Quote:
Originally Posted by mfblume
I've seen it scores of times from apostolic pulpits. I've been used, too.
I do know that this issue of use has something -- likely mostly -- to do with COMPASSION and love. Before Paul corrected the Corinthians about the gifts in chapter 14 after listing them in chapter 12, chapter 13 talks about LOVE/CHARITY. And look at the first verse in Chapter 14:
1 cor 14:14 Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.
Imagine someone using the word of knowledge like Jesus and knowing the woman at the well had five husbands, and was living with someone else's husband, and that person had a JUDGMENTAL nature and was condemning. Condemnation ALWAYS accompanies legalism. Even Paul said that LAw was a "ministration of condemnation!" God cannot use people in the gifts who have no compassion.
Hmmmm....
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Altho I would generally speaking agree that gifts flow from love we must be very careful here. Was Jesus judgmental when he called the Pharisees two fold children of Hell? When he called Herod an old fox?
Was he judgmental when he killed Anannias and his wife?
Was he being legalistic when he expected the disciples at Sardis works to be perfect? The Ladoceans to be on fire?
Jesus was sometimes very kind in his dealings with people. Other times he could be terrible! Think of him overthrowing tables and driving the thieves and robbers from his Fathers house!
The real Jesus is rightly seen here.
Heb. 1:9
Thou hast
loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, even thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows.
So as with so many things all things must be put in the mix to get the final result.
While love is the crowning jewel of the Christian life, can we in a blanket fashion separate it from strong action? Perhaps it is wisdom that can connect kindness and judgment together into a more perfect understanding of Jesus and his ways?
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