Charity, A More Excellent Way - Part 3

Ever follow that which is good, Paul said. You see this reoccurring theme show up in every Pauline epistle. You see many passages on simply being “good”, "decent", "full of charity". Nothing deep and nothing mystical. Nothing elusive to man. You see this same theme of thought and action in our Lord Jesus Christ. It is the essence of Him. It is how we are to shine. Good works, and loving others. Helping others. Humble and giving. Forgiving and patient with saints and sinners. Nothing profound. Being “decent, gentle, hospitable, giving, full of love, charity, encouraging, giving of your self, blameless, a living sacrifice, providing all things honest", and so on.

Romans 12:8 ~ Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another;

2 Corinthians 11:3 ~ But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

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Charity, A More Excellent Way - Part 2

1 Timothy 1:3 ~ As I besought thee to abide still at Ephesus, when I went into Macedonia, that thou mightest charge some that they teach no other doctrine,

4 Neither give heed to fables and endless genealogies, which minister questions, rather than godly edifying which is in faith: so do.

5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:

Why would Bible believing preachers and men not recognize a overwhelming theme in the New Testament? We are the ones obligated to give out pure truth. It's the end of the commandment. It is a New Testament command if I ever saw one. Jesus, Paul, John, and Peter all spoke of it. You can have the truth. You can be bold with the truth. You can preach hard with the truth. But you will be doing it in the flesh if you don't have charity in your heart. Many churches rain down law and letter as if they were actually under it still. We know the law is good, admonishing, and exemplary. However it was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. When we step outside of our dispensation to preach for profit, popularity, or pride, our conduct is more complicit with the Old Testament. This unbalanced spirit has always reminded me of Paul in Galatians 4 and 6 dealing with men and keeping others in some sort of spiritual bondage.

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