Developing charity is the most important thing we can do in this life. (1 Corinthians 8-13)

8:1-3

What's the danger in having knowledge? Is having knowledge more spiritually risky than having love for others? I think so. Paul appears to think the same thing. "Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth." When we know a lot, we can easily feel pride. Gaining knowledge can be a solitary exercise - it is inherently inward focused.

Loving others is directed outward. The focus is on others. The more we love, the more we are focused on others. The simple exercising of love allows that love to grow. Loving others is certainly not a selfish exercise. Loving others doesn't naturally bring pride. On the contrary, it usually brings humility.

The problem with gaining knowledge is that much of the knowledge to be found in this world may be incorrect. "And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." It may be that we are quite knowledable about something and our knowledge is actually incorrect. There isn't an automatic benefit from knowledge.

There is always an automatic benefit from loving. The loved and the lover are both blessed. The best kind of love is love for God. "But if any man love God, the same is known of him." We can grow closer to God by exercising charity for others and showing our love for God through obedience and following the example of his Son.

There is a warning label affixed to gaining knowledge - beware of pride. There is no such warning attached to love.

8:5-6

"For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." I used this verse on my mission to challenge those who suggested that there was only one God in any universe.

It is a confusing couple of verses. Are there many Gods or one God? Both actually. Yes, there are many Gods just like our God. The key part of this verse is the three words of verse six. "But to us..." We have one Heavenly Father. To us, he is our only Heavenly Father. None will ever take his place.

This isn't an incredibly hard concept. For example, there are many fathers in this world. But, I only have one father. No other father will ever take his place.

I think the issue with the Corinthians was that they were perhaps still worshipping many Gods. Paul was giving them some correction.

8:8-9, 13

"But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse." What do we do during the week that makes us feel better than people who aren't members of the church? For some, it likely may be the word of wisdom. Our avoidance of coffee and tea and alcohol and tobacco may give us the impression that avoiding those things may be our ticket to heaven. We may focus on those things too much - to the point that we look down on those who do not follow that precept.

For the record, drinking tea is not going to keep us out of heaven. For most of the humans on the planet, this is not a sin to any degree. Their drinking tea doesn't make them a millimeter further from Jesus Christ.

For us, it's mainly an exercise of faith and obedience. It is an opportunity to be teachable and humble and submissive. Marci LOVES tea. In her previous life, she drank it a lot. She still would like to drink it. But, because of her knowledge of the word of wisdom, she doesn't drink it. It is a chance for her to subdue the natural man and not give in to what her body is wanting. She's putting the spiritual over the physical. This elevates her soul and this abstinence is what brings her closer to God. It has nothing to do with the tea.

So, when we see our non-member friends drinking and smoking, we shouldn't consider that they are any worse than we. We shouldn't see ourselves as better.

However, we should understand that our choice to drink tea or coffee or alcohol could actually damage the progression of others who are looking to us as an example. Marci can certainly choose to drink tea. The severe, possible consequences of that would be someone who is looking to her as an example of faith and obedience might become discouraged and disappointed and feel uninspired to improve themselves. "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak." Our ability to choose those things that we know are forbidden must be controlled - if not for our own growth but for those who are watching us. It would be awful if the young men and young women saw Marci and I at a restaurant drinking wine. It would be disturbing for them. It would offend them. This is as good a reason as any to not partake. "Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend."

9:19-23

Are we fake if there are different versions of ourselves depending on who we are with? Not necessarily. I behave differently depending on who I am with. It's not about changing who I am or putting on masks. It's about changing my approach. I approach a gospel class differently than I do a training meeting at work. I approach being around children differently than being around adults. It's not that I am being fake. I am attempting to connect with people and I have a different approach depending on the person.

It sounds like Paul did some of this. "For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you."

He was speaking of how he approached these different types of people. If he was speaking with Jews, he would quote more scripture. If he was with a Gentile, he may have attempted to draw connections between their current beliefs and the true gospel. For those who didn't know much about spiritual things, he likely took a very basic approach and focused on those principles that would strengthen their resolve and faith. Paul didn't change who he was but altered his teaching so the people would relate better to what he was saying.

This is about caring enough about the person to relate to them specifically. This is about building trust through sincere interest. This is about "meeting them where they are" and building on common beliefs. In doing so, this made Paul a more effective missionary.

10:12

"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall." This is about believing that we are so strong that we don't need to continue our efforts to strengthen ourselves. It's possible that I may become satisfied with my gospel scholarship and stop or limit my study. Or, I may believe that I am so beyond temptation that I place myself in situations that are tempting.

It's the difference between the apostles asking "is it I" when Jesus said that one would betray him VERSUS Peter saying that there is no way that he would deny Christ three times.

In the first case, the apostles were humble and were concerned that they may be the one to betray. This likely boosted their desire to redouble their efforts as disciples. Their humility motivated them to grow.

In the second case, Peter showed some pride in declaring that others may deny but he would never deny. Of course, we know that, before the next morning, he did just that. His pride allowed him to lower his guard. He didn't redouble his commitment. In a way, his pride was damning to his progression.

It can be the same for us. We can believe that we are on such strong spiritual footing that we don't continue to earnestly strive to further develop our testimonies. We need to continually "take heed lest we fall."

10:13

"There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it." This is an important principle to remember as we face temptation. We are blessed with the ability to resist or escape temptation.

I think this is certainly true but I think that some of us give into succeeding temptations and end up in a place where it is almost impossible for us to resist the temptation. For example, if we give into the initial temptation to try drugs, we may do enough drugs that we no longer have a choice in the matter. We are so addicted and our brains are so re-wired that our mammalian brain is what is controlling us. Our frontal lobe takes a back seat and we can become simple travelers inside our own bodies.

The key is to avoid the initial temptation. It is relatively easy when we aren't addicted. We definitely aren't tempted with more than we are able at the beginning.

Having said all of that, there is always an escape from any temptation. It isn't a question of willpower or personal strength. We often aren't able to reach inside of ourselves and pull ourselves up on our own. For many, the Spirit and Jesus Christ are the ones who have to carry us. Jesus can strengthen us to be able to overcome any addiction. He is very good at this. He is very strong. He does have the power to strengthen us. That strength is coming from him - not our own determination. If we feel helpless to save ourselves, this is a perfect time to place our faith in Jesus Christ "who is mighty to save."

10:21

"Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils." This is another way of saying "ye cannot serve God and mammon." You can't have one foot on the Lord's side and another foot on the side of sin. Is this about being perfect? No. It's about progression.

If I am attempting to grow close to the Lord and become stronger in my understanding of the gospel, I cannot actively pursue sinful paths and expect to progress towards the Lord. I cannot travel two directions at once. If I want to drive to New York, I cannot drive west. My path to New York will contain turns and uphill battles, but I must continue to go that direction. Going west will be counterproductive.

For us to ever arrive, we must have a destination and move forward. There is no progress if I drive and hour east and then an hour west.

11:1

"Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ." Of course Paul didn't want people to worship him. However, Paul could be an example of what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Paul's life acts as a roadmap for others.

There is a hymn: Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy. The chorus has an interesting line.

"Let the lower lights be burning;

Send a gleam across the wave.

Some poor fainting, struggling seaman

You may rescue, you may save."

In the olden days, ships would use a lighthouse to know where they are in relation to the shore. However, imagine a bay protected by rocks on either side. There may be only one way to enter the bay. If the sailor simply headed towards the light at the wrong angle, he may go straight into the rocks. The only way to guide ships in from the right angle was to have a "lower light" closer to the shoreline. If the sailor lined up the lighthouse with the lower light, he would know that he is coming from the correct angle.

Often, we act as lower lights. People want to head towards Jesus Christ but may not know the path. Our living as true disciples of Christ can be that lower light that allows others to see with their own eyes how to be a disciple. We are at their level. They can relate to us. They can literally walk and talk with us.

It's not that we become the object of someone's worship, we are just acting as a guide for others as they progress towards Jesus Christ. Paul was very good at helping others follow Jesus Christ.

11:11

"Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord." I love this scripture. It illustrates the need for men and women to be together. Our strengths and weaknesses are generally complimentary. Men need women and women need men. We are meant to be dyads. A dyad is "something that consists of two elements or parts." Men and women become one.

It is meant to be this way. If we desire to be "in the Lord," we will do it as a couple. Even those who never had an opportunity to be married in this life will have that opportunity in the next. Universes are created and populated by pairs of men and women. No universe, full of spirits, can exist without a pairing of a man and a woman.

11:28-30

"But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body." For a long time, this scripture has bothered me. If we each look closely at ourselves, we likely may consider ourselves unworthy. So what does "eateth and drinketh unworthily" mean?

Our sacrament prayer on the bread contains the phrase, "that they may eat in remembrance of the body of thy Son, and witness unto thee, O God, the Eternal Father, that they are willing to take upon them the name of thy Son, and always remember him and keep his commandments which he has given them." If we are willing to take upon us Christ's name and remember him and keep his commandments, we are worthy to partake of the sacrament.

If we aren't willing, if we are in a state where we are actively sinning with little or not intention of repenting, we shouldn't take it. Why not? The sacrament is an ordinance whose purpose is to renew our covenant to follow Jesus Christ. If we take that promise seriously, the sacrament is a renewing of our determination to progress. It can be a powerful reminder about what is important. We humans need this regular recommitment.

If we take the sacrament with no intention of repenting, it can become meaningless. As we repeatedly disrespect this ordinance, it loses all power to bring change and repentance to our lives. We lose something that has great potential to keep us on the covenant path.

As the sacrament ordinance loses its power to change us, we are certainly damning ourselves. I think this is what Paul is talking about. What is the effect of eating and drinking the sacrament unworthily? We learn in verse 30. "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep." Weak and sickly people don't have energy, stamina, or fortitude. They aren't diligent. They don't lean into challenges with the goal of progressing. They sin more easily. Their defenses are down. They can become discouraged and confused. They may take paths that don't lead anywhere good.

A seemingly less severe but equally damning consequence is "sleep." If we are actively reassessing our progress and repenting of our mistakes each week, our progression arc will trend upward. If we don't do that weekly and are flippant with our sacrament partaking, we will live year after year in a stasis. We won't be actively improving. We won't be actively practicing our religion.

Active practice is what makes a golfer or a cellist world class. Tiger Woods or Yo Yo Ma didn't become who they are by simply going through the motions of their practice sessions. They were actively practicing. We must actively practice our religion if we are to progress. That active practice is built on weekly partaking of the sacrament.

12:7-11

"But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will." Here are a list of some gifts of the Spirit. Who controls the distribution of these gifts? In verse 11 we read, "dividing to every man severally as he will." It's not what the Spirit wills but what the man wills. That says, to me, that gifts of the Spirit can be attained through actions taken by the man.

It's true that gifts of the Spirit are just that...gifts. They are given by the Spirit. We cannot earn them - just receive them. We can work to be ready to receive additional gifts from the Spirit. For example, I am praying for the gift of charity. I have realized that I am unable to, on my own, develop this quality. I am desperately pleading with Heavenly Father to allow the Spirit to give me this gift. However, I must also be willing to receive. I need to do my part to strengthen my resolve to live in charity. God will not force a gift. He will not give a gift to someone who won't open his door to it.

12:12-17

This group of verses is very important to us understanding how a church works and why it is important. "For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many." We all have different gifts of the Spirit. We all have different strengths and weaknesses.

The strengths and weaknesses of a group are complimentary. This means that, added together, the group is stronger than apart. There are less weak points and more strengths. There are less opportunities for catastrophic failure. This is a good reason for groups of people to gather and support each other. This is a good reason to participate in a ward family. This is a very large reason why the Church exists at all.

None of us should feel that, because we don't have certain gifts, that we are not as needed. "If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling?" There are some gifts that seem more visible and needed. For example, the ability to speak and teach is a more public gift. It is useful and important for a ward to have those who can do this well. However, it is possible that this brother or sister may not have a gift of empathy. He or she may not see the needs in others. He or she may not have the will to serve. But, others do. Thankfully.

The ability to quietly serve others is no less important than the ability to teach. It isn't as visible. The person who takes a dinner to someone doesn't get the public accolades as the person who delivers an amazing talk at stake conference. Isn't it likely that more soul-saving happens through service than speaking? I'd bet my life on it.

12:20-25

It's possible that those high-visibility gifts may consider themselves more important than those with less visually-significant gifts. Paul instructs us that this isn't the case. "But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary." Those "feeble," simple gifts of selfless love, patience with children, discernment of needs, easy caring, commitment for a clean church, effective minister - are those gifts that prop up a ward.

Marci and I do not have a high-profile calling. We teach Sunday School to the 15-18 year olds. I think much of the ward may think that we leave church after sacrament meeting. However, we consider our calling to be one of the most important in the ward. We view this age as incredibly significant to the futures of young people. There are many crossroads that they must choose between at this point in their lives. Our calling isn't highly visible. But, like most low-visibility callings, our role is important.

"And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another." The key isn't that we have greater or lesser gifts. The essential principle is that we care for each other. Our separate gifts can be like a huge wall between ourselves and the wickedness of the world.

13:1-3

This entire chapter is magnificent. It is a beautiful explanation of the importance of charity. It is also the one chapter that makes me realize how much I have to grow. My gift is not charity. I want to have charity. I need to possess this quality to become like Jesus Christ. Nothing is as important.

Paul is incredible at making this point. I imagine that the Corinthians were perhaps looking to build those gifts that would have the greatest prominence rather than gifts that would fuel their progression throughout their lives and eternity. "Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing."

He's making the point very forcibly. He's choosing gifts that would be considered the most valuable:

• Speak with the tongues of men and of angels. How valuable would this be to a congregation?

• Gift of prophecy. If you could accurately prophecy about the future, how esteemed would you be?

• Understand all mysteries, and all knowledge. How cool would this be to have all of this understanding and knowledge?

• Have all faith, so that I could remove mountains. Faith is so essential for our progression! Enough faith to move mountains would be very impressive.

• Bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned. This is the ultimate example of selflessness and sacrifice! To give up your possessions including your life is incredible!

However, they key parts are about what happens if we do possess these gifts but have not charity:

• I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal.

• I am nothing.

• It profiteth me nothing.

In other words, the other spiritual gifts DO NOT MATTER without charity! Why is this? I think it comes down to God wanting us to progress to be like him. We have to consider that God isn't being forced to all of this for us. He is doing it voluntarily. He doesn't have to work! Yet, he is for our futures. This is an ultimate example of charity. If we are to be like him, we must have this level of charity. As I wrote before, it is charity that will give us the motivation to want to have infinite spiritual children of our own and work for their immortality and eternal life.

13:4-8

Charity is important. But what is charity? "Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things." This is a good list for me to review every day. These are the qualities that I am working on.

Charity endures. I think the other spiritual gifts can be worn away over time more easily than charity. "Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away."

13:11

"When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things." So much of our lives can be considered childish. We can be:

• Selfish.

• Impatient.

• Pleasure-seeking.

• Idle.

• Focused on entertainment.

• Easily distracted.

• Overly emotional.

• Fragile.

When we become adults, we must put away these childish things. We can't be children in grown-ups' bodies. We can't waste each month and year going through the motions of our lives without any plan or even thought for how we can become more like Heavenly Father. How many of us act like children too often? We must work to refine ourselves over time. That is part of being a grown up man or woman.

13:12

"For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known." Part of this mortal life is living with a veil over our minds so that we cannot see reality in its fullness. We don't see angels and God and the Spirit. We don't know all of the lessons that we learned in the spirit world. We don't have all of the information and it's meant to be that way. We are meant to exercise faith and experience trials with limited understanding of all of the mysteries of God.

We are seeing reality through a dark glass. When the veil is finally lifted, we will fully understand how unclear our vision really was. I think it's going to astound us how much we do not know. It's like we are seeing the purpose of life through a keyhole. If we were to live 1000 years, we'd still see through a dark glass.

It will be a glorious day when the veil is lifted and we see ourselves and others as God sees all of us.

13:13

Paul sums up how important charity is again. "And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity." Faith and hope is so important! Faith and hope is what moves us forward. But, there will come a time when faith and hope will not be as needed. When we meet Christ, our faith will be unnecessary. Our faith become knowledge. When the kingdom of heaven arrives, we will not need hope. You cannot hope for something that you are currently experiencing.

But, as I wrote earlier, charity is the one quality that will aid us in our eternal lives as we progress from glory to glory. There will always be someone in our eternal lives that requires an expression of selfless charity. Our Heavenly Father's father currently displays charity. So does his father. We will demonstrate the quality of charity throughout eternity.