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Commentary: "For Those Who Try To Understand Too Much"

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

   In 1st Corinthians, chapter 13, Paul writes of the supremacy of love over
spiritual gifts.  Regarding the gifts of prophecy and knowledge,
Paul says that they will pass away, while love remains. ("Prophecy" here
means the gift of determining devine will and purpose, not specific 
predictions.)

   In verses 9 through 12 Paul writes,

      "For our knowledge is incomplete and imperfect,
       and our prophecy is incomplete and imperfect. 
       But when the complete and perfect comes,
       The incomplete and imperfect will vanish away
       and be superseded, like this:
         
           When I was a child,
           I talked like a child,
           I thought like a child,
           I reasoned like a child.
           Now that I have become a man, 
           I am done with childish ways,
           and have put them aside.

       For now we see things as an image in a mirror, dimly and blurred,
       But then we shall see reality, face to face.
       Now I know things only in part,
       But then I shall know and understand fully and clearly,
       Just as I am known and understood fully and clearly by God."
            

    Brothers and Sisters, if Paul, himself recognized the imperfection
of his knowledge and understanding, how then can we presume to
know and understand God's will better than he did?  We cannot, for
who among us is closer to God than Paul?

   Therefore, we should be humble in our pronouncements, ever mindful
that we may be totally wrong! Rather than relying on our intellect
to ponder over Biblical technicalities, we should seek to be
ever closer to the Lord in love, and let Him guide us day by day.

   As Jesus Himself said when He was asked which commandment is
the greatest, (Matthew 22:37-40)

        "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart,
         With all your soul, and with all your might. (Deut. 6:5)

         This is the first and greatest commandment.
         And the second is like it:

         You shall love your neighbor as yourself. (Lev. 19:18)

         On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets."

   He did not say, "Study the Bible day and night until you know every 
little detail so you can wrangle with other Christians over who is right 
and who is wrong."

                                                  Amen.

Rev. 4-21-96
bmcgin@adams.patriot.net


                Copyright 1996 by William E. McGinnis
                 May be distributed electronically.