What exactly does Paul mean in 1 Cor. 13:7 when he says love "believes all things..."

[Paul1976]

Hi All,


I'm having trouble coming up with a good answer for a family member who condemned me for refusing to believe someone's statement as being unloving and therefore sinful, since love "believes all things" according to 1 Cor. 13:7. I could have pointed out his hypocrisy (ironically, he's overly skeptical of people to a fault, generally in judgmental ways). I could point out how obviously wrong that interpretation is logically (Are we being unloving when we doubt the authenticity of the Book of Mormon? Are we being loving when we take an obviously unregenerate person at their word that they are a believer and do not work to show them the gospel?) However, this individual attends a church that seems quite fundamentalist and anti-intellectual. He would have simply said he believed the Bible and not my logic.

Part of my issue may be that I've never studied that section carefully. As I read the book, Paul is contrasting the pride of the Corinthian factions with genuine Christian love. I'm comfortable with the idea it isn't a blanket statement that love always has to believe anything, but not sure how to express the idea. His church never seems to get past overly simplistic soundbytes into anything deeper. Any complicated argument would hold no water, regardless of how correct it was.

Simply not talking with him is not an option.

 

[greenbaggins]

Context determines the meaning. Obviously, verse 6 limits the meaning of "what love believes" to what is true. The "all things" of verse 7 must be only the true things of verse 6. Verse 5 is also helpful here, in that phrase "is not provoked." The phrases of verse 7 must be determined by this phrase also. The result is that love believes the truth, and therefore starts from a charitable frame of mind. When faced with a claim that someone makes, love starts by giving the person the benefit of the doubt, until the evidence compels him to believe otherwise. The phrase in question comes in a series of four nearly identical grammatical phrases, the outer two of which have to do with "enduring" and the inner two have to do with believing and hoping. There is, therefore, something of a chiastic structure here that emphasizes a forward-looking belief and hope. Hope this helps.

 

[Paul1976]

It does very much. Well said. Thanks!

 

[Eoghan]

I was going to say "context determines meaning" but someone beat me to it

 

[Eoghan]

You could point out that while expecting you to believe everything you heard he was not going to extend you the same courtesy.

(I am reminded of a brilliant illustration by DA Carson when he deliberately misconstrues a liberal theologian to be defending biblical inerrancy. Finally in exasperation after some ten minutes of heated argument she says something like, " I am speaking plainly, can't you do me the courtesy of listening to what I am saying and not twist my words?" Carson replies, "Of course I can, I only ask that you extend the apostle Paul the same courtesy")

 

[God'sElectSaint]

Here's a quote from John Gill's exposition of the Bible. I think this should be helpful
believeth all things; that are to be believed, all that God says in his word, all his truths, and all his promises; and even sometimes in hope against hope, as Abraham did, relying upon the power, faithfulness, and other perfections of God; though such a man will not believe every spirit, every preacher and teacher, nor any but such as agree with the Scriptures of truth, the standard of faith and practice; nor will he believe every word of man, which is the character of a weak and foolish man; indeed, a man of charity or love is willing to believe all the good things reported of men; he is very credulous of such things, and is unwilling to believe ill reports of persons, or any ill of men; unless it is open and glaring, and is well supported, and there is full evidence of it; he is very incredulous in this respect: