Charity, Part III: It Profiteth Me Nothing (1 Corinthians 13:3)
2022-12-30
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. (1 Corinthians 13:3)
This verse is an enigma; isn’t such great sacrifice charity? Apparently, you can do those things without charity! We can do “self-sacrificial” acts for our own reasons. “But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession, And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet” (Acts 5:1-2). Even these two who gave a substantial amount for church distribution did it to be publicly praised.
Notice that this “self-sacrificial” service does not profit the one who (in the deepest, darkest corner of their soul) expects reward for doing heroic and loving deeds. “Verily I say unto you, They have their reward” (Matthew 6:2, 5, 16).
Even the Gospel can be preached with such motive. “Some indeed preach Christ even of envy and strife; and some also of good will” (Philippians 1:15).
Biblical charity or love expects absolutely nothing in return. If you lay down your life in true charity, you expect and assume the other is benefitted, and you gain nothing and lose everything.