Thirsting Souls Bible Teaching

(1Co 14:1) “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy.”  Remember: they had no completed Bible. So, if one was to seek anything, it should be a greater knowledge of God’s will and direction, not only for himself, but for others. This agrees with the previous chapter, for Godly love seeks to love God as He should be loved and others as much as ourselves. We can only achieve this through a greater knowledge of what God desires.

 (1Co 13:13) “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”  True love for the Lord could never imagine evil, or wrong, of Him and thus always holds to Him in faith. True love for Him longs for Him, to be closer to Him, to be in His presence, and thus hopes, looks for His Coming. Therefore it is greater than faith or hope.

(1Co 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.”  Remember -context, the first part (see through a glass, darkly) is before the coming of the complete, perfect, Word of God. A person would speak a Word from God (v.2) and one would see self in its light. Now I see myself not as a through a hazy glass, but as a mirror (James 1:23-24) and can know self as others and God really sees me (am known).

(1Co 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.”  Spiritually, it was time for God’s people to grow up and seek the best of what God had to offer: love. They needed to yield to the Holy Spirit, allowing Him to help them sacrificially give of themselves to God, and therefore to others around them. If they would do so, the sin and strife among them would cease. May it be so with  you and me.

(1Co 13:10) “But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”  Thought: There are those who would say, “Man wrote the Bible.” If so, it could not be referred to here are “perfect”. It is perfect, for: (2Ti_3:16) “All  [every bit] scripture is given by inspiration of God [literally means “God breathed”], and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:”

(1Co 13:9) “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (10)  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”  All the Lord has chosen to reveal is found in the Bible. It’s revelation contains so much that a lifetime of reading and study cannot pull out all its secrets. Yet, by study, the Lord gives us each spiritually that which we need the most. It is both milk and meat for the soul. Sit and eat.

(1Co 13:9) “For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. (10)  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away.”  “Perfect”: complete; full grown; mature.  Before the completion of the Word of God, spiritual gifts were given to fill aid the church is growing. Remember, those gifts were given by the Holy Spirit and thus used by Him. Keeping the context, practicing God’s sacrificial love is far better than the use of tongues, prophecy, or knowledge.

(1Co 13:8) “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.”  Now that we have the complete Word of God, the Child of God can each be taught by the Holy Spirit within him or her. Point: It is available to each of us, not simply a few who have the gift of knowledge. Your thirst will be filled if you will just sit down with the Bible as if at the feet of the Lord Jesus.