Condemnation

Condemnation and Judgment

1 Corinthians 13:4-7

“Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, it does not boast, it does not become conceited, it does not behave dishonorably, it is not selfish, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it does not rejoice at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

The original Greek of the new testament has the word for love as αγαπη (agape). There are many words in Greek for love, such as eros, which is romantic love, but agape is love for everyone.

Love is patient. The word for patient can also be translated as “long-suffering”, which is what God is for our iniquities. We should not judge, nor accept a judgment for use in administering our love. If we look to Psalm 75 we find the following, given as in the KJV.

King James Version Psalm 75

1  Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks, unto thee do we give thanks:

For that thy name is near thy wondrous works declare.

2  ||When I shall receive the congregation

I will judge uprightly.

3  The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved:

I bear up the pillars of it. Selah.

4  I said unto the fools, Deal not foolishly:

And to the wicked, Lift not up the horn:

5  Lift not up your horn on high:

Speak not with a stiff neck.

6  For promotion cometh neither from the east,

Nor from the west, nor from the south.

7  But God is the judge:

He putteth down one, and setteth up another.

8  For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup, and the wine is red;

It is full of mixture; and he poureth out of the same:

But the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out, and drink them.

9  But I will declare for ever;

I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.

10  All the horns of the wicked also will I cut off;

But the horns of the righteous shall be exalted.

Psalm 75 speaks of promotion. We do not promote ourselves or others, nor do they promote us. Promotion cometh neither from the East, nor West, nor South, but God is the judge. A long time ago, the world had maps that placed the North as the center of the world. Since God is to roll up the heavens like a scroll and speak to all the earth, and that we would all see his face, it makes sense that he would speak from the North. For in the hand of the lord there is a cup, and the wine is red. It is full of mixture and he poureth out of the same, but the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them. In many places in the bible, it speaks of wine being a drink which destroys but which is also good for those in distress or those dying. This red wine in the cup in the hand of the Lord is given to all, and it is full of mixture. When wine is mixed with something, it is generally mixed with spices or water. Generally this makes one less drunk and makes it much smoother for the taste. God’s judgment is full of mercy. We do not act to cast judgment, but to do right by the Lord our God. But the dregs thereof, all the wicked of the earth shall wring them out and drink them. This is speaking of God’s wrath upon those who “repent not”. The original Greek of the new testament doesn’t use the word repent. Instead of repent, it says metanoia, which means to have a transformation. This transformation is in Christ. We accept Christ and pick up our cross and follow after him. To follow after Christ first means to accept his teachings, which means to love each other. We must have a transformation in love to grow further in being free from sin.

1 Corinthians 13:4–7 LEB

Love is patient, love is kind, love is not jealous, it does not boast, it does not become conceited, it does not behave dishonorably, it is not selfish, it does not become angry, it does not keep a record of wrongs, it does not rejoice at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth, bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Love is kind. The word for love in the Hebrew of the old testament is chesed, which is many times translated as loving-kindness, because God’s love is a love which gives unto mercy. In Judaism it is understood that if God were to hold back his love, which contains judgment, it would not be merciful. The mercy is in that it is justice which comes from His love and great pleasure in having made us. This is saying that we should love each other correctly. Love is not jealous. This is not covetousness, and so it does not mean to point to seeking that which is not yours, as that is pointed to as incorrect in other places in the bible. Jealous, in this context, speaks of being possessive. We should not seek to make a person to be under our will with our love. Love does not boast. This is not to say that we cannot express our love in whatever corny or over-the-top way we want. This is about our love as God has given it to us, and so it means that we should carry ourselves in a way that allows us to lighten the way such as Christ speaks of, wherein we place our candlestick upon a hill or wherever else makes the most sense, and do not place our light to cast shadows on others. Speaking too highly of ourselves and our love for people can push people away from us. Love not becoming conceited is the next obvious step to speak of when it comes to that. Love does not behave dishonorably. This is clearly enough speaking about how we act when it comes to who and what we act for. God puts emphasis on worshiping no other god before Him, but in Exodus 21:4 we see that if a person puts someone else above themselves and their family then they are presented to God before their ear is pierced with an awl and they serve that person forever. This is not what we do nowadays, but there is much evidence in Revelation that the mark of the beast is idolatry. Making an idol unto God, as in making false practices or beliefs unto Him is one form of idolatry. Making someone your master before Him is another. God is who you should serve, and he of course wishes you to honor your father and your mother, to not be a usurer, not to lie or steal, and so on. Love in all you do. If you hate a man, love God more than you hate that person. Love is not selfish. As Christ says, if someone pursues you at the law and takes your coat, give him your cloak also. If a man asks you to go with him a mile, go with him two. Love does not become angry. If you are showing love for someone, then it is not correct to let yourself be cross with them if you can help it. Love keeps no record of wrongs. We must forgive each other as God will forgive us, such as we pray in the Lord’s Prayer. Love does not rejoice at unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. Do not rejoice at the downfall of your enemy, but pray for them and love them as Christ tells us. Love bears all things, which means that it does not fail. Love believes all things, which means that we have faith through all hardship. Love hopes all things, which helps us to understand that we do not have faith in God in a way that makes an idol unto Him as if He only answers us how we wish or understand, but we have faith in Him before all else and hope all things as hope is freeing us from having bitterness touch our faith. Love endures all things, and so we endure for God and his love.

1 Corinthians 13:8–13 LEB

Love never ends. But if there are prophecies, they will pass away. If there are tongues, they will cease. If there is knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but whenever the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I set aside the things of a child. For now we see through a mirror indirectly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I will know completely, just as I have also been completely known. And now these three things remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.