VIDEO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
AUDIO RECORDING OF THIS SERMON
Two Wednesday’s ago, I preached on Four Imperatives for Life from 1 Cor 16:13. These imperatives are Watch, Stand Fast, Quit like Men, and Be Strong. Tonight, we are going to discuss the next verse, 1 Cor 16:14, which says “Let all your things be done with charity.”
“Let” expresses a command or an order. So, we are commanded to do all things with charity. Paul wrote, “all your things,” not “some things;” so, you don’t pick and choose. Everything we do, we are to do with charity.
Based on its characteristics in 1 Cor 13, charity is the love of God shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, Rom 5:5. This is the love that fulfills the new commandment of Jesus Christ, “That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another,” Jn 13:34.
In 2 Pet 1:4-8, charity is added to faith, virtue, knowledge, temperance, patience, godliness, and brotherly kindness as the ultimate ingredient in a fruitful Christian life. And charity is something in us that should abound. In 2 Thes 1:3, Paul wrote, “the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth.”
Do all things with charity.
Charity doesn’t govern what you do. It is possible to do great things without charity, 1 Cor 13:1-3. And if you do great things without charity you are nothing and the things you do profit you nothing.
Charity governs WHY you do what you do. In 2 Cor 12:12, Paul wrote, “Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.” What was Paul’s motive? His motive was love. 2 Cor 12:15 says, “the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.” Contrast Paul’s motive with the motive of those in Matt 7:21-23. The folks prophesying, casting out devils, and doing many wonderful works in Jesus’ name are working iniquity. They are like Simon in Acts 8:18-23. When you do all things with charity, your motive for doing them is love, and nothing else. There is no selfish motive.
Charity governs WHEN you do what you do. In 1 Jn 3:16-18 we’re not to shut up our bowels of compassion when we see a brother have need. We can’t be like the person in Jas 2:15-16, that sends them on their way in peace without giving them those things that are needful for the body. In Prov 3:27-28, we take care of the need now and not tomorrow. When you do all things with charity your are more aware of the needs of others and more desirous to help.
Charity governs the WAY you do what you do. In 1 Cor 8:1 Paul wrote concerning things offered to idols, “we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.” Paul knew that he could eat things offered to idols and it wouldn’t be a sin.
However, if a brother with a weaker conscience regarding things offered to idols saw him eat something offered to an idol and he was emboldened to eat, as well, it would be a sin against Christ, 1 Cor 8:10-13. Therefore Paul wrote, “Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.” Charity should govern the way we do the things we do so that we do not offend our brothers and sisters in Christ; but rather edify them.
Conclusion: we do what we do with charity for the sake of others whom we are to love. Charity should govern why we do everything we do, govern when we do everything, and the way we do everything.