the difference
between the sinner's way and God's way of truly learning and growing as
a person.
FOOTNOTE
* 1 Cor. 8:1-3 (NASB)
Now concerning
things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge.
Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. [2] If anyone supposes that
he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; [3] but if
anyone loves God, he is known by Him.
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Comments
Oct. 16, 2006 - Love (feelings) versus knowledge
 Posted by TLFilly
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This is where we have to take in the WHOLE counsel of God. If we take only one verse or one passage here or there, we will run off on many tangents and start many false religions and occults. When God's Word is used to interpret God's Word, then we have a complete, balanced, nutritious diet. We are not told in this passage to throw away knowledge and use only love. We ARE told that having great knowledge and no love is useless. Yes, the LOVE is more important, but the knowledge also has its place... the two need to be hand in hand. Many mothers in times passed and in third-world countries today have LOVINGLY killed their children because they did not KNOW any better. There is a danger of going either way: knowledge without love is sin, love without knowledge is also sin.
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Oct. 17, 2006 - Lecture 1 - Sound bite 2
 Posted by happyhearts
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1. Are you familiar with the interpretation that these passages on love versus knowledge say Christians should throw out all knowledge-based teaching and just go with their feelings? What's your take on that?
Yes, and I think it's foolish. I agree with TLFilly's comment. The Bible does NOT say to toss out knowledge. In fact, while I found many verses that can seem to take this stand if one chooses to focus only on them, there are just as many that refute it. I believe a proper balance is needed in order to be truly biblical. One of the biggest mistakes Christians make, in my mind, is to isolate a few select verses in support of a point they are looking to make and toss the rest. This is a grave mistake. The Bible is, in my opinion, a book that needs to be taken as a whole as well as in bite-sized pieces. I won't go about quoting all the verses I found but I will list a few New Testament ones.
These talk positively of having a knowledge of God... 2 Peter 1:5-8, 2 Peter 3:18, 1 Tim. 2:3-6, Col. 1:9-10, Eph. 1:17.
This speaks negatively of not having knowledge... Rom. 10:1-3.
This says that God gives knowledge... 1 Cor. 12:8.
Knowledge is referred to (alongside wisdom) as riches... Rom. 11:33.
These speak of knowledge as a necessity... Rom. 3:20, Rom. 15:14 (because of knowledge they are able to admonish), 1 Cor. 14:6, 1 Cor. 15:34.
And these give indication that knowledge works TOGETHER with charity or love... Phil. 1:9, Col. 2:3.
Dee..
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Oct. 17, 2006 - knowledge vs feelings.
Posted by Bob in SK
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1. Are you familiar with the interpretation that these passages on love versus knowledge say Christians should throw out all knowledge-based teaching and just go with their feelings? What's your take on that?
Ok I'm a guy, so I personally respond more readily to the intellectual side of my faith rather than the emotional side. But a doctrine that interprets the Bible as strictly feelings based is unbalanced. God is the God of emotions, but He is also the God of knowledge/wisdom and without knowledge or intellectual consideration it is like saying if it feels good do it without balancing it with wisdom.
I see this trend becoming more common in the Charismatic movement, and I find it uncomfortable and unbalanced. Not that I dont see the reason for it; the charismatic movement is predominantly catering to a female congregation, and as we know women are more easily drawn to emotion.
So obviously I see this strictly feeling based doctrine as severely unstable and incorrect. It is a matter of balancing knowledge and emotions, with proper intellectual interpretations of scripture to guide us appropriately.
Bob
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Oct. 17, 2006 - Untitled Comment
 Posted by AcceptanceWithJoy
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Okay, perhaps because it was fresh in my mind, this verse [If I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, I have become a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal] reminded me of the recent TV interview with Shirley Phelps-Roper. Her theology of hate disgusted and saddened me. It cause an internal pain that "felt" abusive to my spirit in the same way I feel when I am in sensory overload.
I had not heard that we should forego knowledge for feeling. In fact, I think I doubt anyone that has seriously studied scripture would have this interpretation. The whole Bible is God's revelation to us ~ His revealed knowledge. The whole book of Proverbs speaks of seeking wisdom. However, I would have to say that I don't see many similarities between God's knowledge and what we typically as humans consider an educated man.
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