Note: This was a paper that I wrote for my English class. I hated the class. The teacher was a feminist and all men were of the devil. However you'd never hear her say it exactly like that. However, I expected to get more than a C on the paper. However, I hadn't learned how Universities worked by then.
1 Corinthians 13, Amplified Version
IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].
And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Krist Adams
Adv Comp
Miss Smith
What is Love: The Idea of Christian Love and the Love
As Seen From the Non-Christian
I sat in my Television Production class watching a documentary the other day. We were supposed to be watching for the techniques documentaries use, but as I watched my attention was directed to something else. The documentary we watched was called Paradise Lost: The West Memphis Child Murders. It was about three child murders that took place in West Memphis, Arkansas and three youths who were arrested and convicted for the murders. The twist, as if that wasn’t enough, was that the three youths said the murders were part of a satanic ritual. Throughout the documentary the parents of the murdered children were interviewed. Though all were interesting, one stood out tremendously. It was a stepfather of one of the boys. He quoted scriptures of the Holy Bible and talked about love, God, and Christian themes. But on the other hand he cursed the three youths and damned them to Hell. As a Christian, and more importantly a practicing one, this touched and bothered me very deeply. Though I sympathized with his pain and loss, I was also confounded about his beliefs. Here was a man that proclaimed to be a Christian, yet went against the deeply grounded principles of love. So I pondered the full meaning of “Christian Love.” What is the difference between “Christian Love” and the love that the rest of the world knows?
The definition of “Christian Love” was so eloquently written by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 (attached). So since we have the definition of “Christian Love,” what is the definition of love that the unbeliever knows? According to Dictionary.com (attached) love is as follows: a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness, an intense desire, towards a treasured object, sexual passion.
Though I used the dictionary, this definition for love was not enough for me. I had to see what other people believed. I had to see what someone who wasn’t reading a dictionary thought. I then decided to question the people whom I live with at MTSU. This is their response: Love is friendship, companionship, trust, respect, honesty you hold within, understanding, someone who means a lot to you, and waking up next to the person you fell asleep next to. I also searched the Internet, surfing unto some college-based websites and checking out what they had to say about the subject. Under categories like “Love & Lifestyles” I found topics that were narrowed down to sexual love. This covered such things as finding a mate, better ways in bed, and what to do while alone. I do not limit the definition of love to just that of sexual desire but let us face the truth— The world (at least American culture) places a lot more emphasis on sex rather than love when it comes to relationships.
It was clear that the two definitions were different. Besides what has already been stated, what other differences are there between the two that will give a better understanding? As one reads the definition from the Internet or the answers people gave— love is friendship or companionship (two or more people), respect (from another person), recognition of attractive qualities (physically), sexual passion (because of someone), waking up next to the one you fell asleep next to (another person). With these answers it is evident that love from the non-Christian perspective requires another person or ‘to physically see or know.’ To put it in simple terms—Love from a Non-Christian, Love is conditional. On the other hand, Christian love is much different.
From the Christian point of view, meaning the Christian idea of love, love does not require another person, sight, or returned gesture to make it love. What does this mean? The Non-Christian idea of love must have someone return the gesture, must have a physical attractiveness, or must have it’s way. From a Non-Christian point-of –view, there must be a reason to love the person. That reason could be physically attractive, gratifying, a reward, or anything else—but a reason is needed. It is conditional.
A boyfriend loves his girlfriend because she loves him. He loves her because she gratifies him in some way—emotionally, physically, or sexually. Watch a bad break up and see how fast love turns to hate. Does the one wronged plot revenge? When revenge is taken on the person, the other rejoices and is so happy. How does one’s love act when that person sees the other cheating? It turns to jealousy, anger, rage, hate.
To further show the point, take this scenario and these questions for example. A guy might love a girl before they go out. How? He does not know the person and the way he is seeking love is through the relationship. They may have an even split and still say they “love each other.” How fast does each go out with another person? How long does it take before each are over the other? To what degree is the love measured? What do you have to do to get the person to love you? What do you have to do to get the person to not love you? Natural human love can turn to hate when it does not get it’s way.
In physical attractiveness, how nice must the object look before you love it? Being sentimental value is another example because it becomes conditional. You love it because it has belonged to someone or whatever the possibilities are.
On the other side Christian Love is not interested in what I can get, but what I can give. Love does not take account of the evil done to it. It is then asked, how do you deal with someone who has betrayed you? In 2Timothy 4:14-15 Paul the Apostle wrote : “Alexander the coppersmith did me great wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions. Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly. At my first trial no one acted in my defense [as my advocate] or took my part or [even] stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them! (AMP)”
Through this one can see that forgiveness is a necessity, though forgetfulness is not. Forgive the person who has wronged you, but remember them for their actions not to be fooled again. And although they have wronged you, believe the best of them. The idea of Christian Love is love that is forgiving, craves justice and righteousness, self-sacrificing, kind, seeks the best in others, is not envious. The idea of Christian Love is non-conditional.
The King James Version of the Bible states: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This is Christian Love. But the strongest definition of love, the kind of love embodied in the idea of Christian love is found in Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” While we were still enemies of God, he died for us. Could you do that? Would you do that? Would you die for Hitler? Would you die for Osama Bin Laden? Christ did. And that’s the same spirit and idea the Christian idea possesses.
That is the difference between the two ideas of love. Whereas the non-believer’s idea of love is conditional, the idea of Christian love is unconditional. This whole idea of unconditional love is so profound, how come it is not more prolific? In a world were love means waking up next to the same person you fell asleep with, where that kind of love is honored, paraded, and put on TV—no wonder the idea of Christian love is not seen more, or practiced more. The people who practice the Unbelieving kind of love are so wrapped up in what they can get, that they don’t stop thinking about themselves and think about others—no matter what they’ve done. It sounds so easy, but try it some time. It’s harder than it sounds.
Works Cited
“Dictionary.com” 17 Mar 2003 www.dictionary.com
Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids: Lockman Foundation, 1954.
The Holy Bible. King James Version. Cleveland: World, n.d.
Peston, Kara. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Michaels, David. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Nichols, Sara. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Stephens, Victoria. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Cohen, Brad. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
1 Corinthians 13, Amplified Version
IF I [can] speak in the tongues of men and [even] of angels, but have not love (that reasoning, intentional, spiritual devotion such as is inspired by God's love for and in us), I am only a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal.
And if I have prophetic powers (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), and understand all the secret truths and mysteries and possess all knowledge, and if I have [sufficient] faith so that I can remove mountains, but have not love (God's love in me) I am nothing (a useless nobody).
Even if I dole out all that I have [to the poor in providing] food, and if I surrender my body to be burned or in order that I may glory, but have not love (God's love in me), I gain nothing.
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God's love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]. As for prophecy (the gift of interpreting the divine will and purpose), it will be fulfilled and pass away; as for tongues, they will be destroyed and cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away [it will lose its value and be superseded by truth].
For our knowledge is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect), and our prophecy (our teaching) is fragmentary (incomplete and imperfect).
But when the complete and perfect (total) comes, the incomplete and imperfect will vanish away (become antiquated, void, and superseded).
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child; now that I have become a man, I am done with childish ways and have put them aside.
For now we are looking in a mirror that gives only a dim (blurred) reflection [of reality as in a riddle or enigma], but then [when perfection comes] we shall see in reality and face to face! Now I know in part (imperfectly), but then I shall know and understand fully and clearly, even in the same manner as I have been fully and clearly known and understood [by God].
And so faith, hope, love abide [faith--conviction and belief respecting man's relation to God and divine things; hope--joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation; love--true affection for God and man, growing out of God's love for and in us], these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Krist Adams
Adv Comp
Miss Smith
What is Love: The Idea of Christian Love and the Love
As Seen From the Non-Christian
I sat in my Television Production class watching a documentary the other day. We were supposed to be watching for the techniques documentaries use, but as I watched my attention was directed to something else. The documentary we watched was called Paradise Lost: The West Memphis Child Murders. It was about three child murders that took place in West Memphis, Arkansas and three youths who were arrested and convicted for the murders. The twist, as if that wasn’t enough, was that the three youths said the murders were part of a satanic ritual. Throughout the documentary the parents of the murdered children were interviewed. Though all were interesting, one stood out tremendously. It was a stepfather of one of the boys. He quoted scriptures of the Holy Bible and talked about love, God, and Christian themes. But on the other hand he cursed the three youths and damned them to Hell. As a Christian, and more importantly a practicing one, this touched and bothered me very deeply. Though I sympathized with his pain and loss, I was also confounded about his beliefs. Here was a man that proclaimed to be a Christian, yet went against the deeply grounded principles of love. So I pondered the full meaning of “Christian Love.” What is the difference between “Christian Love” and the love that the rest of the world knows?
The definition of “Christian Love” was so eloquently written by the Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 13 (attached). So since we have the definition of “Christian Love,” what is the definition of love that the unbeliever knows? According to Dictionary.com (attached) love is as follows: a deep, tender, ineffable feeling of affection and solicitude toward a person, such as that arising from kinship, recognition of attractive qualities, or a sense of underlying oneness, an intense desire, towards a treasured object, sexual passion.
Though I used the dictionary, this definition for love was not enough for me. I had to see what other people believed. I had to see what someone who wasn’t reading a dictionary thought. I then decided to question the people whom I live with at MTSU. This is their response: Love is friendship, companionship, trust, respect, honesty you hold within, understanding, someone who means a lot to you, and waking up next to the person you fell asleep next to. I also searched the Internet, surfing unto some college-based websites and checking out what they had to say about the subject. Under categories like “Love & Lifestyles” I found topics that were narrowed down to sexual love. This covered such things as finding a mate, better ways in bed, and what to do while alone. I do not limit the definition of love to just that of sexual desire but let us face the truth— The world (at least American culture) places a lot more emphasis on sex rather than love when it comes to relationships.
It was clear that the two definitions were different. Besides what has already been stated, what other differences are there between the two that will give a better understanding? As one reads the definition from the Internet or the answers people gave— love is friendship or companionship (two or more people), respect (from another person), recognition of attractive qualities (physically), sexual passion (because of someone), waking up next to the one you fell asleep next to (another person). With these answers it is evident that love from the non-Christian perspective requires another person or ‘to physically see or know.’ To put it in simple terms—Love from a Non-Christian, Love is conditional. On the other hand, Christian love is much different.
From the Christian point of view, meaning the Christian idea of love, love does not require another person, sight, or returned gesture to make it love. What does this mean? The Non-Christian idea of love must have someone return the gesture, must have a physical attractiveness, or must have it’s way. From a Non-Christian point-of –view, there must be a reason to love the person. That reason could be physically attractive, gratifying, a reward, or anything else—but a reason is needed. It is conditional.
A boyfriend loves his girlfriend because she loves him. He loves her because she gratifies him in some way—emotionally, physically, or sexually. Watch a bad break up and see how fast love turns to hate. Does the one wronged plot revenge? When revenge is taken on the person, the other rejoices and is so happy. How does one’s love act when that person sees the other cheating? It turns to jealousy, anger, rage, hate.
To further show the point, take this scenario and these questions for example. A guy might love a girl before they go out. How? He does not know the person and the way he is seeking love is through the relationship. They may have an even split and still say they “love each other.” How fast does each go out with another person? How long does it take before each are over the other? To what degree is the love measured? What do you have to do to get the person to love you? What do you have to do to get the person to not love you? Natural human love can turn to hate when it does not get it’s way.
In physical attractiveness, how nice must the object look before you love it? Being sentimental value is another example because it becomes conditional. You love it because it has belonged to someone or whatever the possibilities are.
On the other side Christian Love is not interested in what I can get, but what I can give. Love does not take account of the evil done to it. It is then asked, how do you deal with someone who has betrayed you? In 2Timothy 4:14-15 Paul the Apostle wrote : “Alexander the coppersmith did me great wrongs. The Lord will pay him back for his actions. Beware of him yourself, for he opposed and resisted our message very strongly and exceedingly. At my first trial no one acted in my defense [as my advocate] or took my part or [even] stood with me, but all forsook me. May it not be charged against them! (AMP)”
Through this one can see that forgiveness is a necessity, though forgetfulness is not. Forgive the person who has wronged you, but remember them for their actions not to be fooled again. And although they have wronged you, believe the best of them. The idea of Christian Love is love that is forgiving, craves justice and righteousness, self-sacrificing, kind, seeks the best in others, is not envious. The idea of Christian Love is non-conditional.
The King James Version of the Bible states: Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.” This is Christian Love. But the strongest definition of love, the kind of love embodied in the idea of Christian love is found in Romans 5:10: “For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.” While we were still enemies of God, he died for us. Could you do that? Would you do that? Would you die for Hitler? Would you die for Osama Bin Laden? Christ did. And that’s the same spirit and idea the Christian idea possesses.
That is the difference between the two ideas of love. Whereas the non-believer’s idea of love is conditional, the idea of Christian love is unconditional. This whole idea of unconditional love is so profound, how come it is not more prolific? In a world were love means waking up next to the same person you fell asleep with, where that kind of love is honored, paraded, and put on TV—no wonder the idea of Christian love is not seen more, or practiced more. The people who practice the Unbelieving kind of love are so wrapped up in what they can get, that they don’t stop thinking about themselves and think about others—no matter what they’ve done. It sounds so easy, but try it some time. It’s harder than it sounds.
Works Cited
“Dictionary.com” 17 Mar 2003 www.dictionary.com
Amplified Bible. Grand Rapids: Lockman Foundation, 1954.
The Holy Bible. King James Version. Cleveland: World, n.d.
Peston, Kara. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Michaels, David. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Nichols, Sara. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Stephens, Victoria. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
Cohen, Brad. Personal Interview. 22 Mar. 2003
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