What Did Paul Mean?

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arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
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#1
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
 

Jesusfollower

Active member
Oct 21, 2021
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jamaica
#2
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
How can you have faith to move mountains and not have love? Faith and love are intertwined and go together. cannot have one without the other.

Peace.

JF
 

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
780
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#3
How can you have faith to move mountains and not have love? Faith and love are intertwined and go together. cannot have one without the other.

Peace.

JF
Actually, Paul is clearly implying that you can have faith without love. He is asking of what use is faith if he has no love.
 

Jesusfollower

Active member
Oct 21, 2021
352
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jamaica
#4
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
Actually, Paul is clearly implying that you can have faith without love. He is asking of what use is faith if he has no love.
well, i do not agree with Paul. Really how can you have faith in GOD with no love? Impossible. Faith comes from love, comes from GOD!

Peace,

JF
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
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#5
Know your audience, and proceed accordingly... with love, gentleness,
understanding, and respect, while not wavering from the Truth.
 

ZNP

Well-known member
Sep 14, 2020
37,496
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#6
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
Why would you listen to someone who has no love for you? Don't care what they say, it is simply a noisy gong or clanging symbol.

This word for nothing is very interesting.

Salt that has lost its saltiness is good for nothing -- that is the first use of this word.

If you have lost your love you are good for nothing.

No man can serve two masters. This word translated "nothing" is translated here as "no man". If you have lost your love you are not serving us, hence you are good for nothing.
 

oyster67

Senior Member
May 24, 2014
11,887
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#8
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
It means that motives matter.
 

jb

Senior Member
Feb 27, 2010
4,940
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#10
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
You can find a few thoughts Here on this lovely chapter...
 
Oct 9, 2021
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#11
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
Paul said that out of faith, hope, and charity, that charity is the greatest.

Faith works by love.

Charity, love in action, is greater than faith and hope, for faith and hope are only needed on earth for they are not needed in heaven but love will go on forever.

It does not matter how much faith a person has for if they do not have love then their faith will not save them.

And love can only be done by works to apply in a person's life.

That is why Paul said that he could have all faith so that he could remove mountains but if he did not have charity he is nothing.

James pointed out that if a person has the means to help the poor and needy and they do not do it then faith without works is dead because love is greater than faith.

Which he said a person is justified by works, and not faith alone, which these are works of love.

If we do not have works of love then our faith does not apply to save us.

John said if a person has the means to help the poor and needy and do not do it then the love of God does not dwell in them, so do not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed, works, and truth.

That is why it is called charity for it is love in action, works.

Paul said the love of money is the root of all evil for it neglects the poor and needy which is not love, which some coveted after money and erred from the faith.

Paul, James, and John, say the same thing that without works of love a person a person cannot be saved because love is greater than faith.

But some people argue over Paul and James and they say the same thing.

We are not saved by works, but by faith, for that is all we can do, but when we receive the Spirit we have to have works of love to have faith active in our life.

No love, no faith.

That is why Paul said he could have all faith so that he could remove mountains but if he did not have charity he is nothing.

But some people will argue it is faith alone but Paul, James, and John said if you do not have love then you are not right with God.

God said be ye holy for I am holy.

People who confess Christ but live in sin do not love because charity does not rejoice in iniquity but rejoices in the truth that they have to abstain from sin led by the Spirit.

But some have a form of godliness but they deny the Spirit to lead them, and are ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth that they have to abstain from sin by the Spirit which a Spirit led life will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh so there is no excuse.

Maybe that is why some say faith alone because they want to believe they cannot fall even if they do not love like they should for they want to enjoy sin and believe they are saved.
 

Dirtman

Well-known member
Jul 19, 2022
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#13
When he taught, " Tthough I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. "
Paul was making a rhetorical point about loving one another being the true spirituality (how ever you want to phrase that) not great feats or displays of faith or power.
If ya notice there is in other places of the bible written warnings of false signs and wonders, while Paul wasnt speaking to that, he was giving a way of discerning who is genuine and who is not.
Most importantly he was giving a way to examine yourself. How you compassionate are you vs how pius are you? Think of the pharisees and how they made a public display of their faith, but demonstrated very little Love for their neighbors.