Charity (part two)

The first blog we talked about Love but the fruit of the Spirit is more than just love but love with Charity.  The word Charity appears 28 times in the King James but  in the Wycliffe New Testament it appears 118 times.  

Just like Love, there is good and bad charity.  The great Paul writes an interesting line in 1 Corinthians 13:2-3 which reads "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. 3 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."

Paul says Charity is more than giving to the poor or even having the strongest faith to move mountains.  He even adds we as Christians are to be a new person in the knowledge of Jesus where we are free with no regard to background of a person but also in our actions towards them and their actions towards us. 

Colossians 3:12 Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye.14 And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness.

Now that we have the parameters it is Paul's letter to Timothy that gives us how we use the Fruit of Charity as 1 Timothy 1:5 says "5 Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pure heart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned:"

Oh my, you can tell them by their fruit of Charity through the pure heart, a good conscience and a genuine/sincere faith.  That is where charity is at.  It is with great sadness that many Christians are missing this key fruit.  Charity is the starting point just like Love so that the other fruits can be fruitful like joy, peace, faith, etc...  

Jude warns us to be careful with our Charity as Christians and Non Christians people will take advantage of those strong in faith through there Charity.  I can tell when people are producing no fruit or bad fruit thanks either the works of the Flesh or the Fruits of the Spirit found in Galatians 5.  It is there for all of us see and understand who are the people living in Love and Charity.  

Do you live a life of Charity and Love? If yes, do you recognize people that have works of the flesh or are walking with the Fruits of the Spirit?  Ask God to give you this wisdom of discernment.  

His Love!