Today's verse deals with charity, the enabler for enduring all things. Christians tend to realize the importance of endurance but all too often fail in its implementation. For this reason, it is important to identify those things that people tend to r of ng all thingsht hinder an individual's endurance. Most people tend to focus on surface traits like strength, courage, and wisdom. Truly, the absence of these would be unfavourable, yet the scripture identifies charity as the key component for enduring “all things.” In other words, a lack of endurance surfaces as a result of the absence of charity in the Christian's life. Therefore, failing to have fervent charity will eventually result in a lack of resolve. This is why the Bible says charity never faileth (1 Corinthians 13:8).
There has never been, nor ever will be, a book like the Bible. Unfortunately, some people who desire to learn its contents simply take the wrong approach. It cannot be studied like a textbook or read like a magazine or novel. It must be approached prayerfully with the help of God’s Spirit with total dependence upon Him for illumination. According to today’s passage, an unsaved man cannot fully understand the word of God because he lacks the spiritual discernment necessary to grasp its full truths. No one can approach the Bible with a fleshly mindset; it must always be approached with faith, believing that it is truly God’s word. Only then can the student with the Spirit’s help rightly discern the things intended to be understood. An improper approach has led many people to believe the Bible, like all other books, contains contradictions and errors. God graciously affords man the necessary spiritual discernment increasing a man’s faith leading him to take God at His word. When man rejects discernment, he increases his darkness.
Fear and discouragement are effective weapons in Satan’s arsenal which he uses to discourage the people of God from fulfilling the will of God for their lives. Fear is not all bad. The fear of God is good and holy, but the fear of the world withstands faith and brings the believer into bondage (Proverbs 29:25). Fear and faith are foes as are fear and courage. In 2 Timothy 1:6-8, the Bible points out that the Lord is not the instigator of fear in the life of the believer. In the place of fear, God gives men power, love, and a sound mind. God wants men to be courageous and full of faith. Yet, the fear of man exhibits a lack of courage. It frequently hinders believers from doing the Lord’s work and gives the impression that believers are ashamed of the Lord and His people.
