The Greatest Gift
Knowledge, wisdom, love, and belief, all of these attributes are essential to a well-balanced relationship with our Creator.
In this article we will look at the primary attributes given to believers and try to reveal if one of them is superior above the rest.
The attributes of the spirit
2Peter 1 partial
4Through these there have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, so that through these you might be partakers of the Mighty-like nature, having escaped from the corruption in the world, caused by lust. 5And for this reason do your utmost to add to your belief uprightness, to uprightness knowledge, 6to knowledge self-control, to self-control endurance, to endurance reverence, 7to reverence brotherly affection, and to brotherly affection love. 8For if these are in you and increase, they cause you to be neither inactive nor without fruit in the knowledge of our Master Yah’shua Messiah. 9For he in whom these are not present is blind, being shortsighted, and has forgotten that he has been cleansed from his old sins. 10For this reason, brothers, all the more do your utmost to make firm your calling and choosing, for if you are doing these matters you shall never stumble at all, 11for in this way an entrance into the everlasting reign of our Master and Saviour Yah’shua Messiah shall be richly supplied to you.
These writings show the primary attributes that we as believers should have. They are integrated, and layer upon layer help the believer to be strong in faith and able to put off the lusts of the world. Starting with a base of belief which is also faith we build upon this, adding gifts of the spirit and perfecting ourselves with the spirit of love. Was love placed last on the list purposely or was it placed in this order randomly? Let us read on.
The gifts of the spirit
1Corinthians 12 partial
4And there are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. 5There are different kinds of services, but the same Master. 6And there are different kinds of workings, but it is the same Elohim who is working all in all. 7And to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for profiting, 8for to one is given a word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another a word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, 9and to another belief by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the same Spirit, 10and to another operations of powers, and to another prophecy, and to another discerning of spirits, and to another kinds of tongues, and to another interpretation of tongues…..
28And Elohim has appointed these in the assembly: firstly emissaries, secondly prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, ministrations, kinds of tongues. 29Are all emissaries? Are all prophets? Are all teachers? Are all workers of miracles? 30Do all have gifts of healings? Do all speak with tongues? Do all interpret? 31But earnestly seek the better gifts. And yet I show you a more excellent way…………
1 Corinthians 13 partial
If I speak with the tongues of men and of messengers, but do not have love, I have become as sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2And if I have prophecy, and know all secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all belief, so as to remove mountains, but do not have love, I am none at all. 3And if I give out all my possessions to feed the poor, and if I give my body to be burned, but do not have love, I am not profited at all. 4Love is patient, is kind, love does not envy, love does not boast, is not puffed up, 5does not behave indecently, does not seek its own, is not provoked, reckons not the evil, 6does not rejoice over the unrighteousness, but rejoices in the truth, 7it covers all, believes all, expects all, endures all. 8Love never fails. And whether there be prophecies, they shall be inactive; or tongues, they shall cease; or knowledge, it shall be inactive. 9For we know in part and we prophesy in part.
10But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part shall be inactive. 11When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I thought as a child, I reasoned as a child. But when I became a man, I did away with childish matters. 12For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know, as I also have been known. 13And now belief, expectation, and love remain – these three. But the greatest of these is love.
The gifts of the spirit are given to us today to help us to do YHWH’s will. We may use these gifts as teachers, prophets, etc. for these are vehicles that the Eternal uses to get His great message out to the world. We are taught that it doesn’t matter how many gifts we have, if we don’t have love they don’t profit us at all. Wisdom, knowledge, prophecy, etc. are temporary gifts that have relevance in today’s world, but will be as nothing in the coming Kingdom. Love and its attributes will remain with us throughout our lives and will be with us in the coming Kingdom. Love is refered to as being perfect and never failing.
The fruits of the spirit
Galatians 5 partial
22But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustworthiness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no Torah. 24And those who are of Messiah have impaled the flesh with its passions and the desires. 25If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.
Here we see love and the other fruits. Knowledge is not among the fruits because it is a temporary gift and not actually a fruit of the spirit.
The gift of knowledge
1Corinthians 2 partial
12And we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit that is from Elohim, in order to know what Elohim has favourably given us, 13which we also speak, not in words which man’s wisdom teaches but which the Set-apart Spirit teaches, comparing spiritual matters with spiritual matters
1Corinthians 8 partial
And concerning food offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. 2If anyone thinks that he knows somewhat, he does not yet know as he should know. 3But if anyone loves Elohim, this one is known by Him.
1 Corinthians 3 partial
18Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you seems to be wise in this age, let him become foolish, so that he might become wise. 19For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with Elohim. For it has been written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness,” 20and again, “YHWH knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are worthless.” 21So then, let no one boast in men, for all belongs to you.
Knowledge is a double-edged sword; it brings forth good and bad. Unlike love, which is perfect, knowledge and wisdom are flawed in that they can lead men astray, allowing pride and vanity to interfere with the true knowledge, which is given as a gift through the spirit. Many men have succombed to the fleshly trappings of knowledge throughout the ages, and it continues even today.
Love your brother, not the heathen
Matthew 5 partial
43“You heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those cursing you, do good to those hating you, and pray for those insulting you and persecuting you, 45so that you become sons of your Father in the heavens. Because He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. 46“For if you love those loving you, what reward have you? Are the tax collectors not doing the same too? 47“And if you greet your brothers only, what do you do more than others? Are the tax collectors not doing so too? 48“Therefore, be perfect, as your Father in the heavens is perfect.
Straight from Yah’shua’s teachings, this shows us that hypocritical love is not perfect love. Perfect love is for us to love all men despite their faults. If we judge others, and refrain from loving those who we deem as undeserving, what we are showing is partiality and bigotry. If these types of thoughts are in our minds, we need to repent and ask forgiveness from our wonderful Abba.
Summary
Knowledge is a gift of the spirit. All gifts of the spirit are for the uplifting of the flock. Love is above all spiritual gifts, it the greatest and is able to bear the most fruit. When knowledge passes away, love will remain. Those who downplay the significance of love in the believer’s life, as well as those who mock and belittle those who sincerely have loving dispositions should examine their motives and reasoning for doing so.
Shalom & Agape in YHWH’s precious Name
11Put on the complete armour of Elohim, for you to have power to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12Because we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against authorities, against the world-rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual matters of wickedness in the heavenlies. 13Because of this, take up the complete armour of Elohim, so that you have power to withstand in the wicked day, and having done all, to stand. 14Stand, then, having girded your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15and having fitted your feet with the preparation of the Good News of peace; 16above all, having taken up the shield of belief with which you shall have power to quench all the burning arrows of the wicked one. 17Take also the helmet of deliverance, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of Elohim, 18praying at all times, with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, watching in all perseverance and supplication for all the set-apart ones;
