• 1 Corinthians 13:9
  For we know in part and we prophesy in part,
• 1 Corinthians 13:12
  For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known.

In dentistry a partial only fills in the gaps of missing teeth to allow us to chew better.

Partial knowledge and partial prophesy fill in the missing parts and allow us to eschew the truth in order for us to properly digest it in fulfilling God’s will for us in the here and now, today.

1 Corinthians 13:2 And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Having it all does not make us more loving.

The whole purpose behind Christ dying for us was to show the love of God to a lost and dying world. Sinners will only surrender to someone they can trust,where they can recognize the love that is God sent.

Gangs know that and gather the disenfranchised by offering them a place of protection, identity, and what they have not found at home or in their community, love of any type. Sure they are being used, but being used is better than being ignored.

Jesus ate with sinners and it did not change who He was but we are not Jesus. There is always that human side of us that says something along the line, “I am an alcoholic, I cannot go to a bar where drinks are served.” Drug addicts have to stop associating with users and dealers. Those are just the realities of the weakness of our humanity.

Jesus would say  “You are healed, go and sin no more.” To the blind man who sees for the first time, he has to ask himself, did my sin cause me to be blind? No it didn’t, it just means something worse might befall him if he were to sin. We should look at the circumstances of that time. The Holy Spirit had not yet been given. God had not yet given the helper to identify and resist sin.

Temptations abound in this world and we might not even be aware of some of them because we have not been tempted in every way. There is always that possibility. In order to resist temptation don’t you need to recognize it as a temptation. The diabetic knows temptation because a doctor has diagnosed him. Temptation; I know thee and thy name is Bluebell coffee ice cream. Other brands don’t tempt me as much even though they are just as dangerous as Bluebell. Now let us address temptations’ power. 

Ezra 4:15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste.

Yesterday Ezra was quoted using the word sedition. In the next verse sedition has been replaced with the word dissension. See Galatians 5:20  in the KJV.

Galatians 5:19-21 English Standard Version

19 Now the works of the flesh are evident: sexual immorality, impurity, sensuality, 20 idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, fits of anger, rivalries, dissensions, divisions, 21 envy, drunkenness, orgies, and things like these. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

The editors of the ESV apparently agree with the opinions of the International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia where they say that the word sedition should not have been used.

Allow me to offer up a real world application that we have witnessed ourselves. When the Supreme Court renders an opinion that is less than 100% agreement one justice will write a dissenting opinion. 

Perhaps one reason for removing sedition from a list of works of the flesh is that sedition is closely affiliated with rebellion. Might I offer the opinion that for one to rebel one has to belong to a ruling authority. God will not allow rebellion amongst His children, but he does allow us to have differing opinions.

Revelation 17:17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.

Agreeing in the spirit is not the same as agreeing in the flesh where it can be found there are dissenting opinions. That allows us to be right with God when we do not understand with perfect clarity the will of God. Dissent only becomes a problem in fellowship when it insists that it is the only right opinion.

1 Corinthians 13:5 or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful;

That is not how love acts.