The Dwelling Place

What Then?

2009-04-09T13:55:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 7:12-16 Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. 13 And if a Christian woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. 14 For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy. 15 (But if the husband or wife who isn't a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.) 16 Don't you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don't you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?

We've talked about divorce, and how God is not okay with it. Today we are going to look at what happens when you get left by a non-Christian spouse. Remember, the Corinthians were new Christians. These were first generation believers, so there were some families where one spouse received the Gospel, but the other did not. If you are a Christian, you are expected to marry a Christian. (2 Corinthians 6:14 Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness?) This verse is not dealing with race. I'm not sure how that rumor got started, but there is absolutely no evidence that it has anything to do with it. Simply reading it kind of proves the point. (Do not team up with... unbelievers.) I don't care if they're purple, you're going to have more in common with a Christian than with a non-Christian with the same color of skin that you have. That being said, let's go ahead and look at the first verse, and see what God has to say on the subject.

1 Corinthians 7:12-13 Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. 13 And if a Christian woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him.

When Paul says that he does not have a direct command from the Lord, he is not saying that we should ignore the following statements because they're uninspired. No. He's been quoting Jesus when he says that a woman should not leave her husband, and that she should only get remarried if she is reconciling to her husband. Now he is moving away from things that Jesus Christ said specifically while on earth. He is still under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but the Corinthians couldn't trace his statements back to Jesus.

If you find yourself in a marriage with an unbeliever, whether by way of a bad choice or because you were saved after the wedding, it is going to cause tension. Satan may very well tell you that God's will for you is to leave your husband because it does make the Christian life much harder when you're married to a player of the opposing team. Paul is saying that difficulty is not an excuse to leave your husband. We are still required to be faithful and loyal to our husbands, whether they have the same ideology that we do or not. As long as he is willing to stay with you, you should stay with him.

1 Corinthians 7:14 For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.

A marriage can glorify God, even if one spouse isn't saved. "How can that be?" you ask. The Christian spouse can bring glory to God in the way that she/he acts within the marriage. If you've ever known a Christian who is married to someone who is not a believer, you know that it is extremely difficult to deal with a lot of the situations that come up. In that difficulty, though, there are opportunities to do things well. When such a believer relies on Christ for the wisdom and help that he/she needs, they show off the power of God. God can use such a situation for His glory. That does not mean that you should intentionally get into that marriage, though. That's just unwise. Such a marriage brings both partners tons of pain, and it usually causes the children even more pain.

Speaking of children... a Christian wife brings a lot to a marriage, and to parenting. It's a lot harder for one parent to raise Christian children, but it's harder still for two lost parents to raise Christian children. A Christian mother's prayers, biblical advice, and godly discipline make all the difference in the world. Staying in the marriage may seem difficult, and even painful for the children, when one spouse is lost. You have the very difficult task of making a good marriage out of an incomplete list of ingredients. You may not be able to do it, but there is One who is able.

1 Corinthians 7:15 (But if the husband or wife who isn't a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.)

You may get left. You may do everything well. You may choose to put away your Bible in the mornings when hubby gets up in order to keep the peace. You may quietly get out of bed on Sunday mornings, and quietly get the kids ready for church. You may pray silently over your food instead of out loud so he doesn't feel out of place. You may work very hard to make sure that you don't seem morally superior to him. He still may leave.

How do you deal with that? According to this verse, you allow him to go without a fight. When there are children involved, that's going to be completely counter-intuitive. You're going to want "what I'm due". Your friends are going to tell you about all that you deserve. You're going to look at your children, and you are going to feel hurt or angry, probably both. You're going to want revenge.

But, "God has called you to live in peace." I don't know how hard that is going to be. I have a wonderful husband, and parents with a healthy marriage. I do know this: if God tells you to do something, He is going to make it possible. He watched His Son die on the cross. Why did He do that? He did that because of our sin. When we cheated on Him (that's what sin is, cheating on our first love), He made the move to fix our relationship. He gave up the most precious commodity He has (though only for a short time), so we could be reconciled to Him. In light of that, struggling to pay the rent doesn't seem as unbearable. And even in the worst divorce situation, there is still hope...

1 Corinthians 7:16 Don't you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don't you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?

Even in the way you react to divorce and custody battles, you can be a light in the darkness. That Light can penetrate his dark heart, and that Light can bring them into an eternal relationship with the Most Holy God! How wonderful would that be? What if God healed his heart, your marriage, and your family? What a testimony to God's grace! Even if the results aren't that astounding, you can know that you did what you were supposed to do. You can know that you obeyed. You can maintain a relationship with God that can get you through anything. You can know the joy and peace that intimacy with our True Father can bring.

If you're still married to an unbelieving husband, but you're struggling, you may want to know how. How do I do that? How do I make him love God? You can't make him, but you can make it easier.

1 Peter 3:1-2 In the same way, you wives must accept the authority of your husbands. Then, even if some refuse to obey the Good News, your godly lives will speak to them without any words. They will be won over 2 by observing your pure and reverent lives.

Living what you say is infinitely more effective than nagging. Loving him well, even when he isn't too lovable, can make a world of difference. Love God. Love him. Even when he's incorrect, submit to his authority (unless it's a moral issue; if it is, seek the counsel of a pastor or Christian counselor for specific advice). Be the wife God has told you to be.

Isn't it worth the chance? Doesn't God deserve for you to live the life He wants? Isn't His grace enough? How big is our God? And how good is He? Those are the questions that we silently answer when we choose to do things our way, and not His. Obedience answers those questions, too. What answer do the people around you see? What kind of a God are you serving?

The 'D' Word

2009-04-07T22:34:00.003-04:00

1 Corinthians 7:10-11 But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. 11 But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.

Divorce is common place in this culture. More marriages end in divorce than not, and the statistics differ very little between the members of God's Church and those outside of it. It's accepted. That doesn't make it right.

We've mentioned previously that the Christian marriage is meant to bring a physical representation of the spiritual relationship between God and His Church. That's why we have to run our marriages according to the design God has set. How, then, can we be the representatives of God to a lost world when we aren't maintaining our marriages? How can the lost people around us see the relationship God longs to have with us when our marriages end just like those who don't know God?

You may be divorced. I'm not trying to run you down. If you or your spouse is re-married, what's done is done, and there is very little that you can do about it at this point. (You may consider asking your ex-spouse for forgiveness, if you haven't already.) If you both remain single, you should pray over the possibility of reconciliation.

That thought may throw you for a loop, especially in the cases of a messy divorce or custody battle, or if he cheated or abused you. I'm not saying that you should walk up to his door and say, "I'm sorry. Please take me back. I'll do anything. Here I am!" and throw yourself on his floor. No, that would be stupid. I'm saying that you should consider the fact that God may not be done with His testimony in your lives. God can heal broken marriages.

If you are divorced, or if you are in a marriage that seems hopeless, allow me to say this: The Israelites were trapped between an army and a sea, with no place to go (Exodus 15). That's hopeless. Jesus had been dead for three days before He rose from the grave (Luke 23-24). That's hopeless. We were dead in our sins when Christ made the first move to save us from them (Ephesians 2). Dead! That's hopeless. God doesn't do hopeless. He fixes hopeless. When we assume that something is beyond repair, we are doubting the power of God.

1 Corinthians 7:11 But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.

"What? I have to be single forever?" Well, I'm still hoping that divorced readers will be able to return to their marriages. If you're the one who does the leaving, you should be prepared for a newly found call to singleness. If you just can't believe that God wants you to do that, you need to make sure that you're going by His rules and not your own. If you get left, though, I'm not sure that this passage is speaking to you. Obviously, you still have some responsibility in the outcome of your marriage, and you should still try to mend it, if possible. I'm just not convinced that you are required to remain single after your marriage comes to an end.

We don't take marriage seriously. There are too many people who don't realize the importance of marrying well. Some people don't want to leave their hometowns, and they end up marrying someone who's "as good as it's gonna get" for them. Others are just lonely, and they'll take just about anything. We have to make sure that when we enter into marriage, it's a lifelong commitment that isn't just based on love. Sure, we should definitely love each other, but we also have to make sure that we see eye-to-eye with our fiance on the fact that marriage isn't just about the two spouses, or even the spouses and their families. It's about the lost world getting a look at the truth of the Gospel.

That means a willingness to wait for the guy that God has designed for you. It means a desire for more than happiness out of a marriage. No marriage is always the source of deep happiness. Sometimes it's difficult. Every once in a while, even a good marriage can be pretty miserable. That isn't the point. The point is that God is being glorified in the way we run our homes. When we take marriage that seriously, we can usually find a way to make things work. We have to make a choice, though, to allow God to take first priority over everything else, including our dreams and romantic notions.

If you are coming out of a failed marriage, a break may be the best plan. It might be good to take some time and try to figure out what God wants you to do with your life at this point. If you've been divorced for a while, it may be time to take action and try to take your broken marriage to the throne of grace and allow God to fix it. If you are re-married, make sure that the marriage you are in now is glorifying to God. It isn't too late for this one. No matter where you are, whether happily married or broken-hearted, God has a good plan for you that can start from this moment! My prayer for you, dear Christian, is the same as Paul's prayer for the Ephesians:

Ephesians 1:16-18 I have not stopped thanking God for you. I pray for you constantly, 17 asking God, the glorious Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, to give you spiritual wisdom1 and insight so that you might grow in your knowledge of God. 18 I pray that your hearts will be flooded with light so that you can understand the confident hope he has given to those he called -- his holy people who are his rich and glorious inheritance.

A Gift? For Me?

2009-04-02T18:21:00.003-04:00

1 Corinthians 7:7-9 I wish that all people were just like me. But each has his own gift from God, one this and another that. 8 I say to the unmarried and to widows: It is good for them if they remain as I am. 9 But if they do not have self-control, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with desire.

Paul now speaks to the fact that everyone has been placed exactly where they are meant to be. Paul obviously sees the benefit of his own gift, celibacy, clearer than he sees the benefits of the gifts given to others. There is a great benefit to celibacy, if one is gifted in it. Celibacy allows a person to concern him or herself to the things of God completely. Any married person will tell you, marriage is work. When one is celibate, and therefore single (remember that refraining from sex inside of marriage is not a good thing), that person is able to put all of the energy that they would put toward a marriage into their personal ministry. By ministry, I do not mean paid work for a local church. Every Christian is meant to be a minister. We are supposed to be evangelizing the lost, encouraging other Christians, and discipling young Christians to grow into mature Christians.

1 Corinthians 7:7 But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. But God gives to some the gift of marriage, and to others the gift of singleness.

I can imagine Paul's thought process as he looked at all of the internal struggles that plagued the Corinthian church. I wonder how many of the problems he saw could have been resolved through celibacy. At least the issue with the man sleeping with his step-mom could have been avoided. He admits, though, that celibacy is not something that everyone can pull off. Few can in this culture. Sex is everywhere!

Marriage or singleness are both meant for the purpose of glorifying God. Married Christians should work to make their marriages an example to those around them. Wives should respectfully submit when no other solution exists. Men should be willing to die for their wives.

Singles, too, should use their lives with the same purpose. They are going to have some additional resources (if they don't have any children), such as time and money, that can be used for building up the church.

No matter where you are, what job you have, or the relationships that fill your time, you should be working everyday to use your life for God's glory and the expansion of His Kingdom.

1 Corinthians 7:8-9 So I say to those who aren't married and to widows -- it's better to stay unmarried, just as I am. 9 But if they can't control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It's better to marry than to burn with lust.

Paul is reminding the Corinthians that the single life isn't a lesser life. It's a great thing, if you can live the single life righteously. Most people can't. I can't.

I know, it sounds like Paul is snubbing those of us who enjoy the benefits of marriage. It sounds like the marriages he is describing are purely based on a desire for sex. I didn't marry Edwin just so we could have sex. We wanted to build our lives together, as a team.

All that being said, let's look at the Catholic church for a moment. I'm not insulting Catholics, but I do have a serious problem with forced celibacy. It hasn't ended well in many cases. There have been many children that have had to pay the price for this man-made rule. The men who committed such atrocities were told that celibacy was required in order to live a truly holy life. Most of them probably became priests because of a desire that they had to minister to people. It didn't end well, though. Lives were ruined!

Let's not pretend that the desire for sex is a non-issue. People were created with an intense desire for sex, but some were also given super-natural self-control. When Paul says that those who cannot control themselves should carry, he isn't saying that we are hugely weak when we recognize that a desire for sex is an issue for us. He's saying that there are some people that God has enabled to live their lives without sex. Celibacy is a great gift, if it's the one you have received, and it can be received at an older age. For older widows, it may be easier than for a twenty-something to remain single.

We can't allow personal pride or a desire to appear holy to dictate our lives. Not everyone can go overseas and do mission work. Not everyone can be a pastor. Not everyone can speak to hundreds of people about God's Word. But everyone can do something, and every Christian is expected to use the resources God has given them to benefit His Church. Everyone can give (some) money to mission work. Everyone can support their pastor and look for ways to serve his/her church. Everyone can tell their friends and co-workers about a God who loves them so much that He was willing to give His Son. You can... because of what He has done for us.

Am I Blushing?

2009-03-31T22:30:00.003-04:00

If you aren't to embarrassed to continue reading, we are studying what 1 Corinthians says about marriage, and more specifically, sex within marriage.

1 Corinthians 7:4-6 The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife. 5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.

The first verse sends a pretty unpopular message: married couples have authority over one another's bodies. That sounds wrong, and it can be taken to mean something totally different than what it means. It does not mean that a man (or woman) has the right to abuse his/her spouse. It does not mean that a husband can tell his wife where to go every moment of every day, or that a wife should constantly nag his husband about where he is going or where he has been. It means that married couples belong to one another. Their bodies are meant for sexual use by their spouse, and their spouse alone. It also means that we have responsibility to one another as well. We are responsible for meeting the desires of that body as best we can, emotionally, physically, sexually, and spiritually.

God designed married couples to work in a particular way, which is why homosexuality is an issue. Men and women were created with equal worth, but with different psychological and emotional needs. Look at this passage from Ephesians:

Ephesians 5:23-33 For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. 24 As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything. 25 For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her 26 to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. 27 He did this to present her to himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. 28 In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. 29 No one hates his own body but feeds and cares for it, just as Christ cares for the church. 30 And we are members of his body. 31 As the Scriptures say, "A man leaves his father and mother and is joined to his wife, and the two are united into one." 32 This is a great mystery, but it is an illustration of the way Christ and the church are one. 33 So again I say, each man must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

Marriage is meant to draw a picture of the relationship God has with His people, so the world can understand Him and how we relate to Him better. When women refuse to respect their husbands and submit to them, they are portraying that relationship inaccurately, which is a big deal. When a man seeks his own benefit above that of his wife, and takes advantage of her willingness to submit, he too is lying to the world about the ways that God and His people relate. A mistake on one person's part does not excuse him or her from fulfilling his or her duties in the marriage. It makes it more difficult, but through your obedience, your husband may be saved, as we will see later in this chapter. In order to give a testimony to the world of God's love and grace, which is the greatest task given to believers, we must maintain healthy Christian homes.

1 Corinthians 7:5 Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won't be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Okay, ladies. It's time to get to the nitty-gritty. How many of you have ever "held out" because your husband did something you weren't happy about? Show of hands? I see. No one wants to raise their hand while sitting alone in their den in front of the computer, eh? Well, I understand that.

Sex is not a bribe. It is not a tool for getting what you want out of your husband, or out of life in general. Sex isn't meant to fix a relationship, and it isn't meant to hold a marriage together. Sex can't buy love back from a disinterested spouse. Lack of sex is not a punishment, either.

This verse isn't saying that you have to "do it" every night if your husband wants it every night. What this verse is getting at is that we can't just stop having sex for a longer period of time with the purpose of punishing each other or manipulating the relationship. Marriage is meant to fulfill sexual needs, remember? That's not its main goal, but it is an important part of it. When we hold out, we are allowing our husbands to be tempted, which should be something that we protect them from.

You aren't his sex-toy. You aren't in existence merely for the purpose of bringing him pleasure. That's not what I'm saying at all. What I am saying is that sex is meant to be meaningful for both of you. It is meant to be fun. It is meant to be satisfying. If you just can't get in the mood, do something really crazy and pray about it. I know, I know. It sounds nuts, but that's only because our culture says that sex and God don't mix. Guess what? It was His idea! Do it His way, and I think you may like it even more!

There is a good reason to take a break from sex. It's a great idea to have a sexual fast for a few days, especially when a big decision is coming up or you're facing a tough time in your personal lives, marriage, work, or at church. Just make sure that you're praying more. Redirect the excitement that you have had toward each other to God.

More than a few days is probably not a good idea, though. Hubby may end up having a hard time concentrating after that long. You know your husband. You can determine how long he should be able to go without intimacy. And you may very well be the one who needs to put the fast to an end. There's no shame in a woman who enjoys her husband so much that a few days without his touch make praying a bit difficult. Once concentration decreases, it's time to move on and enjoy God's design for sex once again.

1 Corinthians 7:6 I say this as a concession, not as a command.

The Corinthians might have brought the subject of sexual fasts to Paul, which may be why he refers to his response as a concession. Either way, sexual fasts aren't necessary. They don't make you a better Christian than if you decide against it. If you and your hubby can't agree, then drop the subject. It's okay. Paul doesn't command you to refrain from sex for the purpose of prayer, but if you want to, more power to you!

See? That wasn't so bad, was it? It didn't hurt or anything. The chapter isn't over yet, but most of the sex talk is concluded for a while, so exhale, already. I'll see you soon with the next study.

And Now, What I've Been Looking Forward To...

2009-03-31T00:52:00.002-04:00

Okay, not so much. This chapter throws me for a loop. I have no problem discussing marriage or sex, but Paul's attitude in this chapter is hard for me, in my feeble-minded humanity, to grasp. It's my weakness, not that of God's Word, obviously. It's not so difficult when you're reading through this chapter quickly, but when you take it apart, well, it's not so simple...

1 Corinthians 7:1-3 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life. 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband. 3 The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs.

Here's something that hadn't occurred to me until just now: the Corinthians brought up the question of celibacy in the midst of all of their sexual immorality. Here they were, with members of their own church sleeping with family members (though not blood relatives), and they were debating the value of celibacy! We've talked about the arrogance of the Corinthians several times. What I'm gathering, though it is a far from conclusive theory, is that the Christians of Corinth may have been refraining from marriage in an attempt to seem more holy, but were falling to temptation because of it.

Celibacy is a calling. It's been called "the gift that no one wants". No joke! I'm grateful for my marriage, and the sex life that comes with it. Some people have said that no one should be celibate because it leads to terrible things like pedophilia. I would agree that forced celibacy, such as in the Catholic church, could have that affect. It would seem that Paul is leaning that way, too. I do believe that there are some people who can pull it off. There are some people who were born differently, and they have special medical circumstances that make it easier for them to refrain from sexual activity. There are other people whom God has designed purposefully for celibacy. They are rare people, but they are in existence. For them, it is not a sacrifice to remain single, just as it is not a sacrifice for our family to go overseas. It's exactly what we want to do!

1 Corinthians 7:1-2 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life. 2 But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

Celibacy requires a lot of self-control and spiritual maturity, neither of which characterize the Corinthians. The situation of the Corinthian church proves that celibacy is just not a good idea for the members there. Like in American culture, sex and perversions thereof pollute the air. It's difficult to go a day without hearing and seeing all kinds of temptations that keep us (and kept them in their day) from living a holy life.For the Corinthians, it would be a good plan to marry.

Notice that there's a very specific formula for a marriage here: man + woman. Somehow this is a debate even in the Christian church! I'm not speaking about political issues here. The policies that I'm referring to are in churches themselves. Many churches disregard this teaching of Scripture as a merely cultural issue, but homosexuality is referred to time and time again as sin and a perversion of a wonderful part of God's plan. If we can't believe this basic teaching of the Bible, what can we trust?

Romans 1:26-27 That is why God abandoned them to their shameful desires. Even the women turned against the natural way to have sex and instead indulged in sex with each other. 27 And the men, instead of having normal sexual relations with women, burned with lust for each other. Men did shameful things with other men, and as a result of this sin, they suffered within themselves the penalty they deserved.

1 Timothy 1:10-11 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.

Now, let's get one thing straight (no pun intended) before moving on. It is not okay to hate homosexual people. If a gay person walks into your church, you better treat them as well as you would treat anyone. He or she has been deceived by the prince of darkness. Your job is to show them the Light. That doesn't happen by yelling at them or kicking them out of the place. Now, if they claim to be Christians, that changes things. Once a person calls him- or herself by that sacred title, they are required to live by it, and it is for their good that the Church exercises discipline. For those that do not refer to themselves as Christians, (and that will usually mean that they do not attend church in our culture. Everyone says they're a Christians when asked directly in this country.) we are required to show our love through kindness to them, remembering that it was while we were still sinners that Christ showed His love to us (Romans 5:8, Ephesians 2:5).

We are to be loving toward all of God's precious creations. For those who call themselves Christians, but act like the world, that is through loving discipline. For those who do not claim to know God, we show that love through kindness and by telling them the Truth of God's Word.

1 Corinthians 7:3 The husband should fulfill his wife's sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband's needs.

People are supposed to enjoy married sex. It's meant to be fun. There are times when it's less than magical, but that's no excuse to pull away. (Mom, you may want to go to another site, if you haven't already. :) My goal is to keep my husband so incredibly satisfied that he is just too plain tired to want to have sex with anyone else. He's never struggled with sexual temptation before, but I have no desire to see him start struggling with it. I'm not saying that a lack of sex in marriage is an excuse for cheating. Nope. It's still terrible sin. But, God created people with sexual desires. Those desires are meant to be fulfilled in marriage.

Before getting married, our pre-marital counselor (my dad performed the wedding, but we saw someone else privately for counseling. It's called preventive medicine. Everyone should talk to a pastor or counselor before getting married!!!) told us to read a book called The Act of Marriage. At some point in that book, it said that if you are going through a phase when sex isn't as enjoyable as normal, you should make sure to have more sex. What? Huh? That doesn't quite compute, does it?

It's true, though. When I make a point of intentionally enjoying Edwin and I make sure that I'm in control of my own attitude, it's amazing how much more I want to have sex the next day! And the next. :) Look, I can't have sex every time Edwin wants to, but I can keep him satisfied. I can make sure that he is feeling loved through sex. Some people, and Edwin is one of them, feel loved through sex more than others. I prefer to talk for a while and then have sex. Edwin, on the other hand, feels much more connected to me after sex, so he wants to talk then. We compromise and just talk a lot.

Don't think of sex as a drudgery. Read Song of Solomon sometime. It ain't drudgery or work in that book, sister! If you are bored to pieces with your sex life, get help from a Christian counselor, or read a book (which is probably a good first step) like The Act of Marriage by Tim Lahaye, Sheet Music by Kevin Leman, or The Gift of Sex by Clifford and Joyce Penner. There is nothing wrong with buying something pretty and skimpy for the marital bedroom, either. Make a point of feeling sexy some night this week. That'll really throw that hubby of yours for a loop! I read about one woman who recommended giving your husband a tie by wearing it to dinner, with nothing else but heels. Just make sure the blinds are closed before that little dinner, and be prepared to stop in the middle of the salad. No matter how unattractive you think you are, he is gonna like it.

Find new ways to enjoy each other. We're going to keep looking at what 1 Corinthians has to say on this very racy subject in our next study. Until then, do your homework ;)!

Chapter 6: Outline

2009-03-26T13:04:00.003-04:00

1 Corinthians 6:1-8- Lawsuits between believers are unacceptable!

Because believers house the Holy Spirit, we should be able to find someone in the church wise enough to handle the dispute without taking it to outside authorities.
To take such issues to secular courts is to disgrace the church. No unbeliever wants to be a part of a divisive group of people! They want to see that the church of the Living God is different. That means that we may have to make some sacrifices to our personal rights in order to make God and His Church look good.
It is infinitely better to accept personal loss in order to preserve the glory of God.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 6:7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated?

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 Those who practice sin are not saved.

Paul gives a list of sins that characterize those who are still lost: sexual sin, idolatry, adultery, prostitution, homosexuality, thievery, greed, drunkenness, abuse, and cheating.
These sins are examples of unloving attitudes toward each other, God, and His temple, our bodies.
Believers were once sinners. Past sins do not negate the grace of God.
God has cleansed us with His Holy Spirit. He doesn't merely save us from Hell, He saves us from the power of sin altogether.
Those who are saved may sin from time to time, but they do not practice sin regularly. The Holy Spirit will convict His people, making sin unenjoyable. Sin should be hard if you are saved.
We, Christians, now stand before God with His holiness covering us. He continued making us holy through His power.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 6:11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

1 Corinthians 6:12-14: Although Christians cannot lose their salvation, they are called to the holiness fitting of God's people.

Sin is a slave-master. To continue in sin is to continue to live in slavery when God has paid the price for your freedom.
Christians have been reborn for the purpose of God's glory. We are to live for Him, even in how we treat our bodies.
Our bodies are temporal. Our need for food, our desire for sex, all such things will pass away. We need to concentrate on the things that really do stick. The things that we do for the glory of God will last, but earthly pleasures will be done away with.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 6:12 You say, "I am allowed to do anything" -- but not everything is good for you. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything.

1 Corinthians 6: 15-20: Sexual sin affects a person spiritually, and is unacceptable for those who are the temple of God.

Sex is a physical way of joining the souls of two people. When we join ourselves with the wrong person (that would be anyone other than a spouse, who is of the opposite sex), we who are already joined to the Holy Spirit put Him in a place He does not want to be.
We are the temple of God. He dwells in our spirits, and makes our bodies His place of residence. Take that seriously! The Holy Spirit lives in you!!!
You have been redeemed from slavery sin for the purpose of being slaves to God. Slaves must be submissive to their Master!
He paid a high price to redeem us. You are a precious commodity to Him. That's great news! It comes with great responsibility to represent Him well.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 6:20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

That is a High Price!

2009-03-24T13:55:00.000-04:00

Today we are completing 1 Corinthians 6. Tomorrow we will have our regular review and outline. I've been trying to make the studies more manageable by shortening them a little. Although last week I only completed two studies (and I do apologize for that), I intend to continue doing three a week, just making them a tad bit shorter. Okay, let's dive right into our passage.

1 Corinthians 6:18-20 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

What does the idea of running away make you think of? When someone runs away from something, they are generally afraid, really afraid. They aren't too concerned about what people are thinking about them, are they? No one looks particularly good while running, their faces all red and sweaty. Many people think that you have to be cowardly in order to run from something. In this case, running away from sexual sin is the smartest move you can make.Let's look at some examples:

You have a friend with a flirty husband. You can't tell if he's "for real" or not, but the flirting makes you feel really good. To run away would mean to make sure that there are no opportunities for him to flirt with you. His wife always needs to be around. No phone conversations with him while you're waiting on her to get to the phone, either. And, if at some point it becomes clear that he is doing more than just talking, you get out. If you think that he has been cheating on his wife, you need to tell her what you know for sure. Running away may mean leaving a friend behind.
Soap operas make you feel all romantic and giddy, but they also leave you dissatisfied with your own sex life and/or marriage. You have no intention on acting on those feelings, but it's hard not to think about it. It's time to run, girlfriend! That's right. Turn off the t.v. and put in a good movie (Fireproof, maybe?), read a book by a trustworthy Christian author, garden, surprise your husband at work with lunch. Just don't sit there allowing your relationship with your hubby to be threatened by something so stupid as a completely unrealistic soap.
Your husband has seemed unsatisfied sexually for a while. He's been looking at things he shouldn't, and that has only made it much worse. Now he's hinting that the two of you do things that you just aren't sure about. He's your husband, and you're supposed to keep him happy, right? What are you supposed to do? Allow me to say this, just because something isn't what your grandma told you was okay in bed, doesn't mean that it's unbiblical. God is perfectly fine with married couples working to find what, um, works. (You may want to read Sheet Music by Kevin Leman, or The Gift of Sex by Clifford and Joyce Penner for ideas what is a good idea, and what isn't okay for the Christian.) If he's asking you to do something that you absolutely know is wrong, like involving pornography or other people (gulp), you're going to have to do something drastic. It's time for a counselor, which isn't as drastic as some people think. If he refuses, you may have to separate for a while. Running isn't always fun, but it's what you're called to. Running doesn't mean leaving for good, though. Once he is willing to receive counseling from a good, Christian therapist, you can go from there. Separation is not meant to be permanent in this case.

One, last thing about running is that you aren't just running from something (sin), you're also running to something (righteousness). Run to the arms of God, and He will make it much easier to keep from getting back into those situations that caused you to run in the first place.

1 Corinthians 6:18-19 No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself,

Sexual immorality actually occurs within the body. The Christian body is the temple of God. It is meant to be a place of communion with Him. When we have sex with a person, we are spiritually joined with them. When we are joining together with our husband (or wife, if you're a man who stumbled on this blog), it's a wonderful thing. Sex done God's way has a positive impact spiritually. All sexual expression outside of God's design, however, has a negative impact.

1 Corinthians 6:20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

The Christian is meant to have a deep spiritual bond. That bond is not breakable, and it connects us to God Himself. When He sent His Son and allowed Him to die on our behalf, He paid the price to redeem us from our sin. We were slaves to sin, but not we have been bought for His purposes. That's a high cost, dear Christian. Now that you belong to Him, you are called to certain standards.

I don't care if it seems old-fashioned to wait until you're married for sex. I don't care if it seems prudish to say that God desires for you to remain faithful to one person for the time that the both of you are alive. Sure, it may be difficult, but that's what you are called to.

Don't think that this is God punishing you. This is Him protecting you. Whether you believe it or not, sex is a spiritual act, and attaching ourselves to anyone and everyone is simply not a good idea. Other than the physical consequences, such as undesired pregnancies and diseases, there are deep emotional and spiritual consequences. It's pretty difficult to feel intimately connected to God when you're sexually connected to multiple people. How do you stand before God, knowing that the temple He has given you has been trashed by those who did not belong there?

Now, let's not get this wrong. God is not out to punish people for mistakes made long in the past. Paul is dealing with people who are still committing these sins. He's not telling them that they're hopeless. He's telling them that they have to repent of those sins to enjoy fellowship with God again. He's telling them to start running now, no matter what that leaves behind them. God can clean your temple, and He wants to. That is done by know what He wants from you and for you (reading His Word), and by the washing of His Spirit. Sin grieves His Spirit, and prevents Him from completing this task. Stay away from it, and allow the cleanness that only God can provide to wash away what you can never undo.

The death of Christ was not cheap. So, why are so many Christians acting so cheap? Maybe they don't know how precious they are to God. Maybe they aren't actually saved, and are being deceived into believing that they are. Maybe they don't realize just how much God had to pay to free them from the sin they continue to commit.

To know the price paid for you and to continue living your way is to intentionally discard the grace of God. It's disrespectful to God and His precious Son to continue in sexual sin. That sounds intense in a world that accepts premarital sex, extramarital sex, and post-divorce sex like they're par for the course. That's because our world has gotten it wrong. It isn't too hard to believe that when you think about all of the children who die due to abortions, and all the diseases caused by our sexual practices. Yep, the world has it wrong, but that doesn't mean that you have to. You can do things God's way, and I think that you will be amazed at how great God's design is for married sex. Remember, He loves you, and He uses marriage as a model for His love toward us. That's a pretty cool way of thinking about sex, isn't it?

Deeper Intimacy

2009-03-19T23:02:00.003-04:00

1 Corinthians 6:15-20 Don't you realize that your bodies are actually parts of Christ? Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute? Never! 16 And don't you realize that if a man joins himself to a prostitute, he becomes one body with her? For the Scriptures say, "The two are united into one." 17 But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 18 Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. 19 Don't you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, 20 for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body.

Sexual sin is described in this passage as a very dangerous thing. The danger comes from the fact that sex does more than just provide sensual pleasure.

1 Corinthians 6:15-16 Do you not know that your bodies are the members of Christ? So should I take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Absolutely not! Do you not know that anyone joined to a prostitute is one body with her? For it says, The two will become one flesh.

"But," you say, "I've never had sex with a prostitute!" Well, that's good. I'm glad to hear it. That is the issue for many of the Corinthians, and it's given as an example. The point is this: When we have sex with someone, we are designed to become interwoven with that person. It isn't just a temporary physical bond, but a lasting spiritual and emotional bond as well.

As a Christian, you are a part of the body of Christ. His Spirit dwells in you. That means that you absolutely have to take your life seriously, as it affects Him tremendously. Whenever you have sex with someone, God is there. It can be a really great thing. God takes joy when His people take pleasure in something that He has created in the way that He has created it to be enjoyed. But it grieves Him significantly when His people seek their own enjoyment over His glory and their holiness.

1 Corinthians 6:17 But anyone joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him.

True Christianity is no religion. It isn't about ceremony or belief systems as much as it is about intimacy. I use the word intimacy intentionally. This passage is dealing with people who express desires for physical and emotional intimacy incorrectly. It also deals with the fact that a Christian is already intimately woven together with Christ. What we long for has already been given. The Holy Spirit ties us to the King of Kings, enabling us to enjoy the depth and breadth of the love of the Father!

With that kind of intimacy, it's hard to believe that Christians continue to buy into the worldly belief that sex is just sex, or that we should be able to sleep with whomever we choose, as long as we care about them. How ridiculous does that sound when we think about the fact that our actions are now tied to God Himself? How dare we trust our own judgement over the commands of our loving Father!?

We'll continue looking at this passage, and finish the chapter, in the next study. The next enstallment is going to focus on what it means to no longer own your own body. It's a scary thought at times, but it's the truth for everyone who is in a relationship with Christ. I look forward to continuing with you then.

Want What's Right

2009-03-18T16:49:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 6:13-14 You say, "Food was made for the stomach, and the stomach for food." (This is true, though someday God will do away with both of them.) But you can't say that our bodies were made for sexual immorality. They were made for the Lord, and the Lord cares about our bodies. 14 And God will raise us from the dead by his power, just as he raised our Lord from the dead.

We've been discussing the way that we have been freed from sin for the purpose of bringing God glory through holiness. The Corinthian church was chock-full of sin, including lawsuits between believers and sexual sin so vulgar that even our culture would recognize how disgusting it is. The Corinthians understood things intellectually. They knew that salvation doesn't come by way of works, but through the grace of God poured out on those who believe in and on His Son. They used the freedom they were given in order to commit more sin. That is far from what they were re-created to do. They were robbing God of His glory.

The Corinthians had a saying, "Food is made for the stomach and the stomach for food." This is being used as an excuse for sexual sin. It sounds very similar to an argument that I've heard in our culture. I've heard from more than one person that God made our bodies, and He made them with a longing for sex. Therefore, it is fine to fulfill that longing however we desire. God made the desire, right?

People also long for justice. Sometimes the courts fail to execute justice. Does that mean that God wants us to murder someone who got away with a crime? People rightfully desire to receive credit when it's due, but that doesn't mean that we should go around bragging about everything we've gotten right. People are full of good desires gone bad. That's what the fall did. When sin entered the world, good things were twisted into other things. Good desires became bad lusts.

What's a girl (or guy) to do? Is there no escaping evil desires?

1 Corinthians 6:13 (Holman Christian Standard) "Foods for the stomach and the stomach for foods," but God will do away with both of them. The body is not for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

The desires that we struggle with and the longings that have been perverted are temporal. They are going to go away. In that day, our greatest longing will be fulfilled, or it will be intensified to such a degree that it will be unbearable, but there will be no escape. We were created for the Lord. Our bodies cry out for Him, as do our souls. The desires that we feel for sex and food are going to pass away, but they give us an inkling of what our souls crave the most. We want intimacy and fulfillment from God. The thing that we truly need above all else is oneness with the Creator.

The desires that we have here on earth are real, but they are not eternal. They have an affect on us, but they do not control us. We will be freed from them one day.

1 Corinthians 6:14 God raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

When God raises us from the dead, we will be free from the affects of the fall. The good desires that we were meant to have will be fulfilled. Justice will be executed, either on the Son of God, or in Hell on the unforgiven. We will no longer need food because we will be completely satisfied with Jesus. We will no longer need or want sex because we will be with our true Husband, Christ.

We concentrate so completely on these earthly things that we miss out on the great things that are to come. We miss our focal point. By doing so, we miss out on the satisfaction that can be had on this earth. God is willing to develop in us good desires again. He is willing and able to fulfill those good desires.

Psalm 37:4 Take delight in the LORD, and He will give you your heart's desires.

By feasting on the goodness of God, getting to know Him in a deeper and richer way, and choosing to make His priorities our own, we delight in Him. When we do that, He changes our desires. He restores them back to what they are supposed to be. When our desires line up with His desires for us, He can fulfill them, and we can be satisfied as we have never been before.

Read these passages from the Psalms about being satisfied in God, and rejoice! He wants to fulfill our longings!

Psalm 63:5-7 You satisfy me as with rich food; my mouth will praise You with joyful lips. 6 When, on my bed, I think of You, I meditate on You during the night watches 7 because You are my help; I will rejoice in the shadow of Your wings.

Psalm 90:14-17 Satisfy us in the morning with Your faithful love so that we may shout with joy and be glad all our days. 15 Make us rejoice for as many days as You have humbled us, for as many years as we have seen adversity. 16 Let Your work be seen by Your servants, and Your splendor by their children.a 17 Let the favor of the Lord our God be on us; establish for us the work of our hands-- establish the work of our hands!

Psalm 145:16-19 You open Your hand and satisfy the desire of every living thing. 17 The LORD is righteous in all His ways and gracious in all His acts. 18 The LORD is near all who call out to Him, all who call out to Him with integrity. 19 He fulfills the desires of those who fear Him; He hears their cry for help and saves them.

It may seem odd, but the way to be satisfied is to want the right things. You can't change what your heart desires, but He can. The first step is to admit that your heart is evil. Following it is going to get you into some big trouble. The next is to seek God by reading His Word and praying that He changes you to look more like Him. Be open to Him, and only Him. Then, allow Him to change you. He can do it, and when He does, you will have a joy like you have never known before!

Enslaved for Freedom's Sake

2009-03-14T17:49:00.003-04:00

sexual sin*
idolatry**
adultery***
prostitution*
homosexuality*
thievery***
greed***
drunkenness*
abuse***
cheating*

I put one star next to the sins that involve how we treat our own bodies, usually sexually. I put two stars next to the sin that involves worshipping the correct, and only) God. And I put three stars next to the sins that involve how we treat people. Jesus says that the law and the prophets can be kept by loving God with all your heart, soul, and mind, and by loving other people as you love yourself (Matt. 22:37-40). So what does staying away from sexual sin (and drunkenness) have to do with those two ideas?

There is a great explanation later in this chapter, but for now I just want you to think about how hard it is love God completely while indulging in sexual perversions. Can you really believe that God means what He says when you do something that He has warned you not to? Do you really trust Him? Are you calling Him a liar when you join your body to someone who is not your husband? Doing things God's way is a way to express love for Him. It requires knowing His Word (with your mind), loving His ways (with your heart), and dedicating yourself to seeking to please Him (with your whole soul). Disobedience is not loving.

1 Corinthians 6:11-12 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 You say, "I am allowed to do anything" -- but not everything is good for you. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything.

Paul isn't jumping all over you for sins that are in your past. He isn't guilt tripping you for mistakes made before coming to know God. You were a slave to your sin, so you lived in it. But then something happened.

You were cleansed. You were made holy, right before God. This occurred when you called on the name of Jesus Christ and His Spirit washed you clean. That's a big deal. It is a change that reverberates into the rest of your life. You weren't just washed of past sin, but you were made clean. As far as God's concerned, you are holy, perfect by all accounts. It isn't free grace, but it is free to you. It took the blood of Christ to wash away all of that grimey sin, but He paid the price so that we can stand before a holy and just God without fear.

The Corinthians understood that if salvation was by grace, they couldn't lose it by sinning. Instead of living a life of gratitude, dwelling under that grace, they used it as an excuse to live their own way. They went back to living the same way that they had before they knew Christ. That was never the point. The goal of grace is change, freedom to live a life free from the power of sin.

We can be enslaved to sin. Sin may feel freeing at first, but ask any addict, and you'll know that they don't feel free. They are slaves to sin. You have been bought, redeemed from slavery to sin in order to serve Him.

Colossians 4:1 Masters, supply your slaves with what is right and fair, since you know that you too have a Master in heaven.

2 Peter 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, and will bring swift destruction on themselves.

You will be enslaved to something, to God's will or to sin. Choose your master. If you are saved, the choice is made. When you were adopted as a daughter of God, you were called to live as a slave to His will. He has given you His Spirit in order to help you live the life that He has dreamed up for you.

Are you loving God with all of your heart, soul, and mind? Are you treating the people around you the way that you want to be treated? Are you forgiving others? What characterizes your life: grace or abuse of grace? God loves you, and He longs for you to live the kind of life that is only possible when you seek Him. It's a good life, though rarely easy.

You Were vs. You Are

2009-03-11T12:47:00.001-04:00

1 Corinthians 6:9-12 Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people -- none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God. 12 You say, "I am allowed to do anything" -- but not everything is good for you. And even though "I am allowed to do anything," I must not become a slave to anything.

Here's the issue: God's Spirit dwells in the soul of the believer. He does not take up residence with sin. He finds it utterly disgusting, as we Christians are meant to. He changes the heart of the believer. He works in those who belong to Him. There is no such thing as a dormant Holy Spirit. He is at work! He does not leave His work incomplete. He may allow us to give ourselves over to sin for a season (a relatively short season), but He will bring us back every time.

Philippians 1:6 And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.

If you get nothing else from this study of 1 Corinthians, please understand that God calls His people to holiness. He has granted us the ability to stand before Him with a holy standing. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 6:11 that we were living in sin, but that we were made right. It's already been done for the Christian. Our salvation is just as sure as our past sin. just as the sin of our past cannot be undone, so is our secure is the salvation that God has granted to those who belong to Him. But He also desires for His people to increase in holiness by the power of His Spirit. If you keep falling into sin, if you practice sin on a regular basis, and if you feel powerless to get out of that sin, you need to call your salvation into question.

I'm not judging you. I am concerned. There are lots and lots of people who are placing their faith in a decision. Decisions do not get people to Heaven. The grace of God gets people to Heaven. And that grace ain't dormant, sister! His grace is active and alive in the soul of the believer. His grace doesn't just set us free from the consequences of sin; it sets us free from the sin itself. Baptism can't do that. A decision to "follow Christ" can't do that. Only grace can do that. So, how does that grace become active in the life of a person?

Faith. Faith unlocks grace. Christ died to set His people free from all sin, and He died to execute justice. In order to "get saved", a person must believe that sin is bad, Jesus is God, God is who He says, His death paid the price for our sin, and they must place faith in Him. That faith isn't merely belief. That faith unlocks the grace of God to come alive in the life of the Christian! That faith means that we no longer believe that anything else has the power to save us. That faith means that God is at work in us. That faith manifests itself in a cry for God to enter your life. It naturally leads to lots of decisions, such as the decision to be baptized. Faith means complete trust. The faithful person trusts God to save them, to provide for them, and to grant them power over sin. This faith, saving faith, changes everything! This faith brings grace, and grace brings good works and casts out sin.

Jesus describes this onset of grace as being born again when talking to a man who asked how he could be saved:

John 3:3-7 Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." 4 "What do you mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" 5 Jesus replied, "I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don't be surprised when I say, 'You must be born again.'

Paul describes those who have been saved as "a new creation":

Ephesians 2:1-10 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to this worldly age, according to the ruler of the atmospheric domain, the spirit now working in the disobedient. 3 We too all previously lived among them in our fleshly desires, carrying out the inclinations of our flesh and thoughts, and by nature we were children under wrath, as the others were also. 4 But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, 5 made us alive with the Messiah even though we were dead in trespasses. By grace you are saved! 6 He also raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavens,a in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages He might display the immeasurable riches of His grace in His kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by gracea you are saved through faith,b and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift-- 9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are His creation-- created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

Did you catch that first line: we were dead! Spiritually, we had no life. We had no power to fight sin. When we are reborn, made new in Christ, we are re-created for a purpose: for the good works that God has laid out before us. Salvation is marked by the power of God, which is always accompanied by good works, not sin. That isn't to say that sin won't happen. That is to say that the Christian will never be mastered by sin. We will always be able to fight temptation. The question is: Are we fighting, or are we laying down and letting it defeat us?

Being faithful to the calling we have received as Christians isn't always easy. Sometimes it's downright painful! It's in those moments when God's power is the most evident. You don't have to live like you did! You don't have to fall into the pattern that you established because God has established a different path for you. He has presented it clearly in His Word. It is your calling, your privilege, and your joy to walk in it.

I say all of this to get us to the passage. This is just the introduction into Thursday's study. I didn't mean for it to be an entire study on its own, but I think that it was necessary.

That's So Wrong!

2009-03-10T11:17:00.002-04:00

1 Corinthians 6:5-8 5 I am saying this to shame you. Isn't there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 6 But instead, one believer sues another -- right in front of unbelievers! 7 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.

Have you ever thought about how strange it is to take a problem between two Christians to a non-believer? When you sit down in the chair at the salon and start complaining about all of the bad things going on at church, that's exactly what you're doing (that is, if your hairstylist is lost). And you probably get some advice, too. Don't we even care about the fact that we are giving the very body of Christ a bad image?

1 Corinthians 6:5-6 I am saying this to shame you. Isn't there anyone in all the church who is wise enough to decide these issues? 6 But instead, one believer1 sues another -- right in front of unbelievers!

Why does Paul say he's writing about this issue? That's right. He wants the Corinthians to feel shame. We always think that a pastor/preacher's job is to make us feel good. We think of church like a Christian pep rally. There's nothing wrong with joy and peace, but the Corinthians were not feeling a joy or peace that comes from the Spirit of God, but they were feeling an arrogance that comes from sinful humanity.

Here's the deal: when we have trouble resolving issues between believers, there is a lot more at stake than our rights. (If you haven't already, read this post about the biblical method for dealing with such issues.) It isn't that God doesn't care when one member cheats another, but there is another issue that trumps that one. God's reputation is decided in large part by His people. That means that we have to deal with problems between our people His way to make sure that we make Him look good. Like it or not, He is more important than you are. His glory is more important than your rights (or mine, for that matter)! We should be ashamed to allow non-believers to intervene. Christians have no place in a secular court over matters that could be dealt with inside a church. If you don't think that your pastor or a deacon can handle the problem, it's time to find a new church or elect some new leaders! (I only say this because I'm pretty sure that there is someone in your church who can help you.)

Those outside of the church do not have the Holy Spirit guiding them in their decisions, so they will not be able to resolve issues God's way. That doesn't mean that we are to ignore legal authorities. God tells us that we better make sure that we do. If a judge or law enforcement official tells you to do something, as long as it doesn't directly contradict the Bible, you are required by God to obey. But that's another matter.

1 Corinthians 6:7-8 Even to have such lawsuits with one another is a defeat for you. Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? 8 Instead, you yourselves are the ones who do wrong and cheat even your fellow believers.

Let's assume that you have taken the issue to the highest authority possible, whether that is the pastor, a board of elders/deacons, or a denominational group, and it is still unresolved. That's pretty unlikely, but for the sake of argument, let's just assume that it has happened. What now? The way to remain righteous in this situation is simple: let it go! So, you've been mistreated. So was Jesus! Forgive, like He did, even as He was on the cross, drawing His last breaths on this planet.

If it's an internal struggle between righteousness and getting what you want, it should be an easy decision for the Christian. We aren't called to fairness. We aren't called to ease. We are called to holiness. You may lose money. You may lose something that you worked hard for in the church. It's more important that the integrity of the Church is maintained than it is for you to get what you believe you deserve. (Remember, ultimately, we all deserve Hell. Thank God for His grace that doesn't give us what we deserve!!!)

Yes, church should be a place that maintains justice, but it has people in it. Fallen people. It isn't always going to work correctly, especially when we do things our own way instead of the way He has laid out. The Church is bigger than you or I can imagine. God has a good plan for us that will bring Him glory. The most important thing that we can do is let go of our desire to make church about us and allow God to run it His way. That means that we have to know the way He wants for us to run it. We have to read God's Word, invest in the tools we need to understand it, and develop our lives according to what we have learned.We'll continue looking at what God has to tell us through the book of 1 Corinthians. I look forward to seeing what God has to tell us. What a great God we serve that He would give us His wisdom through His Word and the power of His Spirit!

So Sue Me!

2009-03-06T18:34:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 6:1-4 When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 2 Don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide even these little things among yourselves? 3 Don't you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?

We live in a lawsuit happy world. It's almost seen as a way to get fast cash now days. In the Corinthian church, there were church members who were actually suing other church members. Can you imagine how awkward worship services would be if you're standing between litigants while trying to sing, "How Great Thou Art"? Paul isn't happy about this situation, either. Let's look at what he has to say.

1 Corinthians 6:1,2 When one of you has a dispute with another believer, how dare you file a lawsuit and ask a secular court to decide the matter instead of taking it to other believers! 2 Don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide even these little things among yourselves?

Paul isn't very subtle, is he? A literal translation (New American Standard-Updated) of verse 1 is worded this way:

1 Corinthians 6:1 Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous and not before the saints?

Both translations use the word "dare" to describe the attitude of a church member who would sue another church member. What attitude problem does this make you think about? (We've discussed it several times in relation to the Corinthians.)

That's right... The Corinthian church is facing yet another result of their arrogance. They're so worried about getting what they think that they deserve that they don't even think about what God thinks about it or the affect that it will have on the church's reputation. They believe that their rights are more important than the glory of God or seeing His Kingdom grow.

There's another problem here. The Corinthians have more respect for the secular courts than they have for the decisions of the church. Their priorities are completely misaligned. It's true that the church may choose to extend grace to the offender when a secular court wouldn't. The problem is that the church is the organization designated by God to determine how a dispute between two church members should be resolved.

1 Corinthians 6:2 Don't you realize that someday we believers will judge the world? And since you are going to judge the world, can't you decide even these little things among yourselves?

Believers are supposed to be in preparation. We are supposed to be tuning our minds to the mind of God. We should already be practicing allowing the Spirit to make decisions for us. We should be submitting to His authority. When we take problems between believers to secular authorities instead of the people that God has set in place for such matters, we are second-guessing Him. We are pulling away from the life that He has designed for us to live. We aren't preparing for the ultimate destiny that lay ahead.

We're thinking too small. We're overly concerned about "what's coming to us", and not nearly concerned enough about the grandness of God's grace. We are counting the pennies that people owe to us when we should be counting the millions of dollars that we owe to a good and just God.We're playing dumb. We have the very Spirit of God at our disposal, but we're only availing ourselves to our limited (and comparably idiotic) minds. Such behavior is simply unbecoming to the people of God!

1 Corinthians 6:3-4 Don't you realize that we will judge angels? So you should surely be able to resolve ordinary disputes in this life. 4 If you have legal disputes about such matters, why go to outside judges who are not respected by the church?

Here's what I'm getting out of this passage: we are already in possession of the mental and spiritual abilities we need (as a church) to live God's way. If He tells us that we can make a decision, you better believe that He has provided a way for us to do it. We are going to judge even the angels, but Paul doesn't say, "And one day you'll also be able to judge these little bitty issues too." He says that we already can! So why don't we?

Why don't we trust our church leaders with issues between church members? There are a few reasons:

Our priorities are misplaced.
We have been allowing people who shouldn't be in leadership positions to maintain their office, or we have been electing deacons/elders who shouldn't be in office to begin with.
We are more concerned about receiving "justice" than we are about God receiving glory.
We're afraid of church leaders having too much power because they may make changes that we don't like. (We think we own the church, and we don't.)

I'm sure that there are other reasons as well. Maybe this hasn't been a problem in your church recently, or at all. Great! That's good news. The other question is, "How are you handling your church's inner issues?" We'll continue talking about attitude adjustments that we need to make in order to have a healthy spiritual life as a church, and as an individual in our next study.

Chapter 5: Outline

2009-03-04T12:18:00.002-05:00

1. 1 Corinthians 5:1-2 The Corinthian church has a member in horrible sin, but they respond only with arrogance.

A member of the church is sleeping with his step-mother.
Paul tells them that they should be responding with sorrow and shame, but they instead react in arrogance, and do not resolve the problem at all.
The only way to deal with such egregious sin is to remove him from the membership until he repents.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 5:2 You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.

2. 1 Corinthians 5:3-5 Paul presents the method for dealing with the issue.

Paul has the discernment of the Spirit, which allows him to grasp the situation, and even judge it, without being physically present.
The church must come together in a meeting. The Spirit of God will be there to guide them through the process of determining exactly how to handle it. He will give them the power that they need to fulfill the requirements God has given them.
The best thing for this sinful man is to remove him from the church and pray that he will realize his sinfulness and repent. (It is very likely that he is not saved, if he is living in such sin). By kicking him out, they are actually trying to bring him into full fellowship with God and the true Church.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 5:4 in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.

3. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Paul uses an analogy to bread to explain the danger of not dealing with this man's sin.

The arrogance of the church reveals that they do not understand that the sin of one member affects the entire church.
The church is meant to be holy, different from ordinary people and groups, so we must have higher standards than everyone else.
The bread Paul is talking about is the same bread that was used to celebrate Passover. It wasn't leavened, so it didn't rise. A little bit of leaven changes the entire loaf. By allowing one sinful member to continue enjoying the church's fellowship, the entire congregation is altered into something less than holy.
Now that we have a new Passover in Christ, we are meant to celebrate with a new kind of celebration. This celebration is our holy lives. Beyond special bread and meat, we are to live everyday in holiness and submission to the authority of God, which presents itself in sincerity and truth.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 5:8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth.

4. 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 We are required to maintain the holiness of the church, but not to judge outsiders.

Churches are meant to guard their membership from such things as sexual sin, greed, bad business practices/lack of integrity, abuse, chemical dependence, and idolatry.
Such sins are expected from those who do not believe, though.
We have to be around lost people, who will struggle with sins that we should find repulsive, in order to reach them.
There is a difference between a church member who is living in sin and a non-believer who is living in sin. We are called to holiness; they are not. We cannot judge them for not fulfilling a calling that they do not yet have.
We must, however, expect holiness from church members. If they claim to be saved, we must hold them accountable, even if we doubt their salvation. We cannot be lazy about disciplining such people, and we should even stay away from them altogether, though that is no excuse for treating them cruelly.
God will judge lost people for their sin, and it will be bad. Pray for them.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 5:12 It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning.

Bottom line: Lost people act like lost people; saved people should act like saved people, and the church has the responsibility and authority to discipline those that do not.

A Little Talk About Attitude and Method

2009-03-03T12:03:00.003-05:00

We've been talking about church discipline. The reason for this discussion is that it was quite simply the subject of what we were already studying, 1 Corinthians. If you haven't read last week's study yet, you can find the three parts below.

1 Corinthians 5: Part 1
1 Corinthians 5: Part 2
1 Corinthians 5: Part 3

Before completing the outline and review for chapter 5, I wanted to look at a related passage where Jesus discusses methodology for correcting a fellow Christian. [It's a long one, I warn you. Spread it out over a couple of days if you need to. Remember, I take Thursdays off, so you can do the post that I publish tomorrow on Thursday and be all caught up for Friday.] It's some very good advice, and it fits beautifully into our study. Plus, I don't want you to get the idea that I want everyone who reads this study to start going around, announcing the faults of every Christian you meet. That might earn you a punch in the face, or at least a bad rap around the church.

Matthew 18:15-20 "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back. 16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses. 17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector. 18 "I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. 19 "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."

Read the passage above, carefully. Although this passage deals specifically with how to do deal with a believer who has sinned against you personally, it is a good methodology for dealing with a sinning believer in general. What is the first step that Jesus lists?

Matthew 18:15 "If another believer sins against you, go privately and point out the offense. If the other person listens and confesses it, you have won that person back.

What is the goal of speaking to that person according to this verse? The answer is that we deal with a sinning believer (notice, I said sinning, not sinful. We're all sinful.) in order to help them regain fellowship with the church and develop a healthy relationship between that person and ourselves. If we speak to them (privately), and they repent, we are to rejoice that they have done so! It's not just a good thing for the church, it's a good thing for us. You just made a new buddy, so treat them that way. Don't hold a grudge. Don't create division. Be a friend. Be grateful for their return to the fellowship of the church, which sin had prevented them from enjoying.

This is just a personal note: You should have a Bible verse, or two, or three, ready to explain to them what they're doing is wrong. You aren't there to judge them based on, "Well, I just think that..." issues. If the problem isn't a biblical one, then it's just as much an issue with you as it is with them. Make sure that your grievance is biblical. It's not like there aren't enough verses in the Bible to find one that backs you up if you have a real problem.

What is the next step, if that person refuses to repent?

Matthew 18:16 But if you are unsuccessful, take one or two others with you and go back again, so that everything you say may be confirmed by two or three witnesses.

The next step is to take a person or two, not a large mob, to that person with you. The reason isn't that we want to gang up on him or her. The reason that we take another person or two is that we want to make sure that we aren't saying anything that could be taken inappropriately, and so that the person's reaction is witnessed, which will help us greatly in the next step. It may also help the accused to see that it isn't just you who has the problem. Although you've already given them a verse that shows that God takes offense to their behavior, they still may think that it's just your incorrect interpretation on the verse, not their sin, that is the issue.

What comes next?

Matthew 18:17 If the person still refuses to listen, take your case to the church. Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

If you and your homies still can't get the person to understand that what they're doing is wrong, then you take it to the pastor and deacons/elders. The best thing to do at this point is have a full-out meeting, like Paul suggested in 1 Corinthians:

1 Corinthians 5:4 You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.

Now, I understand that a lot of churches just don't take sin among their members too seriously, so it is possible that the pastor and/or deacons/elders will blow you off. No, they shouldn't, but it's a reality. Take comfort in knowing two things: a) you handled it correctly, just the way that God wanted you to; and b) the pastor and church leaders will be judged for not handling it correctly. I am completely serious on that last point. God takes sin among His people very seriously, and He takes lackadaisical attitudes toward sin among His people very seriously as well.

The church leaders may not call a meeting, and that's up to their judgment, but hopefully, if there is real sin involved here (and you may be wrong; it happens), they will deal with it in some way. They may talk to the person themselves, or they may call a meeting for the leaders to discuss it. It is possible that the church will need to meet as a whole. This is most likely to be the case in situations such as a homosexual member of the church, live-in couples, pedophilia (child-related sexual issues), illegal matters, gross business misconduct, or other, very serious, matters such as these.

What does Jesus say we should do with these people if they simply refuse to admit their wrongs and repent ("I'll really think about what you said," doesn't count. Only a change in behavior will do.)?

Matthew 18:17 Then if he or she won't accept the church's decision, treat that person as a pagan or a corrupt tax collector.

Pagans and tax collectors were considered vile people to the Jewish people of the day. That's why the religious became so irate when Jesus went to eat with one (Luke 19). Even eating with such people was unacceptable. What verse does that remind you of? (1 Corinthians 5:11). Jesus doesn't mean that we hate these people, or talk badly about them. What He means is that we treat them like lost people who have been deceived into believing that their behavior is acceptable. We pray for them. We love them. But we do not allow them to worship with us. We do not allow them to associate themselves with God's most holy Church. They are loved by us, but until they repent, either of that particular sin which has calloused their hearts or of their sinful, unbelieving life (they may realize that they were never saved), they cannot be considered one of us.

Just one more little tidbit on tax collectors: Matthew, the writer of this book, was a tax collector before God called him to be a disciple. Just thought that might interest you.

The last three verses can be very difficult to understand. They've taken a little while for me to grasp, and I'm not totally confident in my interpretation. (I figured that you should know that before I delved in.) I am pretty confident, though, so I'm going to go ahead and share it with you.

Matthew 18:18-20 "I tell you the truth, whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven. 19 "I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them."

Remember, God is talking about church discipline, not just general behavior. Jesus had said exactly the same thing to Peter just a few chapters before.

Matthew 16:18-19 (emphasis added) Now I say to you that you are Peter (which means 'rock'), and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. 19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven."

Jesus was talking to Peter about building the Church at the time. The Catholic interpretation of this passage is what leads them to believe in an infallible Pope. We protestants (I believe, correctly) disregard that as the correct understanding of the verses. Paul even confronted Peter (who was said to be the first Pope) about some sinful beliefs that he held regarding conversion to Judaism before becoming a Christian in Galatians 2. It is hard to say that he was infallible if he made such a mistake! (Infallible means "never wrong; always in the right".)

The context of both passages is about the Church, the body of Christ. What I believe Jesus is saying is that the Church has been given the authority to decide how to govern itself. We can choose how to deal with internal problems. It is up to the church when to kick someone out and when to accept them back. We are allowed to make the decision as to when a person is truly repentant, when a sin is a one-time deal and when it's a habit, and if a person has been misjudged.

That is not to say that a church cannot make a mistake, but there is a promise here. In the final verse of today's passage, Jesus promises us that God will not leave us without guidance. I don't think that this translation fully expresses Jesus' words, so let's take a look at the English Standard Version.

Matthew 18:20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them."

This verse has been taken for its general meaning a lot, but I have rarely heard it discussed when dealing with church discipline. What He is telling us is that when we seek after His name, when we gather together as a people who love God and want Him to receive the glory, He will guide us. Not all church meetings gather in the name of Christ. Rarely do we genuinely seek after His will in our business meetings. When was the last time a church prayed about sending a letter of membership (only Southern Baptists can relate, I think)? The issue is simple. When churches make Jesus the Head of His Church, His guidance will be there. He has placed His seal on us, and gives us the authority to makes decisions regarding discipline.

Paul reiterates this concept in 1 Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 5:4 in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church.1 I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.

A reason that churches neglect church discipline is that they're seeking after the wrong things. They want popularity over holiness. They want things their way, not God's way.

There is one more note that I want to make, regarding the attitude of correction. We must remember that we are all sinners. God loves us, and that's one of the reasons He made a way for us to be forgiven (the other is that He is just). Paul tells of his attitude while speaking to the Corinthians.

1 Corinthians 4:14 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children.

Just as Jesus did in earlier verses of Matthew 18.

Matthew 18:12-14 "If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them wanders away, what will he do? Won't he leave the ninety-nine others on the hills and go out to search for the one that is lost? 13 And if he finds it, I tell you the truth, he will rejoice over it more than over the ninety-nine that didn't wander away! 14 In the same way, it is not my heavenly Father's will that even one of these little ones should perish.

We have to remember our own sin in the midst of correcting another's.

Matthew 7:3-5 And why worry about a speck in your friend's eye when you have a log in your own? 4 How can you think of saying to your friend, 'Let me help you get rid of that speck in your eye,' when you can't see past the log in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend's eye.

The meaning of these verses isn't that we shouldn't correct a believer caught up in sin, but that we must keep our own lives in check so that we can truly help someone when they need it. That includes checking our motives when we want to "help someone" realize their error. We can't use our own sin as an excuse out of church discipline, but we have to take our own sin just as seriously as we expect other people to take theirs. We have to be open to the correction of others in our church if we expect them to be open to ours.

If we saw the Body of Christ as it is meant to be, we wouldn't become defensive every time someone sought to help us out of the mire and muck of sin. We would be grateful. We wouldn't enjoy going to a fellow believer to point out their every flaw, and we would never kick them when they were down. We would lovingly help them identify the root of their sin and assist them in getting the biblical help they needed to overcome that sin for good. We wouldn't reject the plan that God has for His Church, but we would embrace it. That's a big dream. So big, in fact, that only God could dream it up.

What's the Big Deal?

2009-02-28T15:53:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 5:9-13 When I wrote to you before, I told you not to associate with people who indulge in sexual sin. 10 But I wasn't talking about unbelievers who indulge in sexual sin, or are greedy, or cheat people, or worship idols. You would have to leave this world to avoid people like that. 11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don't even eat with such people. 12 It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you."

Paul wrote to the Corinthian church before this letter. We don't have that document. God chose to preserve this document, but not the first letter from Paul to the Corinthians. When he wrote them before, he warned them not to hang out with people who are in the middle of sexual sin. Here he goes back and explains the meaning of that command. It's a pretty important explanation.

We shouldn't associate ourselves with people who indulge in sexual sin, greed, dishonesty, or idolatrous, but only if those people claim to be Christians. Maybe it seems odd to you that it's okay to be around really immoral lost people, but not immoral Christians. The reason that Paul lists is that it would be impossible to stay away from immoral lost people. Remember, lost people act like lost people. There are a lot of them that are immoral. There are some other reasons in addition to that one. For instance, we can't stay away from immoral lost people if we want God to change their lostness. God uses Christians to reach the lost. We have to actually be near them in order to do that. Also, a good reason for us to stay away from immoral Christians (or at least those that claim to be saved) is that the world needs to see that although there are bad people who refer to themselves as Christians, we don't accept them. Their actions are not okay with us. We have standards. We expect church members to sin. We also expect them to repent. The world needs to see that we stand behind what we preach.

1 Corinthians 5:11 I meant that you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don't even eat with such people.

Notice how the list of sins given here (sexual sin, greed, idol worship, abuse, drunkenness, cheating) are habitual sins. We don't kick someone out of church if they get drunk once, or if they cheat on their taxes one time, or if they lose their virginity. We only go that far if they refuse to repent of habitual sin. We want them to return to fellowship with God, or to realize their spiritual condition. Just because a person believes that he/she is saved, that doesn't mean that they are. There are lots of people who are deceived into believing salvation is very different from what it really is.

When someone does habitually sin in these ways (living with a sexual partner, known for cheating in business affairs, is addicted to alcohol/drugs, or abusing his/her spouse are examples), God takes it very seriously, and He tells His people to do the same. We aren't just to punish them. We aren't just to keep them from being deacons. We are told to keep away from them altogether! Don't have dinner with them. Don't attach yourself to them in any way. The reason isn't that we hate them. We aren't to go out of our way to cause them trouble or hurt their feelings. The reason is that we want them to repent. The moment that they repent and return to the fellowship of the church, all is forgiven. All is forgotten. We treat them as we would any other brother or sister in Christ, though if they have sexual addiction, we won't let them work with youth for a while, and if they were known for cheating in business, we don't place them in a position in control of money. (We are forgiving, not stupid.) Most of the time, a truly repentant person would never ask to be in one of those positions anyway.

1 Corinthians 5:12-13 It isn't my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your responsibility to judge those inside the church who are sinning. 13 God will judge those on the outside; but as the Scriptures say, "You must remove the evil person from among you."

Remember that unbelievers are going to receive their judgement. They don't need to know that we think that what they are doing is sin. When you meet a drunk, don't start by telling them that it is wrong to get drunk. Start by telling them that they are loved, and that God can fix them. Don't tell a girl who just had an abortion that you think she is a murderer. Tell her that God allowed His Son to die to cover all of her sins, and that He longs to take her in as His daughter. Lost people need grace, not a sermon on how horrible they are.

We have a responsibility, however to take firm action when our own people are sinning. We have been called out for a holy cause. There are certain expectations on our lives because of it. Sure, we'll fail, but we should recognize sin as a failure. God's forgiveness is big enough for all of our sin, but it should never be abused, and we should never be okay with abusing it.

Even if none of these arguments make sense to you, and if you still cannot imagine taking such drastic measures to deal with habitual sin in your church, the biggest issue here is that God tells us to. God tells us, through Paul's letter to the Corinthian church, that habitual sin, open sin, among the members of His Body is simply unacceptable. It is something that must be dealt with, harshly when necessary. It's His Church. He can run it as He pleases. Why on earth do we think that our arguments make any difference in light of that?

Mmmm... Do I Smell Bread?

2009-02-26T13:14:00.005-05:00

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, since you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old yeast, or with the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Yesterday we talked about the Corinthian church, and how they were dealing with an especially egregious sin with one of their members. Paul told them to quickly organize a meeting and remove the guy from the membership of the church. It seems to harsh too us, but sin is harsh to God. Let's keep going to see the general principle behind this seemingly radical idea.

The rest of the church may have taken pride in the fact that they weren't caught in this particular sin (in this case, a man was sleeping with his step-mother!), but it's more likely that the arrogance that Paul is referring to is portrayed by their refusal to deal with the problem. They seem to think that they can call themselves Christians, come to church and talk like spiritual people, and then go home and not worry about the sin that fills their lives. Such arrogance is characterized by a lot of talk, but not much power to back it up in the lives of the Corinthian Christians (4:20).

These Christians believe that the sin of an individual in their membership has no affect on the rest. Paul uses a metaphor to contradict this belief.

1 Corinthians 5:6-7 Don't you know that a little yeast permeates the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch, since you are unleavened. For Christ our Passover has been sacrificed.

The word for yeast here is really leaven, fermented dough taken from a previous batch of bread that was then used to encourage fermentation in the new batch. It only takes a small amount of leaven to cause the entire new batch to ferment. Sin is similar. It only takes one open sin, one big, unresolved issue to ruin a church. God takes it seriously when His people refuse to deal with sin. It matters to Him. It should matter to us.

The Corinthians have been pronounced righteous by the power and grace of God (unleavened, according to the analogy). To allow this sin, or leaven, among them is to deny the righteousness granted to them. In order to deny that righteousness, they also have to deny the grace and power of God. It mocks God to live as if He didn't die for us.

Christ died to be our Passover. What does that mean? "Passover" is the term given to the way that God released His people, the Hebrews, from slavery in Egypt. God used plagues to overcome the Egyptians, the last of which was the death of the firstborn sons. In order to protect His people from the plague, God told the Hebrews to kill a sacrificial lamb or goat, one without blemish, and use its blood to mark their houses. By that mark, God would recognize His children, and His Spirit would pass over that house. (You can read the whole story in Exodus 7-12.) Christians are marked by the blood of Christ. We are now His children, and we are able to live without the judgement that we deserve. We are freed from slavery to sin by His sacrifice. It was not by our blood. It was not by our power. It took His death, and His goodness to us for us to be made clean from our sin.

1 Corinthians 5:8 Therefore, let us observe the feast, not with old yeast, or with the yeast of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

The Jewish people celebrated Passover every year. It was (and is) the biggest holiday of Judaism. Now that we have a new Passover, we celebrate it, not once a year, but all the time because this Passover is eternal. We will never again need to shed blood. We are marked as the children of God from the inside, by the Holy Spirit. It simply will not do for us to live our lives as if we didn't know Him. We cannot allow ourselves to continue in old ways when we have been made new.

Unleavened bread was a part of the celebration of Passover. It was considered special bread. We are to be different, like unleavened bread. We are to be reserved for the purposes of God. We can't continue living in the old ways of malice and evil. We are to live in a special way, a way that is obviously different. The new life is characterized by sincerity and truth.

The Corinthians weren't especially good with sincerity or truth. They were concerned with defeating each other in debate, but not with understanding the Truth of God's Word or with applying that truth to their lives. They may have been able to lay out complex theological ideas, but they didn't live accordingly. They were insincere.

How are we different? Do our churches put up with open, disgusting sin from our members? We aren't talking about constantly going up to other church members and pointing out their every flaw. We all struggle with sin. The problem comes when we stop struggling and give in to the sin. We have to have expectations, not to legalism, but to purity. We are called to holiness. Do we expect ourselves and each other to strive for it, or are we okay with lazy Christianity?

Oh No, He Didn't!

2009-02-25T14:19:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 5:1-5 (HCS) It is widely reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and the kind of sexual immorality that is not even condoned among the Gentiles-- a man is living with his father's wife. 2 And you are inflated with pride, instead of filled with grief so that he who has committed this act might be removed from among you. 3 For though absent in body but present in spirit, I have already decided about him who has done this thing as though I were present. 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus, when you are assembled, along with my spirit and with the power of our Lord Jesus, 5 turn that one over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved in the Day of the Lord.

Today's passage deals with sexual immorality in particular. The Corinthian church had a particular issue that they weren't struggling to deal with. They just didn't deal with it. A man was actually sleeping with his father's wife! Most scholars believe that this was his step-mother, or else the passage would have openly referred to him as his mother. This kind of sin wasn't even acceptable to people who didn't know Jesus, but it was openly known among the members of the Body of Christ! These people weren't just not holy, they were refusing to hold themselves to any kind of standard at all.

How did the Corinthians react to such appalling behavior?

1 Corinthians 5:2 (NLT) You are so proud of yourselves, but you should be mourning in sorrow and shame. And you should remove this man from your fellowship.

They still continued in their pride! They didn't repent. They didn't get angry. They didn't put any discipline into action. They just sat there, dwelling in their pride due to how well they could word things and debated each other. Maybe they were afraid of offending people. Maybe they were afraid of legalism. Maybe they were afraid of their own sins being brought out. But above all, they were arrogant. What does this arrogance mean? Why does it take arrogance to allow open sin to permeate our churches?

It takes arrogance to believe that we are somehow better than everyone else, above standards. It takes arrogance to become so hard-hearted to sin that we allow excuses (such as fear of legalism or offending someone) to prevent us from maintaining the purity of the Church of the Most High God. It takes arrogance to believe that God won't really do what He says. It takes arrogance to accept the freedom and forgiveness that cost Jesus Christ His life and continue in sin as if we still belong to ourselves. Our sin doesn't just reflect on us. As Christians, our actions reflect on God, very God, and it takes arrogance to allow His reputation to be tarnished so that we can engage in earthly pleasures that He has died to save us from!

It's a big deal to allow open sin to seep into our churches. God doesn't take it lightly, as we see here. Paul gives a solution to the problem in verse two. What is it? The only thing that can be done is to throw them out until they repent. This was much easier to do at the time this book was written because each area only had one church. You're kicked out of one, you either have to remove or repent. And that was the point. The goal was to bring this man (and his step-mom) back into the flock, as we see in verse 5. (We'll look at it in a few minutes.)

1 Corinthians 5:3-4 (NLT) Even though I am not with you in person, I am with you in the Spirit. And as though I were there, I have already passed judgment on this man in the name of the Lord Jesus. You must call a meeting of the church. I will be present with you in spirit, and so will the power of our Lord Jesus.

Now, Paul talked about holding off judgement until Judgement Day in chapter 4. Here he says that he hasn't even met this dude, and he's already pronounced him guilty. What's up with that? There are some things that we can't know about, like methods of reaching people. We can dwell in the Spirit, pray, and study the Word of God, but we just can't be sure about some things. We may not know if it's a good idea to stick with hymns or incorporate contemporary worship into our services. We don't know whether we should use our money this way, or that way. They both seem important and beneficial to the Church.

There are other things, though, that the Bible clearly speaks to. There are some things that are sin, obviously grotesque sin. We know that it is wrong to divorce. We know that it is wrong to lie. We know that sex outside of marriage is always a sin. Those are things that God has already pronounced judgement on through the Bible. God doesn't want us to try to judge each other's motives or desires. We'll waste a lot of time if we're always dissecting things that we can never know. What He does expect, though, is for His Church to maintain a standard of holiness. That means passing judgement when things are obviously sin. That means placing people under the discipline of the church. It isn't easy, and it's always stressful, but it isn't something that Paul gives wiggle room for, is it? It would be unloving to the person struggling with that sin to not show discipline. Allowing a fellow believer to continue in a pattern of sin is cruel to that believer.

It should be noted that the judgement we're talking about here is reserved for saved people. We have no reason to judge people outside the Church! They're lost. Lost people act like lost people. We can expect certain things from those who are saved, but not from those who have no access to the Spirit of God, His discernment, or His power over sin.

Paul can't be there in person, but this can't wait for him to get there. This is an immediate need, but even in His absence there is a greater power at work here. The Corinthians are not going to be going into it alone. They have the Spirit with them.

So here's the plan: The Corinthians are supposed to meet and discuss the situation, depending on the power of the Holy Spirit. This meeting isn't about "Well, I just think that..." or "I'm just not sure that..." This meeting is to be centered on the power of the Holy Spirit. It is about what God thinks, not what we think. It's about His standards for His people, not our lack of them. It's about what He wants from His Church, not what we want from Him. (That sounds like a different business meeting, huh?)

1 Corinthians 5:5 Then you must throw this man out and hand him over to Satan so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved on the day the Lord returns.

This verse may throw you for a loop at first. "Wait a minute. The church is just supposed to toss this guy into eternal damnation? That's not too nice!" Well, there are two options for this guy at this point. Either he's lost, already on his way to Hell, but being deceived into believing he's saved, or he's saved but he is so incredibly entrenched in sin that he is completely out of fellowship with God. If it's the latter, this is a short phase. Such sin cannot last very long in the life of a Christian. God keeps those that He has brought into His family.

James 1:4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.

Ephesians 4:13-15 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. 14 Then we will no longer be immature like children. We won't be tossed and blown about by every wind of new teaching. We will not be influenced when people try to trick us with lies so clever they sound like the truth. 15 Instead, we will speak the truth in love, growing in every way more and more like Christ, who is the head of his body, the church.

1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 Now may the God of peace make you holy in every way, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ comes again. 24 God will make this happen, for he who calls you is faithful.

2 Thessalonians 3:3 But the Lord is faithful; he will strengthen you and guard you from the evil one.

If this man is actually saved, he will quickly, if not immediately, repent from his sin when thrown out of the church. He will realize the severity of his sin, and return to the church, grieved over the tarnish he has caused to fall onto the people of God. It's more likely, I believe, that this man is lost. The church is feeding into his delusion of salvation by allowing him to continue to take the Lord's Supper and feel like a part of the church. They are condemning him to eternal suffering by refusing to pass judgement. He's never going to understand the power of the Holy Spirit, or the grace of the Father, if he doesn't understand the idea of holiness. Understanding holiness is a prerequisite to salvation, even if you don't know the actual word.

In order to receive eternal fellowship with God in Heaven, we must be holy in His sight. We are not. We are sinners. We are not holy. By the grace of God, He sent His Son to pay the debt created by our sin. We were then granted the holiness that rightfully belongs to Him. By His holiness, we are able to enjoy fellowship with the Father through the Holy Spirit. When we are saved, the power of God through the Holy Spirit allows us to live in holiness. We ourselves were not holy, but God made us holy, so now we are supposed to act like it. That's what it means when Jesus says, "But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect," in Matthew 5:48. We cannot rely on our own perfection and holiness, but we are to cling to the power of God in order to show off the holiness and perfection of God.

The Big Picture: Part 2

2009-02-21T12:32:00.000-05:00

Over the next few days (the next study will be posted on Tuesday), we will be reading the last eight chapters of 1 Corinthians. That would be chapters 9-16. For these chapters, you need to mark death/dead and man/human/person/people. As before, mark each set differently. You have a lot of time to get it done, but don't put it off, or it will seem like a burden. If you need to carefully read two chapters at a time, that is much better than scanning all eight at a time.

You can read four chapters a day, marking one set of words (death/dead being a set and man/human/person/people being the second) at a time. That would mean that you read the last eight chapters two times over four days, if you choose to do it that way.

It doesn't matter as much how you do it, so much as it matters that you read and mark it carefully. Have a fun weekend. I'll see you again on Tuesday.

The Big Picture: Part 1

2009-02-19T10:49:00.002-05:00

We are going to pull back and read the whole book of 1 Corinthians. Don't worry. You don't have to read it all in one day. I'm going to give you four days to read it. There are sixteen chapters, so you need to read chapters 1-4 today, and 5-8 tomorrow. Or, you can read all eight today, and re-read it tomorrow. That's perfectly fine.

We aren't just going to read it through without thinking, though. That won't help us much. As you read, I would like for you to underline wisdom/wise and power, preferably in two different colors. You could use two symbols, like circling one and putting a box around the other. It doesn't matter too much how you mark it, but you need to make sure that you mark both of these words every time that they come up in chapter 1-8.

We're going to do this after we complete chapters 8, 12, and 16, too. The reason is that we don't want to forget about how the whole book comes together. We can't remove the context from our study without showing disrespect to the Word of God. We will underline/mark different words each time, so after we are done, you will have a thoroughly marked 1 Corinthians, and that's a good thing. As long as you don't mark things out or add words, it's okay to mark in your Bible to help you understand it better. I believe that these excercises will help us to do just that.

Well, get to reading. It won't take that long, I promise.

Chapter 4: Outline

2009-02-18T16:03:00.002-05:00

1. 1 Corinthians 4:1-5: Reserve judgement for God.

Paul and Apollos are mere servants of God, trying to faithfully execute the work that God has planned for them.
We cannot judge the work of another based on our own beliefs and ideas, for good or for bad. (We can use the Bible to determine if an action is right or wrong a lot of the time, but we cannot judge an individual because we can never know their heart.)
God will reveal our actions, motives, and thoughts, and will judge our lives accordingly.
1 Corinthians 4:5 (key verse) So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time -- before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

2. 1 Corinthians 4:6-7: Gifts from God should be viewed with gratitude, not ownership.

Paul is saying that even he and Apollos, though working hard and faithfully to proclaim the Gospel, are prime examples of God's grace, not of personal acheivement.
The Corinthians wanted to view the strengths of their leaders as personal strengths instead of gifts from God. They were worshipping the receiver more than the Giver.
We cannot boast, or even revel in silent pride, over the abilities and knowledge that God has graciously given us because they are not qualities of our own, but gifts that God has given us for His glory through His lovingkindness.
1 Corinthians 4:7 (key verse) For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

3. 1 Corinthains 4:8-13: Paul contrasts his own humility and suffering with the Corinthian's pride and life of ease.

The Corinthians believed that they were already spiritually complete because they were able to word things well and had intellectual understanding.
Paul suffered constantly for the cause of Christ, enduring the loss of physical needs, as well as serious damage to the reputation and respect he'd once had.
These sufferings were not in spite of his love for Christ and dedication to His will. They were because of it. You can be in God's will, and life can still stink.
Paul worked to deal with each struggle the best way. He and the other apostles blessed when cursed, endured abuse patiently, and dealt gently with those who insulted them. They didn't seek excuses. They sought righteousness.
Remember, the result of the things that we do on the earth will not be seen while we are living, or even after we are dead. Even the name of Christ continues to be mocked and disrespected. Even after doing everything right, and suffering every shame, the full results of our sacrifice, and His, will not be revealed until the day of the coming of Christ. Then, and then only, will the fullness of His grace through us be revealed. In that day, our shame will become glory, and our foolishness will become wisdom. (Remember from 1:27 that God uses things that seem foolish to shame the wise, and the things that seem weak to shame the powerful.)
1 Corinthians 4:10 (key verse) Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed.

4. 1 Corinthians 4:14-21: Paul speaks to the Corinthians as his children, with love and discipline.

Paul is not trying to tease or embarass the Corinthian people to get back at them for disrespeting him. He is being honest with them in order to help them grow in Christ.
He takes responsibilty over them because he was the one who shared the Gospel with them. Although God has sent other to them to help them grow (and allowed other, false teachers to test them), Paul feels like a father to them because he was there for their spiritual "birth".
He confidently asks the Corinthians to look to him and follow his lead, as he does with the other churches where he preaches. He also sent Timothy to help them understand how Paul is living and act as a living example among them.
Paul promises his return, if it's God's will. A lesson that we can draw from this is that when we question God's schedule, we question God's wisdom and power. Faith in Him means faith in His timing and His ways. To question Him is to be arrogant before Him.
The Corinthians could say the right things, but Paul believed that they were living apart from the power of God, as their arrogance would suggest. The Christian life isn't about sounding spiritual, but about drawing our power from the God of all Creation. That requires us to endure hardship and to persevere through pain, depending on Him all the way. Arrogance and God's power do not mix.
Paul reminds the Corinthians that he can come to them in kindness, or he can come with discipline. It is up to them. A good parent, spiritual or biological, has the responsibility to discipline his/her children and to love them. To love them is to discipline them when they are outside of the will of God.
1 Corinthians 4:20 (key verse) For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power.

1 Corinthians 4:18-21

2009-02-13T22:30:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 4:18-21 Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. 19 But I will come -- and soon -- if the Lord lets me, and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God's power. 20 For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. 21 Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?

I had a difficult time understanding what arrogance had to do with Paul returning to Corinth. I read up on it, and consulted my very smart (much smarter than I) hubby, and it fell together. We already know that the Corinthian church likes cliques. They like to group off into little clubs of people who agree about just about everything, and who believe that they are smarter than everyone else. They're debaters. Debate was a very popular form of entertainment in that day, and many of the Corinthian Christians had studied it, and gotten very good at it. One of the tools that these people used to undermine their opposition was to make them appear less than trustworthy. The people who were against Paul wanted him to seem unstable, like he wouldn't keep his word.

1 Corinthians 4:18-19 Some of you have become arrogant, thinking I will not visit you again. 19 But I will come -- and soon -- if the Lord lets me, and then I'll find out whether these arrogant people just give pretentious speeches or whether they really have God's power.

Paul isn't backing down. Although the Corinthians who are against him are saying things like, "He isn't coming back. He has no authority here, so why should he?", Paul assures the Corinthians that he won't just be back, but when he gets there... They better look out!

Paul also says somethings else here. It seems like a very quick blip on the screen, but I think that it was intentional. Paul points out Who it is that works his calendar. If he wasn't there, it wasn't by his decision. By questioning Paul for not getting there sooner, the Corinthians were questioning God! That takes some arrogance.

These people were good talkers. They could talk, argue, and debate Paul into the ground. But, Paul isn't as concerned about their public speaking abilities as he is their hearts and where they put their trust. He's ready to meet them head on, even without speaking ability in his corner. He was coming with the very power of God, and no debating strategy was going to be able to defeat him on that!

1 Corinthians 4:20 - 4:21 For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God's power. 21 Which do you choose? Should I come with a rod to punish you, or should I come with love and a gentle spirit?

Now, if you don't think that this Corinthian church and the modern American church has commonalities, verse 20 ought to change your mind. There's a contrast in this verse between living and talking. We can fool people by our speech. We can make them think that we are more spiritual than we are. We can even make ourselves believe that we are more spiritual than we are. God isn't fooled by well-formed speech, and neither are Christians with strong discernment. Something that the American church desperately needs is a stronger sense of spiritual discernment. The Corinthians didn't have much, or they wouldn't have been so easily swayed by debaters who were completely lacking in the power of God. What's the common link? I believe that the reason that both Corinthian Christians and American Christians lack discernment is that we have allowed ourselves to slide into the culture. We aren't holy like we should be. We easily accept the terms of the world in which we live. We've already said that was a problem that the Corinthians faced (3:3).

When we allow ourselves to live in ways similar to the rest of the world, when we accept life on their terms, the Truth of the Gospel gets diluted, along with its power. Our minds aren't being trained as they should be to recognize the things of God, or to tell the difference between pseudo-Christianity and true Christlike-ness. The way to build up your discernment, then, is to study the Truth. Get to know Jesus better. Don't just study ideas about Him. Get to know Him personally. It's like a marriage. You can know all about a list of fact about a person. You could write a paper all about them. You talk like they do. You can explain their way of living. But it takes spending time with them personally before you get to know them for who they are. And it takes knowing God personally to understand the difference between talk and power.

Paul gives the Corinthians a decision to make. He can come and love on them, or he can come and discipline. Parents are going to understand this place well. There are those times when you desperately hope that your child will do what they should (obey, refrain from something they aren't supposed to do, etc.), so that you don't have to discipline them negatively. Parents want to show their children affection, and Paul has said already that he feels like a father to the Corinthians. Sometimes parents have to do the unpleasant thing, though, and be tough. Sometimes we have to do the painful thing, for everyone involved, and make our children temporarily unhappy for their benefit in the long run.

Next week will begin with a review for chapter four. After that we will read the whole book over two studies. There won't be much studying to it, but what we'll be doing is taking a step back and looking at how it all fits together. There will be a couple of things that we'll do to cement the message of the book of 1 Corinthians into our minds. I think that it will be beneficial, and, I hope, fun.

Have a fabulous weekend living by God's power!

1 Corinthians 4:14-18

2009-02-11T14:41:00.004-05:00

1 Corinthians 4:14-18 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you. 16 So I urge you to imitate me. 17 That's why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

Yesterday we read some things that Paul was saying to the Corinthian Christians, and he was getting pretty rough with them. Now he is softening his demeanor a bit.

1 Corinthians 4:14-15 I am not writing these things to shame you, but to warn you as my beloved children. 15 For even if you had ten thousand others to teach you about Christ, you have only one spiritual father. For I became your father in Christ Jesus when I preached the Good News to you.

Paul sees the Corinthians as spiritual children, in more ways than one. He recognizes that they are immature spiritually, as we saw in the beginning of chapter 3. He also feels a certain paternal link to them because he was the one who "planted" the Gospel among them. I could imagine that Paul would be afraid that his spiritual children would fail. He'd be afraid that they were limiting their joy in this life through disobedience. He would be nervous for their success. Although Paul recognizes that he can't control how the seed of the Gospel grows in their hearts (3:5), he still cares a great deal for them, and he wants to see them grow and flourish.

Paul obviously loves the Corinthians. I think about how he would react when he first heard how the Corinthians are prideful, divided, and deep in sin. I imagine it to be pretty similar to finding out that your son has been arrested for driving drunk at the age of fifteen. It's a shot to the gut. There's that careful three-way balance between expressing the anger you feel, the reproach they need to hear, and the love that still continues, no matter what.

1 Corinthians 4:16-17 So I urge you to imitate me. 17 That's why I have sent Timothy, my beloved and faithful child in the Lord. He will remind you of how I follow Christ Jesus, just as I teach in all the churches wherever I go.

We've already talked about Paul's humility. And yet, here he tells the Corinthians that if they want to grow spiritually, they need to imitate him. That doesn't seem too humble, does it? Paul knows something that the Corinthians don't understand very well. He knows how to depend on the Holy Spirit. He knows how to let go of the things that most people, including the Corinthians, struggle to hold on to. Although Paul is fully aware that he is still lacking spiritually, he is also aware that God is powerfully at work in his life.

A lot of people are afraid of being spiritual leaders. They are nervous about teaching Sunday school, or "coming out" as a Christian at work. We don't want to make Jesus look bad by being His representative. The problem is that we are already His representatives. When we became Christians, we weren't called to a low-level Christianity. We were called to full-out ministry. That may not mean full-time service for most people, but it's no less important for plumbers, lawyers, and dance teachers to live out their faith than it is for a pastor. People are looking. If they can't tell that you're a Christian, or at least radically different from most people, then you're failing at the most important job that you will have, bringing God glory through your life.

We all want to be mentored, but there's always someone who could benefit from us mentoring them. Every church has young Christians who are desperate for someone to show them what it looks like to parent, shop for clothing, be married, and work as a Christian. We don't want the responsibility of being the one to show them. The fact is, we are already responsible for it. The Church is responsible for ensuring the growth of Christians, and the Church is us. When we deny that responsibility, it just means that we aren't doing it well.

It's hard, I know. We don't want to fail. We are afraid of saying or doing the wrong thing. Well, don't worry. You'll make mistakes, no matter what. That's okay. God's bigger than that. Just do your job. Love, grow, dwell. You can't do it on your own, but you can do anything that God asks you to do, by His strength. Don't limit God's work in your life by leaning on yourself. Give Him full control of your life, and you'll be amazed at what can happen.

1 Corinthians 4:8-13

2009-02-10T22:37:00.003-05:00

Really quickly, before we go into today's study, let's look at a few review questions about what we've studied so far.

What did we say is the biggest (general) sin that the Corinthian church struggles with?
What problem has this general sin led to?
How did Paul say that he came to the Corinthian people? (chapter 2)
What kind of attitude does this reveal Paul has?

We'll go over the answers after reading today's passage.

1 Corinthians 4:8-13 You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God's kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. 9 Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world -- to people and angels alike. 10 Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. 11 Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don't have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. 12 We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13 We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash -- right up to the present moment.

What did we say is the biggest (general) sin that the Corinthian church struggles with? Pride
What problem has this general sin led to?
Divisions among the church
How did Paul say that he came to the Corinthian people?
In weakness, fear (timidity), and trembling
What kind of attitude does this reveal Paul has?
humility

The Corinthian church doesn't see their sin. Proud people generally don't. They may have an inkling that they're wrong about something, but there is a good chance that they are too busy being better than everyone else to realize what it is. Paul takes the bull by the horns at this point. He gets tough. I'm pretty sure that if he were a pastor in today's culture, he would've found himself jobless after this little rampage. But there are times when people need someone to grab them by the shoulders and shake them. This was one of those times.

1 Corinthians 4:8-9 You think you already have everything you need. You think you are already rich. You have begun to reign in God's kingdom without us! I wish you really were reigning already, for then we would be reigning with you. 9 Instead, I sometimes think God has put us apostles on display, like prisoners of war at the end of a victor's parade, condemned to die. We have become a spectacle to the entire world -- to people and angels alike.

The Corinthian Christians are comfortable. They see the full-out pagans around them, and it is easy to believe that they really are better. They see the simple Christians who can't make an argument is their lives depended on it (Paul may have been considered one of these), and it is easy to believe that God has revealed more of Himself to them because they are special. They take what they have for granted, never realizing that sin is crouching at the door. They're being careless, and it is chipping away at the holiness they are supposed to maintain.

Paul gets sarcastic with them. Let me paraphrase what he is saying (but realize my words are my words, not God's): "Obviously, you don't need me or anyone else to help you. You already have it all figured out. God's practically handed over the keys to His Kingdom because you have it all together. Shoot! I wish you were running the Kingdom of Heaven; maybe then our lives wouldn't be so hard down here. Look at us, suffering for the cause of Christ like fools when you have already achieved perfection!"

Paul's life is different from the Corinthians'. They sit around, debating one another on minor theological points, thinking that they are oh-so-smart, while Paul feels like he is on a long death march. He preaches the Gospel faithfully, but is only rewarded with suffering. He isn't upset with God because he is suffering. He is upset with the Corinthians because they aren't suffering.
Remember this is at a time when Christians are being killed publicly, for the entertainment of pagans. They would be stuffed into the bodies of dead animals, to be eaten by lions. Or they would be stoned, burned, or pulled apart piece by piece, all for entertainment. After a war, the prisoners who had fought for the losing side would be marched into the city. They would walk for miles, enduring humiliation as they made their way to the place where they would die. Can you imagine the thoughts that would go through their minds? How do you keep walking? This was how Paul felt at the time, but he knew that he wasn't on the losing side. He was being tortured for being triumphant.

1 Corinthians 4:10-13 Our dedication to Christ makes us look like fools, but you claim to be so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are so powerful! You are honored, but we are ridiculed. 11 Even now we go hungry and thirsty, and we don't have enough clothes to keep warm. We are often beaten and have no home. 12 We work wearily with our own hands to earn our living. We bless those who curse us. We are patient with those who abuse us. 13 We appeal gently when evil things are said about us. Yet we are treated like the world's garbage, like everybody's trash -- right up to the present moment.

Paul is creating a stark contrast between the Corinthians and himself. Pride has created a belief in the Corinthian Christians that they are something that they're not. They have handed over their holiness for position. I've made a little (and very simple) graph to illustrate the differences between Paul and the Corinthian Christians (and to prove that it's a very good thing I didn't go into graphic design).

What Paul is getting at here is that there should be a cost in following Christ, and that there will be a cost in following Him well. When we seek after our own glory, we cannot seek after His. The Corinthian people thought that they were wise, but they have clung to earthly wisdom above that of the Gospel. They have placed more value on their honor among men than God's opinion of how they are living their lives. They believe themselves to be powerful, but as Paul said earlier, Christ is the power and wisdom of God (1:24).

Let's end today's study with a look at the Beatitudes from the Sermon on the Mount. The Corinthian church struggled with the fact that man's logic doesn't always coincide with the Gospel, and the Beatitudes are a prime example of when human thinking collides with the ways of a supernatural God.

Matthew 5:3-12 "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 "Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted. 5 "Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. 6 "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. 7 "Blessed are the merciful, for they shall receive mercy. 8 "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. 10 "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 "Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12 Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

It doesn't make sense automatically, does it? We are told that boldness and go-get-'em-ness are the best ways to get to the top. We are told that suffering is a sign of failure. We are told that mediocre Christianity is good enough. Well, it isn't. These are the things that God looks for in His people. These are the qualities that can only come from dependence on the Spirit. They can't be gained in our own power. It takes Him to make into the people that He wants us to be. And that's a very good thing.

1 Corinthians 4:6-7

2009-02-06T15:30:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 4:6-7 Dear brothers and sisters, I have used Apollos and myself to illustrate what I've been saying. If you pay attention to what I have quoted from the Scriptures, you won't be proud of one of your leaders at the expense of another. 7 For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

Paul has been dealing with the Corinthian church, a group of people who are having trouble gaining or maintaining any sense of unity because they insist on following different earthly leaders inside of the church. He has refuted this behavior several times because it is such a dangerous situation for a church to be in. Previously in this chapter, he has said that he and Apollos, who are two of the leaders that the Corinthians are so desperate to follow, are simply servants of God. He has said that even he cannot trust his own judgement as to the value of their work, so they cannot trust their own to decide which church leaders deserve a following and which ones deserve enmity.

Now he is explaining that it isn't just something that should be applied to he and Apollos, but it is a general principle to be applied to everyone. He has been quoting lots of Scripture throughout the early chapters of 1 Corinthians. Below, you will see a list of the biblical quotes he has used:

1 Corinthians 1:19 As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent."

1 Corinthians 1:31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."

1 Corinthians 2:9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

1 Corinthians 2:16 For, "Who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?"

1 Corinthians 3:19 As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness."

1 Corinthians 3:20 And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless."

Paul has made his point well, even without all of the quotes. Why do you think he chose to use so many quotes from the Scriptures?

My theory is that he has been trying to explain to the Corinthians that they can't trust other people with total loyalty as they have been. He has said that it was the wisdom of God alone that could bring health to their church and depth to their spiritual lives. So he needed to back up his argument with clear Scripture that backs him up. If he wanted them to believe him that they couldn't believe church leaders blindly, he need to have some authority, and that authority belongs to God alone.

The theme of these quotes comes down to this: those who seem wise according to the philosophies of this world, aren't wise according to God; those who are truly wise receive their wisdom directly from God.

Therefore, the Corinthians have no right to place any loyalty in any leader, whether he (or she) is wise according to the Scriptures or not. What they so admire is not from that person, but from God.

1 Corinthians 4:7 For what gives you the right to make such a judgment? What do you have that God hasn't given you? And if everything you have is from God, why boast as though it were not a gift?

Paul doesn't just question the judgment of the Corinthians. He also questions their right to make any judgments. Ego was a big problem for them. They had to relinquish any pride they had regarding the gifts that originated with the power of God. They didn't create wisdom, or kindness, or speaking ability. It was given to them. Yet, they still wanted credit for it.

There are very big consequences when we seek to align ourselves with certain groups. It is generally motivated by a belief of personal supremacy. (No matter how wrong another Christian is about some things, there is a really good chance that you're wrong about just as much in another area.) This motivation is sinful, Christian. How dare we believe that we are greater than another created being! God has made us all, and He has a purpose specially designed for His people. We are robbing God of His glory when we do such a terrible thing as allow divisions in an organization that belongs to God alone. You may not think it is such a big deal to have disagreements in the Church of God (not the denomination, but the true entity), but when people are following church leaders to the point that church unity is impossible, it is nothing short of sin!

I know that today's study wasn't uplifting, but it's what was there. You are loved, sweet one. You have been endowed by our King to serve Him in a very unique way, which is why divisions in church are so dangerous. Embrace your calling, and the love the One who called you!

1 Corinthians 4:1-5

2009-02-04T17:26:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 4:1-5 So look at Apollos and me as mere servants of Christ who have been put in charge of explaining God's mysteries. 2 Now, a person who is put in charge as a manager must be faithful. 3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don't even trust my own judgment on this point. 4 My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5 So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time -- before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

Paul identifies himself as a servant, as he mentioned previously (3:5). What kind of humility does it take to willingly place oneself under the total control of a Master? Yet, the calling is a high one. Paul and Apollos are the servants of a King, His messengers to explain His greatness. This high calling comes with great responsibility.

Every Christian is called to do something. You may be called to formal ministry, and you may not realize it yet, or you may be called to minister in your place of work. God needs lawyers, janitors, analysts, data entry technicians, nurses, photographers, teachers, and sales people. God needs people to minister where they are. Lost people very rarely walk into a church and say, "Hey! I'm lost; someone come and tell me about Jesus!" It takes Christians who see their jobs as a ministry, who open their mouths and preach (it doesn't require yelling, eloquence, or even spitting) the Gospel to their co-workers. It takes people who bring brownies for a co-worker's birthday, even when that co-worker is cruel. It takes Christians who are willing to work harder than anyone else, love more than anyone else, and sacrifice more than anyone else. It takes people who refuse to compartmentalize their lives. You are a servant, and you are responsible, not to men, but to God.

1 Corinthians 4:3 As for me, it matters very little how I might be evaluated by you or by any human authority. I don't even trust my own judgment on this point.I find this interesting.

Paul is not only willing to be disliked by everyone else, he is admitting here that he can't even trust himself when it comes to determining the quality of work he was doing. What does he mean by that?People are corrupt. Good people, Christian people, are not what they are supposed to be. Our judgement is incomplete. We worry a lot about what people think about what we do, pastors included. Paul says that we can't take it too seriously, though, when people, godly people even, disagree with us. Remember that Paul has just been saying that God doesn't think the way that we do. We can't trust our minds because they aren't in tune with God.

Remember from chapter 3 when Paul was talking about building the temple with certain materials? Let's look back at those verses.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have -- Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials -- gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

Paul says, in both chapters, that God is the only one able to test the work that we do. This may leave you a bit confused, as it has me. How can we do anything if we don't know how to do it right? How can we make sure that the work we put in is worth anything if it won't be tested until the day of Christ's return?There are some things that we can trust for sure. We can know, for absolutely sure, that we are supposed to tell people about Jesus. It's in the Bible, very clearly.

Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus came and told his disciples, "I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19 Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20 Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

We don't know, however, exactly where we should do this. Which nation (the original word was referring to cultural groups, not political entities) am I supposed to go and make disciples out of? Well, we can pray. We can ask for guidance through godly people, always bearing in mind that they are imperfect in their judgement. But we know what we can't do. We can't be quiet. We can't refuse to tell. We have to open our mouths and speak. We can pray for God to bless our feeble attempts and make them more effective than we are capable of making them ourselves. The Christian life is not about safety. It's about obedience.

When we can't be sure what exactly we should be doing, we are still responsible to make sure that we are doing the general things that God has told us to do. Live in prayer. Be willing to change. (Remember, you can't trust your own judgement.) Go when He says, "go!" and stay when He says, "stay!" Know the Word of God. He has given us lots of good directions. Follow them.

1 Corinthians 4:4-5 My conscience is clear, but that doesn't prove I'm right. It is the Lord himself who will examine me and decide. 5 So don't make judgments about anyone ahead of time -- before the Lord returns. For he will bring our darkest secrets to light and will reveal our private motives. Then God will give to each one whatever praise is due.

Paul admits that it is possible that he is wrong about some things, but he is living without guilt. That guilt-free life can only come from the peace of God. He knows that He is doing what He has been told. He knows that he is living a Spirit-filled life. He may not know how the results will come out, but he isn't afraid because he isn't depending on himself.

Don't make judgements ahead of time. Sometimes we think that we can judge someone else's ministry, lifestyle, or actions from the earthly results. We think that we can tell what "works" and what doesn't according to what happens here. Apparently, from this passage, not. God may not be looking at the same things we are. He may tell us to do something off-the-wall purely for the benefit of a single person. How can we determine the worth of such actions when we can't even see the heart of a person?

Most of us are hiding something, probably a lot of things, from other people, and from ourselves. It's going to take a supernatural Judge to sift through all of that. And He will. He is going to go through everything: our actions, thoughts, motives, and attitudes. From all of that He will determine the reward that you have earned. Jeremiah alludes to this in the book by his name.

Jeremiah 17:9-10 "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10 But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."

It may seem like an impossible position to be in. We want to please God, but here we find that we can't even understand how bad we are. Check out this verse from my favorite Psalm.

Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

It isn't hopeless, I don't believe. We'll never be able to rid out hearts and minds of all of the sin that pollutes it, but we can be more pleasing to God. This Psalm discusses the importance of God's Word in living a life that pleases Him. I think that knowing the Word of God and making it the standard of our lives is a key to living a life that pleases God. The other key thing, I think, is to pray and ask God to make your life into something that pleases Him. Today I'm going to leave you with Psalm 19. It's not long, and it goes very well with today's study. I hope that you enjoy it as much as I do.

Psalm 19:1-14 The heavens proclaim the glory of God. The skies display his craftsmanship. 2 Day after day they continue to speak; night after night they make him known. 3 They speak without a sound or word; their voice is never heard. 4 Yet their message has gone throughout the earth, and their words to all the world. God has made a home in the heavens for the sun. 5 It bursts forth like a radiant bridegroom after his wedding. It rejoices like a great athlete eager to run the race. 6 The sun rises at one end of the heavens and follows its course to the other end. Nothing can hide from its heat. 7 The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. 9 Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. 12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

A Break from 1 Corinthians

2009-02-03T12:29:00.003-05:00

We are going to take a one day vacation from 1 Corinthians and look at a Psalm. "Why?" you ask. Well, the stuff we've been studying is pretty heavy, and I thought it would be a nice change of pace. If you haven't been studying 1 Corinthians with us, or if you're a little behind, feel free to skip this study in order to get caught up. Some of the studies have been too long to take a day at a time. They aren't necessarily meant to be a day's worth. Just take them as you have time, but do try to spend at least some time in the Word every day.

Psalm 125:1-5 (NLT) Those who trust in the LORD are as secure as Mount Zion; they will not be defeated but will endure forever. 2 Just as the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, both now and forever. 3 The wicked will not rule the land of the godly, for then the godly might be tempted to do wrong. 4 O LORD, do good to those who are good, whose hearts are in tune with you. 5 But banish those who turn to crooked ways, O LORD. Take them away with those who do evil. May Israel have peace! A song for pilgrims ascending to Jerusalem.

Psalm 125:1-5 (ESV) Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion, which cannot be moved, but abides forever. 2 As the mountains surround Jerusalem, so the LORD surrounds his people, from this time forth and forevermore. 3 For the scepter of wickedness shall not rest on the land allotted to the righteous, lest the righteous stretch out their hands to do wrong. 4 Do good, O LORD, to those who are good, and to those who are upright in their hearts! 5 But those who turn aside to their crooked ways the LORD will lead away with evildoers! Peace be upon Israel!

I pasted this Psalm (each chapter of the Book of Psalms is a single Psalm) in two versions because I want us to think on it and meditate on it, not really break it down and study it like we normally would. You may want to memorize verse 2. That's some great imagery. Let's notice a few things from this passage to help us concentrate on what God is saying here.

The people of God are secure, protected by a Mighty Warrior. We will endure struggles and hardships. We will have bad days when we doubt whether God is there at all. But He is. Even if things are terrible in this life, even if we die because we did what was right, we are more than conquerors. We will sit next to the God of all Creation when it is over, and the struggles and pain of this life will seem very, very small when we see them next to our King.

Romans 8:35-39 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, "For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jerusalem was surrounded by mountains that were higher than the one it was sitting on. These mountains created a natural wall of protection against invaders. I found this to be an incredible image when I first read it. Contrast this wall of protection, created and upheld by God, very God, with the wall of Jericho. Jericho's was big, strong, and built to last, but it couldn't last when faced by the power and might of God. We can build fortresses with our own lives, placing faith in things that may be good, but they simply are not God. Those things will fail. Our fortress will be unable to protect us from the most disastrous consequences of our own sin. The protection given to us by God can. It is a protection that cannot be taken from us.
God will not give us over to wickedness. The protection of God on a Christian's life isn't just from enemies of the physical or emotional type. He is also protecting us from the evil sin-nature at work in us. That is why a Christian simply cannot practice sin. We will stumble, and we will make mistakes, but God will not allow sin to rule in the life of a Christian. If sin has power over your life, you really need to do some soul-searching to discover if God dwells within you or not.
God loves us and cares for us in order to gain praise. He stays true to His character by making sure that those who seek Him find Him. He will do good to those who are good, and He will lead those who are sinful away from His people in order to preserve the holiness of His Church.

Take some time today to be grateful. Grab a journal and write down some ways that you have seen God's protection in your own life. Pray a prayer of gratitude for the ways that God has proven time and again that He has no intention of leaving His children. Take joy in knowing that we serve a mighty God who loves righteousness, and ask that God will continue cultivating a love for righteousness in your own heart, for His glory.

1 Corinthians 3: Review and Outline

2009-01-30T14:49:00.002-05:00

We've been looking at 1 Corinthians, verse-by-verse. This week we completed 1 Corinthians 3. If you're just now joining the study, you may want to go back and read the previous studies on 1 Corinthians:1-3. You can also read the reviews from the previous chapters, and jump on in.

Review and Outline for 1 Corinthians 1

Review and Outline for 1 Corinthians 2

1. 1 Corinthians 3:1-4- People of the flesh are contrasted against people of the Spirit.

Fleshly people must begin with spiritual milk. The Corinthians wanted to debate and discuss philosophy of deeper theological points than they were ready for. They still didn't understand the basic truths of grace and holiness. Many people today try to dive into theological discussion before they are ready. Sometimes churches forget that new Christians haven't adjusted their way of thinking to their new calling.
People of the flesh are identified by their behavior. Fleshly people are normal. They argue among one another, seek their own rights above the welfare of the Church, and are anxious to follow human leaders with a loyalty that competes with their love for Christ.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 3:3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world?

2. 1 Corinthians 3:5-9- Spiritual leaders, pastors, and evangelists are merely servants for the cause of Christ.

Each Christian has a job to do. We should all strive to approach, nurture, and harvest unbelievers to the cause of Christ all the time, but some people are "specialists". Each of us probably does one of these jobs best, but every job is equally important to impacting the world for the glory of God.
God is the only One who can supply growth. We can't make people understand. We can't make them believe. Prayer is a powerful tool to increasing our results. At the end of the day, each and every person who is saved owes his/her salvation completely to the Spirit of God. It is our privilege to get to be a part.
We are expected to work, and will receive payment based on our effort, not the results. The quality of a Christian's life cannot be determined while on this earth. It's about putting yourself out there, being willing to look foolish, and keeping at it. We will be rewarded, even if it appears that our work is fruitless.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 3:7 It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow.

3. 1 Corinthians 3:10-15- We are commanded to carefully build onto the foundation of Christ.

The foundation of the Church is Christ. That means that what we do reflects on Him directly. We must be very careful, therefore, in the work that we do in the Church.
The quality of the work that we do to build up the Church will be revealed in eternity. We may not see the results now. We may not realize that what we are doing has any affect, or we may think that our work is more effective than it is because we are building quickly, but not carefully. That work will be revealed for what it is on the Day of Christ's return.
Real ministry (paid or not) is slow, difficult work. The most valuable work that we do requires patience, time, and personal sacrifice. If we want our work to last, we must be willing to put our whole selves on the line.
Careless work will cost us. Although we cannot lose salvation by carelessly building onto the Church with cheap materials and carelessness, it will cause us to smell of fire before God. The work that we do in the flesh, without depending on God to enable us to do things His way, will be burnt up. Only that which is done through the power of the Spirit will last.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 3:13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value.

4. 1 Corinthians 3:16-17- The Church is the dwelling place of God, called to holiness.

The Church is precious to God. That means that those who destroy it are messing with the wrong Man. God will punish those who mess with His people. He takes it personally.
We, as members of the body of Christ, are called to be completely holy. Holiness means that we are set apart, to be used only for the cause of Christ. We cannot allow ourselves to pulled into the ways of the world. The Church should be one place where people always forgive, always love, and are seeking after the good of the whole above their own.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 3:16 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you?

5. 1 Corinthians 3:18-23- The wisdom of this world isn't just useless; it's dangerous.

In order to gain pure wisdom, we must admit that the wisdom of this world is actually foolishness. We cannot earn salvation. We aren't the highest rung on the ladder of the universe. Being a good person just ain't enough. We have realize the folly of earthly thinking in order to grasp the greatness, power, and wisdom of the salvation we have received.
The wisdom of this world is useless, and it will be used to show our own stupidity if we cling to it. God is going to use fleshly ways of thinking to prove His greatness. It doesn't make sense that God would give up His perfect Son in order to save those that hate Him. That shows His infinite love. It doesn't make sense that God would rather have His Son die than have sin go for unpaid. That shows His intense sense of justice.
Boasting in what we know reveals a pride issue that prevents us from enjoying the full unity of the Church. Pride is dangerous to the Church. Pride places faith in ourselves when that faith rightfully belongs to God. It creates disunity in the Church because we are all placing our faith and loyalty in something other than God. He deserves all our faith and all of our loyalty. When we give Him what He deserves, we are unified because we share a common goal, the glory of God.
God has given us what we need to have a healthy church and holy life. He has given us leaders to help in guiding us, but they are only a tool that comes from Him. He has given us this world and the next, the present and the future, all to bring Him glory. We belong to Him, and we must use the resources bestowed upon us by way of Christ to bring Him glory.
Key verse: 1 Corinthians 3:21 So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you --

Not Supposed to be The Temple of Doom

2009-01-28T14:23:00.004-05:00

1 Corinthians 3:16-23 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple. 18 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness." 20 And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless." 21 So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you -- 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Peter,1 or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

The Body of Christ, the Church is what's in play here. We are the temple of God. By that, Paul means that the very presence of God is alive in the Church. There are issues at play in the Corinthian church that are bringing damage onto the Church as a whole. We said yesterday that the foundation laid by Paul was Jesus Christ. Anything that we build onto it reflects on Him. That cannot be changed. God isn't happy with the Corinthians for additions that they are putting onto His temple. I wonder how thrilled He is by what the American church building.

1 Corinthians 3:16-17 Don't you realize that all of you together are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God lives in you? 17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Although Paul makes a point about the body of a Christian being the temple of God, here he is dealing with the whole church being the dwelling place of God. We don't mean that the church building is "God's house," but the point is that the Spirit of God, His presence is magnified in a group of believers.

The organization of the Church is meant to reflect God Himself. It is meant to reflect the character of God, just as marriage is meant to do. Jesus speaks of the unity of the Church reflecting His personality.

John 13:34-35 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

Every organization on the planet deals with selfishness, pride, personal ambition, and other sinful arguments. The Church shouldn't function like every other organization though. We are supposed to different. We are meant to act differently as individuals, and as a a group.

Peter also calls on Christians to show love to one another.

1 Peter 1:22 You were cleansed from your sins when you obeyed the truth, so now you must show sincere love to each other as brothers and sisters. Love each other deeply with all your heart.

Are you seeing the degree that Jesus and Peter are telling us, as God and on behalf of God, to love each other? Jesus says to love each other in the same way that He has loved us. What does that mean? That means that we should be willing to die for the good of the Church. All of us should, not just "super Christians". As we follow Christ, we also represent Him. If we can't even get along with one another, if we can't even be patient with people who share our ideaology, how on earth are we going to make people believe that there is a spuernatural Presence among us? That is how natural people act. Natural people seek their own benefit. That is not what we are called to, Christian.

We should be motivated by the forgiveness that we have received from Christ to forive each other without condition. That is how a church should function, in grace and love.

1 Corinthians 3:17 God will destroy anyone who destroys this temple. For God's temple is holy, and you are that temple.

Yesterday we saw that building onto the foundation of Christ carelessly leads to a far closer escape from fire than one would desire. Today we see that those who tear down the Church are to meet a far greater punishment. The Church will be built up by those who follow Him. It's not an "if" situation. The job may not be done well, but it will be done. Those who tear down the Church are not of God.

It is a high crime against God to mess with His Church. He takes it seriously because He has pulled His people from the rest of the world with the purpose of holiness. That is a big calling that requires respect, both from its members and its enemies.

1 Corinthians 3:18-20 Stop deceiving yourselves. If you think you are wise by this world's standards, you need to become a fool to be truly wise. 19 For the wisdom of this world is foolishness to God. As the Scriptures say, "He traps the wise in the snare of their own cleverness." 20 And again, "The LORD knows the thoughts of the wise; he knows they are worthless."

Paul returns again, from the platform of holiness, to the difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man. It seems like he's harping on it, doesn't it? Well, he is. It's a major issue for the Corinthians. It's a majoy issue for the Americans, too. We worry about sounding crazy, so we keep our mouths shut. We are worried about getting pulled into a debate that we can't handle, so we just send people on their merry little way to Hell. We want to sound smart. We want to look smart. But that isn't the point of the Christian life. We are to be holy, and to be holy, we have to be weird.

The problem was the people were placing their faith in worldy wisdom because it made more sense to their fleshly minds. What they needed was some humility. What they needed, what we continue to need today, was to embrace the freedom of foolishness. Wordly wisdom desires to "get it" on our own terms. Godly wisdom says that the only thing you "get" on your own terms is Hell.

Why is it we can't just say, "Nope, I don't get why I understand that Jesus loves me, and that love changes everything, but I sure am glad I do!"? Why can't we just let go of philosophical debates of theology that prevent us from doing actual ministry. Theology is good. It's just a systemized way of understanding the Bible, but the second that the system prevents us from actually doing something about it, we've stepped over a line that should never be crossed. We are trying to turn Godly wisdom into earthly wisdom.

Do you think that we impress God by figuring things out on our own? Nope. It has no eternal value. The knowledge that we need comes straight from God. We have been led to believe that all wisdom, all knowledge, all understanding is good, but the original sin was developed around Eve knowing more. She wanted to "get it" all by herself, so she didn't trust God for the answers. She turned away from the presence of God in an attempt to be wiser. It didn't work out well for her, did it? And it doesn't work out well for us, either.

God sees the way that we think. He is able to use earthly wisdom to trap us. Do most of the lost people, who feel that they are so much smarter than we idiot Christians, seem all that free to you? Do they seem happier? They seem stuck.

I had an atheist professor the last couple of semesters of college. I liked him a lot. He was so smart! He understood the human brain brilliantly. Every term he'd present us with this problem: If there is a physical element to man (the body and brain) and a metaphysical (what we would call spiritual) element to man (the soul or mind), how do they connect? Apparently, he found this to be enormously important because he spent the first day of class, no matter which class he was teaching, going over this. He always concluded that there must only be a physical element to man. Now, it seems pretty obvious to me that if there is a connector between the body and soul or brain and mind, that it wouldn't be possible to sense it. If it's partly metaphysical and partly physical, then it would either be a third thing (neither physical nor metaphysical) that is beyond our comprehension, or it would only appear to be merely physical to our physical senses.

That man was trapped by a really stupid, really useless question. He couldn't get past it. Apparently, his goal was to trap as many students with him in the snare of this question as he could. He considered it the essential question of the human life. His daughter, who was about 8 at the time, and believed strongly in the metaphysical realm, would always tell him, "Well, I guess you'll find out when you die, huh, dad?" What a sad thought for that little girl.

God looks at this question, and I can only imagine Him rolling His eyes at the thought that this was how Satan trapped a truly brilliant man. This was how a man's entire life was wasted. God sees that and knows that it is obviously ridiculous, worthless to his soul (not that my professor believes in such things). He may very well go to Hell purely based on a philosophical question, not that I didn't try to stop him. It is going to look utterly ridiculous to my professor one day. He's going to see that question, either after he has been saved by God's grace or after he reaches his eternal destination of Hell, and realize just how stupid it is.

1 Corinthians 3:21-23 So don't boast about following a particular human leader. For everything belongs to you -- 22 whether Paul or Apollos or Peter, or the world, or life and death, or the present and the future. Everything belongs to you, 23 and you belong to Christ, and Christ belongs to God.

The Corinthians didn't see it, but they were limiting their understanding by clinging to a particular person. They couldn't grasp the full counsel of God because they were limited to the spiritual gifts and teachings of the particular person they were choosing to follow. God has given us everything. We have every resource, and every gift we need to live out the fullness of the Christian life. The Corinthians didn't realize what they were missing because they were too caught up in themselves and their belief systems. They couldn't let go of personal followings, and because of it, they couldn't fully follow Christ.

We have this life, and all of eternity, to gain from the greatness of God. That gain won't be like the earthly, prideful gain of man. That gain will reflect onto our Owner. We have everything within our possession, and yet we remain in the possession of Christ. By the ownership granted to us, we are able to give more to Him. When we seek after our own interests, we limit the gain according to what we can understand. When we seek after the things that God desires, the results are unlimited, infinite in greatness and results.

Live the infinite life, sweet Christian!

(Wo)Men at Work

2009-01-27T12:42:00.002-05:00

We are going to continue looking at the roles we play in building up the Body of Christ. Paul used the metaphor of a field earlier. Now he's going to use construction as a physical representation of the spiritual work of the people of God.

1 Corinthians 3:10-15 Because of God's grace to me, I have laid the foundation like an expert builder. Now others are building on it. But whoever is building on this foundation must be very careful. 11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have -- Jesus Christ. 12 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials -- gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value. 14 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

Paul begins this passage with a statement of his own work in Corinth. He says that he has laid a foundation for their church with expertise. This sounds pretty odd to us, doesn't it? It sounds a lot like bragging to our Americanized ears. He does pre-empts this statement with "Because of God's grace..." Even with that statement, though, we still think that Paul is tooting his own horn a bit.

The statement is not meant to bring himself glory, though. He is making a point about the value of the work that he put in. As he said earlier, he came to Corinth with a resolution to "know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified" (1 Cor. 2:2, ESV). This was the foundation that he put in place. God used Paul, even a trembling, fearful Paul (2:3), to put a solid foundation for a healthy church. Now others were working to build on it.

Paul warns those who are actively building the church to be careful. Jesus Christ cannot be removed from the foundation of the church. What they do now affects His reputation in Corinth. The church that they are developing will be His body among the Corinthians. That is a high calling that requires great care. Carelessness will result in consequences, as we see a little later in this passage.

1 Corinthians 3:12-13 Anyone who builds on that foundation may use a variety of materials -- gold, silver, jewels, wood, hay, or straw. 13 But on the judgment day, fire will reveal what kind of work each builder has done. The fire will show if a person's work has any value.

You are building on the work of the Church. If you are a Christian, the life that you lead will have a lasting affect on the Body of Christ. Even in choosing to not go to church, not volunteer, or not speak up, you are representing God, Jesus Christ. The choice is how you build on it.There are two basic sets of materials. There are those that last: gold, silver, jewels; and there are those that don't: wood, hay, and straw.

The first set, those that last, are costly. They take time to develop and secure. It's pretty difficult to move large sheets of metal into place. They're heavy. They can't just be secured with a simple nail, either. They require a great deal of care. It may takes weeks to cut the stones into the proper shape, polish the gold or silver, set the jewels into place, and add them to the structure. It's slow, tedious work. The likelihood of damaging the materials is higher, and the consequences are far more costly.

The second set, those that aren't going to last as long, are easier to work with. They are lighter, and you can nail them into place quickly. There's little need for specialty. Most men built their own homes, and were familiar with using these materials. There isn't much preparation required, either. You can find straw, hay and wood almost anywhere. It may still be difficult, but it is much simpler than working with silver, gold, or jewels, and failure isn't nearly as costly.It sounds a lot like the three little pigs, doesn't it? But that's what we do, all the time. We don't think about how our words are going to affect the entire church, but they do. We don't think about how our "that'll do" attitude is going to create issues in the future, but they do. We don't think about how our selfishness, laziness, or inability to see things from any point of view other than our own is going to leave a lasting impression, but do they ever!

Take care. Think through things. Test your actions by God's Word. There are countless statements made by Sunday School teachers that I have never forgotten. Many of them were flippant remarks, made without thought, but they stuck with me.

How do we find out the value of our work? It's going to be a little while until we see the full results. Those are going to be seen through a test of fire. So many churches work to do ministry here and now. So many pastors are easily discouraged because the work that they put in seems to bring no results. We're human, and we want to see our work now!

That's not a God's eye view, though. He doesn't judge work based on the results here and now. He tests the work that we put in by fire. That needs to be the test of our lives: Is the way I'm living now going to make a mark on eternity, or is it based on what works now? Is it about what I can see, or is about how God sees it?

1 Corinthians 3:14-15 If the work survives, that builder will receive a reward. 15 But if the work is burned up, the builder will suffer great loss. The builder will be saved, but like someone barely escaping through a wall of flames.

The work that we do will have eternal consequences for us personally. The work we put in will either survive, or it won't. The work that survives will be done through dependence on the Spirit of God. Remember, that is how Paul laid the foundation, through the grace of God. That is how the work must be continued.

The context of this passage is that we must not be like the rest of the world, bound up in the flesh and seeking after earthly things. We have to be focused on spiritual success. When we try to "make things happen", the results are rarely eternal. It may look really good right now. Sure, we may cover the wood with gold wall paper, but it isn't going to make it through a fire.

We can't lose our salvation by carelessly building upon the foundation of Christ, but it will give us a smell of smoke in His presence. Work that is done in His power will be rewarded, but we will have nothing to show of a life that is done in our own power.

I don't want to stand before God, trying to hold the charred remnants of my life together. I want to be able to look on the work that He has done through me. I want to enjoy the results of His grace beside Him. I want to know that His name was glorified with each addition to His temple that He graciously allowed me to make. What dreams do you have? Are they drenched in the Spirit, or are they revolving around your own idea of success? Is your life made to last, or is it destined to death by flame?

Lord, please allow each step we make today to be covered in Your grace. Help us to carefully walk by the Light of Your Word. Amen.

1 Corinthians 3: 5-9

2009-01-23T14:50:00.001-05:00

1 Corinthians 3:5-9 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow. 8 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building.

As we said earlier, Paul was dealing with an unhealthy church. One of the biggest issues they faced was that they were dividing themselves into factions. They were placing faith in men instead of in the Creator and Savior of men. This passage deals specifically with the foolishness of that plan, and it also gives some wisdom into building a healthy church and how healthy evangelism works.

1 Corinthians 3:5-7 After all, who is Apollos? Who is Paul? We are only God's servants through whom you believed the Good News. Each of us did the work the Lord gave us. 6 I planted the seed in your hearts, and Apollos watered it, but it was God who made it grow. 7 It's not important who does the planting, or who does the watering. What's important is that God makes the seed grow.

Christians are individuals who are honored to serve God on His terms, according to the roles He has blessed us to fill. Some people are gifted in different areas, but we will all perform each role at different times, as long as we are obedient. In the case of the Corinthian church, Paul came and first planted the seeds of the Gospel in Corinth. Apollos then came and nurtured that Truth. God supplied growth, blessing the work of His servants so that the Corinthians understood what they were being told and grasp the power of their message.

Sometimes we assume that great ministers always produce great results, or that we aren't able to do big things because we never attended seminary, can't speak well, or just aren't "that special." What we are doing by believing such things, subconsciously if not consciously, is similar to what the Corinthians were doing. We are placing more faith in people than in God. We are associating results with people, and not God's choice to bless.

God has brought people into relationships with Him through people who had ulterior motives, ego problems, and secret sin that filled their lives. That's because God's greatness was bigger than their weaknesses. There have also been times when pastors, ministers, and godly lay-people have done everything correctly, sought after God earnestly, and loved Him completely, but results were minimal. Some people look at such a situation and assume that the pastor, minister, or lay-person made some mistake along the line that prevented blessing. Although this could be true, it's quite likely that God simply isn't looking at the same things we are. The act of obedience, in the midst of an apparent drought of blessing, only increases in value. It requires greater faith to continue serving when it doesn't seem to be working. That spiritual growth its self is a blessing.

1 Corinthians 3:8-9 The one who plants and the one who waters work together with the same purpose. And both will be rewarded for their own hard work. 9 For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building.

There's a little issue in Christian work: we never know when we're planting, watering, or harvesting. One pastor may walk into church one morning, and five people get saved right then and there. Most people would look at that situation and assume that the pastor must have had an incredible sermon or a very special, intimate connection with the Spirit that day. It's just as likely that there was a quiet deacon's wife who has been gently planting seeds and watering them daily by answering their questions, coming to their aid, and offering kindness in the midst of difficult times. It doesn't really matter, though.

The Spirit of God is the One who deserves credit. The pastor and the deacon's wife may have both been faithful and obedient servants, but it's the grace of God that brought about results. We mentioned while studying chapter 1 that without the work of God in our hearts, we couldn't understand the wisdom or power of the Gospel. We can endlessly preach the truth, but without God at work in the hearts of the lost, there would be no results. God's blessing is present whenever anyone receives even a glimpse of the Truth that is so obvious to those who are saved.

Although we can't create results, we must continue to be obedient in sharing the Word of God. We are promised rewards if we do so. Some might take that to mean that our work will always produce results, but that isn't what this means. We are going to be rewarded eternally. Eventually, we will look at our lives and see them as God sees them. We will see each and every opportunity that we had to lighten the darkness of the world in which we live. There will be missed opportunities in everyone's lives, but the hard work that we pour into sharing God's grace will be rewarded in Heaven. Merely knowing that we are not at fault for another person's suffering is enough of a motive for sharing our faith, but there are rewards that only God can imagine for those who faithfully sow seeds and water them for the glory of God.

Paul uses a metaphor to describe God's Church. He says that he and Apollos were the workers, and the Corinthians themselves were God's field and building. He uses this to introduce us into the metaphor he will use to help us understand the building up of the Church that follows. He is moving us from the idea of the entire world as a field into a picture of the Church as a building. We'll discuss this further in the next study.

Keep praying for the lost in your world. Pray that God will use you to reach them, and that you will be perceptive enough to see each and every opportunity to share the glorious news that has brought you from darkness into light. Be bold. Be loving. Be joyful. It's the greatest challenge of the Christian life to simply be what we were meant to be, but it is so very worth it!

1 Corinthians 3:1-4

2009-01-21T11:10:00.004-05:00

1 Corinthians 3:1-4 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready, 3 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," and another says, "I follow Apollos," aren't you acting just like people of the world?

Paul is talking to some spiritually immature people. They've been saved for a while, but they aren't growing as they should. We've already seen that main issue that they face is that they have allowed worldly considerations to creep into their church. Let's look at a few lessons we can take from this passage.

1 Corinthians 3:1-2 Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn't talk to you as I would to spiritual people. I had to talk as though you belonged to this world or as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren't ready for anything stronger. And you still aren't ready,

Paul says that he "had to talk' to the Corinthians like spiritual babies. He had to. He might not have wanted to sit there, going over the same things over and over again, but it was important that he did. Man, can I relate to that! I spend my whole day with little children who understand very little of what I say, and boy! is it annoying. When Edwin gets home from work, I am desperate to have a real conversation. Still, it's what I have to do as their mother. I have to repeat, "No, Ella. Leave her alone!" at least a hundred times a day. I have to tell DeLaynie, "We do not throw temper tantrums because we are unhappy," about fifty times a day. Why? Because they don't get it yet. One day, these things that I keep saying, over and over again, will get lodged into their little brains. I won't be there, but my words will be. Ella will finally understand that everything on this planet does not belong to her, and DeLaynie will grasp the idea that there is a right way to handle her emotions, and a wrong way to handle her emotions.

That's where the Corinthians are. They are having to learn the most basic of lessons, and Paul is having to repeat the same, elementary principles again and again. The difference is that the Corinthians should have gotten it by now. They have had the Holy Spirit for a while now, and they still haven't learned to depend on Him. Paul is repeating himself, saying, "You are different now that you are Christians. You aren't supposed to be like everyone else," but they are still stuck in their ignorance, or maybe arrogance. They can't move ahead because they still haven't gotten this lesson.

Paul talks about milk, spiritual food for young believers. Babies can't handle a t-bone steak and green beans. They'd choke. Sure, it tastes better. It even has more nutritional value to it. But they can't eat it yet because they aren't old enough. The Corinthians are acting like little babies in the spiritual realm, and it's hurting their growth and their witness. How many American Christians want to try to live like everyone else, but go to church a couple of times a week? We think that we are more mature on the whole than the Corinthians, but I'm not so sure that we are. We still don't seem to understand what Paul was so desperate to get into the Corinthian's heads. "You're different. The Spirit is at work in you. You don't have to sin anymore. Live like you belong to Jesus, because you do!"

I honestly think that the American church could use some more milk in her diet. There's plenty of debate over theological points, but I'm not sure that we're ready for it. The divorce rate in the church matches that outside of it. Most evangelical Christians (as in, church attenders) aren't even sure that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. It sounds like we could use some milk. The problem is that church members get annoyed and pastors get bored. Obviously, annoyance and boredom are pretty terrible things, because they're keeping the American church from reaching her potential in fulfilling the calling that Jesus purchased for us with His blood. I'm not so sure that there aren't going to be a large number of church-attending, committee-meeting evangelicals standing before Jesus and the Father, shocked to discover that what they thought salvation was is actually a cheap substitute sold to them by Satan.

I sound harsh, I know. That price is going to be on us, Christian. We're the ones allowing them to buy into it. When was the last time you heard of a church taking a stand against divorce among its members? When have you heard of a set of deacons demanding that the pastor preach on the basics because it's obvious that her members don't get it yet? When have you heard of a pastor who was willing to preach again and again on the subject that a Christian is going to look different from a sinner because he knows that there are members of his congregation that are going to go to Hell if they don't get it? We're afraid of social discomfort when the world around us, even our own churches, are headed to Hell.

1 Corinthians 3:3-4 for you are still controlled by your sinful nature. You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn't that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren't you living like people of the world? 4 When one of you says, "I am a follower of Paul," and another says, "I follow Apollos," aren't you acting just like people of the world?

We've said before that a big symptom of spiritual sickness is cliquishness. This passage shows us a little more of why. We like to feel right, so we divide every issue, from what color the hymnals should be to if it's time to add praise choruses into the order of worship, into two groups. It is perfectly human to divide everything into "us" and "them" categories. That's the problem. We aren't supposed to depending on our humanity anymore. We're jealous of someone else's power over, oh say, the hymnals, so we create a group of people who agree with us, proving just how correct we are on the issue. We want what we want, and the body of Christ is cast aside on our journey to get it.

Let's be different, shall we? We'll look at more of what that means tomorrow. Never doubt the value of spiritual milk when facing conflict. Conflict is, after all, a sign of immaturity, and immaturity is best combated through a better understanding of who God is.

1 Corinthians 2- Review and Outline

2009-01-20T11:07:00.002-05:00

As I have decided to do with each chapter, I am giving you an outline and review sheet. I suppose that this will help you feel nostalgic about school days. Enjoy memory lane, and a quick overview of 1 Corinthians 2.

1. 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Paul focuses on the necessity of the Gospel alone, rejecting "lofty speech" and earthly wisdom.
1 Corinthians 2:2 (key verse) For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

2. 1 Corinthians 2:6-10

The "secret and hidden wisdom of God" is revealed to the mature believers through the Spirit.
1 Corinthians 2:10 (key verse) these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

3. 1 Corinthians 2:11-13

Having received the gift of the Spirit, we are able to understand the mind and heart of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12 (key verse) Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.

4. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16

Those who are not saved are unable to understand spiritual wisdom because they do not have the Holy Spirit at work in them.
1 Corinthians 2:16 (key verse) "For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Application points:

We are to stick with the whole truth of the Gospel. We do not add elements to make it more impressive, nor do we remove parts to make it less controversial.
We are able to understand the Word of God by way of His Spirit. When we are having trouble understanding a passage, prayer and dependence on Him are the best resources we have at our disposal. (Books and commentaries are also helpful. Many are the product of the gifts others have received by way of the Spirit, so they are given to us by the Holy Spirit as well as personal insight and spiritual wisdom. Just be careful about who you read and who you trust.)
Remember that those who are not saved do not have the Spirit to help them understand spiritual truths. It requires a work of the Spirit for the lost to grasp the Gospel. Prayer is the best way to break through that wall. Keep sharing the truth the Lord has taught you, and cover each situation in prayer, asking that God prepares the heart of the person you are trying to reach by opening their eyes to the spiritual wisdom of the Gospel.

Knowing the Heart of God

2009-01-16T16:17:00.003-05:00

1 Corinthians 2:11-16 No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. 12 And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us. 13 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren't spiritual1 can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means. 15 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, "Who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

Have you ever thought about it what it means to have received the Holy Spirit? Do you realize that through the Holy Spirit, you have received an intimate connection with the Father of All? That's a big deal, Christian. Let's look at what Paul has to say about it in today's passage.

1 Corinthians 2:11-12 No one can know a person's thoughts except that person's own spirit, and no one can know God's thoughts except God's own Spirit. 12 And we have received God's Spirit (not the world's spirit), so we can know the wonderful things God has freely given us.

Because we cannot read the mind of God, just as we cannot read one another's minds, God has given us a way to understand what our own minds cannot comprehend alone. His Spirit first helps us to understand what we have already received from God. We can understand what it is to be free from sin. We can understand the joy of knowing God. We can understand the peace that comes from His forgiveness. It takes time to "unwrap" these gifts sometimes, but they are already in our possession. The Holy Spirit is there to guide us through the process of unraveling what these Biblical truths mean to us in the way we live.

Let's take freedom from old ways of thinking as an example. A new Christian has dealt with unhealthy relationships her whole life. She has looked to men to define her and give her value. Now she is saved, but she doesn't yet understand that her value comes from Christ. She enters a new relationship, again not a healthy one. She depends on him too much. One day he does what most of the men before him have done. He hits her. Although her first reaction is to beg his forgiveness for whatever it is he says she has done, she realizes that God doesn't mean for her to worship a man as she would worship God. She realizes that she doesn't need him. She only needs her Heavenly Father. It may take weeks, but for the first time, a whole new concept is realized in her mind and heart. That is the work of the Spirit.

God has poured out blessings on us that will take a lifetime to even begin to understand. It is our joy, dear sister, that we are able to have a line directly into His heart so that we can grasp things that only He can reveal.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14 When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit's words to explain spiritual truths. 14 But people who aren't spiritual can't receive these truths from God's Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can't understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means.

There are some things that won't make sense without the Holy Spirit at work in a person's life.
Edwin and I were once talking to a couple about faith. They were very well educated and extremely kind people. The wife said something to the affect of, "Well, I just don't buy this junk about serial killers coming to know Jesus in prison and being forgiven. I think they must still go to Hell." The idea that a God can simply forgive someone for crimes that appear to be the Devil's handiwork is foreign to the lost person. But to those of us who are saved, it is obvious that He doesn't "simply forgive" anyone. Those sins have been paid for, with tons of interest. God gives salvation based on the size of His sacrifice, which is infinitely costly, and big enough to cover the sins of even the most evil of humans.

The Word of God speaks volumes to those who listen with the Holy Spirit as their earpiece. The spiritual words that are held within this Living Book are able to reach into the deepest corridors of our hearts.

Hebrews 4:12 For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.

Have you ever been reading the Bible and thought, "Wow! That must have been written directly to me!"? If not, keep reading! I will never for the time when I prayed that God would teach me to love His Word, and not just obey Him out of duty. That was on the 18th, of which month I am unsure. I was reading a few Psalms a day, based on the date. The next day, then, the Psalm of the day was Psalm 19.

Psalm 19:7-14 The instructions of the LORD are perfect, reviving the soul. The decrees of the LORD are trustworthy, making wise the simple. 8 The commandments of the LORD are right, bringing joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are clear, giving insight for living. 9 Reverence for the LORD is pure, lasting forever. The laws of the LORD are true; each one is fair. 10 They are more desirable than gold, even the finest gold. They are sweeter than honey, even honey dripping from the comb. 11 They are a warning to your servant, a great reward for those who obey them. 12 How can I know all the sins lurking in my heart? Cleanse me from these hidden faults. 13 Keep your servant from deliberate sins! Don't let them control me. Then I will be free of guilt and innocent of great sin. 14 May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.

How cool is that? I'm not saying that something mind-blowingly cool is going to happen every time you read the Bible, but when Bible-reading is partnered with prayer and Spirit-filled meditation, amazing things can happen.

1 Corinthians 2:15 - 2:16 Those who are spiritual can evaluate all things, but they themselves cannot be evaluated by others. 16 For, "Who can know the LORD's thoughts? Who knows enough to teach him?" But we understand these things, for we have the mind of Christ.

There is a biblical word for "getting it". That word is discernment. Spiritual discernment is an extremely valuable tool. My mom is known for having a super-powerful gift of discernment. There was a time when she realized that a man in a previous church was having an affair "by the way he was driving." No kidding. She just had this gut-feeling that something was going on when she was riding behind him one day. Sure enough, the next week it all came out. Most Christians aren't so highly gifted in this area.

Many of us aren't using the discernment that we have to its full potential because we pollute our minds and hearts. The more wrong-thinking that you put in, the harder it is to discern wise thinking. The more spiritual food you put in, the easier it is. What can pollute our hearts and minds and detach us from the intimate connection that we are meant to have with the Spirit? Magazines, soap operas, talk shows, inappropriate music, ungodly friends (I know you're just trying to "save them," but watch how much time you spend with bad influences, and never, ever "missionary date"!), romance novels, crude joking, and other stuff too numerous to mention.

Obviously, you can't control what the other ladies say at work. What you can do is earn a reputation for loving God. People may not like you as much, but it's because you are a reminder to them of their own condition. A lot of the time people are accused of being "holier than thou" when the accuser is aware of his/her own sinfulness. Something else you can do is invest as much time as possible in putting in the good stuff. Read, pray, and concentrate on the things of God. Be careful what Christian authors you read, too. Not every book sold in a Christian book store is worthy of being read. Ask your pastor for some recommendations. Stick with people you know that you can trust. Kay Arthur, John Piper, Elizabeth George, and C.S. Lewis are all great authors. Just reading their books will take half of a lifetime. When all else fails, just read the Bible! Write down some Scripture on index cards and take it with you. Tape one onto the dashboard or bathroom mirror. Memorize it.

Lost people have no spiritual discernment. So remember, the next time that you're talking with a lost person, that they are at a disadvantage. It can be easy to get irritated with them for not understanding. Sometimes they will pull an attitude that can be just, plain rude. But they aren't playing with a full deck. I don't mean that in a derogatory way. I just mean that they don't have the understanding that we have because they don't have the supernatural interpreter that we have. So the next time someone rolls their eyes because you are obviously "so intolerant" or "uneducated", just remember that it really does seem that way to them, and if the Holy Spirit doesn't intervene, they will go to Hell. Keep loving them and praying for them. You may just see some miraculous things happen.

We have the mind of Christ. How dare we force feed our brains junk when the mind of Christ is dwelling there? We are to constantly be mindful of the thoughts that we entertain. It's a difficult task, I know. Even billboards are disgusting now days. Test everything according to the Word of God. Allow the Holy Spirit to envelope your mind, and it will be an amazing thing to see what God can bring out of His Word and what He can speak into your very heart!!!

A Great Mystery

2009-01-15T12:07:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 2:6-10 (ESV) Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. 7 But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. 8 None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what God has prepared for those who love him" - 10 these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God.

Paul begins this passage by affirming that he doesn't reject intellect altogether. Among those who are mature enough to understand it for what it is, he does delve into the deeper aspects of theology. That doesn't change the fact that the wisdom he teaches does not align its self to the wisdom being taught by the worldly scholars. Paul also mentions the "rulers of this world." Later in this passage, we'll see that this is speaking specifically to the religious and political leaders who were a part of the Crucifixion, but this can refer to any leaders who do not recognize Jesus Christ for who He is.

1 Corinthians 2:6-7 (NLT) Yet when I am among mature believers, I do speak with words of wisdom, but not the kind of wisdom that belongs to this world or to the rulers of this world, who are soon forgotten. 7 No, the wisdom we speak of is the mystery of God -- his plan that was previously hidden, even though he made it for our ultimate glory before the world began.

The mystery that Paul is referring to is the plan that He has had from the beginning to reconcile creation to Himself. The Jewish people knew that God had a plan, and their salvation was found in faith that He would work it out, but they didn't know what it was. We are the ones who have the joy of understanding what that plan is. In fact, we are a part of that plan that began so long ago. When the "Faith Hall of Fame" concludes, Hebrews' author mentions this.

Hebrews 11:39-40 All these people earned a good reputation because of their faith, yet none of them received all that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that they would not reach perfection without us.

We are a part of the same story as Moses, Abraham, Rahab, and so many others whose lives fill our Old Testament. Apart from the faith that we are able to have in Christ, their stories would be incomplete. The point of the Old Testament is that God was working out His plan from the very beginning. He used the sinfulness of men, such as Pharaoh, to His good. He also worked through the faithfulness of the Bible heroes I already mentioned.

This great mystery, then, is that God could walk on the earth, as He did in the Garden of Eden before the fall, though now in human form, live a human life, and die an undeserved death. It was through such a bizarre course of events that we, Gentiles who would be considered pagans by the Jewish people, are able to attain salvation by the grace of God. This is our ultimate glory! Oneness with God in spite our undeserving nature.

1 Corinthians 2:8-10 But the rulers of this world have not understood it; if they had, they would not have crucified our glorious Lord. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him." 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets.

This is where we see that Paul was referring to the Crucifixion. God could have opened their eyes to their actions. But He didn't. He not only allowed the death of Christ, but He worked it out. From the beginning, the plan was Christ's death. It was the only sacrifice that could atone for the sins of all who receive Him.How could man have understood this? In a world where children are the most precious of commodities, how could they have imagined such a plan? No human could have come up with such a plan. The simple idea that Jesus was born from a virgin makes no sense at all in human terms. This is a God thing.

Only those who have the Spirit at work in us can understand the meaning of it all. Do you realize what that means? We are able to know the heart of God better than any other! Because of God's grace in giving us His Spirit, we can read His Word and know His thoughts. Have you ever heard a lost person try to understand the Bible? To them, it all sounds like make-believe incantations and nursery rhymes. Yet, we hear the Lord of All Creation revealing His deepest thoughts and greatest hopes for us, His people. What a privilege! It is only through His power that we are able to understand Him. It is only by His grace that we can come before Him. We know Him because He desired to know us.

What You Need to Know

2009-01-13T22:02:00.004-05:00

1 Corinthians 2:1-6 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 3 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

We've discussed how God uses people who are not considered wise to make the wisdom of this world appear foolish. We talked about how we can dilute the Gospel by trying to make it more palatable to the lost. All of this was discussed in chapter 1. Paul continues this trend into chapter 2. Today I'm using the English Standard Version.

1 Corinthians 2:1-2 And I, when I came to you, brothers, I did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

Paul came into Corinth with one goal: tell people about Jesus. He was a smart guy, and he could have studied rhetoric in order to "meet them where they are". Rather than dilute the Gospel, He chose to take a chance at appearing stupid. He chose to focus on the Gospel, and nothing else. He wasn't out to impress people, and he certainly didn't want to generate a following. We often use the excuse that we aren't smart enough to share the Gospel, or we aren't good with words, or we just aren't good at "that kind of thing". Paul could have used an excuse, but He didn't. He had to brag on His king.

1 Corinthians 2:3-5 And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, 4 and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, 5 that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God.

Paul says that he was weak and fearful, to the point of trembling. We don't know what exactly got Paul so shaken up, but what we do know is that Paul was on empty. He wasn't working out of his own resources any more. He was going to have to trust in God to make something from his nothing. And He did.

His words were implausible. It doesn't make sense that God would allow His own Son to die for people who ignored Him. It doesn't make sense that God could die at all. It's a bizarre thing to think about, really. How can He be all-powerful, and yet His Son, who is one with God the Father, was able to die a human death at the hands of men?Paul knew that. There's only one ingredient that can make such insane sounding facts fall into place. The Spirit had to work.

Paul might could have made an exceptional speech laying out the logical explanations for such a transaction, but Paul just allowed the Spirit to work, through him and in the hearts of the people.Why? If the faith of the people had been based on something Paul said, it could easily be defeated by another argument. Such faith is not saving faith. It is temporary. Edwin said that he didn't understand the idea that we were having a baby until he saw DeLaynie. He knew it long before. He had seen pictures of her in my womb, and he could even describe her actions when we watched her turn her head and "look" at the ultrasound device. It wasn't until he saw her, though, that his faith was complete. In a similar way, many people know the facts of the Gospel. They could tell you Bible story after Bible story. They may be baptized and regular church attenders, but something just hasn't clicked yet. They think the right things a lot of the time, but these ideas aren't real to them. Such faith is in an untested hypothesis. The Spirit must be at work for faith to be complete.

There is one thing that takes precidence over all else: Jesus Christ and Him crucified. That is our starting point. We may be told that it's foolish to believe in something that cannot be proven, but we aren't thinking in terms of earthly wisdom. We are believing in Jesus Christ because His Spirit has worked in our hearts and changed our way of thinking. Call me crazy. Call me stupid. Call me a fundamentalist. Call me a Christian. There is nothing else I want to be than the child of my Heavenly Father.

Review and Outline of 1 Corinthians 1

2009-01-12T17:11:00.004-05:00

I know that we aren't in school, and there will be no test or pop quiz. Still, it makes good sense to take a step back and look at the themes and major ideas of this first chapter. The plan is to do this with each chapter of 1 Corinthians as we study it.

1. 1 Corinthians 1:1-3- Paul's introduction
a. Paul was called by God's will, as are all Christians.
b. The church in Corinth shares a Lord and a status with the churches in every other part of the world, even those less knowledgeable that they may look down upon.

2. 1 Corinthians 1:4-9
a. The presence of sin does not negate salvation.
b. God has granted believers gifts according to His Spirit. They are not earned and are not based on our abilities. no gift is more important than any other.
c. Our gifts have the purpose of getting us to the return of Christ. At that point, His grace in us will be fulfilled.
d. We can be sure of God's sustaining grace. Although the Corinthians were struggling with a lot of terrible sin (as we'll see later), they were still reminded that God was at work in them, and that He will be faithful in their lives.

3. 1 Corinthians 1:10-16
a. God desires unity among the Church. That is, the whole body of Christ.
b. He is the Boss, therefore we are to strive to be obedient and get along.
c. Divisions can occur when members are more faithful to another believer than to God Himself.
d. Christians leaders are responsible to ensure that they are not being treated as if they are worthy of a following.

4. 1 Corinthians 1:17-25
a. God's wisdom will seem ridiculous to those who do not have His Spirit within them at work.
b. Some people want an emotional experience, and others want everything to be completely logical, but God' ways don't always work that way.
c. It is possible for the Christian can see what the unbeliever cannot, that the Gospel is power and wisdom. It's because of the Spirit that we can see this.
d. The unbeliever isn't stupid for not understanding. His thinking is darkened by the absence of the Spirit. Prayer is the best way to break through. The Spirit can work, and will work, if He so chooses. (Prayer does change things!)

5. 1 Corinthians 1: 26-31
a. God didn't choose us based on what we know, how powerful we are, or how prestigious we are. He chose us because He can do amazing things through people who aren't all those things.
b. God is going to use those of us who are the least according to worldly standard to show up those who are great according to worldly standards. This does not mean that we go around trying to show people up. God can do that on His own, and in a much better way than we can think up.
c. We have no right to boast in ourselves. We are recipients, not creators, of grace.
d. We are downright responsible to boast in our King. We should be sharing the Gospel. We should be testifying. We should try to do this in appropriate ways, obviously, but we should make sure that we are getting out there and bragging on our God.

Themes:

Make unity happen!
Be humble; respect the gifts of other believers, and don't take the credit for your salvation.
God is everything that we are not: powerful, wise, and righteous. Through Him we have received redemption and sanctification.

Remember Your Calling

2009-01-10T18:22:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 1:26-31 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world,1 things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say, "If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD."

The first phrase of this passage in the English Standard Version is "For consider your calling." It would be easy for the Corinthians to forget that it isn't something special about them that has led to their slavation. It wasn't that they had a deeper understanding of God, or a better grasp of Scripture. Paul is reminding them to think back to the time just before they were "called" into salvation. Acts says that Paul (then Saul) was still "breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord" (Acts 9:1) as he was headed to Damascus, where God called him from his life of sin into the glorious Light of salvation. We are nothing special apart from Christ. We want to think that we are. We want to think that we have something to do with the grace offered to us by God. The fact is, He didn't call us because we are special; He called us to make us special.

What does it mean to be called? What is the significance of that word in this passage? Think of it like being drafted. You were minding your own business, living life like you always had, when a message came. You had seen other people receive the message, and you had thought maybe you would be next, but you hadn't heard anything particularly meant for you. You've seen the posters saying "I Want You!", but you were able to walk away from it. Now the choice was gone. You know the cost. All your life you've been strong (you think), but now it's time to be "army strong". You've been called to be a part of unit that is bigger than yourself.

Here's the difference: this passage says that the strong ones weren't chosen. The noble ones weren't chosen. The wise ones, nope, not chosen. God has drafted the losers. He has taken the ones who limp, can't see without Coke bottle glasses, and who pass out at the slightest sign of danger.What's God's angle? What on earth is He doing recruiting a bunch of losers? Let's look at a couple of verses in the English Standard Version and find out.

1 Corinthians 1:27-28 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are,

God took the unmotivated losers that no one else wanted with one purpose. He's going to make something out of nothing. He's going to take a rag-tag group and turn them into a well-oiled machine of His glory. We all want to be a part of something big. We are all waiting for greatness. What could be greater than being a part of the Body of Christ? God didn't want the people who think that they can acheive greatness on their own. He didn't choose the ones that the world looks to in awe. He chose us, and He is faithfully completing the task of whipping us into shape.

Remember, this is in a time when the Corinthian church is divided into cliques, each one competing with the others. Such competition is a result of prideful hearts. They are saved, and many of them are wise, smooth speakers. They've allowed the gift of the Spirit to be perverted into a stumbling block of pride.

1 Corinthians 1:29-31 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 He is the source of your life in Christ Jesus, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written, "Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord."

We cannot come before our Maker with any kind of pride in ourselves. He came to us knowing our hearts, understanding our weaknesses, hating our sin, and He chose us anyway. If it doesn't make you humble to know that, you need to consider what that means.

Every time you judged someone based on how they dressed, the color of their skin, or the size of their belt, He saw you focussing on the shell of man, who is made to be a reflection of His glory. When you used Scripture inappropriately in order to defend a sinful way of thinking or cast someone else into shame (using the Bible as a reason to hate homosexuals, for instance), He saw you perverting the purity of His Word! Everytime you worry over things that are our of your control, He sees you holding back the trust and faithfulness that rightly belong to Him. Every sin. Every time.He took you in anyway. He took me in anyway. How great is that love? How powerful is that salvation? We can't stand before God on our own life. We can only stand before Him based on the greatness of His grace.

There's a second part to this truth. We can't boast in ourselves, that's certain. What we can boast in, what we better make absolutely sure that we do boast in, is the God who has saved us. We can't keep quiet. We can't hold back a portion of the glory that belongs to Him in fear of embarassment, or the ever-dreaded accusation of fundamentalism. God loves you!God chose a red-headed, freckle-faced, Alabama girl to take His Word to Nicaragua. He can still change that plan, but if He does, the new plan is even greater. He chose a nutty, English-loving, french horn playing nerd to tell people how cool God is! It makes no sense to me. Why should it make sense to me? I'm the vessel, a clay pot begging to be used. I may end up being God's trash can, or God's fine china. That's up to Him. The wonderful thing, the astounding truth that rings through this passage, is that I am chosen! I am here to serve Him. I never have to doubt my purpose. My sin killed His Son, but His grace has resurrected me along with Christ! I am a partaker in His body.

If you can't find a reason to boast in God, maybe you're broke, or lonely, or life just stinks in general, think about what He did for you. He sent His Son to live on earth, separated from the full-fellowship with the Father He had enjoyed from eternity past, enduring what had to be a pretty lonely life (you think it was hard being a regular, everyday goody-two-shoes). He then willfully looked on as His precious Son died a humiliating, painful, soul-wrenching death, being killed by the very ones He came to save. He heard His dear One call out in the garden, begging to let it pass by, but the Father told His Son, "no". Why is it that we think we deserve better than Jesus? Why is it that we get all worked up when God says, "no," or worse, "not yet"?

Maybe you're looking at your life, and you're saved, but you just seem so... incomplete. Maybe there is a sin that you struggle with everyday, or you aren't struggling but should be. Perhaps you try to read the Bible, but you just can't grasp it. Maybe you stopped trying at all because it was just too hard. Maybe you don't pray anymore because you don't think He cares, or you may believe Him to be angry with you. Re-read verse 30, typed below.

1 Corinthians 1:30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin.

He has joined us together with His Son. He has provided us with wisdom and purity. He has granted us holiness. We no longer have to sin as if we weren't saved. There may be a lack of faith, and you just can't believe that He really has done all of that for you. Believe it, sister! He doesn't "half-save" people. He has already done everything listed, but it may take some time for you to see all the fruit. In the meantime, keep praying, reading the Word, and keep trusting. As Ephesians 3:19 puts it,

Ephesians 3:19 May you experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then you will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God.

Just experience it. Don't ignore it. Don't forget it. Don't get over it. Remember it by memorizing Scripture. Delight in it through praise music. Talk about it with other Christians and lost people. You are loved! Stop moping and start living out loud!

Humility and joy come hand-in-hand. When we remember that God is bigger than we can imagine, and is greater than our most disgusting sin, peace and joy come tumbling in. We are His workmanship (Eph. 2:10), and there is nothing more wonderful than depending on our Maker, knowing that He can create beauty from destruction, and greatness from emptyness.

Man's Foolishness as God's Power

2009-01-07T23:01:00.003-05:00

1 Corinthians 1:17-25 For Christ didn't send me to baptize, but to preach the Good News -- and not with clever speech, for fear that the cross of Christ would lose its power. 18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God. 19 As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent." 20 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe. 22 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

Paul begins by giving a kind of purpose statement to his ministry. Although baptism is important, as he explains in other passages (Romans 6:3, for instance), it is not his purpose. His purpose is to preach the Truth of the Gospel. You can go to Heaven without being baptized, but the Cross is absolutely essential to salvation. Therefore, Paul places his duty to tell this Truth to the people at the top of his priority list.

We’ve mentioned before that Corinth was a very intellectual place. We’ve also said that the Corinthians placed high value on the art of rhetoric (speaking with the purpose of drawing emotional response). What we’ll see is that the worldly value given to sounding impressive is an enemy to the Corinthian church, as well as to the modern Church.

Paul says that trying to sound eloquent in describing the Gospel can actually cause the Truth of the cross to “lose its power”. That’s an impressive statement. Why do you think he says that? Paul explains what he means by this in the following verses.

1 Corinthians 1:18 The message of the cross is foolish to those who are headed for destruction! But we who are being saved know it is the very power of God.

One of the things that Paul is saying is that the Gospel is supposed to be confusing, even stupid-sounding, to lost people. They are still thinking in earthly terms. When we explain the cross, only the Holy Spirit can get through the wall that sin has built into their hearts. Their idea of wisdom contradicts the wisdom of God. When we are saved, God removes the veil that blinds us to the power of the Truth of the Word of God. When that happens, the Truth that once seemed ridiculous is revealed for the power that it is.

This is why Paul refuses to make the Gospel sound wise to the worldly people of Corinth. When we try to make the Gospel make sense to lost people, we are forced to change parts of it. The Gospel is simple, but not so simple that “anyone can understand it”. It takes a work of God Himself, by way of the Holy Spirit, to make the cross make sense to the fallen people of this world. Our job is to present the Gospel in its entirety, as it is written in the Bible, pray, and allow God to do His work in the hearts of the hearer.

1 Corinthians 1:19 As the Scriptures say, "I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and discard the intelligence of the intelligent."

From the beginning, we see that God prefers to take simple people, from whom most people expect nothing, and use them to go great things. He chose David, a kid, to kill a giant, save Israel, and eventually become King of God people. He chose a young girl and a carpenter to raise His Son. Angels appeared to shepherds, poor, smelly men who weren’t considered worthy of respect, to tell them about Jesus before anyone else knew. Jesus told parables that used farming terms that the smart religious leaders couldn’t grasp, but the blue-collar everyday Joes got immediately.

God likes broken people. He likes to use people that everyone else throws away.

Why does God do it that way? If we could grasp the cross through human terms, it would be just another philosophy. If we could get to Heaven through conventional wisdom, it would lose spiritual value. Only God could do it this way! Man might could do amazing things with the best-of-the-best. We might could devise some impressive stunts if we recruit some rich people to give us their money and smart people to draw up a plan. But only God can take dummies like me and do something with them. Only God can transform the life of a Christian-killing sinner like Paul into the life of an apostle. It’s about making us understand “only God!”

1 Corinthians 1:20-21 So where does this leave the philosophers, the scholars, and the world's brilliant debaters? God has made the wisdom of this world look foolish. 21 Since God in his wisdom saw to it that the world would never know him through human wisdom, he has used our foolish preaching to save those who believe.

When we are saved by God’s grace, we look back and see just how insane our previous way of thinking was. We understand that the life we had been living was worthless.

Have you ever been talking to someone who doesn’t love Jesus about Christ, and realize that they don’t get it? Maybe they were smarter than you. Maybe they understood things that you could never grasp. But this thing that seems so simple to you goes right over their head! You sit there thinking, “How can I get this through to them?” But you can’t. Their brains just can’t take hold of what seems so obvious you to you.

The philosophers, scholars, and speakers that are so widely respected, but don't place their faith in the Word of God, have two options. Either they will come to know Jesus, or they will go to Hell, and there it will be revealed to them that in all their wisdom, they didn’t understand the only thing that really mattered. Tomorrow we’ll look at the difficulty of their situation.

Paul came to a place like this. It was on the road to Damascus that God called him. Paul had been a wise man, a scholar and philosopher. He knew a lot, but he didn’t know Jesus. It was there that Jesus began calling Paul to Himself. Later, Paul would call all of the knowledge that he had as a religious leader useless.

Philippians 3:4-8 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness, under the law blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

Paul was everything that a good, Jewish man should be. He started out as a baby, being brought up to be a great man of his faith. All of that training, however, became a hindrance to him. He loved the Jewish faith so much, that he killed Christians in order to protect it, even if he was protecting it from the truth. Paul genuinely believed that he was doing the right thing by killing Christians, but he was blind. He was so spiritually blind that God had to do something radical to reach him. Once he saw the cross for the power that it has, all of the training that he had once seen was counted as loss. It didn’t matter anymore. He now knew God personally, and the Law no longer held him! When asked to give up everything that he had worked for, he was willing because he realized that it was worthless to the Kingdom. He gave it all away so that he could gain something greater: a deeper intimacy with his Father!

1 Corinthians 1:22-25 It is foolish to the Jews, who ask for signs from heaven. And it is foolish to the Greeks, who seek human wisdom. 23 So when we preach that Christ was crucified, the Jews are offended and the Gentiles say it's all nonsense. 24 But to those called by God to salvation, both Jews and Gentiles, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 This foolish plan of God is wiser than the wisest of human plans, and God's weakness is stronger than the greatest of human strength.

We’ve been using the New Living Translation today, but let’s also look at these verses in the English Standard Version.

1 Corinthians 1:22-25 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

There are two groups mentioned here: Jews and Greeks. The Jews wanted God to slap them in the face with miracles and make them feel good. Greeks wanted to be able to understand things philosophically. These two groups still exist.

We all know people who seemed to have had a meeting with Jesus. They were so excited, so full of emotion, but they fizzled. They had an experience, but once that experience ended, nothing was left. They didn’t know God. They just felt something.

Then there are those who have to see God proven to exist on paper. They always seem to find some reason not to believe.

God can save ‘em though. You can be in either group, and the Holy Spirit can still pull you out of it and change you. The Holy Spirit can remove the veil, whether it’s emotional or intellectual, and reveal the Gospel for what it is. It is not beyond His power.

We can’t word it in a way that makes them want it. It isn’t a candy bar. We aren’t doing an infomercial for Jesus. Now, there’s nothing in this world wrong with getting rid of churchy words, like grace and sanctification, when dealing with someone who simply doesn’t have that vocabulary. But those ideas still need to be there. The cross must be explained for what it really is.

At the end of the day, the best thing that we can do is pray for those who don’t get it. God can do amazing things. Keep telling them. You may be surprised that one day, they get it! The light can come on, dear Christian. It did for you!

1 Corinthians 1:10-16, Part 2

2009-01-06T20:02:00.000-05:00

1 Corinthians 1:10-16

2009-01-05T23:24:00.002-05:00

1 Corinthians 1:10-16 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. 11 For some members of Chloe's household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 12 Some of you are saying, "I am a follower of Paul." Others are saying, "I follow Apollos," or "I follow Peter,1 " or "I follow only Christ." 13 Has Christ been divided into factions? Was I, Paul, crucified for you? Were any of you baptized in the name of Paul? Of course not! 14 I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, 15 for now no one can say they were baptized in my name. 16 (Oh yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas, but I don't remember baptizing anyone else.)

You may want to open up your own Bible to mark in it and glance at the passage from time-to-time. I'm not sure of the reason, but reading from your own Bible is more intimate than reading from a screen. One of my youth pastors once said that we should read the Bible like we would a love note. When I dated Edwin, he printed out every email that I sent him. Holding a letter in your hand is warmer and sweeter than staring at a screen, but it isn't a sin to read the Bible passage off the screen. The most important thing is to read it!

Let’s start from the beginning, shall we?

1 Corinthians 1:10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose.

Notice that Paul is speaking on behalf of Christ. It isn’t jus a good thing when Christians get along. It isn’t just “nice” or “attractive” to the lost world. It’s the will of the Head of the Church. The One whom we are supposed to be pleasing wishes for His people to be of one mind, united. It’s a command.

The Church is different from every other organization. We aren’t led by other people, who can be wrong. Our President is the Creator. He knows how to run a church. It may seem impossible for a large, diverse group of people to get along all the time. It would be, but not with Jesus. Let’s look at a similar passage that deals with the same issue.

Ephesians 4:1-6 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God. 2 Always be humble and gentle. Be patient with each other, making allowance for each other's faults because of your love. 3 Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace. 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all.

The reason that God can tell us what to do is that we have been called into His service, and we accepted that calling. An ambassador is expected to act in a way that makes the country he/she is representing look good. Otherwise, that person loses his/her job. Well, we aren’t going to get fired from the calling of Christianity. But there are consequences for acting unbecomingly. One of those consequences is that the people around us may go to Hell. That’s right. When we turn people of to church, we may be turning them off to God. That’s a big responsibility, and one of the main responsibilities of the Church.

So how do we do that? How do we make God look good, in spite of our differences and faults? This passage gives a list of ways to make community happen.

Be humble. One of the problems that many churches have is that members over-estimate their own importance. Church ain’t about you, sister! It doesn’t matter what you deserve. What you deserve is Hell. Think of other people first, even if they never think of you before themselves. The most important thing isn’t that you feel warm and fuzzy. It’s worth getting a stinky classroom space if it means that lost people come to know Jesus.

Be gentle. There are times when real issues need to be addressed. You could bring it up in an embarrassing way. The person that you ridicule may deserve it, but that isn’t the focus, is it? Gently help your brothers and sisters. It’s not just what you do, but how you do it that matters.

Be patient and make allowances for faults. People mess up. It happens. I’m pretty sure that you and I will make some mistakes this year. Don’t expect your church to be perfect. Even the most experienced pastor will do something stupid some days. Forgive. Accept apologies graciously. Overlook minor mistakes.

Make the effort for peace. It takes work to be the kind of church that Jesus wants us to be. It requires effort to make sure that you don’t offend people who are too sensitive at times. It takes time to ensure that things are done well, and not just sloppily thrown together. It takes effort to include people who don’t seem to want to be included. It takes time and energy to see things from another person’s perspective. Who gave you that time? Who gave you that energy? Who gets to decide how you use it? You know the answers…

Remember the commonalities. There are some people who argue over the most minor of beliefs. There is a temptation to forget that we have the same purpose. It is easy to overlook that someone who seems totally different from you is called by the same God to accomplish the same basic tasks. We’re all going to end up together in eternity, so you better get to liking one another now. Sometimes it’s just a choice to switch your focus. Certain things are going to bug you, but that doesn’t mean that you have to let those things control you. Do you really want to look God in the eye and say that you refused to minister to someone (or some group) because they were annoying? All Christians, by definition, believe that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. All Christians are being sanctified by the same Holy Spirit. We can’t be all that different because He is at work in all of us. We may start in different places, but His goal for us all is to make us holy.

Let’s read the next verse from Ephesians really quickly.

Ephesians 4:7 However, he has given each one of us a special gift through the generosity of Christ.

We each play different roles, and that is going to cause some stress. Be prepared for it. For instance, the treasurer’s job is to use the money that the church has wisely. The hostess committee believes that they need something in order to fulfill their duty to care for the people by meeting their physical need for food and emotional need for comfort. This can lead to a disagreement. It isn’t that either party is wrong. They are both using their gifts. The way to deal with such a situation is to go to God. The gifts that He has given us are to be used His way, so He will, most likely provide a solution. Pray that the equipment needed will go on sale. If God doesn’t provide such a solution, go to a leader. But don’t over-react, and don’t get defensive. Just remember: it’s not about my rights, but His glory!

We’re going to continue looking at the rest of this passage tomorrow. Until then, shalom (that’s peace in Hebrew)!

1 Corinthians 1:4-9 (a few additional notes)

2009-01-01T01:38:00.001-05:00

We already looked at this passage yesterday, but I wanted to go over a few more points since we concentrated on a particular application yesterday.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9 I always thank my God for you and for the gracious gifts he has given you, now that you belong to Christ Jesus. 5 Through him, God has enriched your church in every way -- with all of your eloquent words and all of your knowledge. 6 This confirms that what I told you about Christ is true. 7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. 8 He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns. 9 God will do this, for he is faithful to do what he says, and he has invited you into partnership with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

First of all, notice that Paul begins with gratitude for the work that God has already done in the hearts of His people in Corinth. Paul isn't backing down, and he certainly isn't ignoring the problems that they are having. He remains grateful because of who God is. He is sure that God will continue the work that He has begun (v.8).

He doesn't deny the salvation of the Corinthian church, either. Christians may go through spells of disobedience. They may struggle for periods of time. The difference is that these phases are not characteristic; they are the exception, not the rule. He still believes that they belong to Christ. Bad behavior does not nullify salvation. It gives God opportunity to work in the life of the believer. In Paul's second letter to the Corinthian church, we see that the people did come out of this phase to enter into deeper relationships with the Father.

Next, the gifts of speaking and knowledge are not denied to be good gifts. As we said yesterday, it was a misuse of the gift that was the issue.

The next verse completes the thought.

1 Corinthians 1:7 Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Think on that for a second. We, as a community of believers, have every tool we need. The gifts that we have received by the grace of our King are meant to tide us over until He returns for us. We have what we need to grow, obey, and glorify Him until He gets here. Look at Matthew 25:14-29, and read the parable there.

Jesus is away for a little while. It may seem like a very long time to us, but it isn't to Him. He has left us with bags of silver that we are responsible to invest in the world we are in. If you are gifted with organizational skills, you better use them for the glory of God. If you are gifted with speaking abilities, you better use them for the glory of God. If you are gifted with a servant's heart, well, you get the idea. If you are frustrated with having too few responsibilities, do the ones that you to the best of your abilities. He will give more tasks, and more of the resources needed to accomplish them, as He sees that you are able. If you don't feel like your talents are being put to use, talk to your pastor, or find a ministry that is outside of your church, like a crisis pregnancy center, MOPs group, or homeless shelter. If you're frustrated, or just, plain tired, from too many tasks on your plate, it's okay to ask for help. You can't do the best with what you've been given if you're running in too many directions.

Remember this: God has placed you in a local church, and in a community, with the abilities and gifts that He has given you in mind. You have a function there. Use what He has given you. You will give account to Him on what you did with your life.

Let's re-read the final two verses in the English Standard Version. (The previous translation is the New Living Translation.)

1 Corinthians 1:8-9 [Jesus] who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

As Paul is looking at the Corinthians, struggling in their faith, He is reminded of the faithfulness of God. The One who has called you into a relationship with Himself has no plans of leaving the job unfinished. There will most certainly be bumps along the way. I could give some corny analogy about mountains or some such thing, but I'll spare you. God will continue to work in your life, even if it seems like you're moving backward.

If you're in a spiritual valley, or if it seems like your life is characterized by failings and not God's faithfulness, you may want to do some spiritual soul-searching. Make sure that your idea of salvation is biblical. It's not about going to church. Christians do want to go to church in order to be with others who struggle in similar ways, edify one another, and gain from the gifts of others, but going to church in and of itself cannot save you. Salvation isn't gained through belief alone. You can believe in God. You can believe in Jesus. You can believe and be lost.

James 2:19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe - and shudder!

Salvation isn't gained through baptism, either. Baptism is a great first step, and an important act of obedience, but it merely demonstrates publicly what has already happened in the life of a Christian. It signifies the death of the old self and resurrection of the new self that has been gained through the life, death, and resurrection of Christ.

What is salvation, then? It takes place when a person recognizes their sin, comes to a place of belief that Christ is the only way to get to Heaven, and places their trust in Him alone to save them.

1 John 1:10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

Romans 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Acts 3:19 Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out,

The word "repent" is a churchy word that means to turn from one direction and go in a totally new way. First, a person recognizes that they are going in the wrong direction. They stop, turn around, see Jesus for who He is, and then they start walking, but not their own way. They are headed somewhere totally different. It's not just about going to Heaven. It's about the road to get there, too.

This life is an opportunity for us, as Christians, to give the glory to God that He deserves. As we walk this new path, He is there with us. He makes the path straight beneath our feet, and He directs us in where to go. When we disobey, that doesn't make us less saved. It does hurt our relationship with Him, though. Even there, in our disobedience, however, He is faithful. We were reborn with the purpose of fellowship. Don't miss out on the wonderful opportunities that He has given us! Don't allow a worldly way of thinking to rob you of the joy and peace that come from obeying your Maker.

Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.

1 Corinthians 1:4-9

2008-12-30T18:17:00.003-05:00

Yesterday we began our study of 1 Corinthians. We discussed the similarities between the Church at Corinth and the American Church. Let's continue looking at what Paul is saying to the people in Corinth and what God is saying to us through this book.

1 Corinthians 1:4-8 I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in everything you were enriched in Him, in all speech and all knowledge, 6 even as the testimony concerning Christ was confirmed in you, 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, awaiting eagerly the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will also confirm you to the end, blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Corinth was a pretty intellectual place. Many cultures mingled there, much as they do in States today. When so many cultures, religions, and opinions come together, there is almost always a desire to blend ideas that should be kept separate. During this time in history, rhetoric, speaking for entertainment and to compel listeners to comply with the beliefs of the speaker, was a popular art form. People understood that language is an important part of being successful, and this culture greatly valued a thorough understanding of its use. The people of Corinth had allowed this respect for language is to develop into pride. Those who were granted spiritual gifts in speaking felt that they were more spiritual than those gifted in service, for instance. Those who had a better intellectual understanding of theology felt that they were holier than "simple" people who gifted in giving.

Yet again, there is a strong tie between the church to which Paul is writing and the church in the United States. How often do we elevate pastors who are eloquent above those who are humble? How often do we get the idea that great theologians must love God more than great servants? The gifts of knowledge and speech are extremely important, but they are no more necessary to the body than any other. God has gifted every believer for the purpose of edifying the body (building it up), and no one gift can be successful without the others in place.

Still, Paul is grateful for the gifts given to the Corinthian people. He does not demean their existence. It is no mistake that these people were granted a deep knowledge or the ability to communicate them. The gift is a good thing. It's the way that the Corinthians are using these gifts that are the problem. Head knowledge is wonderful, but only as long as it is applied.

James 1:23-25 For if you listen to the word and don't obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.

The Corinthian church was very good at looking in the mirror. They could describe what they saw beautifully, but their church was still utterly corrupt. Even with all of their knowledge, they were fools, instantly forgetting what they saw in the mirror. Please don't allow yourself to believe that this is an issue left in the ancient church. We are seeing pastors fall into sin at an alarming rate. I believe that this is due, at least in part, to placing too much value on knowledge and communication without the expectation of holiness. We assume that smart people don't require the accountability that we mere mortals do. We place them so high on a pedestal that even they believe that they are worthy of it. Words have replaced relationships, and thoughts have assumed the role of heart-felt reliance. This is a disservice to our churches and to the ministers who are being glorified with the glory that belongs to God alone.Remember the gifts of speech and knowledge come from God. It's His wisdom that great theologians are able to pull from His Word. It is His doing that they are able to put poetry to the Truth that they find there. We will see later in this book that Paul tells the Corinthians that any gift, no matter how good it is, is without worth if not accompanied by love.

1 Corinthians 13:1-3 If I could speak all the languages of earth and of angels, but didn't love others, I would only be a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. 2 If I had the gift of prophecy, and if I understood all of God's secret plans and possessed all knowledge, and if I had such faith that I could move mountains, but didn't love others, I would be nothing. 3 If I gave everything I have to the poor and even sacrificed my body, I could boast about it;1 but if I didn't love others, I would have gained nothing.

We'll come back to this passage in the proper time, but I couldn't close today's study without mentioning it first. No spiritual gift can stand without love. It is love that validates the gift, and it is love that defines its Source. The lost world around us needs to know that our great minds are different because their words come from a forgiven sinner who is completely changed because of the love of the Father. What makes us different is not how well we do things, though all things should be done well, but it is why do those things. Love, His love, changes everything. No ministry is successful unless its love overflows into the lost world around it.

John 13:35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.

2Thessalonians 1:3 Dear brothers and sisters, we can't help but thank God for you, because your faith is flourishing and your love for one another is growing.

An Introduction to First Corinthians

2008-12-30T01:08:00.000-05:00

The church at Corinth had problems. There were issues of disunity, pride, terrible sexual immorality, and attempts to integrate pagan beliefs into the Church. Maybe this sounds nothing like your church, but most churches struggle with one or more of these issues. We live in a world that struggles with the same issues as the world in which Paul lived. With that in mind, let’s see what Paul, under the inspiration of God Himself, has to say about them. It’s a practical, as well as theological, book to study.

1 Corinthians 1:1-3 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, 2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: 3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

This book, like most of the epistles (letters from apostles), begins with an introduction to its writer. We begin letters with the name of the person we are writing to, but it was customary to start with the names of the one doing the writing in this culture. Paul doesn’t just give his name. He begins by explaining what right he has to speak to the Corinthians. He has to defend his authority. Paul is not going to be easy on the Corinthians, so his respectability must be clear. This respectability comes directly from God. He clarifies his position of apostle by noting that it wasn’t a job that he chose. God chose him for it. There is a co-writer named Sothenes. There isn’t much that we know about him.

The first thing that he says about the church in Corinth is that he identifies her owner. This is the church of God. It belongs to Him alone. It is because of His ownership of the church that He is able to tell them how to run the place. From there he moves on to define what he means by “the church”. He isn’t talking to everyone who walks into prayer meeting. He is speaking directly to those who have been bought by the blood of Christ for the purpose of holiness. When we were saved, we were called to be sanctified. Sanctification is the process during which we are pulled out from the rest of humanity for the purpose of serving our King.

The Corinthians can be an arrogant people, so Paul reminds them that they do not have the corner on the salvation market. They share in the grace that God has offered to others. Sometimes Americans can take great pride in the fact that such a high percentage of our people claim to be Christians, but we do not deserve God’s blessing because of statistics. It’s only by God’s grace that anyone in North America can know the peace and joy of salvation, just as it for those in other countries. When we become prideful about the blessings we have received, we make it about us. (It should also be noted that a Christian nation is not defined by empty claims, but by faithfulness to the Word of God and actions that reflect a total dedication to doing it His way.) If it were up to us, dear Christian, we’d all be going to Hell. There are Christians all over this planet, of all different colors, with various levels of education, and in different economic classifications. We all partake of the same Body of Christ. We are a single church. We serve the same Lord. It is a privilege that we can do so. What an amazing thing it is that we are able to partner with followers of Christ that we have never met, and couldn’t talk to if we tried.

Even as Paul is gearing up to point out their weaknesses and sins, he prays that they will receive grace and peace. It takes grace for us to comprehend the Word of God, and what it is that He wills us to do. (Remember, grace means that we receive something that we could never earn because someone chooses to give it to us as a reflection of their character.) Although he is talking to Christians, God’s grace in their lives doesn’t end with fire insurance. It continues through grief over sin (yep, that’s a good thing), forgiveness of new sin, a deeper understanding of who God is, as well as a better comprehension of the calling the believer has received.

Paul continues by praying for peace in the lives of his readers. Most of the struggles in churches are rooted in a lack of peace in individual hearts. Church members are discontent in their families, or they are striving for control of a corner of their worlds, or they are simply unable to deal with things not going their way. When we are at peace in our hearts, we are able to mediate peace in the situations around us. We are willing to give ups small rights because we have been freed from what we deserve in eternity. How often do we focus on what we deserve in the areas of Sunday School space, refreshments, or time off from tedious ministries (which are not bad desires), but we forget that we have received life abundant already. In contrast to what we have, these things are miniscule. Yet, we allow them to rule us and create divisions among us who are called to a single purpose.

The only source of grace and peace in our churches, and in our lives, is God, the Father of Christ. Looking to any other methodology may work temporarily, but it isn’t going to last. Paul prays for these things because the people can’t make it happen. It’s only through reliance on Christ that the Church can function as she is meant to.

We’ll pick up tomorrow. I think that we will continue to be surprised at just how many issues in the current Church are dealt with in 1st Corinthians, and how many personal struggles are addressed in this book.

John 1:9-13

2008-12-16T22:04:00.003-05:00

I wrote this last week, but due to moving, I was unable to post it until now. I apologize. I'm sure that you were on the edge of your seats...

We’re going to go to John 1:9-13 today. These verses relate the identity of Christ to our lives.

John 1:9-10 The one who is the true light, who gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. 10 He came into the very world he created, but the world didn't recognize him.

Jesus is identified here as “the true light”. Verse 9 takes for granted that there are false lights in this world. There are things that masquerade their darkness for light, but they leave us the same as we were in the beginning. These lights aren’t light at all. They are simply pretenders, distractions from the true light of Christ.Notice also that Jesus, the true light, gives light to everyone. This light isn’t just available to everyone. All people benefit somehow from Christ. He makes all things clearer. His mere existence has brought enlightenment to all men, though not everyone is willing to accept the terms He requires. Even the lost are able to see things a little bit clearer because of Jesus.We already discussed that Jesus was involved in Creation. He made the world come into being. He made you. He made me. Yet, we didn’t recognize Him at first. We didn’t automatically understand that He is God. We didn’t see that He has a right to everything that we are and all that we do. We missed it. We are His creation, but we didn’t recognize Him as Creator.

John 1:11 He came to his own people, and even they rejected him.

Jesus came to the Jewish people, the ones that were supposed to be looking for Him, hoping for Him to come. They didn’t recognize Him for who He is. They saw a man, a plain man. They saw His skin and His apparent lack of power, and they stumbled. The light was there. He was visible to them, but they were still blind.Don’t think that we’re any different. We’re not. You and I were blind too. We still have trouble seeing clearly. How many times have you tried to muddle your way around a command, like “be anxious for nothing” (Phil. 4:6)? Or how often do you miss opportunities to share the Truth of the Gospel of Grace to someone who could die and go to Hell? Can we even count the number of times that we doubt God’s provision?

The light is come, dear one, but it still seems like this curse has kept us in the dark. Don’t let it! Fight for the fullness of light that can come only by spending time in the Word of God and dwelling in the Spirit of Truth. Knowing Him better draws us into the Light of Grace!

John 1:12-13 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn-- not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.

If you know Christ, if you believe that He is God, Creator of Heaven and Earth, and that He will do what He has said, and have placed your life into His care, then you have granted the right to adoption. You have been reborn. Now you are the member of a family that will not misuse your trust, and of whose company you will never tire. This birth isn’t about the plans men make. There is not a chance of mistake or mis-preparation. There is only peace in knowing that you have been drawn into a relationship with a Father who knows what He is doing. This is a miraculous birth, a completely new beginning from the Originator of all beginnings. In this new life, there is only hope, only peace, and only the love of One who will never fail you or leave you without answers when you truly need them. He is always there, and there is nothing that can separate you from His love.

Romans 8:37-39 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

John 1:4-5

2008-12-11T00:02:00.003-05:00

Today we are going to continue looking at John 1 in order to get to know Jesus better. Yesterday we saw the unity between Christ and the Father. As we understand their bond through the Trinity, we are able to understand the power that Jesus brings. Because He was instrumental in Creation, we can be sure that He is able to re-create us. Now let's pick up right where we left off, in verse 4.

John 1:4-5 In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.

Following the description of Jesus' role in Creation, we see that Jesus, referred to previously as the Word, is the bearer of life. Let's look quickly at Genesis to see how Jesus as life-bearer relates to Jesus as Creator.

Genesis 2:16-17 But the LORD God warned him, "You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden 17 -- except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die."

After God had created man, He gave Adam (along with Eve) a single order. It was so simple. So incredibly easy. Only a human could mess this one up. Adam was told not to eat the fruit of a single tree. Just one tree! He just had to keep his grubby, little paws away from one thing, and he could live forever, in harmony with God. When we're given the choice, we will never make the best choice on our own. We chose death. It's a part of who we are as humans. This is why Jesus came bearing life. We were dead in our sin. He had to come and fix it with His grace.

Why did Eve fall for the serpent's lies in the garden and eat the fruit? This takes us to our next point, so let's look back at Genesis.

Genesis 3:5 "God knows that your eyes will be opened as soon as you eat it, and you will be like God, knowing both good and evil."

Here, Satan, a cunning and brilliant deceiver, is telling Eve that sin will bring enlightenment. In contrast, John is saying that the life that Jesus brings to us is the light. Light is able to help us see, to distinguish good from evil, true from false. We believed Satan when he said that such light could come from disobedience. We still do. Sometimes we feel like it would be freeing to just say what we desperately want to say, even if we know that it wouldn't please God. Sometimes we believe that we would be wiser if we were to "open our minds" to beliefs that we know contradict the Word of God. We want to find light from every source but The Source.

The problem is that the life that He brings comes on His terms. He is the Creator, after all. He sets the ground rules. Let's not forget what happened the first time that we disobeyed. He knows what provides true light, and that is the life that He brings.

From verse five, we see that the light that Jesus brings is obvious. It sticks out. It can't fit in. It's scary to those who have never seen light, maybe even painful. But it is what it is, and it is good.

We live in a dark world, precious one. The world is in denial about our condition. How many times have you heard someone say that the world is a dark and evil place, and the only source of help comes from outside? That truth is no fun. We want to believe that there is something here that can do the same thing that Jesus came to do. But there isn't. There is only one light in an infinite darkness.

That may sound like bad news, but check out the next phrase. It's a good one. "And the darkness has not overcome it." Even in the midst of infinite darkness, this light is powerful. No matter how much darkness you pour into the light, it cannot be extinguished. The light is bigger than the darkness, even if it doesn't seem that way in this world.

The word for overcome literally means, "lay hold of, seize," so there are a couple of ideas associated with it. The first is that the darkness can't grasp the light. With our own minds, the same ones that chose a piece of fruit over the Most High, we cannot look at the light and comprehend its importance or value. It takes an act of grace for us to get even a glimpse of the power that light brings. We just can't quite get a handle on it without the light pulling us into itself.

The other idea is similar to what we said earlier. This light will not be overtaken. The darkness can attack it, but at the end of the day, the light will prevail. It may not always seem like it, but we are on the winning team when we are in the light.

We've talked about who Jesus is, so let's quickly look at a verse that relates this to who we are in Him.

1 Peter 2:9 But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God's very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

We no longer walk in darkness. Because we know Christ, for those of us that do have a relationship with Him, we now walk in the light. And it is a wonderful light! By it, we can know where to place our feet so they don't slip. We can guide others through the perils of darkness into the light. We're not just talking about morality here. There are lots of people who are relatively moral, if there is such a thing. We're talking about placing our feet on the Rock. We are talking about placing our trust in the Creator and Bearer of Light who has bought us as His own possession. Some may not like the sound of being God's possession, but let me tell you, there is nothing sweeter than belonging to the Light and being a part of the Life that He has paid for. Take joy, you know the King of Kings! You never again have to know the pain of walking in darkness!

John 1:1-3

2008-12-09T11:53:00.000-05:00

I am sorry that I didn’t complete any studies for last week. My husband and I are in the process of moving to Alabama for a few months to be with our families before heading to training to do mission work in Nicaragua. My brain wasn’t functioning very well by the end of the day, when the kids were finally asleep. We haven’t moved yet, but this is going to be a priority for me this week. There are few things better than sitting down with God’s Word and exploring who He is and who we are in Him.

As we approach Christmas, I thought that it would be a nice time to look at who Jesus is. We’ll be looking at a couple of different passages in the process. The first is John 1:1-18. We won’t be covering the whole thing today, just a part.

John 1:1-2 In the beginning the Word already existed. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He existed in the beginning with God.

The first phrase, “In the beginning,” is pointing back to the Creation from Genesis. John is pointing out that this book is a fulfillment of the story begun centuries before. He is also referencing the new beginning that Jesus represents. We’ll look at this a little deeper in a moment.

Jesus is given the name, “Word” in this passage. Why is He called that? As we already said, John is referring the Creation account from Genesis. In Genesis 1, creation took place according to the word of God. He spoke, and things, everything in fact, came into being. It was by His word that humanity came into being. Now it is by His Word that creation will be set right. Because of the power His word had in the very beginning, we can be sure that His Word will be powerful now.

Another reason that John may have used this term is that a word is an expression of the inner workings of an individual.

Luke 6:45 "The good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth what is evil; for his mouth speaks from that which fills his heart.”

Jesus says that the mouth speaks the things that are in the heart of a person. We can assume, then, that the Word of God reflects the heart of God. Jesus is the revelation of the hear of God. Through Him, God communicated His message to man. He became personal to us through the Word of His Son.

Next we see that the Word, Jesus, was not created. Some Jewish people believed that the Messiah was going to be a created being, inferior to God. John is dismissing this belief. Jesus was there, from the beginning, in fellowship with the Father. The Greek word for “with” could also mean “toward”. They were looking at one another. There was nothing between them. They were together, on the same side. This point matters because of what we know is about to happen. He’s going to leave God’s side to come to humanity. He is going to depart from the perfect fellowship with God to a cursed world, filled with sin.

Now we see that the Word wasn’t just near God, or just on His team, He was God. God wasn’t totally defined by the Word, but the Word was totally defined by God. What do I mean by that? (It does sound pretty complicated, huh?) What I mean is that Jesus is completely defined by God. There is nothing about Him that isn’t a revelation of God. But it is possible that there are characteristics of God that weren’t seen through Jesus. That’s not saying that Jesus was lacking any of the godliness, but it is saying that God cannot be fully described through the life of a man. Jesus, for instance, was not omnipresent. (Omnipresent means that He would be in all places at all times.) This was something that He gave up in coming to Earth. There are some things that are a part of who God is that simply cannot be represented in a human life.

The next line reiterates what has already been said. Is this redundancy? No, it’s emphasis.

John 1:2 He existed in the beginning with God.

By repeating a shorter version of what has been said, John is saying, “Let’s get one thing straight. Jesus isn’t like us. He’s eternal. He’s God.”

John 1:3 God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him.

Why does John say “through”, and not “by” when referring to Jesus’ role in Creation? God the Father was at work during Creation. They were both there. The Father was doing the work, and Jesus was the tool He used to accomplish it. They were both necessary.

Again, by pointing to the role of Christ in Creation, John is pointing to the fact that we can have total faith in His power to re-create us. He can provide us with a new beginning through the power of His life, death, and resurrection. We can trust Him because He made us.

We will continue looking at this passage tomorrow. I hope that you are as struck by this passage as I am. The Word came to us! That is why we celebrate at this time of year, dear Christian!

Eternal vs. Temporal

2008-11-29T19:17:00.002-05:00

To complete our study for the week, we are going to look at 2 Corinthians 4:16-18. This is the reason that I chose this passage for our study.

2 Corinthians 4:16-18 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever.

It may seem like your spirit is being squelched by the troubles of this world, but it isn't. As we continue to watch our bodies decay, our inner self is being built up. Our true selves are not being destroyed by the powers of this life. In the midst of a life that builds up to death, our spirits are being strengthened, built up by the grace of God.

It may seem overwhelming at times. The way that suffering, pain, and persecution afflict us can make us feel run-down. We don't feel like we're being renewed, but that's because we look more at the temporal things than at the eternal reality. The troubles that we endure are minuscule when compared to eternity. I like the way that the English Standard Version puts it:

2 Corinthians 4:17 For this slight momentary affliction is preparing for us an eternal weight of glory beyond all comparison,

In order to carry the glory that we will receive in eternity, we must work out our spiritual muscles. By trusting God in every situation, and allowing Him to carry us through the greatest temptations and pains of our lives, we are strengthening our souls to carry the weight of glory that we will receive upon returning to our true home and our Creator.

There is a choice here. We have to choose to fix our gaze on the eternal truth of Christ Jesus. We have to consciously decide to turn our focus from the things of this world to the things of the next. When we do that, we are allowing God to take care of the junk that clutters this life. We are strengthened by His power to continue moving through this world by the knowledge that we are just passing through.

We are blessed, sweet Christian sister, to be able to live this life with the joy of a glimpse of what lies ahead. We can focus on the blessings that await those who persevere, and because of that focus, the troubles that we face in the here-and-now will be more bearable.

Romans 12:12 Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

The hope of what is to come, patience in tribulation, and constant prayer go together. They are a team. If you can't muster the patience to persevere through difficulty, start with prayer and remembering the hope of where we are going, and the One who will receive us when we get there.

I will leave you with one more passage. No commentary on this one, just the Word of God.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Rejoice always, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.

Keep On Preachin'

2008-11-26T16:06:00.000-05:00

Yesterday we looked at 2 Corinthians 4:7-12. After Paul discusses how God is with us through persecution and suffering, he goes into the importance of evangelism and service. Why do you think that is? Acts of service and faithfulness to God are very likely to result in difficulty and challenge. This is one way that God is glorified through us. One of the biggest differences between Christians and non-Christians is how we respond to suffering. You've probably heard people say things like, "I can't believe that a good God could allow such suffering." This doesn't jive in the life of a Christian though. Yes, we will suffer. Everyone does. But this is temporal. Even in the midst of horrible suffering, there is a Comforter. In our distress, we look to Him, and we never stop spreading the Gospel of His suffering and victory.

2 Corinthians 4:13-15 But we continue to preach because we have the same kind of faith the psalmist had when he said, "I believed in God, so I spoke." 14 We know that God, who raised the Lord Jesus, will also raise us with Jesus and present us to himself together with you. 15 All of this is for your benefit. And as God's grace reaches more and more people, there will be great thanksgiving, and God will receive more and more glory.

A belief in the God of the Bible, Jesus Christ, is going to cause us to open our mouths. Some people aren't big talkers. It isn't as easy for them to "preach," but even they can't keep the Truth of the love of God out of their mouths. When we know God, believe in what He says, and have faith that He will do what He says, it's just not possible to stop talking about it. We don't have to be rude or loud. There are some people who open their mouths a little too easily and about anything. This isn't necessary. We don't have to make every conversation an argument. It's about telling people about the greatest love story ever written, not scaring them into submission. Most people struggle with one thing or the other: unwillingness to speak or over-willingness to argue. It's a good idea to figure out which category you fall into, pray that God will give you the strength and discernment to obey Him, and take Him at His word and act. Both truth and love are necessary when speaking to the lost world of the grace available to them.

2 John 1:3 Grace, mercy and peace will be with us, from God the Father and from Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

What truth brings us hope in the midst of all of the suffering we endure, as we preach the Word of God to the dying? We have been joined with Christ. He suffered, and He died, but He was raised again! So will we be raised with Him and presented to God, without blemish. This is why we can seek His glory in the midst of our pain. It is am opportunity unlike any other to show the grace of God to a world so desperate for it.

The expansion of the Gospel of Grace to more and more people develops into something interesting... thanksgiving! Even those who aren't as active in sharing the Gospel as they ought to be are able to find thankfulness in seeing the lost around them come into a relationship with the Father of Lights. We can all be grateful when we hear the stories of entire African tribes coming to know Christ because a family left the comforts to which we still cling. This gratitude brings God glory. Gratitude is loud. When something fills our hearts with thanksgiving, we talk about it. We sing about it. We shout... maybe. We tell people.

The faithfulness of a few leads to the gratitude of many. That gratitude leads to action. Action brings new faithfulness, and the cycle continues. You never know what your faithfulness can do. Only God knows what kind of chain you can begin by choosing to believe that God is who He says He is and will do what He says He will do. It may take years. You may not see it on this earth, but your faithfulness is always worth it, even when it leads to suffering. Jesus was faithful on the cross, and it's His example that we follow. No, it isn't easy. It's not always fun. It may not seem like it's worth it. But it is, dear Christian. Believe it.

Clay Jars

2008-11-25T13:15:00.003-05:00

The past couple of weeks have been challenging, as much for me as for anyone. This week we are going to look at some verses that focus more on the faithfulness of God through all things and the eternal value of suffering and difficulty in the Christian life.

2 Corinthians 4:7-12 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

The first verse, verse 7, refers to "this light shining" which is mentioned in verse 6.

2 Corinthians 4:6 For God, who said, "Let there be light in the darkness," has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

Our hearts are the not the source of the light. That light comes from the Creator and is placed within us for the purpose of bringing Him glory. We may look like nothing much, and we will most certainly fail at times, but His light is still shining. His treasure continues to dwell within our own, depraved hearts so that He will receive glory and He will be honored above all else. This light is the source of power that belongs to every Christian. We are granted the Holy Spirit so that we could triumph, dear Christian. We are given the power of God, very God, so that we can triumph over sin, suffering, and persecution. Never forget that you don't have to be strong enough. He is strong enough, and He is at work within you!

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. (New Living Translation)

2 Corinthians 4:8-9 we are afflicted in every way, but not crushed; perplexed, but not despairing; 9 persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed; (New American Standard, 1995)

I included two translations of these two verses because I think that it may help us to digest the significance of what's being said. The word for pressed or afflicted can also be used for crowding. It's a feeling of confusion and pressure. I'm not sure about you, but I've felt that way. The feeling that there is nowhere to go for safety. You are looking for a way out, but there is none. The situation seems hopeless, but in the midst of that thought, there is hope. In a similar way, we can be at a loss, perplexed, but protected from despair. The word for despair is a superlative for the word for perplexed. Perplexed means "at a loss" and despair means "at a complete loss". Even in the pressure of affliction, there is a promise. Amidst the confusion and helplessness, there is protection. He is there with us, and He is so big that He can keep the walls from caving in. He is provides a light in the darkness that keeps us from despair. Our confusion is never allowed to overcome us.

I like the NLT's translation of persecution. We are being hunted down. The world is coming after the light that is in us, and they will try to squelch it. We won't always be in the middle of persecution, but if we are never being persecuted, we aren't doing all that we are supposed to. If you never feel like someone is out to get you, you really aren't experiencing the fullness of God's grace. It is the midst of being hunted that we are being held tightly to the King of Kings. Although it may not feel that way at the time, let me assure you that you will never endure a hardship without Him. Once you are His, He will not abandon you. You will not be forsaken.

Why would someone want to hunt down a Christian? Why is the salvation of which we have partaken so offensive to some?

2 Corinthians 2:15-16 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; 16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?

This passage is earlier in the same book as the passage we are studying today. When the Spirit is at work, He smells up the place. To those who are members of God's body, it is a reminder of the life in us and the life that we will receive in eternity. To those who are outside of the body, it is a smell of death. It is a constant reminder to them of the fact that they are rotting away here on Earth and that they will endure an eternal death, full of pain and separation from God, after they have left here. Nothing gets people angry like conviction. The constant reminder of the death eating at the sinner leads to the persecution that we endure. We have the strongest odor when we dwell in the Spirit, which is why we are persecuted more when we are being the Christians that we are called to be than when we are neglecting the high calling for which Christ paid.

The final part of verse 9 says that we are knocked down. We are being beat up, thrown to the ground, trampled, but even in the weakness that we feel at such times, we are receiving grace upon grace. He shields us with Himself so that He receives the blows. We may feel a few of the strikes, but it is an honor to share in the suffering of Christ, as we will see in the next verses.

2 Corinthians 4:10-12 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 11 Yes, we live under constant danger of death because we serve Jesus, so that the life of Jesus will be evident in our dying bodies. 12 So we live in the face of death, but this has resulted in eternal life for you.

We are called to be a part of the suffering of Christ as well as His resurrection. We're all more than happy to receive the life that He has bought for us, but we are missing the blessing that is the suffering of Christ. I'm not saying that it is fun to suffer for Him. I'm saying that it is a duty, like military duty, but it is one with great benefit for the one who endures it. When we are hanging on the cross of Christ, gasping for air, we are closer to Him than at any point. We are sharing the cross with the Son of God, born not of flesh, but of the will of God. What a privilege!

The final verse, verse 12, is Paul referring to the sacrifice that he has made on behalf of the Corinthians. It wasn't just for God that he had suffered. It was for the people who did not know Him. Paul suffered because He shared the Gospel of Christ. Some smelled the aroma of life; others smelled death. He was willing to suffer for the Word of God to be spread. They weren't people that he knew. Most of them were Gentiles, people that he grew up hating, being taught that they were evil, God-hating people. And they were. Gentiles were against the God of Israel, for the most part. But those were the people that Paul was called by the grace of God to reach. He gave up the earthly comforts He'd once known. He gave up his own life, in the end, in order to bring the Truth of Life to people he did not know.

Sometimes we refuse to share the Gospel with people because they aren't like us, or maybe we aren't sure that they deserve it. We forget that we didn't deserve it. We forget that we were sinners, far from God, who had hated Him, even as young children, until He came into the darkness to carry us into the Light.

Remember the light that is in you. Remember the power at work in your heart. You will suffer. You may even die for the cause of Christ, but this is the joy of our calling. Even in death, He is there. It is in death that we receive the fullness of the gift we have already received in Christ. There is nothing that can separate us from Him. What love!

Romans 8:38-39 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

What Are You Hiding?

2008-11-21T14:54:00.001-05:00

For our final study this week, we will be looking at the little things we hold back from God's authority. You know, the things that aren't "that bad" according to most people's standards, but they just aren't glorifying Christ the way that we are commanded to.

How often do you find yourself defending a habit or action to your conscience by telling yourself that it isn't that big of a deal? Or that your friends at church do it? Or that you can't find anywhere in the Bible that teaches against it directly (although you haven't actually looked)? These are the things that we will be talking about today.

2 Corinthians 6:16 - 7:1 Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 17 "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. 18 "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty. Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.

Have you thought about what it means that God dwells in you? Have you allowed yourself to take in that idea? If you know Christ Jesus personally, He is alive within you. You are His temple. Not just your body, all of you. He resides within you, and it is in your spirit that commune with Him, the living God personally, intimately. That has some big significance to how we live, doesn't it?

After this passage looks at our status as temples of God, it directly moves into the calling placed on believers to be holy. Holy means "devoted to spiritual use" (Webster's Pocket Dictionary). In some ways, the holiness of the Christian is similar to the fine china. Most people have a special cabinet for it. They don't eat sloppy joes off of it. We are careful with it because it is so valuable to us. When Christians allow ourselves to participate in activities that we excuse as "not that bad," we are using the fine china to feed the squirrels. It doesn't make sense, does it?

The final verse (7:1) says that we are to cleanse ourselves from every defilement. Webster's Pocket Dictionary defines defile as, "to corrupt the purity of". If a gold ring has silver mixed into it, it's defiled. Is silver worthless? No. Silver has a value, but it's not nearly as high as gold's. We can allow things into our lives that are okay, maybe even good in some ways, but they detract from our mission as ambassadors of Christ.

What's the motivation? Fear. We are to fear God because He is completely holy. Not because He's mean. Not because He'll strike us dead the minute we fail. We should fear Him because He has done so much for us that to disappoint Him would be devastating. We should fear Him because we know that we will see Him face to face and give account of our actions, big and small.

Ephesians 5:15-16 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

Do you use the actions of the people around you to justify your own questionable behavior? This verse says to make sure that you don't walk like the unwise people around you, but wisely. We said on Tuesday that true wisdom comes from the Father, so His Word is the best measurement of what is wise. We are commanded to live according to the Bible.

This verse takes for granted that we will be around people who aren't walking like we are supposed to. There are unwise people all over the place, and they tend to mock those of us who are trying to live the way God teaches us to.

Why are we being so careful? Why can't we just try to be a good person and see how that works out? Because time is creeping up on you, sister, and God is expecting you to make every moment count. You will stand before Him and explain why you decided that the romance novel was such a great use of your time when you hadn't read your Bible yet that day. You will be accountable for the time you chose to go out to lunch with friends, but didn't invite the lost woman you just met because she smells a little funny. It's His opinion (though I'm pretty sure that when God has an opinion it's really a fact) that counts when you choose to write a check instead of going overseas when you feel that maybe God wants you to be His feet in another country.

It's a terrifying thought. He has given you all the time, wisdom, talents, and money that you need to bring Him glory. Every resource is yours. His Spirit is working inside of you, enabling you to do more than you ever imagined.

Let's look at a few examples of common decisions that Christians make that aren't holy or wise:

Gossip (Psalm 19:14; Psalm 141:3). This one can be awfully sneaky. It can be disguised in the form of a prayer request. Maybe you tell yourself that you are just being concerned, or you might even sneak a sentence into your prayer time to rid yourself of any guilt. The question is "why?" Why did you want to share that story so badly? Why were you anxious to hear about what's happening at the church down the road? Do you think that God was glorified through the conversation that surrounded the "prayer requests" or just, plain gossip that was being shared?
Overeating (Philippians 4:11-12). Do you just keep eating, even after your full? Is that the best use of your body, or the food? This is another one that can come in disguise (fellowship). Just because a table is crowded with Christian doesn't mean that you can eat twice as much as you actually need.
Television shows/ romance novels/ movies (Psalm 19:14; Psalm 119:27). I just can't say it enough: what you put in your head matters! Your mind is the dwelling place of God; take it seriously. Even if it wasn't offensive to His perfect nature, questionable television, books, movies, and music take up time. That time doesn't belong to you either. Soap operas and Oprah count as junk t.v.
Spending excessive time getting ready. This isn't usually an issue in my life, but it was before kids. Some women spend a lot of time fixing their hair, putting on makeup, choosing their clothing, and making sure that their handbag coordinates just so. You may not do all of these things, but you probably know if you're spending more time than necessary getting ready. Why are you spending so much time? Is it pride? Vanity? Fear of being less valuable if you aren't the best looking girl in the room? It isn't your hour and a half (or two, or three) to spend in useless things. I find it interesting to hear women say that they just have no time for a real quiet time when they spend so much time getting dolled up. Do you care more about how you look to God or how you look in the mirror?

If you aren't sure if there's something you're holding back from God, ask Him. It may be something totally different than what is on the list. Here's a hint: if something comes to mind, but you automatically think, "oh, that's not so bad", you've probably found something. Once God reveals something for you to work on, ask Him to help you get rid of it. You'll have to make some effort, but He will give you the strength to do it. You can't try half-heartedly and then blame God that it just didn't work out. Keep working. It may take a while, but God is at work in you! It's a beautiful thing, this grace!

The Bedroom

2008-11-20T16:18:00.002-05:00

As promised, today we are going to talk about sex. Why would we do a Bible study on sex? A few reasons:

We live in a sex-crazed society that doesn't know anything about how sex is supposed to be.
God designed it.
It's in the Bible, therefore it should be studied.

Let's start with the most basic element of sex God's way. He has one plan for it. Sex is an element of marriage. It's not an element of dating. It's not a good way to get to know someone. It's for marriage.

1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 For this is the will of God, your sanctification that you abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, 5 not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God; 6 that no one transgress and wrong his brother in this matter, because the Lord is an avenger in all these things, as we told you beforehand and solemnly warned you. 7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.

The word for sexual immorality here is literally fornication, but that word isn't used much any more. Fornication, according to Webster's Pocket Dictionary, is "sexual intercourse between unmarried persons." If you think this is just a goof, check out the verses below (it should be noted that the Bible contains no "goofs", but I think it's always best to provide more than one verse.) :

Colossians 3:5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry.

1 Corinthians 10:8 We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day.

Romans 13:13 Let us walk properly as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and sensuality, not in quarreling and jealousy.

Maybe you believe that this expectation is unrealistic in today's society. Maybe you think that as long as you love one another, premarital (or extra-marital) sex is okay. God doesn't say that. Look at a few of the things that He does say:

1 John 2:16-17 For all that is in the world - the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions - is not from the Father but is from the world. 17 And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever.

Philippians 2:15 that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

When God says to do something, He isn't trying to make your life easier, or even more enjoyable. He is working to make you holy, Christian. He knew that the command to abstain from sexual immorality would make you weird. How can you remain pure in this sexually overwhelmed and confused world? Let's let Him answer through the words of Paul:

Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

You can remain pure. He can stay away from sin. You can survive, and even thrive, living as a freak in a sinful world. Not because of who you are, but because of the power that is at work within you. When you know Christ and receive His Spirit, He will make it possible, though not easy, to obey Him.

Let's move on into other aspects of sex. You may not want to read any further if you are single. Use your best discernment.

Song of Solomon is a collection of love poetry. In the Bible? Um, yeah. Remember, God designed sex. He is the Creator of marriage and of romance. When I say romance, I don't mean the overly sensual lust depicted in media. True romance finds its roots in a shared love of Christ. Let's look at some exerts of Song of Solomon.

Song of Solomon 4:9-15 You have captivated my heart, my sister, my bride; you have captivated my heart with one glance of your eyes, with one jewel of your necklace. 10 How beautiful is your love, my sister, my bride! How much better is your love than wine, and the fragrance of your oils than any spice! 11 Your lips drip nectar, my bride; honey and milk are under your tongue; the fragrance of your garments is like the fragrance of Lebanon. 12 A garden locked is my sister, my bride, a spring locked, a fountain sealed. 13 Your shoots are an orchard of pomegranates with all choicest fruits, henna with nard, 14 nard and saffron, calamus and cinnamon, with all trees of frankincense, myrrh and aloes, with all chief spices - 15 a garden fountain, a well of living water, and flowing streams from Lebanon.

These two are newlyweds, enjoying each other. Notice that he refers to her as his sister. There's more than just romantic love here. There's camaraderie. They share a world view.

He is enjoying this bride. Her kisses are sweet; her scent captivates him; the experience of being loved by her is intoxicating. Notice what he says in verse 12. She has kept her love locked away, saving it for him. What affect does this have now that they are married? The fact that she has remained pure deepens the attraction that he has for her.

Song of Solomon 5:1 "I have come into my garden, my sister, my bride; I have gathered my myrrh along with my balsam. I have eaten my honeycomb and my honey; I have drunk my wine and my milk.

Eat, friends; Drink and imbibe deeply, O lovers."

They're really enjoying each other now. He's taking it all in. They aren't holding back any longer. Now they are enjoying every bit of what they saved. The next line is interesting. The friends and relatives of the couple are cheering them on. Strange, isn't it? We should rejoice in the greatness of married sex. I'm not saying that we should sell tickets or anything. Sex should remain private. There is no reason, though to make sex seem evil or dirty, though.

When we're raising our children, we need to be giving them a healthy view of the beauty of sex. Some parents try to make it seem wrong in hopes that this will prevent their children from sinning in this area. It doesn't work. Teenagers tend to gravitate toward things that their parents deem "dirty." It has the opposite affect. It's much more successful to explain that sex is a wonderful, enjoyable thing when kept in marriage. Help them understand that it's worth waiting for. Teach them that if they want to have a happy, and active, sex life, waiting is the best plan. The friends that I have that waited until they were married to have sex are much more active now than those that didn't.

Premarital sex is not the unpardonable sin. God can forgive you. If you are in a relationship with Him, He already has. His grace and mercy are so much bigger than even your greatest mistakes. Allow Him to make the changes to your heart that can change everything!

1 John 1:9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.

This is not a job that He does half-way. Take joy, sweet Christian! He will bring you to completion, to holiness!

Time for Fun!

2008-11-19T15:32:00.001-05:00

Yesterday we looked at the desires and motivations of our hearts and how they relate to the Kingdom of God. Today we are going to look at the things that we do for fun and the friendships we develop.

If you are the parent of a teenager, have ever been the parent of a teenager, have ever worked with teenagers, or even remember being a teenager yourself, you know the power of friendships. Let's look at a verse about the people we hang around.

Proverbs 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm.

How wise are your friends? When you need advice, how often is the Bible a part of their answer? Do they quote Oprah, or Jesus? By wise, we aren't just talking about smart. There are a lot of smart people on their way to Hell. Let's define wisdom according to the Bible.

Proverbs 3:7 Be not wise in your own eyes; fear the LORD, and turn away from evil.

Proverbs 15:31 The ear that listens to life-giving reproof will dwell among the wise.

Job 12:13 "With God are wisdom and might; he has counsel and understanding.

Proverbs 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding;

1 Corinthians 3:19-20 For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, "He catches the wise in their craftiness," 20 and again, "The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile."

James 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.

Let's develop a list of what to look for in our closest friends from the verses above:

Humble
Willing to receive criticism
Trusts in God, the Bible specifically, for wisdom
Doesn't believe everything some smart-sounding person on television or radio says. Doesn't trust a magazine or a person over the wisdom of God.
Is what they are saying pure, peaceful, gentle, merciful, impartial, and sincere? Are they willing to discuss and debate about what they are saying?

Obviously, no friend can meet all of the above requirements, and not many can meet most of them. Our best friends, the ones that we go to for advice and share our secrets with, need to be able to meet higher standards than we would place on anyone else.

It's not that we can't have anyone in our lives that don't know Jesus. We need those relationships in order to further the Gospel. Just make sure that's what you're doing. I've met a lot of teenage girls and young women who try their hand at missionary dating. Big mistake! Big. Mistake. The people who are in your world help you determine what is normal. You may have some positive affects on them, but when you spend a lot of time with a lost person, or someone who says that they're saved, but doesn't act like it, they will have a negative affect on you! Develop relationships with people who are lost, but keep a healthy distance.

Make sure that you're being the kind of friend that you want to have. I'm not just talking about kindness. I'm saying that you need to apply the above list to yourself and see how you do. Note: if you think you got a perfect score, check the first question again ;) !

Proverbs 27:17 Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.

What you do for fun matters too! What movies do you watch? What games do you play? What radio stations do you listen to? Where do you go out to eat? What are you talking about when you bust into giggles?

Colossians 3:17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

It's okay to giggle about things with a good, godly girlfriend that you may not say with just anyone around. I am very grateful for sex (we'll discuss the general subject of sex tomorrow), so I'll talk about it with my friends, and probably get a few giggles out of it. The question is: "How am I talking about it?" Am I talking about sex the way it's portrayed on Grey's Anatomy, or am I talking about a very good, and fun, part of marriage?

Do you require the help of a certain substance to have a good time? The Bible never condemns drinking occasionally, but getting drunk for fun is unacceptable.

1 Corinthians 5:11 But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler - not even to eat with such a one.

Titus 1:7 For an overseer, as God's steward, must be above reproach. He must not be arrogant or quick-tempered or a drunkard or violent or greedy for gain,

Ephesians 5:18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Godliness and drunkenness just don't go together. 1 Corinthians tells us to not even hang around people who are known to get drunk. Titus tells us that getting drunk is absolutely unfitting for anyone who holds authority in church. Ephesians brings up an excellent final point as well.

It's important to not get drunk. All good Southern Baptists know that (though many tend to go overboard and act as if taking cough medicine is the quickest route to Hell). It's more important to be filled with the Spirit, though. If you want to obey this command, just staying away from all things alcohol ain't gonna cut it. You have to make a point of allowing the Spirit of God to dwell within you.

John 10:10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly.

Do you want the good life? Jesus came and died so you could have it. You have to let Him define what that means. The abundant life isn't always pleasant, or even enjoyable. It doesn't focus on self. Check out this verse on the abundant life:

2 Corinthians 1:5 For as we share abundantly in Christ's sufferings, so through Christ we share abundantly in comfort too.

God promises us difficulty, but He promises us the greatest of comforts as well. Everyone will suffer. What makes the Christian, abundant, life different is that we have the comfort of an all-powerful God to see us through it.

Ephesians 3:20-21 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

He will do so much more than we can even imagine once we are willing to seek His glory above all. His power is infinite. We can't even imagine the work He is performing within us. The abundant life comes when we let Him be God, and that means accepting difficulties as par for the course. It also means that we can always take joy in knowing the Creator. Knowing Him, now that's fun!

If It's Good Enough For the Youth...

2008-11-18T16:17:00.003-05:00

The youth at our church are having a discipleship weekend this week. I'll be leading the girls' Bible studies, so I'm spending a lot of time studying up for it. Instead of doing a separate study for this blog, I decided to develop a sister study from the youth material. I hope you won't mind. The interesting thing is that the youth study is adapted from an adult study. There's a lot of adaptation around these here parts.

We're going to start off by trying to understand what the Kingdom of God is, and how it affects our desires and priorities.

Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

Jesus talks about this kingdom a lot in the Gospels. He uses parables to describe some of its characteristics. We use the term a lot, but how often do we really think about what it means? I've had to put quite a bit of thought into the concept, and it's complicated. Let's look at a few verses that deal with the subject to get a better understanding of what it is.

Mark 1:14-15 Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel."

Mark 9:1 And he said to them, "Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the kingdom of God after it has come with power."

Mark 9:47 And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell,

Mark 10:14 But when Jesus saw it, he was indignant and said to them, "Let the children come to me; do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of God.

Mark 10:23 And Jesus looked around and said to his disciples, "How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!"

Luke 6:20 And he lifted up his eyes on his disciples, and said: "Blessed are you who are poor, for yours is the kingdom of God.

From these verses, we can gather that there is a duality to the kingdom of God. By duality, I mean that it has two sides, but both are the same thing. (I said it was complicated :) One side is eternal, and hasn't come yet. The other side is here, right now, and available to us. Once Jesus died on the cross, the kingdom of God was open. The first two verses listed deal with the current kingdom of God.

What does that mean, exactly? In the here-and-now, the kingdom of God is the glorification of God on this earth. To seek His kingdom is to seek to make Him known, to love Him as a King. We want to place all that we are and all that we have under His authority because He is our King, and our lives are His kingdom. Later, every human ever born will see Jesus for who He is. They will give Him the glory due Him, and His kingdom will reign above all others. The kingdom of Heaven will overtake the earth. All will be set right, with Him in the center.

What does that have to do with our desires and motivations? Let's look again at our theme verse of the day, this time with the full context. It's long, but so very worth it.

Matthew 6:19-33 "Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, 23 but if your eye is bad, your whole body will be full of darkness. If then the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!
24 "No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.
25 "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? 26 Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? 27 And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? 28 And why are you anxious about clothing? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, 29 yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. 30 But if God so clothes the grass of the field, which today is alive and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31 Therefore do not be anxious, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. 33 But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.

There is a contrast here. We can either store our treasure here on earth, or we can store it in Heaven. Treasure doesn't just refer to material possessions or financial gain. It refers to any earthly value, such as success, popularity, comfort, etc. When we are concerned with the category of earthly values, we end up worrying. God isn't interested in making earthly successes; He's building a kingdom here! It's not that He doesn't care about our needs. Jesus says plainly that He is aware of our needs, and that He is able to fill them.

He may ask us to go without at times, but it is still within His control. This is a part of the reason that Jesus says that it is harder for the wealthy to enter His kingdom. The more we have to lose, the more difficult it is to give it up. You really do have to choose a side. It's not that you can't have both. There are wealthy Christians, for which the building funds of American churches are quite appreciative. The issue is that you can't love both. You can't seek both. You have to choose.

God's kingdom is infinitely larger than such earthly concerns. When we store our treasure in His kingdom, we don't have to worry about it being destroyed. By aligning our priorities with His, we are freed from anxiety and are granted a peace in knowing that even if we starve, go without clothing, or even something as necessary as cable television, we haven't even begun!

What are seeking? To seek His kingdom and His righteousness is to let go of the opinions of the people around us. It is a choice to believe what God says. It is a choice to trust Him at His word, and take a step. Most people have been very supportive of Edwin and I as we look to go overseas to do missions. Still, there are some who look at me as if I were crazy. They seem to think that removing my children from the oh-so-safe United States is tantamount to child abuse. Let me assure you, I will do my best to protect these precious charges. They have never slipped from the forefront of my mind in all of our planning. Even so, I want to teach them to store their treasure in Heaven. I want them to value things that are actually valuable, like God's provision, people coming to know God personally, the Word of God itself. If something were to happen to them, I hope and pray that I will recognize the grace of God in taking them Home early. I hope that I will be able to see the kingdom of God coming one step closer through the glory He will receive from the life, and death, of my little ones.

An additional note: Jesus mentions in these verses how valuable you are to Him. The King of the Universe deems you precious! That should be a good motivation to let loose of all of the things that fight for the throne of your heart, and allow Jesus to take His rightful place!

What are you seeking? What are you loving? What does your soul long for? Meditate on Matthew 6:19-33 today and ask God to help you answer these questions. It may be very helpful to you as you take Him at His word. I'll be doing the same.

A Final Look at an Annoyingly Cool Woman

2008-11-16T22:42:00.001-05:00

We've been discussing the Proverbs 31 woman this week. Anyone else been challenged by this portrait of the ideal woman? But remember, that's what this passage is, a look at the ideal woman. It makes for a good goal, though. Let's continue looking at the mark, in hopes that we will come closer to reaching it.

Proverbs 31:27 She looks well to the ways of her household, And does not eat the bread of idleness.

We've talked about this previously. This is a woman who takes responsibility for her family. We live in a world that loves to blame. We are sue-crazy because we genuinely believe that everyone else should be looking out for us, though we have no plan of looking out for them. Notice, that math doesn't work. At the end of the day, the Proverbs 31 woman is willing to shoulder the responsibility of her family. This leads us right into the next thought. Who has time to be idle when there's so much riding on your work? She doesn't just let things come to her. She goes out and makes good things happen.

Our families are at stake, ladies. Don't get me wrong, husbands are responsible to God for their families. Adam was reproved for allowing Eve to be taken in... by a snake! But when we join together to take responsibility, amazing things can happen.

If your husband doesn't know Jesus, you really can't expect him to act like he does. You have a mighty job on your shoulders. You are ultimately responsible for the spiritual care of your children, as are single moms. I know, that's a big job. There's only one way to get that done. We'll look at that in just a moment.

Proverbs 31:28-29 Her children rise up and bless her; Her husband also, and he praises her, saying: 29 "Many daughters have done nobly, But you excel them all."

What happens when a woman works her tail off for her family? They notice! It may not seem like your toddlers, children, or teenagers are paying much attention, but they are. Their eyes are on you, soaking in what it means to be a parents, and an adult. Your husband is paying more attention than you realize. Now, he may not notice the lack of dust on the knick-knacks, but c'mon! Let's be realistic! He will notice the lower credit card bills that come from a wife who takes responsibility for her purchases. He will notice the pleasant attitude that comes from seeing the mundane work of the household as a divine calling. And he will most definitely notice his wife looking hot at the dinner table (tastefully hot, if kids are around!).

What do they have to say? Well, it's no surprise that her family realizes that this woman is beyond normal. Many do well, and that is great, but this woman is super-great. We can compare ourselves to other wives, and sometimes let certain things go because, "no one else does all that!". It's true. We can get away with doing a good job, and impressing a few people along the way. We can be satisfied with making it to the Olympics. How many people can say that, anyhow? The other option is to go for the gold. We can leave normal in our dust as we sprint for spectacular. The road is littered with burned cookies and bad hair days, but we keep running. We want to excel them all, no matter how difficult that may be.

Proverbs 31:30-31 Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised. 31 Give her the product of her hands, And let her works praise her in the gates.

Finally, we are going to look at the source of Superwife's power. We spend a lot of time trying to impress people, don't we? We're afraid of saying the wrong thing (some more than others). We cringe at the idea of walking out of the house with our hair a mess and our faces unpainted. How do we feel about letting ourselves go in the spiritual realm?

The way to accomplish all this woman does lies in the phrase "a woman who fears the LORD." This fear isn't the kind out of a horror film. This fear is extreme reverence. You would be afraid to walk into the presence of the Queen of England, right? That whole deal about saying the wrong thing or looking the wrong way reaches a whole new level when royalty is involved, huh? How do you feel about walking into the presence of the King of Kings with bitterness in your heart? Or unconfessed sin in your life? Or just, plain, wrong thinking? Why is it that just doesn't bother us?

That lack of fear is a big reason, if not the main reason, that we fail to meet the standards set in this passage. We try to work on the outer stuff like a checklist. Where should we start? Start with how you think about God. Know who it is you should fear. When you see God in His glory, it won't be difficult to fear Him. When you do fear Him as you should, the other things fall into place. If you aren't rich and beautiful within a week, don't lose heart. He thinks you're gorgeous when you come into His presence with love and peace in your heart. Start with Him, and you'll end right where you should be.

The final verse is an instruction to the Proverbs 31 husband. He is told to let her enjoy all of the success that she has earned. Oh boy, has she earned it!

A Challenging Example

2008-11-15T20:44:00.004-05:00

We've been looking at the relentless example of an ideal wife given by Proverbs 31:10-31. Notice that I said ideal. This isn't meant to be a summary of every day of your life. It's meant to be an overview of the life of an excellent wife. Even with that in mind, it's some hard shoes to fill. Still, let's trudge forward in hopes of coming a little closer to where we are supposed to be.

Proverbs 31:21-22 She is not afraid of the snow for her household, For all her household are clothed with scarlet. 22 She makes coverings for herself; Her clothing is fine linen and purple.

From these verses we can gather that our example has some cash. We saw in our earlier studies from this passage that she brings money into the home. It should be noted that this chapter of Proverbs was written by King Lemuel, as taught to him from his mom. (Can you imagine having her for a mother-in-law? Talk about demanding!) That's right, King. He had some start-up money to get his sweetheart's business underway. No wonder she was able to consider a field and buy it. That may not be an option for all of us.The lesson is the same, however. She takes the welfare of her children into her own hands. She finds a way to get them what they need.

She dresses well herself. Now, I've spent the better part of the week in a ponytail. I tell myself that it's mostly because I've been baking, and I wanted to be sanitary. Still, I didn't rush into the shower and get dolled up before Edwin came home from work. It wouldn't be a bad idea, at that. There is nothing wrong with being aware of one's appearance. It's a hard habit to get into as a stay at home mom. When you never go out, it's difficult to find the motivation to get hottified (to make oneself hot; to become a hottie). If you don't think that your hubby is paying much attention to you (notice, this is referring to marital relationships), it may help to give him something to pay attention to. No, you shouldn't have to dress up every time you want a little attention, but this isn't about getting what you should get. Sometimes you just have to make things happen. Remember, he's the person you should be dressing up for anyway (it doesn't hurt your own self esteem, either).

Proverbs 31:23 Her husband is known in the gates, When he sits among the elders of the land.

This line is right in the middle of a description of an excellent wife. Why is that? Here's a glimpse of the affect that a wife can have on the success of her husband. When a wife works as hard as this woman does to help her husband and children reach their potential, it works! He becomes well-known. He gains respect. It would be pretty challenging to be married to this kind of woman and not work hard to be successful.

Proverbs 31:24 She makes linen garments and sells them, And supplies belts to the tradesmen.

There she goes, being all industrious again. She makes thread, juggles real estate, creates clothing for her family and herself, and now we see that she trades goods, such as linen clothing and belts, as well. Even if her children were older, this is a lot to get done for any woman. These verses don't even mention the tasks that were taken for granted, such as schooling the children and playing nurse to their boo-boos. We saw earlier that she has maidservants, so there is a good chance that a lot of the daily tasks of wifehood are being covered by the "help". That being said, she sees over all of the work of her maid servants. She oversees the food choices, the family's clothing, and finances.We're going to look at the source of her abilities tomorrow.

Proverbs 31:25-26 Strength and dignity are her clothing, And she smiles at the future. 26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.

These are two of my favorite verses from this passage. I love the description given in verse 25. Why do you think this verse refers to strength and dignity as clothing? Clothing protects us from the outside world. This thought is confirmed by the second part of the verse. She isn't worried about her future. Why not? Because she is protected by strength and dignity. Clothing also prevents us from shame. There is an extreme vulnerability to nakedness. It's a humiliating thought to be naked in front of people. Maybe there has been a time when you let your guard down and said something foolish, and afterward you felt ashamed. By wrapping herself in strength and dignity, she prevents such mistakes.

By strength, we are referring mostly to strength of character. She doesn't allow the people around her to control her. She is too strong to allow someone's words or actions to dictate her reactions. She doesn't give into temptation.Dignity can also be interpreted as honor. She is not going to lose control of her emotions, or her tongue, as the next verse discusses.

How wise are your words? Can you say that you open your mouth in wisdom? Allow me to say that I hope and pray that God's work in me will accomplish this in my life. I have a naturally loose tongue. When I have a thought, I feel the intense desire to share it with the world. This woman only opens her mouth when she has wisdom to impart. Wisdom requires thought. The woman described here speaks after thinking over her words.

This brings us to another question. Where does she get that wisdom? The passage doesn't explicitly say, but I can assure you that the Bible is the best source of wisdom known to man (or woman, in this case). Always remember that what you put in your head will come out of your mouth. The things that you hear and read become normal to you. Don't you want the ways and thoughts of God to define what is normal for you?

Our last note for the day is about the teaching of kindness. What is something that you hope that your children learn from you? Math? A love of reading? How to plan an entire week of meals during the sermon? This woman places an emphasis on teaching her children (and possibly her friends and younger women, as well), kindness. Sometimes we give our children exceptions for when it is okay to be rude or just, plain mean. ("If he hits, you can hit back." "If he keeps calling you names, you just call him a do-do head.") This gives our children the idea that sometimes sin is okay. They don't have the judgement to understand that there are rare occasions when it's okay to cause someone else pain or to say things that aren't very kind sounding. And maybe, just maybe, we justify our own sin with such "exceptions". Very rarely does God give an "unless". We are to honor our parents, even when they aren't honorable. We are to always tell the truth, even when it could cause pain. God commands us to be emotionally and sexually faithful to our spouses, even when they aren't available to our needs.

Are you consistently making it a point to bring attention to ways for your children to show kindness? Are you leading by example by jumping on as many opportunities to show kindness as possible?We'll continue looking at our Proverbs 31 woman tomorrow. Ask God to search your heart and show you areas that you need to offer to Him and submit to His authority, so that He can help you improve in those areas. I'll be doing that as well.

One Cool Chick

2008-11-12T14:23:00.001-05:00

We're going to continue looking at Proverbs 31 today. The woman being described in verses 10-31 is an ideal. There isn't an actual woman after whom she is modeled, that we know of. There are lots of things that we can learn from this passage about how to be the women God wants us to be.

Let's start today where we left off, verse 16.

Proverbs 31:16 She considers a field and buys it; From her earnings she plants a vineyard.

This is a capable business woman. She knows what to look for in business transactions. She has earned enough respect from her husband through wise decisions that he has no problem with her making very big decisions on her own. First she buys a large piece of property, then she plants a vineyard. Remember, this is not a parent-child relationship. Man and wife are to be partners.

Proverbs 31:17 She girds herself with strength And makes her arms strong.

What does gird mean? It's the term used when a person in biblical times tucked the back of their dress-like clothing into their belt, which enabled them to run. This was done often in war scenarios. It's also used as a verb to describe the action of putting on a girdle. It means that the person is surrounded or bound by the object being used.

In this case, our Proverbs 31 woman is surrounding herself in strength. She is using strength as a way to prepare for the difficult times life may bring. She is ready, mentally and physically. She works out. She isn't just a manager, she is a doer.

Proverbs 31:18 She senses that her gain is good; Her lamp does not go out at night.

Proverbs 31:18 She makes sure her dealings are profitable; her lamp burns late into the night.

I used two translations on this verse, because the meaning isn't quite as clear as the other verse. At first I thought that it meant that she was aware of how well she was doing at her work, but after looking through all sorts of translations and reading the notes written by people who understand the Hebrew, I'm not sure that's really what it means. It gives the picture that she doesn't leave her success to other people. She checks the books. She makes sure that her merchandise is selling, that her vineyards are doing well. She takes her financial success into her own hands. Because she puts in that extra effort, her family is able to use as much oil as they like. It doesn't run out in the middle of the night. That's a good thing because she's going to be getting up early tomorrow morning.

Proverbs 31:19 She stretches out her hands to the distaff, And her hands grasp the spindle.

What's a distaff? It's a tool used for making thread. This might not be the best use of our time, but it does give us a good picture of her attitude. She works in many areas. Although she can afford to buy thread, she chooses to make it. She doesn't spend extra money just because she can. She doesn't use her past success as an excuse for slacking off.

Proverbs 31:20 She extends her hand to the poor, And she stretches out her hands to the needy.

Although her family is her main mission, the Proverbs 31 woman isn't consumed so much with them that she ignores the rest of the world. She uses the money that she has worked so hard to make to help the people around her. She isn't afraid to touch the untouchables. She doesn't use their laziness as an excuse to let them suffer. They may have earned their poverty, just as she has earned her success, but she still reaches out to them. She doesn't even wait for them to fo to her. She goes to the need and fills it.

Reality Check:
How'd you do today? It's a difficult task to see the bulls-eye and then look at where we are. Sometimes we are much farther from where we want to be than we thought. Here are some more questions to help as we try to develop the servant spirit that God has called us to have:

How well do you understand your family's financial situation? How are you helping to improve it? What are some things that you can change to do a better job at that?
How prepared are you for difficult times? Are you emotionally ready for the loss that life inevitably brings? Are you spiritually mature enough to handle it when God says, "no,"? Are you physically strong and healthy? What changes can you make to improve your readiness for life's difficulties?
Do you expect other people to take care of you and your family? The government? Insurance? Your husband or parents? How can you take more responsibility for your own situation?
Have you ever used past hard work as an excuse to let things go undone? I'm not talking about working yourself to death, but make sure that you don't allow laziness to creep in and ruin the work that you've already put in.
How do you help the needy people around? What about the spiritually needy? How concerned are you with missions? Do you wait for the needy to find you before you throw a quarter into the pot, or do you seek out opportunities to help people? Do you sometimes excuse your selfishness by calling the poor people lazy? Or do make excuses like, "They'll just buy liquor!" Remember: they are responsible for their actions. You are responsible for yours.

I hope that you were as challenged by this passage as I was. I have a lot of work to do to become more like the woman God designed me to be! We'll continue tomorrow. Until then, remember that God's grace is sufficient. Just because you aren't at the finish line doesn't mean that you're out of the race!

Worth Searching For

2008-11-11T12:24:00.003-05:00

It's good to be back at the keyboard! Last week my husband and I were out of town, looking into the possibility of going overseas to do mission work. I would appreciate any prayer you could offer to God on our behalf as we continue to seek out His will for us and our children.

This week we are going to be looking at a passage of Scripture that most women have read and have felt threatened by. Myself included. Proverbs 31:10-31 is a poem written with the purpose of teaching a young man what he should be looking for in a wife. Obviously, culture has some effect on the literal applications, but the message remains the same. The heart of this woman never changes. It's challenging, but there's nothing wrong with realizing that we are not yet complete.

This passage is applicable to all women, married or single, young or "seasoned".

Proverbs 31:10 An excellent wife, who can find? For her worth is far above jewels.

The woman described in this passage is rare, just like diamonds or rubies. You have to search through a lot of worthless rocks before you can find a jewel of value. If you are married, this verse is a reminder of the influence that you have over your husband and children. When you are the kind of woman that God wants you to be, your husband and children are going to be able to appreciate you better. There are exceptions, but as a general rule, men appreciate women that follow the criteria that God has given to us.

If you're single, it makes the point that the kind of man worth catching is out there looking for a woman that is outstanding. You have to use the right bait in order to catch this fish. That means working hard to be the kind of woman that a godly man is looking for. It may require a certain amount of alone time to prepare to be that kind of woman. It may mean feeling rejecting by men who are looking for all the wrong things. What it doesn't mean is that you should give up looking for the man who will help you grow in Christ, who will pull you up, not weigh you down. That isn't always easy, but it is so worth it! If you're going to join in a life-long commitment with someone, you better be very careful who it is.

Proverbs 31:11 The heart of her husband trusts in her, And he will have no lack of gain.

How trustworthy are you? Can your husband let you loose in the mall with his credit cards without worry? I've heard more stories than I care to count about couples who don't communicate about finances. It never ends well. Many divorces have resulted from husbands and wives not trusting one another, or from a spouse breaking that trust.

The trust of a husband is worth so much more than a new outfit, or a whole wardrobe. Without that trust, it turns into something similar to a parent-child relationship. We are supposed to be partners with our husbands. That requires communication to ensure that we are on the same page. It also requires submission when we can't agree. I know, I know. It can be frustrating to know that a man is making the wrong decision, and we just have to support him in it. But a man that feels respected by his wife is going to be much more likely to listen to her opinion and take her feelings into consideration. Two people can't have final say. Only one person can, and God decided that one person would be the husband. Notice that the verse says that the husband in this scenario sees gain. When you're financially partnered with your husband, that means that you see gain too.

Let me say this before moving on, being submissive is not the same thing as being silent. God gave us brains, and He wants us to use them. If you see a pothole barreling toward your family, speak up. Respectfully, honestly, let your husband know about your concerns. You worked hard to gain your husband's trust. Now you're working hard to maintain it. Make sure that you use that trust for your husband's benefit by sharing your wisdom. How you do that depends on your husband, but you're doing your husband a great disservice by refusing to communicate.

Proverbs 31:12 She does him good and not evil All the days of her life.

Why does her husband trust her so completely? For one thing, this is a woman seeking out ways to help and support him. She doesn't say things that demean him. She doesn't go behind his back or hide things from him. This is a woman that looks for ways to help him. Everyday is a day that she wants to make his life better. It takes a lot of effort. It takes time. It takes humility. The result of all that effort, time, and humility is a grateful husband who respects his wife and her opinion.

Proverbs 31:13-14 She looks for wool and flax And works with her hands in delight. 14 She is like merchant ships; She brings her food from afar.

This woman works hard, but not just hard. She works with delight! Okay, so there are some days that I'm standing over the stove, humming a happy, little ditty, but most of the time the work that I put in isn't delightful. It's work. This woman works hard to find good deals, even if it means working harder, like starting from raw materials to make clothing and dinner. She also seeks out the tastiest of dishes for her family. They aren't eating meatloaf every night!

How does she delight in that kind of work? Why is it such a joy to do the most mundane of duties? She remembers the reason for her work. She loves her husband and children. Because of that love, she is able to work with joy. It's not always going to come naturally. Just because I love my husband and kids, I don't want to wash his dirty underwear or mop the floors... again! Sometimes we just have to choose to be happy about things. Think about how happy it makes your husband to come home to a hot dinner. Remember how much easier it makes his day to not have to look for his socks.

As I've said multiple times before, I'm preaching to myself here! I am far from mastering this area. I hate doing dishes, and I don't feel like putting in the mental and emotional energy to choose to delight in it most of the time. Still, it's the best thing for my marriage when I do, which means that it's also the best thing for me, my children, and my husband.

Proverbs 31:15 She rises also while it is still night And gives food to her household And portions to her maidens.

If you know me, you know that waking up isn't my area of expertise. I do a lot of things well, but I also do many things poorly. Getting up early falls in the poorly column. That being said, let's look at what we can get out of this verse.

In the time that this was written, people went to bed much earlier, and they were up with the sun. In order to get to work before everyone else was up, this wife had to wake up before the sun rose. The heart of the matter is that this is a woman who is willing to do whatever it takes to care for her family. This is a lady who is truly humble. She wakes up early to take care of people who work for her. She's their boss, but she is sacrificing to make sure that they have what they need. My guess is that her maidens work better for her than they would if she ignored their needs. It's no wonder that her husband is successful. He is married to someone who takes his success very personally.

Reality Check:

None of us are going to live up to this all the time. That doesn't mean that we shouldn't try. Here are some questions to ask yourself to determine how you're doing:

Am I more concerned about the welfare of my family than what I deserve?
What makes me feel successful? Having the things that I feel I should have? Getting the appreciation that I want? Or do I take joy in helping my husband become successful?
Am I annoyed by the work that I do, or do I delight in helping my family reach its potential?
Am I willing to sacrifice my own comfort for the benefit of my family?

How'd you do? I wish that I could say that I've mastered these things, but I can't. God isn't finished working on me yet. I am confident, though, that He continues to develop a servant-heart in me.

Tomorrow we'll continue to look at this passage. Until then, think of one thing that you can do to improve the life of your husband, or, if you aren't married, think of something that you can do to improve the life of one of your children, a parent, or a co-worker.

God's Love Song

2008-11-01T23:33:00.002-04:00

We're going to finish up Zephaniah tonight. Pull out those Bibles again, gals. Read through Zephaniah 3.

This chapter returns to speaking to Israel. Again, these are His people. They should be acting the way that He wants them to, but they weren't. Look at how the prophet describes the "people of God" in verses 1-4. He describes them as:

rebellious
defiled
oppressing/tyrranical
listens to no one
accepts no correction
doesn't trust in God
doesn't draw near to God
corrupt/angry leadership
judges are taking advantage of the people for personal gain
spiritual leaders are fickle, treacherous, they profane holiness, and are violent against the law given to them to teach to the people!

Verse two is pretty interesting. We all understand the fact that we should draw close to God, trust Him, remain pure from corruption, and not rebel against authority and God, but how easy is it to give you constructive criticism? I know that my first reaction is to defend whatever it is that is being corrected. God can use people to give us criticism. We have to look at the person giving us the criticism and ask ourselves if God is trying to tell us something. God also uses His Word to correct us. How many times have you read a verse that shows you how guilty you are, but you dismissed it by saying that it just refers to the culture, or it's outdated, or maybe "that's just too hard in this day and age"?

When we can't receive correction, it is impossible for us to become who we are meant to be. You are finished yet. Neither am I. We are works in progress. We have to accept that we are going to have to improve some things in order to become the people that God wants for us to be. Look at what God is willing to do in order to make His people listen to Him. Read verses 6 and 7 again. God has laid waste to the nations around Israel. He wants them to see what He is doing and fear Him. Nothing humbles people or makes them more willing to accept correction faster than a tragedy. What does God have to do to get your attention?

Verse 8 looks at the painful refining process that leads to a purified people. Out of this Israel, Jesus is to be born. This Israel that is so impure that it forces God to take drastic measures is a stepping stone on the path to the Savior! If you think that your sin is too big for God, think again. It may be a painful experience to get there, but there has never been, and never will be, a person too sinful for God.

What is the result of God's refining process?

pure speech (9)
service to God (9)
offering/ sacrifice to Him (10)
humility (11)
no more shame (11)
a willingness to seek after God (11)
a love of justice (12)
truth (12)
confidence in God and His ways (13)

After all of the pain of being purified, look at Israel in verses 14-20. It's sweet stuff! It is grace that God would discipline His children. When He does, He is keeping them in a safe place where they can have His joy. When He brought the other nations down, it was in preparation for the time when Jesus would come and salvation would be opened up to Gentiles in a way that it hadn't before. God was making a way for the whole world to see Him and love Him.

Look at 17. The point of this isn't just the happiness of man. The real point, the main point, is the glorification of God. When His people have been purified and they are guiltless before Him, He gets happy. Sin makes God really angry, as we saw in the previous studies. Sinlessness makes Him really happy. It's not that we can ever be perfect, but the sin is paid for. It is purified away, justified. When He has done this for us and we are innocent in His presence, He starts singing to us. He rejoices over us, pull us close to Him like a mother with a child who has had a nightmare, and sing sweet melodies in our ears. How precious is our God?

He takes the lowest of people, the rejects, the poor, and He brings them together and gives all that they lack. He takes the last and makes them first. Why? Without pride in the way, God is able to do amazing things. He wants to show off His grace by treating us well. He wants to love us, both through discipline and by kindness.

God is love, but He has wrath against sin. He is too good to put up with it. Because of His wrath, someone had to die. He sent His Son to take our place. He died so that we could be quieted by His love. He faced our punishment so we could be a source of joy to the Almighty God of the Universe! I hope that you are able to find joy in this news. I hope that you are able to see God's discipline as an expression of His love for you. Praise God that He is a loving Father who will never fail us! Praise Him that we are able to receive correction from His Holy Word! Praise Him.

As always, if you have any questions or concerns, I would love to hear from you. No kidding, I would love it!

hdattaway@gmail.com

The Remnant

2008-10-30T22:18:00.001-04:00

Today we are going to look at Zephaniah 2. If you haven't read the first two days of this study, please do. This isn't going to make nearly as much sense if you don't. Go ahead and grab your Bible and read Zephaniah 2. Yep, the whole chapter. It isn't long, and it is well worth the seven or eight minutes that you put into it.

In this chapter, a group of Hebrews, referred to as the remnant, are described. In verse 2, the prophet describes a way for those who are righteously seeking God to possibly receive mercy. What is it?

Verses 8-10 explain the problem that God has with the other nations. What is that problem?

God is contrasting two groups. There is the remnant. They are able to seek mercy through righteousness and humility. Humility is mentioned twice in this one verse. When describing the sins of foreign countries, God refers several times to the pride of the nations around His people. They have been taunting the people of God, and He won't stand for that. Through this contrast, we can see that humility is precious to God while pride is completely unacceptable. Why? Pride says that we can do things ourselves. We are able to achieve true, eternal greatness in our own ways. Pride ignores God, or maybe it just reduces Him to a level that is less than where He should be. Humility understands that dependence on God is strength. Humility is available to bring glory to God on His terms in His way. Humility allows God to exalt us in His time (Matthew 20:16). Verse 15 makes this abundantly clear. The greatest things that we have worked toward can be destroyed in a day. When we refuse to recognize God in all we do, we are working in vain. Only what we do for Him will remain.

The remnant is going to be rewarded. Even in the midst of God's anger, He has chosen a group of people to receive blessing. Verses 7 and 9 talk of how even while He brings the great nations to nothing, He raises this small group to inherit the land that they have left behind. Even when all but a handful of people refuse to give God glory for what He has done, He will be glorified. A handful of people is enough. They are the ones that will be blessed. How often do we feel like fundamentalists or extremists for believing what the Bible says? How many times are we treated as if we are insane for refusing to let go of what we know to be true? We are the remnant, Christian. We have to continue to seek righteousness, even when it means being considered a nut. The remnant spoken of in this passage was probably mistreated for being "out there", but God needs out-there folks to take His message and live by it!

Finally, look at verse 11. When we put things on the throne that belongs to God, He may decide to remove them by force. He isn't second, and He doesn't share the title of God. When we put people or things in the place of God, we aren't protecting them. God, in His sovereignty, may rip the idols from our hands. It will be painful, but He will be glorified! If that isn't good news for you, it's time to make some changes.

Are you willing to be humble enough to throw out anything that pulls at your devotion? Be radical. Be a freak. Be righteous! Allow God to take full possession of the throne of your heart. He won't share, and He will remove anything that competes with Him for your love and devotion if He is present in your life. And that is good news!

My God's No Santa Clause

2008-10-29T00:16:00.001-04:00

I thought about titling this post, "Now you went and done it," but the grammarian in me just couldn't allow such a phrase to be typed. Get out your Bibles again, ladies. It's going to be an interesting ride.

Read Zephaniah1:13-18. Don't worry if you have trouble understanding some of it. We'll work to make sense out of it as best we can.

Well, God's not too happy. The Bible word that most translations use for this kind of anger is "wrath". Webster's Pocket Dictionary defines wrath as, "violent rage, anger or fury." Yep, God can be violent. These verses describe "the day of the Lord." That is, the time when God when bring justice to the people.

What are the people in these verses trusting in? (Hint: look in 1:13 and 1:18.)

These are hard working people. They stay busy with their jobs. They build homes and plant vineyards, but that's where their faith lies. They are looking to the possessions that they gain through their own labors to save them. We all have a head-knowledge that material possessions are worthless, but how well do we understand that? The economy stinks right now. We, as Christians, have an excellent opportunity to say, "It wasn't mine to begin with. I can't control the stock market or cost of gas, but God can, and I'm going to trust Him to take care of me." And yet, how many churches are suffering because people don't believe that they can afford to tithe? How many good, seemingly strong, Christians are frantic over their stocks, savings, or retirement plans? We should be responsible with what we have, but when we can't control something, it's faith time! These are the times when it is most important to give where we should and rely on God for His care. When we do, the world will see that we are different.

What words and phrases does Zephaniah use to describe "the day of the Lord"?

Here's a list from the English Standard Version that I use:

near (v. 14)
hastening fast (v.14)
bitter (v.14)
a day of wrath, distress, anguish, ruin, devastation, darkness, and gloom(v.15)
a day of trumpet blast and battle cry (v.16)

Any volunteers? Does anyone want to be around for that party?

Read 1:17 again. God is so angry about the sin of mankind that He is going to punish them severely. So severely, in fact, that they will be stumbling around, desperate for help. Their blood will cover the ground and their bodily tissue will fill the streets. That's how bad our sin is. That's how disgusting our mistakes are. The reason that this is so important for us to understand is because we are incredibly nonchalant about sin. Because it's paid for, we forget that it has a cost. The greatness of the gift that we have received is undermined by our lack of understanding of the high price of sin.

In the book of Luke, Jesus is eating dinner with some religious leaders when a prostitute runs in and starts cleaning off His feet... with her hair! She used some crazy expensive ointment or perfume to clean them as well as possible, and she even kissed His feet. His feet were gross. He may be God, but dirt is dirt and His feet were still feet. They didn't have Timberlands. They wore sandals, and those sandals were made for walking, in the dessert. The host of the dinner party thought that Jesus should be offended by such a sinful woman touching Him, though He didn't say it out loud. Jesus responded:

Luke 7:41-47 Then Jesus told him this story: "A man loaned money to two people -- 500 pieces of silver to one and 50 pieces to the other. 42 But neither of them could repay him, so he kindly forgave them both, canceling their debts. Who do you suppose loved him more after that?" 43 Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the larger debt." "That's right," Jesus said. 44 Then he turned to the woman and said to Simon, "Look at this woman kneeling here. When I entered your home, you didn't offer me water to wash the dust from my feet, but she has washed them with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You didn't greet me with a kiss, but from the time I first came in, she has not stopped kissing my feet. 46 You neglected the courtesy of olive oil to anoint my head, but she has anointed my feet with rare perfume. 47 "I tell you, her sins -- and they are many -- have been forgiven, so she has shown me much love. But a person who is forgiven little shows only little love."

The pharisee was a sinner, just like the woman, even if his sins were more socially acceptable. Jesus isn't saying that people should sin more so that they will love more (Romans 6:1-2 "Well then, should we keep on sinning so that God can show us more and more of his wonderful grace? 2 Of course not! Since we have died to sin, how can we continue to live in it?"). He is saying that when we are aware of the greatness of our sins, we love Him better. When we ignore our sins, try to explain them away, or blame someone else for our shortcomings, we aren't able to love Him as well as we could if we fessed up and thanked Him for the forgiveness that He has bought.

Lastly, I want you to notice something in verse 18. What kind of fire do these verses say is going to destroy the land? Jealousy. Our God is a jealous God. This comes right after Zephaniah refers to the inability of gold and silver to save the people. When the people paid attention to possessions, they were stealing the devotion that rightfully belongs to God. They trusted in stuff, so God had to remind them that He was (and still is) bigger than stuff. He had to destroy it. We'll look some more at this tomorrow, but I want you to think about something. Is there anything in your life that God could be jealous of? Is there anything, even good things count, that takes the number one spot in your heart? Kids shouldn't. Husbands shouldn't. Jobs shouldn't . Even really good things can be idols. Yes, we should take care of our families with a powerful love, but that love overflows from the love that we have for Christ. When we misprioritize (yeah, I made that word up), we aren't doing anyone a favor. We will love our kids more, love our husbands more, and do a better job at work when we put Christ at the very top of our list of priorities. (There are possible exceptions, like when you shouldn't have a certain job in the first place.) That may mean that we have to re-think what is really necessary. Maybe church is more important than football or dance class. Maybe having a daily quiet time is better than the extra half-hour of sleep (ouch!).

Think on it, and I'll talk to you very soon!

Love,
Hannah

An Angry God

2008-10-27T17:14:00.001-04:00

There are times when we think of God the same way that we think of Santa Clause. He's sweet. He gives us stuff. He may threaten to hold out if we're bad, but it's not true. He'll give us stuff because He likes it when we're happy.

We're going to look at Zephaniah this week, or more. It's a Minor Prophet, so it's small, and not studied too often. I'm hoping that it will help us get to know God better, for who He really is. You're going to need your Bible for this one. I usually cut and paste the verses, but we're going to look at large chunks of Scripture this week. It's good to use your own Bible anyway. You can write notes, underline, and get familiar enough with it that you can find the passage on Sunday morning before the invitation. Good all around.

Look at Zephaniah 1:2-6, and answer the following questions:

1. In verses 2 and 3, who is God talking about destroying?

2. In verses 4-6, who is God talking about punishing?

3. What are the people doing in verses 4-6 that God is angry about?

The first verses start with a general warning. God is going to wipe out the earth as we know it. Clean slate. All the stuff that we work our whole lives to build is going to be gone. He is bigger. He owns the place. And one day, He is going to undo all that we have done, so that it can be done His way, the right way.

Then the verses move to Judah and Jerusalem, God's people. They are His chosen people, His children, but He is angry with them and is about to punish them. They have been idolatrous. It isn't that they don't worship Him. They are worshiping Him while worshiping other gods.

Now look at verses 7-13.

4. What is the sacrifice God has prepared in verse 7?

5. In verse 8, God is going to punish a specific group; who is that?

6. Pay special attention to verse 12. Who does He say He is going to punish? Why?

God has prepared a sacrifice. He is going to sacrifice His own people. They have sinned and refused to repent. Now blood must be spent to pay for it. God does not accept sin from His followers. If you are saved, you are expected to act like it. Sin is a big deal. It cost Jesus His life. God doesn't take it lightly; neither should His people.

God is specifically angry at the priests and religious leaders. They are supposed to be leading God's people in righteousness, but they have misled their followers into sin. When we accept positions of leadership in the church, we must be prepared for higher standards. That doesn't mean that pastors, deacons, or teachers should be expected to be perfect, but we should hold each other accountable. Spiritual leadership isn't supposed to be easy.

Verse twelve is going to be our main verse of the day.

Zephaniah 1:12 (New American Standard) "It will come about at that time That I will search Jerusalem with lamps, And I will punish the men Who are stagnant in spirit, Who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good or evil!'

Zephaniah 1:12 (New Living Translation) "I will search with lanterns in Jerusalem's darkest corners to punish those who sit complacent in their sins. They think the LORD will do nothing to them, either good or bad.

God is going to search out the people who are stagnant, complacent with their spiritual maturity. This is a huge issue in American churches today! We are fine with our "minor sins". We fight amongst ourselves. Eat ridiculously too much. Talk about each other. Start arguments over nothing of any value. Watch television that has no right in our home. Talk to our husbands and children as if they were worthless. But as long as we aren't sleeping with anyone that we shouldn't be or drinking heavily, we consider ourselves safe, never mind if we are neglecting the relationships that we have or treat our bodies as if they are our own. Sin, even the secret ones that are small, or the church sponsored ones, like over-eating, is a big deal! Complacency over our sin is unacceptable. We should mourn it, repent of it, beg God to burn it out of us!

Just because you don't feel guilty for it, that doesn't mean that it isn't sin. Just because the people around you think that it "isn't that bad" doesn't mean that it isn't sin. You belong to God, Christian. He gets to choose what is sin and what isn't.

The next part of this verse is interesting as well.

Who say in their hearts, 'The LORD will not do good or evil!'

How often do we think that God isn't going to do anything? Life is what we make it, right? We leave God right out of the equation. We don't expect Him to judge us for our sin. We don't expect God to do great things through us. We survive. We try to find things to make us feel complete because we don't expect God to do anything worth waiting on. How sad is that existence.

Maybe there are exceptions. When someone we love is in the hospital or we're really hoping for a new job, we start hoping. All of the sudden, God seems bigger. What if we were to look to Him in everything? What if we expected Him to act? What if we really waited on Him to take the lead?

We'll continue looking at what we can learn about God, and how we relate to Him, from Zephaniah tomorrow. Until then, keep asking yourself what you expect from God and what you think God expects from you, and have fun saying "Zephaniah".