Acting Charitably compared to Having Charity
Laying the Foundation: It’s important that we understand the distinction between the concepts of acting charitably vs having charity.
One concept which will be developed throughout the lectures is that of “having charity”. This is about who we ARE. Yes, we ARE, largely, what we DO. However, only God and an individual truly know the underlying motivation for one’s actions.
Therefore one can act in a charitable manner and still not “have charity”.
Having charity is having the pure love of Christ in one’s heart. It is about who a person is, inside, and what motivates them. It is about whether or not that person has truly been born again, received a might change of heart, and received the image of God in their countenance.
Therefore one who “has” charity will always act in a charitable manner–because it is who they are, who they have been made into by God.
These lectures are about how one can truly come unto Christ and receive his love, be filled with his love, and “have” charity.