Sixth Sunday After Trinity (27 July 2025)

Last week, our meditation was based on the third chapter of the first epistle of Peter. Today, I would like to meditate based on 1 Peter 4:8, “above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins”. Another translation says charity or love shall eliminate the multitude of sins. 1 Corinthians 13 always comes to our mind when talking about love and charity. St Paul demonstrated and explained the importance of charity or love in this chapter. 1 Corinthians 13 is known as the ‘Hymn of Love’. Apostle Paul talks about the gifts of the spirit and love in this chapter. In other words, he talks about being charismatic and exhibiting charity.

As we know, our Saviour Jesus Christ consolidated the ten commandments into two prime commandments based on love: love your God and love your neighbour. When we love our God, we will diligently follow the first four Old Testament commandments. We will not worship any other God. We will not make or worship any idols. We will come together to worship our Lord. When we love our neighbours, we will not do any evil against them. Today, I would like to meditate on being charismatic and exhibiting charity based on 1 Peter 4:8 and 1 Corinthians 13.  

Being Charismatic

The Greek word ‘Chrisma’ means favour or gift. In our Biblical context, using the gifts of spirit is being charismatic. St Paul talks about this charisma in 1 Corinthians 12 and 13. 1 Corinthians 12:10 says that speaking in tongues is a gift of spirit according to the individual’s capacity. The first verse of 1 Corinthians 13 says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal”. From this first verse we know that there are languages spoken by men and languages spoken by angels because the verse says, “Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels”.

On the day of Pentecost, when the disciples were gathered in the upper hall, the Holy Ghost was poured upon them. They spoke the wonderful works of God with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. The multitude who gathered hearing the noise could understand what the disciples were talking because the disciples were talking in a human language. The disciples did not know the language but those who had gathered knew it because “every man heard them speak in his own language”. Here the disciples spoke in human language but they themselves did not know the language.

In 1 Corinthians 14:1, Apostle Paul says, “Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy” because, “he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries”. Here, speaking in tongues is not speaking in human language but speaking to God in a language not known to man which is the language of angels. Some people are of the opinion that speaking in tongues is anti-biblical. But in 1 Corinthians 14:39 Paul said, “Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues”. As Paul says to the Corinth church, we must desire to prophesise and not stop others from speaking in tongues.

A common question is about interpretation and understanding what somebody is speaking in tongues. The people understood when Peter was speaking in tongues because Peter was anointed by the Holy Spirit to speak in a human language that he did not know. When someone is speaking the tongues of angels, we can understand it if we have the gift of interpretation. 

It is important to understand here that “there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal.” 

In 1 Corinthians 13: 2 and 3, Paul refers to the other gifts of spirit. The gifts are “gift of prophecy, understanding all mysteries and all knowledge and faith”. These various gifts are given to us by the Holy Spirit. Anybody can speak in tongues or use the gift of the spirit when they receive it from our Lord. Luke 11:13 says the “heavenly Father” will “give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him”. 

Many times we are hesitant about speaking in tongues and using the other gifts of the spirit. But our Lord Jesus promised us the gift of the spirit. Apostle Paul also encourages us to speak in tongues. We are expected to use the gift if we have received it from our Almighty God. Using the gifts of spirit is being charismatic for His glory.  

Exhibiting Charity

Apostle Paul speaks about charity or love in 1 Corinthians 13. Verses 4 to 8 tell us about the attributes of love and charity: “Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. 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”. After talking about all these qualities of love, in verse 13 he says “now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity”. Paul concludes that charity or love is more important than using the gifts of the spirit.

Paul’s conclusion is based on Jesus’s consolidation of the ten commandments to two commandments in Matthew 22:37–40. We know Jesus consolidated as “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself”. If we think about the deeper meaning of the consolidated commandments and 1 Corinthians 13:4–8, they actually point to a life that is aligned with our Almighty God’s expectation.  It directs us to live a life that is pleasing to our Lord. If we cannot love the brother we see, we cannot love our Lord whom we cannot see. 

1 Corinthians 13:8 reads, “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”. All the prophecies given in the Bible and those spoken by man will be fulfilled before the Great White Throne Judgement. When Jesus creates a new heaven and earth, our human languages and tongues will come to an end when we are with Jesus in our eternal and everlasting life in New Jerusalem. But the Love of God will continue to be for those who are with Him.      

During Trinity season we are meditating on the characteristics of our Triune God, particularly the Holy Spirit who equips us to live a life pleasing the Almighty God. Romans 8:26 says the importance of receiving the Holy Spirit: “the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” If we have not received the gifts of the Holy Spirit, let us focus on receiving the gifts this Trinity season. Acts 2:38 tells us how we can receive this gift. Peter said “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Let us repent and receive forgiveness to receive anointing of the Holy Ghost and the gifts. It is our responsibility to repent, pray and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost from our Almighty God. We require the Holy Spirit to guide us in our Christian life. The Holy Spirit will enable and strengthen us to use the gift of prophecy, understanding all mysteries and all knowledge and faith. 

At the end of Trinity season, we will be entering into Advent season where we celebrate the birth of our Lord Jesus. Receiving the Holy Spirit and the gifts of the Spirit and using them to our Lord’s glory is the best gift we can give Jesus for the love that He demonstrated by being born as a baby. Let us pray and wait on the Lord to receive the Holy Spirit and the gifts. Let us use the gifts of the Spirit for our Lord’s glory. 

I pray that our Almighty Lord pours the Holy Spirit on us and equips us to use the spiritual gifts in our everyday lives. I pray that we know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that we “might be filled with all the fulness of God”. Amen!