Archive for the ‘1 Corinthians’ Category

Spiritual Training 29 July 2014

Posted: July 30, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Church staff receiving pay, distractions, Encourgement, Money and the Church, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
1 Corinthians 9;13-15 Don’t you know that those who work in the temple get their food from the temple, and those who serve at the altar share in what is offered on the altar? In the same way, the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should receive their living from the gospel. But I have not used any of these rights. And I am not writing this in the hope that you will do such things for me. I would rather die than have anyone deprive me of this boast.

As part of their pay, priests in the temple would receive a portion of the offerings as their food (see Numbers 18:8-24). These verses concerning Paul’s rights and the church’s responsibility have a two –part challenge for the church today.

First, the church must support its workers in a fair and equitable way. That is the church’s responsibility. It can research pay scales, examine the standard of living in its community, and do what is right and fair,

Second, Christian workers must not let their attitude about pay and benefits hinder the gospel. It is too easy for desire for more pay to enter into a person’s mind and distract from serving, Ministers need Paul’s attitude: a willingness not to demand their rights if to do so would hinder the gospel.

Spiritual Training 28 July 2014

Posted: July 28, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Bible Study, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command
1 Corinthians 9;4-10 Don’ we have the right to food and drink? Don’t we have the right to take a believing wife along with us, as do the other apostles and the Lord’s brothers and Cephas? Or is it only I and Barnabas who must work for a living? Who serves as a soldier at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its grapes? Who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk? Do I say this merely from a human point of view? Doesn’t the Law say the same thing? For it is written in the Law of Moses: “Do not muzzle an ox while it is treading out the grain. Is it about oxen that God is Concerned? Surely he says this for us, doesn’t he? Yes, this was written for us, because when the plowman plows, and the thresher threshes, they ought to do so in the hope of sharing in the harvest.

Jesus said that workings deserve their wages (Luke 10:07). Paul echoes this thought and urges the church to be sure to pay their Christian workers. We have the responsibly to care for our pastors, teachers, and other spiritual leaders. It is our duty to see that those who serve us in the ministry are fairly and adequately compensated.

Lets Bring it Home: When the annual budget of your church comes up for review, support a proper salary for your ministers and staff.

Spiritual Training 24 July 2014

Posted: July 24, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 9:01 Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?

Some Corinthians were questioning Paul’s authority and rights as an apostle, so Paul gave his credentials, he actually had seen and talked with the resurrected Christ, who had called him to be an apostle (see Acts 9:3-18). Such credentials make the advice he gives in this letter more persuasive. In 2 Corinthians 10-13, Paul defends his apostleship in greater detail.

Changed lives were the evidence that God was using Paul.

Lets Bring it Home: Does your faith have an impact on others? You can be a life-changer, helping others grow spiritually, if you dedicated yourself to being used by God and letting him make you effective.

Spiritual Training 23 July 2014

Posted: July 23, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 8:4-9 So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one. For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”), yet for us there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

     But not everyone knows this. Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled, But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do. 

Paul addressed these words to believers who weren’t bothered by eating meat that had been sacrificed to idols. Although idols were phony, and the pagan ritual of sacrificing to them was meaningless, eating such meat offended Christians with more sensitive consciences. Paul said, therefore, that if a weaker or less mature believer misunderstood their actions they should, out of consideration, avoid eating meat offered to idols.

8:10-13For if anyone with a weak conscience sees you who have this knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, won’t he be emboldened to eat what has been sacrificed to idols? So this weak brother, for whom Christ died, is destroyed by your knowledge. When you sin against your bothers in this way and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ. Therefore, if what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall. 

Christian freedom does not mean that anything goes. It means that our salvation is not determined by good deeds or legalistic rules, but by the free gift of God (Ephesians 2:8,9). Christian freedom, then, is inseparably tied to Christian responsibility. New believers are often very sensitive to what is right or wrong, what they should or shouldn’t do. Some actions may be perfectly all right for us to do, but many harm a Christian brother or sister who is still young in the faith and learning what the Christian life is all about.

Lets Bring it Home: We must be careful not to offend a sensitive or younger Christian or, by our example, to cause him or her to sin. When we love others, our freedom should be less important to us than strengthening the faith of a brother or sister in Christ.

Spiritual Training 10 July 2014

Posted: July 10, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Now about food sacrificed to idols; We know that we all possess knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves God is known by God.

Love is more important than knowledge. Knowledge can make us look good and feel important, but we can all too easily develop an arrogant, know-it-all attitude. Many people with strong opinions are unwilling to listen to and learn from God and others.

1 John 4:7-8 Dear friends, let us love one another, for love comes from God. Everyone who loves has been born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love.

John says, “God is love,” not “Love is God,” Our world, with its shallow and selfish view of love, has turned these words around and contaminated our understanding of love. The world thinks that love is what makes a person feel good and that it is all right to sacrifice moral principles and others rights in order to obtain such “love.” But that isn’t real love; it is the exact opposite-selfishness. And God is not that kind of “love.”

Lets Bring it Home: We can obtain God’s knowledge only by loving him (James 3:17-18). And we can know and be known by God only when we model him by showing love. Real love is like God, who is holy, just and perfect. If we truly know God, we will love as he does

Spiritual Training 09 July 2014

Posted: July 9, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 7:32-34 I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs-how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world-How he can please his wife-and his interest are divided. An un-married woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world-how she can please her husband.

 Some single people feel tremendous pressure to be married. They think their lives can be complete only with a spouse. But Paul underlines one advantage of being single-the potential of a greater focus of Christ and his work.

Lets Bring it Home: If you are unmarried, use your special opportunity to serve Christ wholeheartedly.

Spiritual Training 08 July 2014

Posted: July 8, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 7:24-31 Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to. Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy. Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as it they had none; those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as it they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

 Paul probably foresaw the impending persecution that the Roman government would soon bring upon Christians. He gave this practical advice because being unmarried would mean less suffering and more freedom to throw one’s life into the cause of Christ (7:29), even to the point of fearlessly dying for him. Paul’s advice reveals his single-minded devotion to spreading the Good News.

Many people naively think that marriage will solve all their problems. Here are some problems marriage won’t solve: (1) loneliness, (2) sexual temptation, (3) satisfaction of one’s deepest emotional needs, (4) elimination of life’s difficulties. Marriage alone does not hold two people together, but commitment does—commitment to Christ and to each other despite conflicts and problems. As wonderful as it is, marriage does not automatically solve every problem.

Lets Bring it Home: Whether married or single, we must be content with our situation and focus on Christ, not on loved ones, to help address our problems.

Paul urges all believers to make the most of their time before Christ’s return. Every person in every generation should have this sense of urgency about telling the Good News to others. Life is short—there’s not much time!

Paul urges believers not to regard marriage, home, or financial security as the ultimate goals of life. As much as possible, we should live unhindered by the cares of this world, not getting involved with burdensome mortgages, budgets, investments, or debts that might keep us from doing God’s work. A married man or woman, as Paul points out (7:33, 34), must take care of earthly responsibilities—but they should make every effort to keep them modest and manageable.

 

Spiritual Training 07 July 2014

Posted: July 7, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, Acceptance, Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 7:23 You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to.

Slavery was common throughout the Roman Empire. Some Christians in the Corinthian church were undoubtedly slaves. Paul said that although the Christian slaves were slaves to other human beings, they were free from the power of sin in their lives. People today are slaves to sin until they commit their lives to Christ, who alone can conquer sin’s power. Sin, pride, and fear no longer have any claim over us, just as a slave owner no longer has power over the slaves he has sold. The Bible says we become Christ’s slaves when we become Christians (Romans 6:18), but this actually means we gain our freedom, because sin no longer controls us.

Spiritual Training 27 June 2014

Posted: June 27, 2014 in 1 Corinthians, After you get saved., Bible Study, Encourgement, Inspiration, Personal Growth, Spiritual Training, trust in the Lord with all your heart, Uncategorized, Under Gods Command
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 7:20 Each one should remain in the situation, which he was in when God called him. 

Often we are so concerned about what we could be doing for God somewhere else that we miss great opportunities right where we are. Paul says that when someone becomes a Christian, he or she should usually continue with the work he or she has previously been doing provided it isn’t immoral or unethical. 

Lets Bring It Home:Every job can become Christian work when you realize that the purpose of your life is to honor, serve, and speak out for Christ. Because God has placed you where you are, look carefully for opportunities to serve him there.

Spiritual Training 25 June 2014

Posted: June 25, 2014 in 1 Corinthians
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Under Gods Command

1 Corinthians 7:18-19 Was a man already circumcised when he was called? He should not become uncircumcised. Was a man uncircumcised when he was called? He should not be circumcised. Circumcision is nothing and un-circumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts. 

The ceremony of circumcision was an important part of the Jews relationship with God. In fact, before Christ came, circumcision was commanded by God for those who claimed to follow him (Genesis 17:9-14). But after Christ’s death, circumcision was no longer necessary (Acts 15; Romans 4:9-11; Galatians 5:2-4; Colossians 2:11).

Lets Bring It Home:Pleasing God and obeying him is more important than observing traditional ceremonies.

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