A More Excellent Way
21
“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.” 1 Cor. 12:31 “thinks no evil”
description
A More Excellent Way. Pt. 8 - Guilelessness. “But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way .” 1 Cor. 12:31. Love. “thinks no evil”. 1 Cor. 13:4-8a. Description of Love. - PowerPoint PPT Presentation
Transcript of A More Excellent Way
“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
1 Cor. 12:31
“thinks no evil”
Description of Love
4. Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up;
5. does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil;
6. does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth;
7. bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8. Love never fails.
Description of Love
1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper
8. Guilelessness9. Sincerity10.Spiritual strength11.Open-Mindedness12.Optimism13.Faithfulness14.Loverly
“thinks no evil”
“does not imagine evil”
Meaning “thinks no evil”
“taketh not account of evil” = ASV“does not imagine evil” = Living Oracles
Love is guilelessInnocent-minded - naïve“Imputed not evil”“holds no grudges”
Love does not suspect evil of others.
Meaning “thinks no evil”
Loves does not suspect evil of others.Does not surmise evilIs not suspicious
Loves desires to think well of others.Does not infer evilWe want to think well of those we love
Children have this kind of Heart
Matt. 19:13-1413. Then little children were brought to Him that He might put His hands on them and pray, but the disciples rebuked them.14. But Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven.“
Mind of a child
Children have this kind of Heart
1 Cor. 14:20“Brethren, be not children in understanding; howbeit, in malice, be ye children, but in understanding, be men.”
Malice - forgive and forget
They do not think evil of others.
Children have this kind of Heart
1 Peter 2:1-2“Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:”
Lay aside“guile” - craftiness
Children have this kind of Heart
The child-like mind thinks no evil
They do not impute evil to others
1 Peter 3:10 “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:”
“And his lips from speaking deceit” NKJV “And his lips from deceitful words” TCNT
Improve our disposition “For as a man thinketh in his heart so is he.”
Prov. 23:7 “…think on these things…” Phi.4:8
Make peace among men will not think there was an evil intention puts best possible construction on conduct
Blind us to Little Faults “love will cover a multitude of sins” 1Pet.4:8
On his way to Damascus to persecuteGod told Ananias to go to Saul
"Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much harm he has done to Your saints in Jerusalem. 14 "And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.“ - Acts 9:13-14
Conversion of Saul
On his way to Damascus to persecuteGod told Ananias to go to Saul
God insisted that Ananias should go. “Go, for he is a chosen vessel…” v. 15-16
Ananias obeyed “…went his way and entered the house” v. 17
Saul was baptized - v. 18
Conversion of Saul
On his way to Damascus to persecuteGod told Ananias to go to Saul
What would you have done ?
Saul had persecuted the church !
Love demands we give others the benefit of the doubt !
Conversion of Saul
L.U.I.
“But earnestly desire the best gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way.”
1 Cor. 12:31
“taketh not acount of evil”
Description of Love
1. Patience2. Kindness3. Generosity4. Humility5. Courtesy6. Unselfishness7. Good temper
8. Guilelessness9. Sincerity10.Spiritual strength11.Open-Mindedness12.Optimism13.Faithfulness14.Loverly
Sermon by Arthur Pigman
Evans Church of Christ
515 Gibbs Road
Evans, Ga. 30809
706-855-1249
[email protected]@bellsouth.net
www.evansgachurchofchrist.orgwww.evansgachurchofchrist.org
Sunday Evening Sept. 15, 2013
