Bible Study

1 Corinthians, Chapter 7

2012-01-24T19:30:00.001-05:00

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I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. It is now time for us to get back to the old grind, but I hope we can all take time to enjoy studying God's Word. I will begin this year's Bible studies where we left off last year, with the 7th chapter of 1 Corinthians. This chapter is near and dear to my heart because I have struggled with the subject of divorce. As most of us have done, I've discussed my marital problems with my closest friends and been asked the inevitable question, "Why do you stay?" This chapter is my answer to that question.

This chapter is a good example why we should study the Bible in depth rather than take verses out of context. There are several instances when Paul gives his opinion based on the situation during that era of time. If you take those verses out of context, you might believe he is giving instruction from God when he is merely expressing his opinion. If you read carefully, he clearly tells when the directive is from God and when it is Paul’s own opinion.

In verse 26, Paul refers to the present crisis. Corinth was over-run with immorality and corruption. This is what Paul is referring to here. While looking around at what was going on, the Corinthians wrote to Paul asking him several questions, obviously one of which concerned marriage. This chapter is written in response to their question.

¹Now for the matters you wrote about: “It is good for a man not to have sexual relations with a woman.” ²But since sexual immorality is occurring, each man should have sexual relations with his own wife, and each woman with her own husband.

Paul is NOT suggesting it is good for man not to marry, but is referring to a quote from their letter questioning this idea. He tells them when surrounded by the kind of immoral corruption taking place in Corinth during this period of time, he is strongly in favor of marriage. By having their own wife, or own husband, they won’t be as tempted by the prostitutes and immorality surrounding them.

³The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. ⁴The wife does not have authority over her own body but yields it to her husband. In the same way, the husband does not have authority over his own body but yields it to his wife. ⁵Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.

Married couples should have normal sexual relations. Abstinence deprives the other partner of his or her natural right and may cause temptation.

⁶I say this as a concession, not as a command.

Although Paul is saying it’s a good idea to marry, it is not mandatory.

⁷I wish that all of you were as I am. But each of you has your own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. ⁸Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I do. ⁹But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

Paul says he wishes all men were like him, unmarried. Paul feels it is a gift from God he has no desire to marry. But he says men who cannot control their sexual desires should get married so they won’t be tempted to live immorally.

¹⁰To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband.

Paul is teaching something Jesus taught during His earthly ministry— a married woman must not separate from her husband. Although Paul did not hear Jesus preach this, he probably heard such commands from other disciples or from a special revelation from Jesus or the Holy Spirit.

¹¹But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife.

If a woman does leave her husband, she must remain unmarried or be reconciled with her husband. Married couples should stay together.

¹²To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. ¹³And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him.

Here Paul is making it clear this next statement is his opinion, not a command from the Lord. He makes it clear here that having a spouse who is not a believer is NOT grounds for divorce—unless the non-believer refuses to stay with the believer.

¹⁴For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy.

The unbelieving partner is influenced by the Godly life of the Christian partner. Through the Christian partner, the Holy Spirit becomes influential in the family. The children have the advantage of being under the influence of at least one Christian parent.

¹⁵But if the unbeliever leaves, let it be so. The brother or the sister is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace.

But if the unbeliever wants to leave, let him go. The Christian is not obligated to remain married to someone who doesn’t want to be with them. God has called us to live in peace, and if the unbeliever were forced to remain with the Christian when they don’t want to be, there will be no peace in their home.

¹⁶How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?

By not leaving, the Christian partner may have the opportunity to bring the unbeliever to Christ.

¹⁷Nevertheless, each person should live as a believer in whatever situation the Lord has assigned to them, just as God has called them. This is the rule I lay down in all the churches. ¹⁸Was 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. ¹⁹Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God’s commands is what counts.

No matter what economic, social, or religious station in life God has seen fit to place you, each Christian is to live contentedly for the Lord. The only thing that matters is we keep God’s commands.

²⁰Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them. ²¹Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you—although if you can gain your freedom, do so.

Whatever your status when you were called by God to become a Christian, you should be content in it. If you were married, stay married, even if your spouse is an unbeliever. If you were a slave, don’t allow that to dampen your enthusiasm as a Christian—but if you can gain your freedom, do it. He’s not asking us not to grow in life, only to be content and joyful no matter what our situation. There is nothing wrong with seeking to improve your condition, but be content in every stage.

²²For the one who was a slave when called to faith in the Lord is the Lord’s freed person; similarly, the one who was free when called is Christ’s slave. ²³You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of human beings. ²⁴Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Being in Christ frees us from earthly bonds and bounds us to be workers for Christ. Christ has purchased us with His blood and therefore, our focus should be on Him and not man. Whatever situation you are in, God has a purpose for you being there.

²⁵Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.

At this point, Paul is moving on to the Corinthians’ next question, which pertains to virgins or unmarried women. He makes it clear again that this is his opinion and not a command from God. But he is not denying he is writing under divine inspiration. In fact, in verse 40 he says he believes the Spirit of God is influencing him in his answers to their questions.

²⁶Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for a man to remain as he is.

“present crisis”: a reference to the pressures a Christian faced at that time of immoral and particularly hostile environment. Paul’s recommendations here do not apply to all times and all situations. He is addressing their present situation only.

²⁷Are you pledged to a woman? Do not seek to be released. Are you free from such a commitment? Do not look for a wife. ²⁸But 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.

Paul tells them to stay as they are. Don’t seek a divorce if you are married. If you are unmarried, then stay that way, if you can without being tempted. But if you feel the need to be married in order to avoid temptation, then you will not be sinning.

By being married, they will be facing extra hardships as Christians. The ‘present crisis’ included a great deal of persecution toward Christians. It’s easier to suffer and be persecuted for Christ when it’s only yourself you have to be concerned with. But if you’re married, then you have to be concerned for your mate and their well-being. It’s more difficult to watch someone you love be persecuted.

²⁹What I mean, brothers and sisters, is that the time is short. From now on those who have wives should live as if they do not; ³⁰those who mourn, as if they did not; those who are happy, as if they were not; those who buy something, as if it were not theirs to keep;³¹those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them. For this world in its present form is passing away.

This appears to contradict Paul’s previous statements if you take them out of context. Paul is simply pointing out how fleeting our earthly life is. The time for doing the Lord’s work is short. Don’t be unduly concerned with the things of this world because material things are changing and disappearing. What Paul is saying here is not to count on these things. Don’t count on the fact that you’re married because tomorrow your circumstances may change. Don’t revel in your present happiness, because it can change in an instant. Be prepared for those changes by not depending on your circumstances. Lean on the Lord and live for doing His work.

In the following verses, Paul goes on to explain those statements which seem contradictory. If you continue to read and not take those verses out of context, his point becomes more clear.

³²I would like you to be free from concern. An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. ³³But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— ³⁴and his interests are divided. An unmarried 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. ³⁵I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

An unmarried man or woman can concentrate more on pleasing God, but a married man or woman must be concerned about pleasing their mates. So it is better to remain unmarried so you can live your life more fully for the Lord, giving all your attention and devotion to Him. This is particularly true during times of persecution.

³⁶If anyone is worried that he might not be acting honorably toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if his passions are too strong and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. ³⁷But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. ³⁸So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does better.

Whether you marry or not, it’s okay. God does not fault you for wanting to be married or not wanting to be married. Paul is only saying that it’s easier to live your life more fully for the Lord if you are not married.

³⁹A woman is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to marry anyone she wishes, but he must belong to the Lord. ⁴⁰In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is—and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

If a woman’s husband dies, it is okay for her to remarry. However, Paul sticks to his belief that she could be happier putting all her efforts into serving the Lord rather than marrying again.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 6

2011-12-05T17:55:00.000-05:00

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The holiday season is upon us already! Life is becoming hectic, so the study on Chapter 7 may not be posted until after 2012 has dawned. I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone a beautiful Christmas season. During the rush to get everything bought and wrapped, please take time out to remember Christ and His love for us.

I hope you enjoy the following study on Chapter 6 of 1 Corinthians:

¹If any of you has a dispute with another, do you dare to take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the Lord’s people?

As indicated by verse 7 where he talks about being wronged or cheated, Paul is talking about disputes on property here, not criminal acts.

Romans 13:3-4 “For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. ⁴For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.”

Paul says authorities are there to punish wrongdoers. He distinguishes between disputes, which are to be handled among believers, and criminal wrong doing, which is to be handled by the authorities.

Paul tells the Corinthians to take their property disputes to qualified Christians for settlement. In Paul’s day the Romans allowed people to apply their own law in property matters, so taking these disputes to the authorities wouldn’t do a lot of good.

²Or do you not know that the Lord’s people will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases?

We, being the saints, shall reign with Christ and therefore have a hand in judging the worldly. Paul is saying Christians are fully capable to judge cases where believers have claims against each other because they view matters from a Godly vantage point.

³Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life!

We will judge angels. When you compare our future role as judges of the world and of angels, judgments concerning things of this life are insignificant.

Jude 6 says “And the angels who did not keep their positions of authority but abandoned their proper dwelling—these he has kept in darkness, bound with everlasting chains for judgment on the great Day.

This tells us there are angels being held in ‘dungeons’ until the judgment day. These are the angels we will be judging alongside Christ on that day.

⁴Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, do you ask for a ruling from those whose way of life is scorned in the church?

Paul is being sarcastic, asking why a believer would allow a pagan judge to decide on a case when he is not qualified to decide on something between two Christians. Someone who is not a Christian would not see things in a Godly way and therefore would make a decision based on material, rather than spiritual, motivation.

⁵I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers?

Back in 1 Corinthians 4:14, we read “I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children.” Paul said he was not trying to shame them, but warn them because he loves them. But here Paul says, okay NOW I’m saying this to shame you! He asks them if they are all too stupid to settle a simple dispute between two Christians. He wants them to realize how ridiculous they are being.

⁶But instead, one brother takes another to court—and this in front of unbelievers!

By choosing to go through the courts, this brings the dispute into the open for all to see. What kind of a witness are you as a Christian if you can’t even work things out with one of your brothers or sisters in Christ? The world looks at this kind of behavior and sees the Christian as being no different from everyone else. Yet, we as Christians should be set apart from the things of this world so the world can see Christ shining through us. If we act the same as the rest of the world, we are destroying our testimony for Christ.

⁷The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated? ⁸Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers and sisters.

Paul says they are defeated if they have lawsuits among them because their greed, retaliation and hatred prevents them from practicing unselfishness, forgiveness and love. This makes them act the same as the worldly, and therefore they are not set apart. Instead of allowing this to happen, a Christian attitude should make them feel they had rather be wronged or cheated than to act like this toward a brother or sister in Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:6 says“and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before.

⁹Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men

The phrase men who have sex with men is translated from two Greek words referring to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.

In verse 8, Paul has said these Christians are acting in the wrong, bringing to mind wickedness. In this verse he continues with his train of thought and asks if they realize the wicked will not go to heaven. He tells them not to be deceived into thinking these things are okay, because these things will prevent them from entering God’s kingdom. He then goes on to describe the kinds of wickedness he’s talking about.

Paul identifies three kinds of sexual immorality: adultery, male prostitution, and male homosexuality. Those who engage in such practices are explicitly excluded from God’s kingdom.

¹⁰ nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Also excluded from His kingdom will be thieves, those who are greedy, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers.

Revelation 21:8 says “But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”

Revelation 22:14-15 says “Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city. ¹⁵Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

¹¹And that is what some of you were. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.

There is hope even for these people. God saves and sanctifies people like those described. Paul says there were Christians among them who used to be as bad as those he described, but they had been washed clean. Obviously, he is including himself.

Ephesians 2:1-5 says “ As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ²in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our flesh and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature deserving of wrath. ⁴But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved.

¹²“I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but I will not be mastered by anything.

Here Paul is probably quoting some in the Corinthian congregation who felt because they are saved by grace, they can do whatever they want and still go to heaven. But Paul points out that although they have this ‘freedom’ from the law, they will still have to suffer the consequences of their actions and their sinful nature can cause problems, not only for them as a human being, but as a Christian. A Christian must also consider the good of others and be aware of the consequences he may inflict on others. One can become enslaved by those actions in which he ‘freely’ indulges.

1 Corinthians 10:23 “I have the right to do anything,” you say—but not everything is beneficial. “I have the right to do anything”—but not everything is constructive...

¹³You say, “Food for the stomach and the stomach for food, and God will destroy them both.” The body, however, is not meant for sexual immorality but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.

Again Paul is quoting some Corinthians who were claiming eating and digesting food is a physical act that has no bearing on one’s inner spiritual life. Likewise, they were saying, the act of promiscuous sexual activity is also a physical act and does not affect one’s spiritual life. But Paul says the human body was intended for the Lord.

Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.

We are to use our bodies to glorify the Lord and allow Christ to be seen through us. If we are doing immoral acts, we are preventing Christ from working through us. Paul is denying what one does with his body is unimportant.

¹⁴By his power God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will raise us also.

Paul goes on to give an illustration as to how important the body is. God holds our bodies in such high regard that he saw fit to raise Christ’s body from the grave and, eventually, the believer’s body will also be resurrected.

Romans 6:5 “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his.

A body destined for resurrection should not be used for immorality.

¹⁵Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ himself? Shall I then take the members of Christ and unite them with a prostitute? Never!

1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

Romans 12:5 “so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

It is not only the spirit that is a member of Christ’s body. It’s the whole person, consisting of spirit and body. This fact gives dignity to the human body. Would you present a member of Christ to a prostitute? Of course not!

The prostitutes of Corinth were dedicated to the service of Aphrodite, the goddess of love and sex. (Aphrodite was the Greek name. The Romans referred to her as Venus.) She was the principal deity of Corinth and her temple was among the most magnificent buildings in the city. Kept there were a thousand priestesses (or public prostitutes) at public expense, always ready for immoral indulgence as worship to their goddess. Some of the Corinthian Christians, having been accustomed to a religion that encouraged such immoral living, were finding it difficult to adapt to their new religion which prohibited immoral living.

¹⁶Do you not know that he who unites himself with a prostitute is one with her in body? For it is said, “The two will become one flesh.”

This is taken from Gen. 2:24 “That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

In a sexual relationship, the two bodies become one.

The two will become one flesh is repeated in Matthew 19:5 ^”and said, ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh’?

And again repeated in Ephesians 5:31 “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.”

This refers to a man and his wife and sexual relations outside the marriage bond are a gross perversion of the divinely established marriage union.

¹⁷But whoever is united with the Lord is one with him in spirit.

The believers spiritual union with Christ is a higher union that the bond of marriage between a man and a woman. It is the perfect model for the kind of unity that should mark a marriage relationship as described in Ephesians 5:21-33. “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ.²²Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands as you do to the Lord. ²³For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. ²⁴Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything.²⁵Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her ²⁶to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, ²⁷and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. ²⁸In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. ²⁹After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church— ³⁰for we are members of his body. ³¹“For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” ³²This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. ³³However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.

¹⁸Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a person commits are outside the body, but whoever sins sexually, sins against their own body.

Why should you flee? Because we read in verse 9 “…wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Verse 18 tells us why sexual perversion is so much worse than most other sins. All other sins man commits are outside of his body. But sexual acts actually occur on or within the body, gratifying one’s physical self in a unique way no other sin will or can.

¹⁹Do you not know that your bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own;

The body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, which dwells within you if you are a Christian. As a Christian, you should value your body as a sacred place where God dwells and realize by the Spirit’s presence and power, we can overcome temptation.

Romans 8:9 “You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.

²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your bodies.

Christ purchased your body with His blood when he was crucified for your sins. It now belongs to Him, not you. Therefore, you are to honor God with your body.

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

In chapters 5 & 6, Paul has asked seven questions to emphasize seven very important principles:

1. Do you not know a little leaven leavens the whole lump?

2. Do you not know the saints will judge the earth?

3. Do you not know we are to judge angels?

4. Do you not know the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God?

5. Do you not know your bodies are members of Christ?

6. Do you not know he who joins himself to a prostitute becomes one body with her?

7. Do you not know your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit?

If we know these seven principles, it should affect our behavior as Christians.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 5

2011-11-11T12:07:00.000-05:00

This chapter proves times don’t change the way humans think and act. We are still weak in the same ways they were back then. Human nature and sin remains the same no matter what time period we live in. Paul has received a report about a church member who is having sexual relations with his step-mother (I’m assuming here, hoping “his father’s wife” isn’t his mother, but it could be).

¹It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. ²And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this?

Rather than reprimand the man committing this sin, his fellow church members are congratulating him for his conquest. Paul is asking them why they are not mourning the wrong doing and why they haven’t removed him from their fellowship.

³For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. ⁴So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, ⁵hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Paul tells them that although he is not with them physically, he is still a part of their congregation and is with them in spirit. As a member of their church, he asks them to carry out his wishes by removing the man from their fellowship.

The Greek word translated as “flesh” is sarx, which refers to the sinful state of human beings. So Paul tells them to point out his sinful exploits so he can understand the error of his ways and repent so his spirit may be saved. The man had fallen out of favor of the Lord by committing the sin. The only way he will know to repent is if they show him where he is wrong.

“Hand this man over to Satan” means to exclude him from the fellowship of the believers. When separated from the church, the man would be left alone with Satan, for Satan rules the world. Hopefully this reality would cause him to repent, destroying his sinful nature.

Although this action of removing immoral members from the church is necessary to keep them from corrupting others within the membership, we should do it in love the same as a parent disciplines a child to teach them. It should never be done out of anger or hatred, but to correct and restore the offender so he will be motivated to repent and return to the church.

⁶Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? ⁷Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. ⁸Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

If the church members don’t hold him accountable and continue to encourage him by congratulating him on his virile ploys, they are allowing his sin to penetrate the entire church. They need to keep their eyes on Christ and the sacrifice Christ made. Throw out the wickedness and hold fast to sincerity and truth.

Paul did not expect believers to be sinless. All of us struggle with sin on a daily basis. But he was referring to people who deliberately sin, feel no guilt, and refuse to repent. This kind of blatant sin, left uncorrected, can confuse and divide a congregation.

Yeast: As the Hebrews prepared for the exodus from Egypt, they were commanded to prepare unleavened bread because they did not have time to wait for the bread to rise. Since that time, yeast became a symbol for sin throughout the scriptures.

⁹I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— ¹⁰not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. ¹¹But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

Paul reminds them of a previous letter, known as the lost letter because a copy was not preserved, in which he told them not to associate with immoral people, but they may have assumed he meant those outside the church. He tells them he was also referring to those within the church who were immoral.

The Greek word translated as “brother or sister” is adelphos and refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.

The end of verse 10 says in order to not associate with people of this world who are immoral, greedy, swindlers, or idolaters, “In that case you would have to leave this world.” We cannot disassociate ourselves from the world and still carry out the great commission of Christ. Jesus commanded us to go into the world and teach others about him and deliver the gospel to all. This would become impossible if we separate ourselves from unbelievers. But if we do not distance ourselves from those who claim to be Christians while living a life of sin, we hurt our testimony as well as diminish the message of Christ. A church is supposed to be the light of the world, God’s light. But immoral members snuff out the light.

¹²What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? ¹³God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.”

The scriptures tell us not to judge others. However, Paul says we are not to judge those outside of the church. God will be their judge. But in order to help keep them on the right path, we must judge our fellow believers. If we discipline them and they still will not turn away from their immoral behavior, then it is our duty to expel them from the church fellowship. Paul quotes scripture from Deuteronomy including 13:5, 17:7, 19:19, 21:21, 22:21, 24, and 24:7. Each of these verses ends with “You must purge the evil from among you.”

This chapter of verses give us instruction on dealing with open sin within a church congregation by a person who claims to be a Christian but sins without remorse. It does not give us permission to gossip or be critical of others. Nor should Paul’s instructions be used for trivial matters, for revenge, or to settle individual problems between believers.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 4

2011-10-29T15:25:00.000-04:00

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In this section of Paul’s letter, he reprimands those he’d left in charge of leading the church for their arrogance and discontent and warns them what will happen when he returns to them.

¹ This, then, is how you ought to regard us: as servants of Christ and as those entrusted with the mysteries God has revealed. ² Now it is required that those who have been given a trust must prove faithful.

Paul urges his readers to think of “us” as servants of Christ delivering “the secret things of God.” We’ve learned in the previous chapters the “us” he refers to is himself, Peter, and Apollos. The "secret things of God" is referring to the Gospel, the plan of salvation through Jesus Christ.

Apollos was a self-confident and strong leader who had been to Corinth and become a very effective leader in the church there. However, because he had made such a strong impact on them, the church members were split in their loyalties. Some felt they should be followers of Paul, and others thought they should become followers of Apollos.

When Paul wrote this letter, Apollos was probably with him. Paul wanted Apollos to return to Corinth, but he refused because this division of the church was too troubling to him. He did not want to encourage more of it.

So Paul wrote this letter rather than send Apollos with the message.

Paul goes on to explain how those entrusted with God’s message are required to prove themselves faithful. As a servant of God, we must do what He tells us to do through the scripture and through the Holy Spirit. Each day, we are faced with opportunities to make choices, challenging us to do what we know is right.

³ I care very little if I am judged by you or by any human court; indeed, I do not even judge myself. ⁴ My conscience is clear, but that does not make me innocent. It is the Lord who judges me. ⁵ Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of the heart. At that time each will receive their praise from God.

It is tempting for us to judge other Christians for the way they do, or do not, follow Christ. But only God knows their heart and their true intentions. He is the only one with the right to judge. When you judge, you consider yourself better than the person you are judging, and that is arrogant.

Paul reminds them of the Day of Judgment that is to come, when God will reveal those things hidden in our hearts and expose us for who we truly are. Those who are worthy will receive their praise from God.

⁶ Now, brothers and sisters, I have applied these things to myself and Apollos for your benefit, so that you may learn from us the meaning of the saying, “Do not go beyond what is written.” Then you will not be puffed up in being a follower of one of us over against the other. ⁷ For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?

When we have respect for a leader, it is natural for us to feel loyalty toward them. Paul warns us not to allow these loyalties to cause divisions within the church. Our loyalty should be to Christ, not to His human servants. True spiritual leaders are representatives of Christ and have nothing to offer other than what God has given them. Those who spend more time debating church leadership rather than delivering Christ’s message do not have Christ as their top priority

⁸ Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have begun to reign—and that without us! How I wish that you really had begun to reign so that we also might reign with you! ⁹ For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. ¹⁰ We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! ¹¹ To this very hour we go hungry and thirsty, we are in rags, we are brutally treated, we are homeless. ¹² We work hard with our own hands. When we are cursed, we bless; when we are persecuted, we endure it; ¹³ when we are slandered, we answer kindly. We have become the scum of the earth, the garbage of the world—right up to this moment.

In this section of his letter, Paul pours out his anguish in a tirade of sarcasm. At his own expense, Paul had suffered through 18 months of his life setting up the church in Corinth, at great risk to his life. Soon after he left, the church members became rebellious and initiated personal attacks against him. Throughout this letter, Paul’s moods bounce from anger to shame to sorrow and to indignation.

¹⁴ I am writing this not to shame you but to warn you as my dear children. ¹⁵ Even if you had ten thousand guardians in Christ, you do not have many fathers, for in Christ Jesus I became your father through the gospel.

Although he had been hurt by their disloyalty to him, Paul lets them know how he still loves them as a father loves his children even when they disappoint him.

During this time in history, a “guardian” was a slave assigned as a special tutor and caretaker of a child. Paul is telling them he is more than their guardian, but more like a father. Because he was the founder of the church, he could be trusted to have its best interest at heart. His tough and harsh words were motivated by his love for them much like a father for his children.

¹⁶ Therefore I urge you to imitate me.

Paul didn’t expect them to imitate him in everything he did, right or wrong. He was referring to his teachings. He’d taught them to walk close to God, to spend time in prayer and in the scriptures, to be aware at all times of God’s presence in their lives, and to follow in the footsteps of Christ. This was Paul’s basic message; a message we should not stray from no matter what our church leaders teach.

¹⁷ For this reason I have sent to you Timothy, my son whom I love, who is faithful in the Lord. He will remind you of my way of life in Christ Jesus, which agrees with what I teach everywhere in every church.

Timothy was not literally Paul’s son, but a young man Paul had been highly impressed with and allowed to join him on his second missionary journey. Timothy had helped Paul set up the early churches during their travels. Paul trusted Timothy to deliver his message and make sure his advice was received, read, understood, and implemented. We don’t know if Timothy actually delivered this letter or if he was sent soon after the letter.

¹⁸ Some of you have become arrogant, as if I were not coming to you. ¹⁹ But I will come to you very soon, if the Lord is willing, and then I will find out not only how these arrogant people are talking, but what power they have. ²⁰ For the kingdom of God is not a matter of talk but of power. ²¹ What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a rod of discipline, or shall I come in love and with a gentle spirit?

It is not known for sure if Paul ever went back to Corinth, but it is likely he did. He speaks of a “painful visit” in 2 Corinthians, so it is thought he visited sometime between writing this letter and the second one and that it didn’t go well.

Paul asks if he should come to them with a rod of discipline or with love and a spirit of gentleness. In this letter we see a little of both sides of Paul. He admonishes them, but with love and affection, just as a parent with a child.

We talk a lot about faith. We might know all the right words to say, but do our lives reflect God’s power? Paul says the kingdom of God is to be LIVED, not merely discussed. There is a big difference between knowing the right words and living the right life. Allow God’s power to work in your life by making the right choices in your daily activities. Let others see God’s power in your life, not simply hear you talk about it.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 3

2011-10-10T00:55:00.000-04:00

¹Brothers and sisters, I could not address you as people who live by the Spirit but as people who are still worldly—mere infants in Christ. ²I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. ³You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere humans?

When we are ‘born again’ we become babes in Christ. We must learn and grow to mature. We cannot immediately understand all of God’s truths simply because we’ve accepted Christ. The people of the church of Corinth were acting like small children, quarrelling and allowing their differences to distract them from their worship. Immature Christians are still worldly, being controlled by their own desires.

Being controlled by your own desires stunts your growth in the Lord. Your goal should be to allow God’s desires to become your own.

⁴For when one says, “I follow Paul,” and another, “I follow Apollos,” are you not mere human beings? ⁵What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants, through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned to each his task. ⁶I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.

Paul returns to the theme he began in chapter 1. He had no tolerance for hero worship of those who had taught them the gospel. The people were dividing themselves into separate belief systems according to the leader they wanted to follow: Peter, who had walked and talked with Christ on earth; Apollos, with his sophisticated, cultivated style; Paul, the famous missionary; and Christ himself.

Each leader has a particular job to perform. Paul planted the seed by interpreting spiritual truths and conveying the gospel to the people. Apollos was to nurture the seed by continuing the job in Paul’s absence. As with flowers, we water them, but it is God who makes them grow.

The Corinthian believers began pledging their loyalty to different teachers. We should respect our church leaders, but never place them on pedestals that create barriers between people.

⁷So neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. ⁸The one who plants and the one who waters have one purpose, and they will each be rewarded according to their own labor. ⁹For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

Paul reminds them again not to worship any human worker for they all belong to God, and God alone is to be worshipped.

¹⁰By the grace God has given me, I laid a foundation as a wise builder, and someone else is building on it. But each one should build with care. ¹¹For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ.

Paul founded the church in Corinth. He taught the gospel of Christ, laying the foundation. Apollos was to continue the leadership of the church by helping the members understand and grow stronger in their faith. His purpose was to build on the foundation Paul left behind. A building is only as solid as its foundation. The foundation of the church, and all believers, is Jesus Christ. Paul warns leaders of the church to build with care, using high-quality materials that meet God’s standards. These high-quality materials would be the right doctrine and sound teachings.

¹²If anyone builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, ¹³their work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each person’s work. ¹⁴If what has been built survives, the builder will receive a reward. ¹⁵If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.

On Judgment Day, Christ will be the judge who will separate the good builders from the bad. He will evaluate the church leaders to determine the sincerity of each person’s work and whether they have been faithful to Jesus’ instructions. Good workers will be rewarded; unfaithful workers will be revealed as such. However, notice they will still be saved. They will be like someone barely escaping a burning building. All their possessions will be lost. All their accomplishments will be discarded.

¹⁶Don’t you know that you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst? ¹⁷If anyone destroys God’s temple, God will destroy that person; for God’s temple is sacred, and you together are that temple.

Just as our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit, the church is God’s temple—not the building, but the assembly of members. It is not to be destroyed or ruined by controversy or divisions as members come together to worship God.

¹⁸Do not deceive yourselves. If any of you think you are wise by the standards of this age, you should become “fools” so that you may become wise. ¹⁹For the wisdom of this world is foolishness in God’s sight. As it is written: “He catches the wise in their craftiness”; (This quote is taken from Job 5:13)

Paul is suggesting they cast off worldly wisdom, which causes them to evaluate their leaders by how well they present the message rather than the content of the message.

²⁰and again, “The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise are futile.” (This quote is taken from Psalm 94:11)

²¹So then, no more boasting about human leaders! All things are yours, ²²whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas (Cephas is another name for Peter) or the world or life or death or the present or the future—all are yours, ²³and you are of Christ, and Christ is of God.

Nonbelievers are victims of life, always wondering if there is meaning to it. Believers understand the true purpose of life and can therefore use their life for that purpose. Nonbelievers fear death, but believers know Christ has conquered death, leaving nothing to fear. Believers know death is the beginning of eternal life with God.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 2

2011-09-16T12:52:00.000-04:00

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Corinth was close to Athens, where the atmosphere was dominated by egotists who paraded themselves as philosophers. The attitude of Athens had penetrated the Church in Corinth.

Paul was a university man and outstanding scholar of his generation, but he despised show-offs who debated to impress others of their knowledge. True learning and true scholarship should make us humble and more broadminded.

¹ When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God (some manuscript translations say “proclaimed to you God’s mystery.”)

Paul is referring to his first visit to Corinth during his second missionary journey in AD 51 when he founded the church there as told about in Acts 18.

² For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³ I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. ⁴ My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵ so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

Paul was a brilliant scholar who could have overwhelmed them with his human knowledge and intellectual influences, but he chose to humble himself and speak to them simply about the gospel of Jesus Christ, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide his words. We should follow Paul’s example and keep our message simple and basic when telling others about Christ. When we try to analyze and show our knowledge of scripture by trying to explain it through scientific proof, we dilute the message. Allow the Holy Spirit to give power to your words by not complicating it with your vast human knowledge.

Paul is not denying the importance of studying the scripture in preparation for preaching and teaching. He was thoroughly educated in the scriptures. Effective preaching and teaching must be founded in knowledge of scripture combined with guidance of the Holy Spirit. However, Paul is warning about becoming puffed up in our own importance and showing off our knowledge. Keep the focus on Jesus, giving Him the glory.

⁶ We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. ⁷ No, we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

God’s previously hidden wisdom and mystery has been revealed to us in the form of salvation through Jesus Christ. When Jesus rose from the dead, God’s plan became crystal clear. His resurrection proved He had the power over sin and death. Yet this plan remains a mystery to unbelievers because they simply refuse to accept it, choose to ignore it, or haven’t yet heard about it.

⁸ None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.

The rulers in Palestine—the high priest, King Herod, Pilate, the Pharisees, and the Sadducees—all rejected Jesus and put Him to death because they misunderstood Him. This rejection was predicted in Isaiah 53:3 and Zechariah 12:10-11. Paul continues by quoting scripture from Isaiah 64:4.

⁹ However, as it is written:

“What no eye has seen,
what no ear has heard,
and what no human mind has conceived”—
the things God has prepared for those who love him—

It is beyond our comprehension to imagine what God has in store for us! “No human mind has conceived the things God has prepared for those who love Him!” Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1 tell us about a new heaven and new earth where we will live with Him forever. This gives us hope and courage to face the hardships of this life and to avoid being drawn into temptation. This world is not all there is—the best is yet to come!

¹⁰ these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. ¹¹ For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. ¹² What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.

Believers can know the truth of God’s plan through the wisdom of the Holy Spirit. Be still and listen. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God. No one knows what you are thinking except your own spirit. You alone know your deepest inner thoughts. It is the same with God. Only His Spirit can know what He is thinking. When Christ ascended into heaven, he left us the Holy Spirit to be our guide. If we will allow the Spirit to guide us, He will reveal to us what we need to know inasmuch as we can understand it. Our immature human minds cannot perceive all the truths of heaven, but we can rest assured through our faith we can know all we need to know to live this life on earth in our journey to heaven. The Holy Spirit is our GPS on our road to heaven. Listen to Him, and you won’t be lost.

¹³ This is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom but in words taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual realities with Spirit-taught words

Paul explains he is not writing his own personal views or impression of what God had revealed to him. He gives credit to the Holy Spirit for revealing the thoughts and words of God to him.

¹⁴ The person without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God but considers them foolishness, and cannot understand them because they are discerned only through the Spirit.

Those who reject the knowledge of Christ, no matter how much earthly knowledge or worldly wise they are, cannot begin to grasp the mysteries of God. The idea of the Holy Spirit living within Christians seems silly and ridiculous to non-believers. They are deaf to His voice. Their line of communication to God isn’t connected. They cannot hear, and therefore cannot understand His message.

¹⁵ The person with the Spirit makes judgments about all things, but such a person is not subject to merely human judgments, ¹⁶ for, “Who has known the mind of the Lord
so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.

Paul quotes Isaiah 40:13 in verse 16.

No one can understand all the things of God, but through the guidance of the Holy Spirit believers have some insight into God’s thoughts and plans as He chooses to reveal to us according to our ability to understand. Through our earthly experiences, our minds are able to grasp specific truths others may not be able to comprehend because they have not experienced anything to give them that insight. Everyone we meet and everything we experience, good and bad, opens our minds and level of understanding.

Through the Holy Spirit, we “have the mind of Christ.” We can talk with Him and expect his answers to our prayers. But in order to do so, we need to spend time in His presence and in His Word forming an intimate relationship with Him. When you pray, be still and listen—often.

1 Corinthians - Chapter 1

2011-08-25T09:54:00.000-04:00

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Paul stayed in Corinth about a year and a half in about 52-53 AD and founded one of his greatest churches there. This letter was written about 3 years later while he was in Ephesus, about 200 miles east and across the Aegean Sea from Corinth. Leaders of the Corinthian church had been sent to Ephesus to consult with Paul about some serious problems that had arisen in the church. This letter was written about 57 AD in answer to their visit. We know he wrote it before Pentecost (because of verse 16:8) and that he was planning a visit to Corinth (16:5-8), which he did visit according to Acts 20:2-3.

When Paul wrote this letter, there were no churches or buildings for Christians to meet together. Other than the temple in Jerusalem, the building of churches did not begin until 200 years later. Christians met in homes, halls, or wherever they could. There were a large number of Christians in Corinth—not one great congregation, but rather many small groups, each with its own leadership. The Greeks had a fondness for intellectual speculation and enjoyed interjecting their philosophic interpretations of Christianity. Rather than cooperating with each other for the good of Christ, they began separating into factions of different ideas and beliefs.

When Paul heard about the divisions within the church groups, as well as other problems such as jealousy, sexual immorality, and failure to discipline members, this letter was his way of addressing the situation.

¹ Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes,

Paul begins by introducing himself and Sosthenes, who was well known by those in Corinth. Paul may have felt his letter would carry more weight if he included Sosthenes in the introduction, or Sosthenes may have been writing the letter as Paul dictated it. Sosthenes may have been one of the church leaders sent to consult with Paul.

² To the church of God in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be his holy people, together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ—their Lord and ours:

Paul addresses the letter to the Christians in Corinth, those sanctified in Christ Jesus. Sanctified means chosen or set apart by Christ for His service. Then Paul adds that this letter is intended for everyone who has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, making it clear this is not a private letter. He recognizes other congregations may have the same issues as the Corinthian ones.

³ Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul includes in his greeting a reminder of God’s gift of grace which brings peace to those who accept it.

⁴ I always thank my God for you because of his grace given you in Christ Jesus. ⁵ For in him you have been enriched in every way—with all kinds of speech and with all knowledge— ⁶ God thus confirming our testimony about Christ among you.

Paul was gentle when admonishing people. He knew how to ease into his purpose for writing by starting with a positive note. When we must correct others, it helps if we affirm what has already been accomplished in them. Paul affirms their strengths as Christians by reminding them of the spiritual gifts of knowledge and understanding God has bestowed on them.

⁷ Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. ⁸ He will also keep you firm to the end, so that you will be blameless on the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. ⁹ God is faithful, who has called you into fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

Although the Corinthian church members had all the spiritual gifts necessary to live a Christian life, witness for Christ, and stand against the paganism and immorality in the bustling city of Corinth, they were instead using what God had given them to argue over which of their gifts was most important. Paul addresses this problem later in this letter.

Paul guarantees the believers they will be considered “blameless” when Christ returns, not because of their great gifts or their shining performance, but because Christ is faithful to His promise that all who accept Him will be saved from condemnation.

¹⁰ I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another in what you say and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly united in mind and thought. ¹¹ My brothers and sisters, some from Chloe’s household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. ¹² What I mean is this: One of you says, “I follow Paul”; another, “I follow Apollos”; another, “I follow Cephas”; still another, “I follow Christ.”

The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family. Believers share a unity that runs even deeper than that of blood brothers and sisters. Paul realizes not everyone can be in complete agreement on everything all the time. Any group of people will not agree on every issue, but there’s a difference between having opposing viewpoints and being divisive. Harmony can exist if everyone focuses on the truly important matters—Jesus Christ is Lord. Petty differences should never divide Christians.

Because there was not yet a New Testament, Christian churches relied heavily on preaching and teaching for spiritual insight and meaning of the Old Testament. Some followed Paul, others followed Peter (Cephas), and still others followed Apollos, who was a popular preacher with a dynamic ministry in Corinth. Although all three of these men were united in their message, they had different personalities and ways of preaching and leading. By mentioning Jesus Christ ten times within the first ten verses, Paul makes it clear where the emphasis should be. God’s message is more important than any human message.

¹³ Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Were you baptized in the name of Paul?

Paul asks a series of questions to make them consider their purpose. Who are they following? Christ or Paul? Christ is not divided, and His true followers should not allow themselves to become divided either. Appreciation for a particular teacher or preacher should never deter you from your allegiance to Christ and the unity He desires.

¹⁴ I thank God that I did not baptize any of you except Crispus and Gaius, ¹⁵ so no one can say that you were baptized in my name. ¹⁶ (Yes, I also baptized the household of Stephanas; beyond that, I don’t remember if I baptized anyone else.) ¹⁷ For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel—not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Paul is not diminishing the importance of baptism, but is stressing that his gift is preaching. He wanted his listeners to be impressed with his message, not his style. You don’t have to be a great orator to share the gospel effectively. The power is in the story, not the storyteller. There is no place for pride or a know-it-all attitude within the church.

¹⁸ For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. ¹⁹ For it is written: “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise; the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”

Paul quotes from the Old Testament scripture found in Isaiah 29:14 to emphasize a point Jesus made many times; God’s way of thinking is not the same as normal human wisdom. We can spend a lifetime accumulating human wisdom, but yet never learn how to have a personal relationship with God.

²⁰ Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? ²¹ For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. ²² Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, ²³ but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, ²⁴ but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. ²⁵ For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.

Jews expected the Messiah to come as a conquering king who would restore the throne of David, accompanied by signs and miracles. Society, then and now, worships power, influence, and wealth. Jesus came as a poor and humble servant and offers His kingdom to those who have faith, not to those who do good deeds to earn His gifts. This looks foolish to the world. Many Jews considered the Good News of Jesus Christ to be foolishness, especially since he was crucified as a criminal. How could a criminal be a savior? Many Greeks also considered the gospel as foolish. To them, no reputable person would be crucified because death was defeat, not victory. But Christ did not stay dead. His resurrection demonstrated His power over death.

Christ is our power, the only way to salvation. Knowing Christ personally is the greatest wisdom anyone can have. Paul, being a bit facetious, says the “foolish” people who simply accept Christ’s offer of eternal life are actually the wisest of all, for they alone will live eternally with God.

²⁶ Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. ²⁷ But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. ²⁸ God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, ²⁹ so that no one may boast before him.

Paul explains no amount of human knowledge can gain us salvation. If that were the case, only the intellectually gifted and well educated could have access to Christ, not ordinary people or children. Skill and wisdom do not get a person into God’s kingdom. Simple faith does.

³⁰ It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. ³¹ Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”

Salvation comes only through God’s grace and the gift of His Son. Christ came to earth to show us righteousness and holiness, and to redeem us. When He ascended into heaven, He gave us the Holy Spirit to guide us. In this way, we have received God’s wisdom. The way to salvation is so simple that any person who wants to can understand it, but the world tries to make it complicated. Salvation is totally from God through Jesus Christ. There is absolutely nothing we can do to earn our way into heaven. That is why Paul quotes scripture from Jeremiah 9:24 (maybe not a word for word quote, but the general gist of the verse).

No one should be boastful about his or her salvation, but give God the glory for His precious gift.

Continuing Study of Paul as He Begins His Third Missionary Journey

2011-07-29T00:21:00.001-04:00

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So far in our study of Paul, he has been on two of his missionary journeys. He’s been to Corinth, Thessalonia, and to Galatia and established churches all over the region.

We’ve studied his letters to Thessalonia and to Galatia. Soon after he wrote the letter of Galatians, about 53 AD, he began his third missionary journey. This journey involved a long ministry at Ephesus, a major port city on the western coast of Asia Minor, with a harbor on the shores of the Aegean Sea. It was a center of trade from the sea and the hub of the region’s road system, therefore, it was a thriving city.

It was an administrative center for the Romans, had religious shrines, a spacious theater, a stadium, and many elegant public buildings, giving Ephesus an integral place in the cultural life of the entire region.

Acts 18:24-28 Meanwhile a Jew named Apollos, a native of Alexandria, came to Ephesus. He was a learned man, with a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. ²⁵ He had been instructed in the way of the Lord, and he spoke with great fervor and taught about Jesus accurately, though he knew only the baptism of John. ²⁶ He began to speak boldly in the synagogue. When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they invited him to their home and explained to him the way of God more adequately.

²⁷ When Apollos wanted to go to Achaia, the brothers and sisters encouraged him and wrote to the disciples there to welcome him. When he arrived, he was a great help to those who by grace had believed. ²⁸ For he vigorously refuted his Jewish opponents in public debate, proving from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah.

Paul worked for over two years at Ephesus, probably making tents again since Aquila and Priscilla were in Ephesus. This was the same tent maker Paul had worked for previously in Corinth. While living and working there, he taught the Gospel and his teachings were accepted by disciples of John the Baptist.

Acts 19:1-7 While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples ² and asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit after you believed?” They answered, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” ³ So Paul asked, “Then what baptism did you receive?” “John’s baptism,” they replied.

⁴ Paul said, “John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus.” ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in different languages and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

Some from the Jewish synagogue rejected what Paul was teaching and others wrongly believed the ability to heal was magic. So Paul had to contend with a lot of different mixed religious beliefs.

Acts 19:13-20 Some Jews who went around driving out evil spirits tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those who were demon-possessed. They would say, “In the name of the Jesus whom Paul preaches, I command you to come out.” ¹⁴ Seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish chief priest, were doing this. ¹⁵ One day the evil spirit answered them, “Jesus I know, and Paul I know about, but who are you?” ¹⁶ Then the man who had the evil spirit jumped on them and overpowered them all. He gave them such a beating that they ran out of the house naked and bleeding.

¹⁷ When this became known to the Jews and Greeks living in Ephesus, they were all seized with fear, and the name of the Lord Jesus was held in high honor. ¹⁸ Many of those who believed now came and openly confessed what they had done. ¹⁹ A number who had practiced sorcery brought their scrolls together and burned them publicly. When they calculated the value of the scrolls, the total came to fifty thousand drachmas.^[a] ²⁰ In this way the word of the Lord spread widely and grew in power.

NOTE: a drachma was a silver coin that was worth a day’s wages. Today if someone makes $10/hr., their day’s wages would be $80 (so this is what a drachma would be worth today). So 50,000 of these would equal $4,500,000!

Artemis was the patron goddess of Ephesus. Some of the silversmiths who made silver shrines of the goddess became angry at the success of Paul’s preaching. They were afraid this new Christian faith Paul was teaching would diminish the widespread reverence for the goddess and this would cause a loss of income for them.

The temple of Artemis at Ephesus was regarded as one of the seven wonders of the ancient world. It stood outside the city and attracted visitors from all over the region. Artemus and her brother, Apollo, were said to be the children of Zeus and Leto. Artemis was also known as the virgin huntress, fearless in opposing her adversaries. She was believed to be a mother goddess, a provider of fertility, and an overseer of children.

The theater at Ephesus could seat 24,000 people for plays, music, and religious ceremonies. It was also used for public meetings to discuss issues, approve actions of the city council, and announce new laws. There was a demonstration against Paul held in this theater, but a city clerk was able to convince the crowd to disperse without incident.

Acts 19:23-41 About that time there arose a great disturbance about the Way. ²⁴ A silversmith named Demetrius, who made silver shrines of Artemis, brought in a lot of business for the craftsmen there. ²⁵ He called them together, along with the workers in related trades, and said: “You know, my friends, that we receive a good income from this business. ²⁶ And you see and hear how this fellow Paul has convinced and led astray large numbers of people here in Ephesus and in practically the whole province of Asia. He says that gods made by human hands are no gods at all. ²⁷ There is danger not only that our trade will lose its good name, but also that the temple of the great goddess Artemis will be discredited; and the goddess herself, who is worshiped throughout the province of Asia and the world, will be robbed of her divine majesty.”

²⁸ When they heard this, they were furious and began shouting: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” ²⁹ Soon the whole city was in an uproar. The people seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Paul’s traveling companions from Macedonia, and all of them rushed into the theater together. ³⁰ Paul wanted to appear before the crowd, but the disciples would not let him. ³¹ Even some of the officials of the province, friends of Paul, sent him a message begging him not to venture into the theater.

³² The assembly was in confusion: Some were shouting one thing, some another. Most of the people did not even know why they were there. ³³ The Jews in the crowd pushed Alexander to the front, and they shouted instructions to him. He motioned for silence in order to make a defense before the people. ³⁴ But when they realized he was a Jew, they all shouted in unison for about two hours: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!”

³⁵ The city clerk quieted the crowd and said: “Fellow Ephesians, doesn’t all the world know that the city of Ephesus is the guardian of the temple of the great Artemis and of her image, which fell from heaven? ³⁶ Therefore, since these facts are undeniable, you ought to calm down and not do anything rash. ³⁷ You have brought these men here, though they have neither robbed temples nor blasphemed our goddess. ³⁸ If, then, Demetrius and his fellow craftsmen have a grievance against anybody, the courts are open and there are proconsuls. They can press charges. ³⁹ If there is anything further you want to bring up, it must be settled in a legal assembly. ⁴⁰ As it is, we are in danger of being charged with rioting because of what happened today. In that case we would not be able to account for this commotion, since there is no reason for it.” ⁴¹ After he had said this, he dismissed the assembly.

During his time in Ephesus Paul wrote 1 and 2 Corinthians, about the year 54 AD. I will begin a study of Corinthians in my next blog.

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 3

2011-07-07T18:26:00.000-04:00

I hope everyone had a great 4^th of July in spite of the storms. We were disappointed when the fireworks were cancelled, but we still had a great time with friends at the river. With vacation and the holiday behind me, I can get back to the Bible study.

Paul begins chapter 3 by asking for prayer.

¹As for other matters, brothers and sisters, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you. ²And pray that we may be delivered from wicked and evil people, for not everyone has faith. ³But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen you and protect you from the evil one.

At that time Paul was in trouble in Corinth. His desire is for the Lord’s message to be spread throughout the world. He asks them to pray for his safety from those who want to stop him from teaching the gospel. Then he asks them to pray for themselves, that the Lord will strengthen and protect them from evil.

If we arm ourselves with prayer daily, we can gain strength to win the struggle with the invisible powers waged against us during our daily routine.

In Acts 18:9-10, we learn Paul’s prayer was answered. “One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent. For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.”

Paul continues:

⁴We have confidence in the Lord that you are doing and will continue to do the things we command. ⁵May the Lord direct your hearts into God’s love and Christ’s perseverance.

Paul is always attempting to encourage his fellow believers to stand strong and continue to do what is right. For us to do so, we must recognize the fact that there is always a threat of spiritual attack, and we must take it seriously. Satan lies in wait to trip us whenever our guard is down. We must arm ourselves through prayer and through scripture and associate with those who believe as we do and live a spiritual life.

⁶In the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, we command you, brothers and sisters, to keep away from every believer who is idle and disruptive and does not live according to the teaching (or tradition) you received from us. ⁷For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example. We were not idle when we were with you, ⁸nor did we eat anyone’s food without paying for it. On the contrary, we worked night and day, laboring and toiling so that we would not be a burden to any of you. ⁹We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate. ¹⁰For even when we were with you, we gave you this rule: “The one who is unwilling to work shall not eat.”

Paul has no patience for laziness. There were people who were taking advantage of the charitable disposition of the church by using the expectation of the immediate appearance of the Lord an excuse to abandon their jobs and claim their right to be supported by those within the church who had more money than they did.

Notice Paul said "unwilling to work" not "unable to work". He is speaking strictly about laziness here. Some countries actually live by this rule today: "If you don't work, you don't eat."

¹¹ We hear that some among you are idle and disruptive. They are not busy; they are busybodies.

When people become idle with nothing to occupy their minds, they sometimes begin gossiping or sticking their noses into other people’s business. That’s what was happening within the church. Lack of activity leads to sin. These people were becoming a burden to the church and wasting time that could have been used for helping others.

There is nothing wrong with relaxation. There is a time for rest, and a time for work. That is what gives our lives balance. Too much of either one is destructive. Do all you can to provide for yourself and your dependents, then rest.

¹²Such people we command and urge in the Lord Jesus Christ to settle down and earn the food they eat. ¹³And as for you, brothers and sisters, never tire of doing what is good.

Paul reminds them to keep working hard until Jesus returns and use their time wisely.

¹⁴Take special note of anyone who does not obey our instruction in this letter. Do not associate with them, in order that they may feel ashamed.

Although Paul was an advocate for charity toward those who truly were in need and spent a great deal of time gathering offerings for the poor, he spared no words condemning the able-bodied who could work, but would not. Here he forbids the brethren to support such people and commands the church to withdraw fellowship from them.

There is nothing in the Scripture or in the teachings of Christ to encourage charity to able-bodied lazy men whose profession is begging.

¹⁵Yet do not regard them as an enemy, but warn them as you would a fellow believer.

Even when we feel it necessary to disassociate ourselves from someone because of their evil ways, we should still show them love. We can distance ourselves without being rude or ugly. Paul suggests they tell the person why they are withdrawing their fellowship in a loving way. Paul was not advising cruelty or coldness, but the kind of ‘tough love’ we would show a brother or sister. He was being somewhat crafty by advising them to stop supporting these people; hunger and loneliness can be very effective ways to force someone to become productive.

¹⁶Now may the Lord of peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with all of you. ¹⁷I, Paul, write this greeting in my own hand, which is the distinguishing mark in all my letters. This is how I write. ¹⁸The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.

Paul ends his letter by reminding them how all his letters will be in his own hand so they may distinguish them from the fake letters that were circulating with his name on them.

If you find your nose in other people’s business, you may be underemployed. Look for a task to do for Christ or for your family, and get to work. You’ll be happier, and so will those around you. Your life will become more complete. God didn’t put us here to waste our time or live a useless life. He had a purpose for you when he created you. Find your purpose.

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 2

2011-06-11T02:16:00.000-04:00

The word on the street was that Paul had said the last days had already arrived.

Recently thousands of people bought into one man’s (Harold Camping) prediction that the “Rapture” was going to happen at a certain hour on a certain date (6pm on May 21, 2011). Many sold all they owned and gave it away to charity believing they would no longer need a home or their money.

This is exactly what was happening in Paul’s day and was the reason for this letter. Church members were quitting work and sitting around watching the heaven’s awaiting Christ’s return because they either misunderstood what Paul had said or because there were false teachers spreading rumors using Paul’s name.

NOTE: Matthew 24:36 says “No one knows about that day or hour, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father.” Not even Jesus knows when He will return, only the Father knows.

¹ Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, ² not to become easily unsettled or alarmed by the teaching allegedly from us—whether by a prophecy or by word of mouth or by letter—asserting that the day of the Lord has already come. ³ Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness (or man of sin) is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. ⁴ He will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God.

Paul assures them the letter circulating with his name on it is a forgery. He also assures them the time has not yet come because before Jesus returns, there are several things which must occur including a rebellion and the revealing of the man of sin. Before Christ’s return, there will be a great rebellion against God led by the antichrist, or man of sin.

Throughout history there have been evil individuals, but it is dangerous for us to try to label them as the antichrist in order to try to predict when Christ will return. Paul mentions the antichrist so we might be ready for anything that tests our faith. If we remain strong in our faith, we won’t need to be fearful of what lies ahead because we know God is more powerful than this lawless man and has already defeated him. God has sealed the fate of all mankind and will be victorious in the end. It is our task to be prepared and spread the gospel so more people will be prepared.

⁵ Don’t you remember that when I was with you I used to tell you these things? ⁶ And now you know what is holding him back, so that he may be revealed at the proper time. ⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work; but the one who now holds it back will continue to do so till he is taken out of the way.

The “secret” power of lawlessness is secret because no man can discover it. It can only be revealed by God. Scripture is not clear about who the restrainer is who holds back the lawless one, but only that he will not be restrained forever. However, we should not worry ourselves over the time when the restraint is lifted because God is far stronger than this man of sin and will save His people.

Although we have seen evil acts by many, we have never experienced the horror of complete lawlessness. This will happen when the “one who holds it back”, possibly the Holy Spirit, is removed from the equation.

Paul is sometimes difficult to understand because he refers to things he may have verbally told them, which are not written down anywhere for us, leaving us somewhat in the dark. Even Peter spoke of this in 2 Peter 3:15-16, one of the few instances where a New Testament writer mentions another New Testament writer. He says, “…and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

⁸ And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth and destroy by the splendor of his coming. ⁹ The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, ¹⁰ and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. ¹¹ For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie ¹² and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

The lawless one will use tricks and magic, false miracles, signs, and wonders to fool and deceive others to follow him. His powers will seem amazing, but his power comes from Satan. He will use his powers to destroy and lead people away from God. God’s miracles always have a purpose of healing or helping and pointing us toward God. This is the litmus test we must remember when observing miraculous things.

¹³ But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters loved by the Lord, because God chose you (from the beginning) as firstfruits to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. ¹⁴ He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul assures them they will know and share in the Lord’s return.

“God chose you”: Salvation begins and ends with God. We cannot do anything to purchase our salvation. It is a gift God has offered us, but we must accept His gift.

¹⁵ So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold fast to the teachings (or traditions) we passed on to you, whether by word of mouth or by letter.

Paul asks them to stand firm in Christ’s truth.

¹⁶ May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, ¹⁷ encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

Paul tells them to receive encouragement and hope from God.

We shouldn’t be afraid when we see the evil in this world increasing. God is still in control and guards us against Satan’s attacks. We will have victory over evil by remaining faithful to God. We need to stand firm, keep working, and look forward to Christ’s return. Being prepared for His return means spreading the gospel, reaching out to those in need, and building the Church. It is our responsibility to live for Him until the day of His return. If we are doing this, we will have no need to worry about the timing of that day because we will know and understand that God is still in control and will return when His time is right.

2 Thessalonians - Chapter 1

2011-05-14T22:27:00.000-04:00

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The light tone Paul used in his first letter is gone in this one, which was written only a few weeks or months later. The Thessalonians had misunderstood portions of his first letter, so he is more stern and direct when writing this one. The good news Paul had received from Thessalonica was that the church members were continuing to grow in their faith. But the bad news was that false teachings about Christ’s return were spreading, leading many of them to quit their jobs and wait idly for the end of the world.

1 Paul, Silas and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ:

This letter is written by Paul, on behalf of himself, Silas, and Timothy who were together in Corinth. It is written to the church in Thessalonica as a follow-up of his first letter.

Silas: In Greek, the name was Silvanus, a variant of Silas

2 Grace and peace to you from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 3 We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so, because your faith is growing more and more, and the love all of you have for one another is increasing. 4 Therefore, among God’s churches we boast about your perseverance and faith in all the persecutions and trials you are enduring.

Paul begins his letter with praise, showing he still has great love and respect for them.

The Greek word used here, which was translated as “brothers and sisters” was adelphoi and refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family. As Christians, we should always attempt to build up and encourage fellow believers.

Paul is aware of the difficulties they are enduring because of their faith and lets them know how proud he is of their perseverance. The key to surviving trials is perseverance and faith. When we are faced with crushing problems, we should have faith that God is using our trials for our good and for His glory.

5 All this is evidence that God’s judgment is right, and as a result you will be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you are suffering.

Paul tries to give them encouragement. Although it may not be evident while they are being persecuted, God will reward them for their steadfastness and punish their persecutors.

Some people believe trials are a result of lack of faith or punishment for not living the way God wants us to. Paul is saying trials are a way of strengthening us and our perseverance is what will make us worthy of God’s kingdom. Our problems can help us look upward rather than inward and provide us with opportunities to comfort others facing similar trials. How we react to our troubles can be an indicator of the strength of our faith, either helping or harming our testimony as Christians.

Knowing God is fair and just will give us patience in our suffering because we know He has not forgotten us. In His perfect timing, he will release us from our suffering. We need to trust in His timing.

6 God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you 7 and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. 8 He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might 10 on the day he comes to be glorified in his holy people and to be marveled at among all those who have believed. This includes you, because you believed our testimony to you.

The believer’s victory will be when Christ returns. That is when we will see justice served.

“when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels.” What an image! In 1 Thessalonians, Paul mentions Christ’s return, but here he gives a more powerful image of that event. The fire illustrates the Lord’s wrath and vengeance toward the disobedient.

So many times we hear people ask the question, “Why do bad things happen to good people?” or “Why does God allow people to profit from their wrongdoing?” Paul’s answer to that question would probably be, “It’s only temporary.” His conviction was that one day God would turn the tables on the unfairness of life. Our reward will be revealed in the future. We must remain steadfast in our faith for now.

The “everlasting destruction” Paul describes here is the place of eternal separation from God. Those separated from God in eternity no longer have any hope for salvation.

11 With this in mind, we constantly pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling, and that by his power he may bring to fruition your every desire for goodness and your every deed prompted by faith. 12 We pray this so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

God’s “calling” is for us to become like Christ. This is a lifelong and gradual process that will not be completed until we see Christ face to face. In order to be “worthy” of this calling, we need to strive to be as much like Christ as possible. That is our goal. We cannot achieve perfection in this world, but we need to be moving in that direction by allowing God to work in us.

An old proverb: "If you ask the wrong question, you will get the wrong answer."

When it comes to sin, we often ask the wrong question. When we ask the "is it wrong if..." questions, what we are really saying is "how much can I sin without it being labeled a sin by others?"

Examples:

• A young couple wants to know how much sexual contact they can get away with before marriage and still not be sinning.

• A business man asks how many corners he can cut on his taxes and it not be considered cheating.

• A woman wants to know if it's okay to "share" some "facts" about someone so we can all pray for them.

• A man wants to know if it is a sin to utter a profanity when you bang your shin.

• A man wants to know if it is a sin if he was born with a bad temper and cannot control it.

• A teenager asks if her latest behavior is sin if "everyone is doing it" and other people don't think it's wrong.

In all of these instances, and others, there will be an ineffective or wrong answer because the wrong question is being asked.

Remember: If you have to wonder whether something is right or not, it's most likely wrong.

1 John 1:5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all.

The things of God are "light." They are not hidden in shadows or fog. What is right is plainly right, and the true seeker of righteousness will have no problem knowing what is right in God's eyes.

James 1:5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.

Psalm 18:28 You, LORD, keep my lamp burning; my God turns my darkness into light.

The Bible is abundantly clear on what is sin and what is not... lust, greed, gossip, selfishness, anger, pride, dishonesty, language, modesty, etc. The mature Christian quits playing the games of rationalization and calls sin for what it is. If something is NOT clearly and immediately righteous (according to God), then err on the side of holiness.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 5

2011-04-24T10:00:00.001-04:00

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1 Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you,

“times and dates” -There have always been Christians who tried to fix the time and date of Christ’s return, but apparantly the Thessalonians were not among them. They understood Paul’s teachings that no man would know the time of Christ’s return.

2 for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night.

“The day of the Lord” is the climax of all things—also known as the day of redemption.

“Like a thief in the night” means, although there will be some signs, the coming will be as unexpected as a thief in the night.

3 While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.

“destruction” does not mean annihilation here, but exclusion from the Lord’s presence, thus the ruin of life and all its accomplishments.

“suddenly” is used to stress the surprise of unbelievers.

“labor pains” is a great analogy. Although a woman knows approximately when her child is due and that the event is inevitable, she is always taken by surprise when the labor pains actually begin. Also, there is no escape for her. She cannot run away from the pain. Today we could take this analogy a step further and say our salvation is our epidural.

“will NOT escape”: In the Greek text, before translation, Paul uses an emphatic double negative here, a construction he uses only four times in all his writings to stress his point.

4 But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. 5 You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness.

“darkness”—believers no longer live in darkness, nor are they of the darkness. Because we have the light of Christ and the knowledge of his return, we will not be surprised when it happens. The timing may not be known to us, but when those trumpets sound, we will know exactly what is happening.

6 So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. 7 For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.

“asleep”—nonbelievers are spiritually insensitive. We as believers have a difficult time communicating with them because they are so one dimensional. They can’t understand anything having to do with one’s spirituality. This part of them is ‘asleep’.

“be awake” or “be alert”—keep watch for Christ’s return.

“sober” or “self controlled”—in contrast with vs. 7 which describes someone with no self control and the things they do in darkness.

8 But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet.

“the day”—believers live in the light, using self-control to remain in the light of Christ.

“breastplate” and “helmet”—Paul often uses metaphors of armor for battle when talking about Christians. Here he is saying the ‘equipment’ we need for battling the darkness in the world is love, faith, and hope of salvation.

9 For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.

“appoint”—God’s appointment versus man’s choice is the point made here. God’s wish is for all of mankind to receive salvation, but He gives us the ability to ‘choose’ to suffer wrath instead.

10 He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him.

“awake or asleep”—alive or dead; We know Paul is not using the same meaning here as in verse 6 where he uses awake and asleep to mean ‘awakened to spiritual things’ or ‘spiritually insensitive’ because those who are spiritually insensitive will not “live together with Him”.

“with Him”—to be Christ’s is to have entered a relationship that nothing can destroy.

11 Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

“build each other up”—strengthen each other by supporting each other in the faith and love of Christ. Paul knows the Thessalonians are already doing this.

12 Now we ask you, brothers and sisters, to acknowledge those who work hard among you, who care for you in the Lord and who admonish you.

“those who work hard among you”—possibly means the church leaders.

13 Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other.

“because of their work”—not just because they are your teachers, but respect them and appreciate them because they work hard for the Lord.

14 And we urge you, brothers and sisters, warn those who are idle and disruptive, encourage the disheartened, help the weak, be patient with everyone.

“those who are idle”—as we learned in the last chapter, some of the Thessalonians were so sure Christ was returning soon they gave up their jobs in order to prepare for it, depending on the other Christians to support them. But Paul says they should continue to work to support themselves. He also may be speaking of those who do nothing to help within the church, but rather sit back and allow others to do the work while they “warm the pews” and await the Lord’s return.

“disruptive”—often those who sit idly by and allow others to do the work are also those who complain the most. They think they know how things should be done, but are not willing to to it and grumble about the performance of others.

“the timid, the weak”—these are to be helped, not rejected, by those who are stronger. I believe he’s speaking, not only of those who are physically weak, but also of those who are timid and weak in their faith.

15 Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always strive to do what is good for each other and for everyone else.

“pays back”—retaliation is NEVER a Christian option. Christians are called to forgive.

16 Rejoice always, 17 pray continually,

People are naturally happy on some occasions, but a Christian’s joy does not depend on circumstances. It comes from what Christ has done for us and is constant (or should be), as should our prayer be continuous.

18 give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

No matter what the circumstances, no matter how bad things seem, Christians are to be thankful at all times because of what God has done for us in sending His Son and giving us hope.

19 Do not quench the Spirit.

“Spirit” or “Spirit’s fire”—There is a warmth, a glow, about the Spirit’s presence that makes this language appropriate. The kind of conduct that might ‘put out the Spirit’s fire’ are things such as immorality and laziness. These are the two things Paul stresses most in his letters. There are other things, but these are the ones he addressed that applied most to the Thessalonians.

20 Do not treat prophecies with contempt

As Paul continues, we see he could be warning against a mechanical attitude towards worship which would discourage the expression of the gifts of the Spirit in the local assembly and would serve to smother the Spirit’s fire.

21 but test them all; hold on to what is good, 22 reject every kind of evil.

Just because someone approves of the scriptures and claims to speak in the name of the Lord doesn’t mean they should be accepted without question. Paul does not say what kind of test to apply, but in the very least, their teachings should agree with Paul’s teachings.

23 May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is typical of Paul’s prayers.

“your whole spirit, soul and body”—Paul is emphasizing the entire person. We should try to keep not only our bodies pure, but keep our spirits and souls prepared for Christ’s eventual return.

…Side Note: When studying this lesson, I was attempting to discern the difference in “spirit” and “soul.” A feeling came over me—when I thought the word “soul”, I felt a warmth or strength (difficult to describe) throughout my entire body, from head to toe. When I thought the word “spirit”, the warmth or light (a feeling of joy—also difficult to describe) was only felt in my center, in my chest cavity (not only my heart, but my entire chest.)

When I pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit, I don’t hear voices or have any kind of visions. But once in a while something reveals itself in the strangest way.

Back to the lesson…

24 The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.

Paul has confidence God can be relied upon to complete what He started. He WILL return as promised.

25 Brothers and sisters, pray for us.

We all need prayer constantly, not only when we are in trouble.

26 Greet all God’s people with a holy kiss.

Paul is sending his love to all of them. Today we might say “Give everyone a hug for me.” A kiss between same sexes was a normal greeting of that day—‘holy kiss’ meant kiss of love (more caring than your everyday greeting).

27 I charge you before the Lord to have this letter read to all the brothers and sisters.

“I charge you”—this is very strong language. Paul is not simply requesting, but ORDERING they be sure all the members of the church hear this letter and know of his concern and advice for them. This shows that Paul intended his letters to be used in the churches to help teach, just as we still use them today.

28 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

Paul always ends his letters with a blessing of grace for his readers.

~

Today, Resurrection Day, also known as Easter Sunday, is the day we celebrate Christ's resurrection. It is the day that changed everything for Christians. Without that day, our faith would have no meaning. Jesus Christ conquered death, making it possible for us to follow Him when we cross over from this life into the next. May we all rejoice and be comforted on this most blessed of days.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 4

2011-04-02T02:12:00.000-04:00

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Think about the people you come in contact with each day and how they view sex. How much of this attitude do you think is influenced by the media? Immorality is still something each of us has to deal with on a daily basis. Humans haven’t changed in all of the years between when this letter was written and today.

1 As for other matters, brothers and sisters, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more. 2 For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus.

When he had been there and set up the church, Paul had obviously instructed them on how they should live. The word Paul used for “live” was the Greek word for ‘walk’. Paul often uses this metaphor when speaking of the Christian way. But now he wanted them to strive harder to live right in Jesus’ name. Paul was not being arrogant here, but speaking with the authority from Jesus Christ.

1 Corinthians 2:16 tells us “for, who has known the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.”

Paul says through the Lord Jesus’ he has the authority to give these instructions.

3 It is God’s will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should learn to control your own body in a way that is holy and honorable, 5 not in passionate lust like the pagans, who do not know God; 6 and that in this matter no one should wrong or take advantage of a brother or sister. The Lord will punish all those who commit such sins, as we told you and warned you before. 7 For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. 8 Therefore, anyone who rejects this instruction does not reject a human being but God, the very God who gives you his Holy Spirit.

‘Sanctification’ is used here to mean sexual purity. Paul would not compromise God’s clear and demanding standards.

Immorality was very common among the heathen people and chastity was considered an unreasonable restriction, just as it is in today’s society. It’s possible in Timothy’s report he had mentioned some cases of moral laxness among the Christians causing Paul to respond with these thoughts in his letter.

We need to have self-control. The Greek words used here seemed to indicate he was speaking of them obtaining their own wife so they would not be lusting after other men’s wives.

The basic idea of this letter is for Christians to set ourselves apart for God and His return by setting ourselves apart from the ungodly by being morally pure. Christians are SUPPOSED TO BE DIFFERENT!!

The Greek word for brother or sister (adelphos) refers here to a believer, whether man or woman, as part of God’s family.

‘Wrong his brother’ means to invade the rights of another’s home. Sexual sin harms others. Paul seems to be speaking of adultery here or lusting after other men’s wives. Adultery causes harm or pain to the spouse; premarital sex wrongs the future spouse. By saying the ‘Lord will punish’, Paul is giving them a motive to be chaste.

As Christians, we are to keep ourselves as pure as humanly possible and live holy lives. If we do not do this, we are rejecting God, for he gives us the Holy Spirit which cannot exist where there is sin. So by not living a holy life, we push the Holy Spirit out of our lives, rejecting Him.

9 Now about your love for one another we do not need to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love each other. 10 And in fact, you do love all of God’s family throughout Macedonia. Yet we urge you, brothers and sisters, to do so more and more,

Here Paul speaks of “brotherly love”, or love between believers, men and women. Greek word used here was ‘philadelphia’ which specifically means love between the children of the same Father, male and female. In the Bible, this word is always used to mean love of fellow believers in Christ.

In Acts 17:4, it says “Some of the Jews were persuaded and joined Paul and Silas, as did a large number of God-fearing Greeks and quite a few prominent women.”

From this verse, we know there were also women among the believers.

It seems there were quite a few within the church who had plenty of money, and they had taken the Christian doctrine of charity very seriously and were dispersing what they could to the poorer brethren of ALL the Macedonian churches. They were becoming very well known for their charity. Paul commends them for this.

11 and to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, 12 so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders and so that you will not be dependent on anybody.

But at the same time, their charity had given those who received the money an opportunity to be lazy and not work, so Paul rebukes their laziness. They had the mind-set that ‘God would provide’ until His return. How often do Christians today fall into this inaccurate belief? Being willing to live off your neighbors was contrary to every principle of brotherly love. Able-bodied beggars enjoyed others brotherly love while they themselves practiced the very essence of self-love. This type of life could not win the respect of non-Christians. But if the non-Christians saw them working hard and leading a quiet and moral life, this would be a better witness to them of how God intends His people to live. This reminds me of the Quakers and the Amish people. We look at those people and can’t help but respect them. They are a perfect example of what Paul is speaking of here.

Christians should strive to live a quiet life, mind their own business, and work to support themselves in order to earn the respect of non-Christians.

Is it possible to be a good Christian while being sexually immoral? A good person who loves other people maybe, but not a good Christian. These two things seem to get confused in today’s society.

Paul changes his focus from his concerns about how they are living to their concerns about their loved ones who had passed away.

13 Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. 15 According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

This is the main topic of the entire letter, the Second Coming. It’s mentioned in every chapter, which implies Paul must have given it particular emphasis in his preaching in Thessalonica. The Second Coming is referred to in almost every New Testament book, but the chapters that explain it most fully are Matthew 24, 25, Luke 21, 1 Thessalonians 4, 5, and 2 Peter 3.

1 Thessalonians is among the first of the written books of the Bible and speaks of the Lord coming again. The last of the New Testament books is Revelation, of which the final message is “I come quickly”. So the New Testament, when speaking chronologically, begins and ends with this message.

“Fallen asleep” is a Scriptural expression for the Christian’s death. The Greek word used, as Jesus taught it, did not mean to lapse into a state of unconsciousness until the day of resurrection. It means an intermediate state of conscious bliss.

The Thessalonians were concerned for their loved ones who had already passed away before the Second Coming. These people believed Christ would come back in their lifetime. They honestly thought ‘everlasting life’ meant Christians would not die. They didn’t understand the Second Coming could be thousands of years in the future. Yet some of their fellow Christians had passed away and this confused them. They were worried they might miss the event of the return of Christ if they were to die before it happened. So Paul is trying to set their minds at ease.

Also, in verse 13, Paul is reminding them of the assurance we have of life after death which non-believers don’t have, leaving them with no hope.

Notice Paul did not say Christ ‘fell asleep’. Christ bore the full horror of death and conquered it!

Verse 15 indicates Christ had given this instruction while He was here.

The Lord’s return follows a certain sequence of events. “The Lord himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God.”

This is similar to Jesus’ words in Matthew 24:30-31 “30Then will appear the sign of the Son of Man in heaven. And then all the peoples of the earth will mourn when they see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven, with power and great glory. 31 And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other.. The dead in Christ shall rise first."

Archangel: the only archangel mentioned in the Bible is Michael.

Jude 9 “9 But even the archangel Michael, when he was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses, did not himself dare to condemn him for slander but said, “The Lord rebuke you!”

Daniel 10:13 “13 But the prince of the Persian kingdom resisted me twenty-one days. Then Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, because I was detained there with the king of Persia.”

Compare Acts 1:9 “After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight.”

& Rev. 1:7 “Look, he is coming with the clouds, and every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and all peoples on earth will mourn because of him.” So shall it be! Amen.”

Jesus went away in the “clouds”, and so He will return. “The clouds” will be his triumphal chariot. The angels will be with Him, in all the glory of heaven, as we are told in Matthew 25:31: “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, he will sit on his glorious throne.”

The saints of past ages will be raised, those still in the flesh will be changed, and the whole Church will rise in joyful welcome to the Returning Savior, to be with Him forevermore.

In verse 17, the words “caught up” is the only CLEAR reference to what has been referred to as the Rapture. The word “rapture” is never used in the Bible. "Rapture", in the context of the end days, is an English noun derived from the Latin verb rapiō, meaning "caught up" or "taken away."

In verse 18, we are told to encourage each other by reminding each other of our eventual triumph. It thrills us through and through to think of it. We need to remind each other of the time when we will be with the Lord forever, to encourage each other in our faith. This last sentence is meant as a comfort for bereaved Christians who have lost a loved one. We know we will see them again when Christ returns.

How timely this particular lesson was for me. As some of you know, I lost my father on March 19. Although I grieve, the knowledge he is with our Lord and Savior has sustained me. I picture my dad's smile and how excited he must be to be with Jesus and the saints who went before him—and it makes me smile. I rejoice that one day I will join him on those golden streets.

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 3

2011-03-09T00:34:00.000-05:00

According to Acts 17:14-15, Paul had gone to Athens alone and then sent for Silas and Timothy to join him from Berea.

14The believers immediately sent Paul to the coast, but Silas and Timothy stayed at Berea. 15Those who escorted Paul brought him to Athens and then left with instructions for Silas and Timothy to join him as soon as possible.

In chapter 3 of 1 Thessalonians, Paul continues to tell the Thessalonians of his longing to be with them. He was concerned about the new-born Thessalonian Church and had sent Timothy back to encourage them under the bitter persecution they were undergoing.

1So when we could stand it no longer, we thought it best to be left by ourselves in Athens.

Although Paul wanted more than anything to return to Thessalonica himself to be with the new church members, he didn’t feel it was safe, so he sent Timothy instead.

2We sent Timothy, who is our brother and co-worker in God’s service in spreading the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you in your faith, 3so that no one would be unsettled by these trials. For you know quite well that we are destined for them.

“Co-worker in God’s service” or “God’s fellow worker”: This is an interesting way of viewing Christian service. Timothy was sent back to help encourage them in their Christian service and help make them stronger in their faith.

Paul says Christians are to expect troubles. It is our destiny to have to face them. These trials are not disasters because they advance God’s purposes.

4In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling you that we would be persecuted. And it turned out that way, as you well know.

Paul says when they were with them they had warned them they would be persecuted, and it happened just as he had said.

5For this reason, when I could stand it no longer, I sent to find out about your faith. I was afraid that in some way the tempter had tempted you and that our labors might have been in vain.

Paul’s major concern over the new believers in Thessalonica was “the tempter” would discourage them and cause their work there to be wasted.

The ‘tempter,’ of course, is Satan. Some churches today are afraid to preach about Satan. Some people, although they believe in God and Heaven, refuse to believe Satan exists or that there is a hell. Yet he is spoken of in every major division of the New Testament. He is supreme among evil spirits as we see in John 16:8-11…

8When he comes, he will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: 9about sin, because people do not believe in me; 10about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; 11and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned.

…& Ephesians 2:1-2

1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.

Satan’s activities can affect us physically and the spiritually as we read in the following scriptures:

2 Corinthians 12:7 “… 7or because of these surpassingly great revelations. Therefore, in order to keep me from becoming conceited, I was given a thorn in my flesh, a messenger of Satan, to torment me.”

Matthew 13:38-39 “38The field is the world, and the good seed stands for the people of the kingdom. The weeds are the people of the evil one,39 and the enemy who sows them is the devil. The harvest is the end of the age, and the harvesters are angels.”

Mark 4:15 “15Some people are like seed along the path, where the word is sown. As soon as they hear it, Satan comes and takes away the word that was sown in them.”

2 Corinthians 4:4 “4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.”

Satan tempted Jesus and continues to tempt Jesus’ servants as we read in the following verses:

Luke 22:3 “3Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve.”

1 Corinthians 7:5 “5Do not deprive each other except perhaps by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control.”

But Satan has already been defeated…

Colossians 2:15 “15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he (Jesus) made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.”

…Christians need to be on their guard and not be overwhelmed by him.

Ephesians 6:16 “16In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one."

Satan’s final overthrow is certain:

Revelation 20:10 “10And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever."

Now let’s get back to 1 Thessalonians:

6But Timothy has just now come to us from you and has brought good news about your faith and love. He has told us that you always have pleasant memories of us and that you long to see us, just as we also long to see you.

Timothy returned with the news of their steadfastness and devotion and Paul is filled with joy over this news.

This is the only time the Greek term meaning ‘good news’ is used by Paul for something other than the gospel.

There were three things Timothy reported about the Thessalonians which made Paul happy:

Their faith (right attitude toward God),
Their love (right attitude toward man),
Their good memories of Paul and desire to see him again (right attitude toward Paul).

7Therefore, brothers and sisters, in all our distress and persecution we were encouraged about you because of your faith.

Although Paul is in trouble and is suffering, he explains to them he is joyful because their faith has encouraged him.

8For now we really live, since you are standing firm in the Lord.

Because the Thessalonians have so much faith and are steadfast, this makes Paul’s heart soar with happiness, making him feel alive with purpose. That’s what he meant by “for now we really live”.

9How can we thank God enough for you in return for all the joy we have in the presence of our God because of you?

Paul could have congratulated himself on a job well-done because it was his evangelism that had been effective in Thessalonica, but instead he thanked God for the joy he had from what God had done there.

10 Night and day we pray most earnestly that we may see you again and supply what is lacking in your faith.

“Night and Day” doesn’t mean there were two set times he prayed, but he means “frequent and constant prayer.” The Greek word which is translated as ‘most earnestly’ is a strong and unusual compound word that expresses immense passion.

Paul’s prayer for the Thessalonians was that they would soon be with them and be able to supply what is needed to keep them strong in their faith.

These new Christians needed moral teaching and disciplinary training. They also needed doctrinal guidance such as clearing up any confusion about Christ’s return.

Their faith is obviously uppermost in Paul’s mind because this is the fifth time in this chapter he mentions their faith.

11Now may our God and Father himself and our Lord Jesus clear the way for us to come to you.

Paul frequently breaks into prayer in the middle of his letters. This is an example. It shows how much he wishes to return to them.

12May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you.

He prays for them to remain strong and love each other just as he loves them.

13May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.

Again, Paul reminds them of Christ’s eventual return.

He says we should prepare for this event by setting ourselves apart for God.

“Holy ones” is a term used of the Christians (or saints) in many New Testament passages.

Ask yourself these questions:

What personal accomplishments will count for something when we stand in the presence of Christ?

What practical things can we do to help strengthen and encourage others in their faith?

How does Satan hinder or stop our efforts or plans?

How do we resist the temptations that hinder our spiritual progress?

In what ways can we prepare this week to get ready for Christ’s return?

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 2

2011-02-21T12:27:00.000-05:00

If you were accused of a crime you did not commit, how would you respond? This is what happened to Paul, and this letter is his response.

1 You know, brothers and sisters, that our visit to you was not without results. 2 We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition.

Paul tells the Thessalonian church his teaching them was not in vain. Although Paul, Silas, and Timothy had been treated harshly and suffered for spreading the gospel, they had done it anyway and were glad they had persevered.

3 For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4 On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts.

Their teachings had not been for any wrong reasons. There were no selfish alternative motives as their accusers claimed. But they had done what God had entrusted them to do.

5 You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6 We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7 Instead, we were (gentle) like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8 so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.

In their teaching, they never used flattery to win anyone over or asked for anything from their listeners. Neither did they do anything to glorify themselves—even though, as Christ’s apostles, they would have had every right to ask for assistance with the creature comforts. But they were gentle and loving and treated their listeners as sick children. And they did this because they loved them and had not only taught them the gospel, but devoted their hearts and souls to them.

9 Surely you remember, brothers and sisters, our toil and hardship; we worked night and day in order not to be a burden to anyone while we preached the gospel of God to you.

They worked for their keep rather than be a burden on anyone as they taught the gospel.

10 You are witnesses, and so is God, of how holy, righteous and blameless we were among you who believed. 11 For you know that we dealt with each of you as a father deals with his own children, 12 encouraging, comforting and urging you to live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.

Paul asked that they remember how well they had behaved – holy and just—how they had comforted them and taken care of them the way a father cares for his children, so they could become children of God.

From the way this reads, it is obvious the enemies of the Christians were attacking Paul’s character, trying to make him look like an opportunist who was trying to take these people for a ride (a con-artist). Paul is writing here to defend himself. He reminds them he never asked anything of them or took anything from them. He also reminds them he had done nothing but love them and he had been unselfish in his preaching and had lived as an example to them as a good Christian.

13 And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.

Paul is thankful that these people accepted what he had preached as coming from God, and therefore they had been transformed by God.

14 For you, brothers and sisters, became imitators of God’s churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own people the same things those churches suffered from the Jews 15 who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to everyone 16 in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last.

The Thessalonians to which this letter was written had become followers of the Church of God in Jesus Christ, and because of their devotion they had suffered from persecution from both Gentiles and Jews.

Jews had killed Jesus and their own prophets and had persecuted Paul and his fellow Christians, and God was not pleased by their actions. These Jews were not good for mankind because they were forbidding the teaching of salvation. Therefore, Paul says, they will suffer God’s wrath.

Verses 15-16 indicates the Jews had chased Paul out of Thessalonica and were still relentlessly venting their wrath against the rest of the Christians Paul had left behind in the newly established church. Paul tries to comfort them by explaining that all Christians, and even Christ Himself, had suffered for their beliefs and this suffering was to be expected. He also tells them there is no hope of repentance for those who do the persecuting and no escape for their doom on the Day of Judgment.

17 But, brothers and sisters, when we were orphaned by being separated from you for a short time (in person, not in thought), out of our intense longing we made every effort to see you. 18 For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan blocked our way.

Although Paul, Silas, and Timothy could not be with the Thessalonians in person, their hearts were with them and they desired to see them soon. They would have been back with them, but Satan prevented it. Paul had tried twice to return to them, only to be stopped by Satan.

Acts 16:6-7: “Paul and his companions traveled throughout the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been kept by the Holy Spirit from preaching the word in the province of Asia. 7 When they came to the border of Mysia, they tried to enter Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them to.”

We learn from the Book of Acts that Paul was kept from going to certain places by the Holy Spirit, but in his letter to the Thessalonians he says he was hindered by Satan. How he knew when it was the Holy Spirit hindering him and when it was Satan, arch-enemy of the church, is an unanswered question we can only guess about, but Paul knew the difference.

19 For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you? 20 Indeed, you are our glory and joy.

Once again Paul ends the chapter with a mention of Christ’s eventual return. He tells the Thessalonian Christians they were the reason for his and Silas’ and Timothy’s joy and they made all their suffering worthwhile. Then he expresses that on the day of Christ’s return when He gives Paul his rewards, his brightest star (or his best accomplishment) will be the Thessalonian Church (“his hope, joy, crown & glory”) because so many souls had been won for Christ.

We judge the success or failure of our work with other people by how they respond. There are certain standards of behavior Christians should follow as they try to reach out to people. They should be unselfish and caring of the other person’s soul and their needs.

Paul was an example to the Thessalonians in showing them how to be a Christian:

• He was courageous and steadfast – no matter how much persecution he faced, he continued to do God’s will; (verse 1-2)

• He was gentle and affectionate – he loved his fellow Christians and tried to encourage them by treating them as a father did his child; (verse 5-8)

• He was full of integrity – he worked for his own keep and never asked anything from anyone; (verse 9)

• He was an example – by the way he lived and treated other people; (verse 10-12)

• He was eager to please God rather than man. (verse 3-4)

1 Thessalonians - Chapter 1

2011-02-06T16:07:00.000-05:00

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In the simplist terms, Paul’s letter in 1 Thessalonians is about pleasing God. Although the Thessalonians were already doing so, Paul wanted to encourage them to do so even more. Paul seems to have a loving and gentle manner in his writing. You can tell he truly cares for his fellow Christians.

1 Paul, Silas, and Timothy, To the church of the Thessalonians in God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ: Grace and peace to you. 2 We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers. 3 We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Paul remembers the Thessalonians as very faithful and loving, with a strong hope in the Lord Jesus Christ. The faith Paul is talking about here produces action. Many Christians use faith as an excuse to do nothing because “God will take care of everything.” Faith should prompt us into action, not make us complacent. The hope Paul speaks of here is not unfounded wishful thinking, but a firm confidence in Jesus Christ and His return.

4 For we know, brothers and sisters loved by God, that he has chosen you,

The Greek word for brothers and sisters (adelphoi) refers here to believers, both men and women, as part of God’s family.

The first thing Paul wants these young Christians to know about is not the mechanics of the Christian life, but the fact God is at work in their lives now since they have come to believe. He lets them know God loves them and has chosen them.

5 because our gospel came to you not simply with words but also with power, with the Holy Spirit and deep conviction. You know how we lived among you for your sake.

Paul refers to the ‘good news’ as “our gospel”. Although this ‘gospel’ he has taught is not clearly spelled out in the letter, we can figure it out from what he does say. The ‘power’ he speaks of here could mean a couple of things; (1) the power of the Holy Spirit which leads them, or (2) the power of the Gospel itself which brings salvation, freeing them from the bondage of sin.

6 You became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you welcomed the message in the midst of severe suffering with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.

Paul commends them for ‘imitating’ him, and in doing so they are imitating Christ. He once again is letting them know God is at work in their lives through His word. Paul says in spite of their suffering, they stood firm in the Lord and were joyful in their faith. This gives us some insight about how they must have been rebuked for their beliefs.

7 And so you became a model to all the believers in Macedonia and Achaia.

Macedonia and Achaia were the 2 provinces into which Greece was divided. Thessalonica was on the important Egnatian Way, and was a busy seaport and the capital city of Macedonia.

8 The Lord’s message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere. Therefore we do not need to say anything about it, 9 for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God,

These people had joyfully told everyone of their ‘good news’ about Christ. Because of how they had changed, their story had spread throughout all the land. Everywhere Paul went, he heard the great stories of the Thessalonian church and its faith and works. Paul is letting them know how proud he is of them for their faithfulness and the example they have become to those around them. The Gospel has spread because of their exemplary representation of Christ. This is a suberb statement of how everyone should respond to the Gospel.

10 and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead—Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

Paul also wants them to know Christ is coming back, and Jesus’ return is an inspiration for young Christians. This hope and promise should keep them strong in their faith and keep them looking forward to that day and living their lives for that event. This same hope and promise is ours today, and should keep us strong in our faith and looking forward to that event, and living our lives in preparation for that day.

A New Year, A New Lesson

2011-01-21T22:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year! Now that we're deep into January of the year 2011, and snuggled in for the rest of the cold winter months, let's learn more about Paul and his letters. I'm going to tackle 1 & 2 Thessalonians next. But before we get started on the scripture, let's review what was going on in Paul's life to make him write these letters.

Summary of Paul’s life up to the time he wrote 1 Thessalonians:

Born around 10 AD in Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, which is now a part of Turkey. A Jew because his parents were Jewish. Yet he was born in Tarsus which gave him Roman citizenship. So he was a Roman citizen with a Greek culture and Jewish faith.

He learned to speak and think like a Greek, but remained loyal to his Jewish heritage. At the age of 18, he was sent to Jerusalem to be educated as a rabbi and, therefore, learned the Old Testament thoroughly. Being the devoted Jew, he refused to believe Jesus was the Messiah and became a persecuter of the Jews who did believe. As such, he was commissioned by the high priest to travel north and arrest any followers of Jesus.

While on the road to Damascus, the risen Jesus appeared to him and Paul was converted to Christianity by this encounter. He was also left blind from looking upon the Lord. He knew it wasn’t a dream because, not only was he blinded, but his troops also heard the loud voice of Jesus, although they didn’t see Him or understand His words.

At about 26 years old (36 AD), right after his conversion, Paul went to Arabia, which is now Jordan, and then returned to Damascus. He preached there for three years and then traveled to Jerusalem, then to Tarsus, Syria, and Cilica. This took another 4 years.

This is about the time Jude wrote the book of Jude – about 44 AD.

At the age of about 36, Paul takes his first missionary journey, covering about 1400 miles, with Barnabas and Mark (also know as John-Mark who wrote the Gospel of Mark). He moved quickly from place to place as he angered the Jews with his bold and controversial speeches.

In 2 Corinthians 11:24-28, we learn from his own words what his life was like during this time. 24 Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. 25 Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones, three times I was shipwrecked, I spent a night and a day in the open sea, 26 I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my fellow Jews, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false believers. 27 I have labored and toiled and have often gone without sleep; I have known hunger and thirst and have often gone without food; I have been cold and naked. 28 Besides everything else, I face daily the pressure of my concern for all the churches.

Now we are up to about 48 AD, about the time James wrote the book of James.

At about age 40, Paul began his second missionary journey, covering about 2800 miles, accompanied by Silas and later joined by young Timothy.

On this trip he traveled to northwest Asia Minor and crossed to Macedonia, bringing Christianity to Europe for the first time. About 51 AD, they visited Thessalonica, the capital of Macedonia. They preached here until they were forced to flee to Berea. Although they were only in Thessalonica for a short period of time, they were able to establish a church with a group of devoted Christians. From Berea, Paul fled to Athens, leaving Timothy and Silas behind.

After later joining Paul in Athens, Timothy was sent back to Thessalonica to help lead the newly formed church. Paul, failing to convince the people in Athens of the Messiahship of Jesus, moved on to Corinth, where he stayed for 18 months, working as a tentmaker and teaching about Christ, resulting in a large church being formed in Corinth.

Still anxious about the immature congregation he had left behind in Thessalonia, he received a report from Timothy in about 52 AD and wrote the two letters of encouragement and instruction known as 1 & 2 Thessalonians.

Bookmark this website and return in a couple of weeks for the study on the first chapter of 1 Thessalonians.

In the meantime, I've been asked about how I prepare these lessons. I'll briefly try to answer that question here.

First, I pray for guidance as I open the Bible and choose which scripture to study next.
Then I research the writer to learn who, when, and why they wrote it.
Next, I read through the chapter to glean my limited understanding, some of which comes easy, and some not at all.

Now comes the difficult part. I study the footnotes in several translations of the Bible, as well as study aides in each. Then I look at other reference books to see how others have interpretted the scripture. Often, these reference books contradict each other, depending on the researcher's basic beliefs. That's when I take out my Strong's Expanded Dictionary of Bible Words, which has a cross-reference guide of every word in the scripture and the original Greek and/or Hebrew word and its original meaning. This helps me break down what the writer intended rather than what the translator interpretted. Whenever I do this, I again pray for guidance from the Holy Spirit.

I don't always get it right. I know this. Many times I will freely admit I'm not sure what the writer meant. I'm not a Bible scholar and never have claimed to be. That's why I want discussion through the comment page. If you disagree with anything I have to say in my blog, I welcome your input.

I am seeking the truth from God's Word. That is my purpose for this study blog. By having this obligation, it forces me to study my Bible in depth. Sharing what I've learned is my way of sharing God's love with you. I hope we'll both grow in wisdom and Christian strength in this upcoming year.

Galatians - Chapter 6

2010-12-27T10:45:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas! This post will complete our study of the book of Galatians. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and are looking forward to a new year full of hope and promise. I also hope you will continue to come back to my blog for further study of the scriptures in 2011.

Paul continues his letter:

1 Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.

Again Paul lets the Galatians know he still considers them ‘Brethren’ and is showing his love towards them by addressing them in this way. He says, if we see one of our fellow Christians entangled in a sin, we should try to help him free himself from it, but do it ‘gently’ and in love.

The Greek word used here, which has been translated as ‘restore’, meant to ‘mend’ or ‘repair’, as in setting bones after they were broken or mending torn fishing nets, or resolving disagreements between two parties.

Paul then tells us to be careful not to be swayed by the sinner. How often do we see people get pulled into things by their friends. Especially teens who think they can help one of their friends by trying to be a good influence on them, only to get caught up in their activities themselves because it looks harmless.

2 Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.

Help each other with burdens. This was the central theme of Christ’s teachings. Here Paul is speaking of moral burdens and weaknesses. If we know someone is prone to being tempted by a certain sin, we should try to help them avoid the temptation and help strengthen this person’s resolve by being there to support them.

3 If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.

Don’t think you’re capable of handling everything on your own. We are all weak when it comes to sin, and we all are tempted. Don’t be too proud to ask your fellow Christians for help. If you think you can handle everything by yourself, then you’re deceiving yourself.

4 Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, 5 for each one should carry their own load.

This seems contradictory to the previous verse. Now Paul seems to be telling us NOT to depend on others where before he tells us to depend on others. This is an example where things can get lost in the translation.

What Paul is actually saying here is, although we need to depend on others to HELP us AVOID sin, AFTER we have sinned, we need to take responsibility for it ourselves and not blame anyone else for those actions.

Take personal responsibility for yourself and your actions. On judgment day, there will be no one else standing there with you to help relieve you of your guilt. Only YOU will give an account to God for your actions, and only YOU will be judged for them.

6 Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Paul is asking the Galatians to not take for granted the teachers who instruct them in the Word of God. Those teachers needed to be compensated for their time and effort.

Philippians 4:14-19   14 Yet it was good of you to share in my troubles. 15 Moreover, as you Philippians know, in the early days of your acquaintance with the gospel, when I set out from Macedonia, not one church shared with me in the matter of giving and receiving, except you only; 16 for even when I was in Thessalonica, you sent me aid more than once when I was in need. 17 Not that I desire your gifts; what I desire is that more be credited to your account. 18 I have received full payment and have more than enough. I am amply supplied, now that I have received from Epaphroditus the gifts you sent. They are a fragrant offering, an acceptable sacrifice, pleasing to God. 19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

7 Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. 8 Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.

This is one of the Biblical verses that has become widely used. We’ve heard it over and over, and most people don’t even realize it is from the Bible.

First, Paul uses this ‘saying’ as a negative thing. If you sin, you will reap destruction. But then Paul says if you do things to please God, you will reap eternal life. So this applies not only negatively, but also positively. Sow bad things, reap bad things. Sow good things, reap good things. This is the basis for my aunt’s favorite quote, “What goes around comes around.”

In Verse 8, we see Paul changing his focus. Until now, he has been talking about inheriting ‘the kingdom of God’, but now he has switched to obtaining ‘eternal life’. The first is focused on the inheritance (just as Israel inherited the promised land), the second is focused on the blessed life that will be enjoyed because of this inheritance. It’s one thing to inherit something, it’s something else to consider how the inheritance will affect us.

9 Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.

He continues this train of thought by prompting them to continue doing good, even though at times it might seem tiresome and seem it’s getting them nowhere.

How often do we feel like the good guy finishes last. It’s always the good ones who get trampled and taken advantage of. But Paul says it might seem that way now, but don’t give up because you WILL reap the harvest eventually. Of course, he’s speaking of our reward in Heaven.

10 Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

Take every opportunity to do good for others, especially fellow believers.

1 Timothy 5:8   8 Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.

So Paul is not saying NOT to do good for non-believers, but ‘family comes first’. Fellow believers are a part of your family because we are all brothers and sisters in Christ, and therefore, they should come first.

11 See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

Up to this point, this letter had probably been dictated by Paul to a scribe. But now Paul takes the pen himself and finishes the letter in his own hand. He may have been writing large for emphasis, or it may have been because of his poor eyesight. Either way, the point he was making here was that he is writing this next part himself.

12 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

Paul reverts back to his original reason for writing this letter. The Judaizers are preaching to the Galatians they must be circumcised. He says the ONLY reason they are doing this is to save their own skin. By advocating circumcision, the Jews who were against Christianity would be less likely to persecute them. They would accept them. Also, Paul says by believing in the ‘law’, these Judaizers can ease their own guilt for persecuting and killing Christ.

13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.

Even the Judaizers and the other Jews who have been circumcised don’t obey all of the law (there were so many laws, NO-ONE could possibly obey them all), but if they can convince the Christians to be circumcised, then they can point fingers at them and say ‘see, even the Christians believe the law can save them.

Galatians 2:19-21 19 “For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God. 20 I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

14 May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which [or whom] the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.

Paul prays here: may he never accept anything other than the power of the cross of Jesus. The word ‘world’ here means ‘everything that is against God’. He is claiming his complete separation from anything ungodly.

15 Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation.

Whether you are circumcised or not doesn’t matter. The only thing that matters is you become a new creation. When you come to Christ, you undergo a transformation resulting in an entirely new being.

2 Corinthians 5:17   17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!

16 Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule [and] to the Israel of God.

Only those who truly believe this and follow this rule will obtain peace and mercy from God, even God’s chosen people (Greek words used here literally translates to ‘people of Israel’). Paul’s meaning here is that the believing Jews and Gentiles ARE God’s chosen people because they are the new seed of Abraham and the heir according to the promise.

17 From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

In ancient times, the Greek word for ‘marks’ was used when talking about a ‘brand’ that was placed on slaves and animals to identify their owners. Paul is saying he has been ‘branded’ as belonging to Christ. He may have been speaking figuratively here, however he may have meant the stoning, the beatings, and his ‘illness’ that he has suffered in becoming a follower of Christ have left physical scars, marking him as a ‘servant of Christ’.

18 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen.

He closes with a blessing toward them, wishing them God’s grace, and once again calling them his brothers and sisters, letting them know his love for them.

Amen—literally means ‘so be it’.

Lord, help us to show others we are a new creation as we live our lives day to day. Amen.

GALATIANS - CHAPTER 5

2010-11-27T01:37:00.000-05:00

1 It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

2 Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. 3 Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law.

Paul says Christ has made us free from the law. Don’t turn and go back into the slavery of the law. The Greek word used here meant to be caught up or entangled in.

Paul then goes back to the issue at hand, circumcision. He tells them if they allow themselves to be circumcised, then Christ’s sacrifice was for nothing! He then gives them a warning: if you allow yourselves to be circumcised because you believe in the law, then you must follow the ENTIRE law. You can’t pick and choose which parts of the law you will obey. You either obey all of it or none of it.

Paul isn’t saying we shouldn’t obey any of the laws. Obviously God gave the law for good reason. But we mustn’t obey the laws with the idea we will be saved by doing so.

4 You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. 5 For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. 6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

If we try to earn salvation through the law, then we will be cut out of the inheritance and we will fall from grace, being placed outside the scope of divine favor, because gaining God’s favor by observing the law and receiving it by grace are mutually exclusive. We who believe and follow Christ have the true hope and await it eagerly. Here Paul is referring to God’s final verdict of ‘not guilty’, which is assured to the believer by faith and by the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. We will be made right with God through His Spirit—by faith. When a person is in Christ Jesus, it doesn’t matter if he is circumcised or not. The only important thing is faith—the kind of faith which works through love. Faith is not mere intellectual acceptance, but a living trust in God’s grace which expresses itself in acts of love.

Last week while eating at a Chinese restaurant, I got a fortune cookie. What was written on that little piece of paper was among the best descriptions of “faith” I’ve ever seen. It said, “Faith is a bird that feels the light and sings while the dawn is still dark.”

When our lives are at their darkest point, our faith is being tested. This is when we must be strong enough to allow God to carry our burdens and lead us through the darkness while we continue singing His praises. We may not be able to see the light, or God’s presence, but we should feel it, like the bird, by having the faith it is there none the less.

7 You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? 8 That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. 9 “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.”

Paul says they were going the right direction and obeying the truth. Who persuaded them to stop? Whoever it was, was NOT from God. Be careful! Just a little bit of yeast makes the entire batch of dough rise.

Whenever ‘yeast’ is used as a symbol in the Bible, it indicates evil or false teaching. Paul is saying something small can become a very big problem.

10 I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.

Paul tells them he knows somebody is upsetting them with new ideas and whoever it is will be punished. He also says he trusts them NOT to believe those ideas.

11 Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished. 12 As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves!

He uses the term “Brothers and sisters” which is an endearment showing Paul still loves these people as family. He makes the point if he was preaching circumcision, as the Judaizers were claiming he was, then why was he still being persecuted?

Paul then speaks of the embarrassment to the Jews who crucified Christ—if what the Judaizers were teaching was true, the Jews had done nothing wrong and would have no reason to be embarrassed by the crucifying of Christ. Paul becomes a bit sarcastic here by saying he wishes these people who are upsetting them with their ideas would also insist on castration, meaning to cut themselves off.

13 You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. 14 For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”

In contexts like this, the Greek word for flesh (sarx) refers to the sinful state of human beings, often presented as a power in opposition to the Spirit. This word is also used in verses 16, 17, 19, and 24, then again in chapter 6:8.

Just because you are not under the law does not mean for you to use your freedom as an excuse to do all the things your physical body wants. Instead, you must serve each other in love. The entire law is made complete in this one command: Love others the same way you love yourself. Paul quotes scripture found in Leviticus 19:18.

15 If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

Be careful. If you continue hurting each other and tearing each other apart, you might completely destroy each other. Seeking to attain God’s acceptance through the law breeds self-righteousness and a critical spirit. How often do we find these things within churches?—where people are being critical of others who aren’t dressed just right or aren’t ‘their’ type of people.

16 So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Live by following the Spirit. The Greek word used here for ‘live’ means habitual conduct. Living by the power and guidance of the Spirit is the key to conquering sinful desires. Then you won’t do those selfish and evil things you are tempted to do by your human nature. Human nature wants things which are against the Spirit; the Spirit wants things which are against human nature. These are two opposing forces. Because of this, you can’t do whatever you want. But if you allow the Spirit to lead you, then you will not be condemned by the law.

19 The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

Paul lists some of the acts caused by our human nature, things that are wrong. Notice Paul uses the plural, “acts” here. Acts of the sinful nature is plural, indicating a division of different things, causing confusion.

committing sexual sins not being pure
having orgies worshiping false gods
practicing witchcraft hating people
making trouble being jealous
becoming too angry being selfish
making people angry with each other causing divisions
envying others getting drunk
having wild parties and other such things.

Paul says people who do these things will NOT inherit God’s kingdom.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law.

When Paul lists the things produced by the Spirit, he uses the singular “fruit”. Fruit, being one singular thing, indicates unity, a close tie between the things listed—a sort of bond.

The use of the word ‘fruit’ was not accidental. These virtues grow within us when we are fed by the Spirit just as fruit is produced on trees.

The Spirit produces:

Love joy peace
Patience kindness goodness
Faithfulness gentleness self-control.

There is no law against these things.

24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Those who belong to Christ have nailed their own human nature to crosses, along with its feelings and selfish desires. Since we get life from the Spirit, we should follow the Spirit. The Greek word used here literally meant to ‘walk in line with’. We must not be conceited or make trouble for each other. Neither should we be jealous of one another.

Other lists of vices of the human nature are found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Revelation 22:15.

1 Corinthians 6:9-10: Or do you not know that wrongdoers will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor men who have sex with men nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.

Note: The words "men who have sex with men" translate two Greek words that refer to the passive and active participants in homosexual acts.

This is not “politically correct” today, but God’s laws do not change at the whim of mankind.

Revelation 22:15: Outside are the dogs, those who practice magic arts, the sexually immoral, the murderers, the idolaters and everyone who loves and practices falsehood.

Other lists of virtues of the Spirit filled are found in Ephesians 4:2, Ephesians 5:9, and Colossians 3:12-15.

Ephesians 4:2: Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.

Ephesians 5:9: (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth)

Colossians 3:12-15: Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

Let’s concentrate this week in communing more closely with the Holy Spirit so we may produce more virtuous fruit in our lives and character.

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving! May God bless you and yours.

Galatians - Chapter 4

2010-10-28T17:00:00.000-04:00

Paul is continuing his thought from the previous chapter… all Christians are sons of God.

And how are we sons of God? Christ was Abraham’s direct descendent. Through our faith in Jesus Christ we are adopted into the family and become heirs of the promise God made to Abraham.

1What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. 2He is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. 3So also, when we were children, we were in slavery under the basic principles of the world.

If a child (meaning a minor) inherits an entire estate, he still has nothing of his own, just as if he were a slave, because a child is still under the control of his guardians and trustees until he becomes the age when he can actually inherit, the age set by what his father indicated in his will. In the same way, as young Christians, we are subject to the principles of the world.

The word ‘principles’ here refers to the fundamental forms of religion, both those of the Jews under the law and those of the Gentiles old religious beliefs. When he calls them ‘principles of the world’, he means these things are of man and not of God.

4But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, 5to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons. 6Because you are sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, "Abba, Father." 7So you are no longer a slave, but a son; and since you are a son, God has made you also an heir.

But when the time had fully come… meaning the time set by God for his children to become adult heirs …he sent His Son, born of a woman… making Him human …born under law… born at a time when Moses’ law ruled the land, so He was also subject to the law the same as all other Jews at that time.

Then he could redeem those that were still living under the law, so we could receive our full inheritance.

As sons of God, He sent the gift of the Holy Spirit into our hearts to be our guardian. This Spirit knows our Heavenly Father personally and therefore can help us know Him as our Father.

The term ‘Abba’ indicates an extremely close relationship to God.

As adopted children of God, we are heirs of the promise.

8Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. 9But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? 10You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! 11I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.

Here we can feel Paul’s frustration. He reiterates before they knew God, they were slaves to other humans and their rules.

But now they know the one true God, they realize the idols they’d worshipped before, believing they were gods, were not gods at all.

They know God—or more importantly, are known by God—how could they think of turning back to the old laws, which had made them so miserable. Paul asks them if they want to go back to living like that?

He asks, ‘how could you go back to believing in those rituals and in the law, in good works, or even in the cold, dead orthodoxy. Why would you relapse into a second childhood when you should be enjoying the freedom of full-grown heirs?’

He says they are observing special days (i.e. the Sabbath & Day of Atonement) and months and seasons (i.e. New Moons, Passover, & Firstfruits) and years (i.e. the Sabbath year) as required by the old law.

The Pharisees meticulously observed all these in order to gain merit before God—to make themselves worthy. Of course, Paul has taught them these things had never been, nor could never be, in themselves a means of salvation. He is frustrated and worries all his efforts to teach them the truth of Christ was completed wasted on them.

12I plead with you, brothers, become like me, for I became like you. You have done me no wrong.

Paul pleads with them. He says he was once just like them (believing in the old laws), and now he wants them to become like him (a child of Christ). He also lets them know he holds no ill-will toward them.

13As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you.

Here we see a little insight of what it was like when Paul had first gone to Galatia and preached to these people during his first missionary journey. He says an illness had caused him to go there to begin with, and then he preached the Gospel to them—probably speaking of his blindness after seeing Christ on the road to Damascus.

14Even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself.

But although this illness caused them discomfort and extra work, they had welcomed him and hadn’t turned him away or looked down on him. Instead they welcomed him as if he were Jesus Christ Himself, or an angel from God.

15What has happened to all your joy? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. 16Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

So what happened to all that joy? When he had been with them, they had been so caring and loving that they would have torn out their own eyes and given them to him. So now, he asks, have they turned away from him because he spoke the truth to them?

Sometimes when we tell the truth, we risk the result of losing friendships.

17Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may be zealous for them. 18It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always and not just when I am with you.

Because of the passion the Judaizers had for the message they were teaching, they were able to convince them of the false teachings. Paul explains it’s okay to be so zealous, as long as you are zealous about the truth and about things with a good purpose. He also adds they should always be enthusiastic about the truths he taught them, even after he was gone.

19My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, 20how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you!

Paul calls them ‘his dear children’ showing his deep affection for them. He is so pained by their turning away from the Gospel he compares it to the pain of childbirth and says the pain won’t go away until they have turned back to Christ. He tells them if he could be with them, maybe he would be able to understand them better, but he can’t comprehend why they’re acting the way they are.

21Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says?

Why would anyone who understands what the law says want to go back to living under it? But since they do want to be under the law of Moses, he uses it to make a point.

22For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. 23His son by the slave woman was born in the ordinary way; but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a promise. 24These things may be taken figuratively, for the women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. 25Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. 26But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother.

Paul then goes back to the old scriptures to remind them of the history of Abraham. He had two sons, one by a slave, who was Hagar, and the other by a free woman, who was Sarah. The son of the slave, Ishmael, was born the same as anyone else. But the son of the free woman, Isaac, was born because of the promise God had made to Abraham.

Paul says this may be taken figuratively, not because it was nonhistorical, but because he was going to use the events to illustrate a theological truth.

He explains these women represent the two covenants between God and men. The first, (Hagar) the slave, is from Mount Sinai (origin of the law of Moses), and the children she bears will be slaves (slaves of the law) and form the present city of Jerusalem (meaning the city that is still ruled by Judaism and still under the bondage of the laws issued at Mount Sinai).

But the other, Sarah, is free and is the mother of all Christians.

27For it is written: "Be glad, O barren woman, who bears no children; break forth and cry aloud, you who have no labor pains; because more are the children of the desolate woman than of her who has a husband."

Here Paul recites the scripture found in Isaiah 54:1.

This is a joyful song from Isaiah about the promise to exiled Jerusalem. Jerusalem represents the ‘Believers’. Although it appeared they could conceive no ‘children’ or new believers, the promise was made by God that they would. Through the gospel of Christ, ‘Jerusalem’s children’ have become many.

28Now you, brothers, like Isaac, are children of promise.

Isaac was Abraham’s true son, but we are like him in that we are heirs of the promise.

29At that time the son born in the ordinary way persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now.

Isaac’s half brother, who was born in the ordinary way, persecuted Isaac, who was born by the power of the Spirit.

Genesis 21:9-10 9But Sarah saw that the son whom Hagar the Egyptian had borne to Abraham was mocking, 10and she said to Abraham, "Get rid of that slave woman and her son, for that slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with my son Isaac."

Paul says it is the same today. Those who are born of the law, the unsaved, will persecute those of us born in the Spirit who are saved.

30But what does the Scripture say? "Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman's son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman's son."

Here Paul again recites the scripture, using Sarah’s words from Genesis 21:10 as Scriptural basis for teaching the Galatians to put the Judaizers out of the church.

31Therefore, brothers, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman.

Scripture is clear. None of the slave woman’s children will EVER share in the inheritance. The believer is not enslaved to the law, but is a child of promise and lives by faith.

Many believe there is no connection between the Old and New Testaments and that they speak of two Gods with two different kinds of demands on men. But Paul demonstrates to us how they are related and it was all a part of God’s ultimate plan. This should make us realize God’s greatness and foresight and make us trust him more with our tiny little lives.

How does our birth in Christ give us freedom?

Not only does it free us from the laws of Moses, but through our faith God gives us strength to face things which otherwise may defeat us, giving us a peace we would otherwise not know, which in turn gives us joy.

We should exhibit our joy in Christ so others might see His light shining through us. There is nothing more attractive to others than a happy and joyful countenance.

Proverbs 15:13 A happy heart makes the face cheerful, but heartache crushes the spirit.

Galatians - Chapter 3

2010-10-04T15:46:00.000-04:00

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This chapter is among my favorites in the Bible. It explains the promise from God, which allows us to become His children. My 5 year old granddaughter likes to pretend she’s a princess. I explained to her that Jesus is the King of Kings, and we are his children, therefore she IS a princess. We who have accepted His gift of salvation are all princes and princesses, heirs of the Kingdom.

In this letter, Paul is appalled that the people in Galatia were turning away from his teachings so quickly simply because some Judaizers had come into the churches and were teaching that in order to be saved, you had to be Jewish or converted to a Jew. This completely invalidated everything Paul had taught them.

1You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified.

Paul is upset with those who are listening to the Judaizers. He says ‘how can you be such fools as to believe what they are teaching? Jesus was crucified! You know this!

2I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard?

Paul is asking “How did you receive the Holy Spirit anyway? By observing the old laws? No, by believing what I taught you; you heard the good news and you believed it.”

Paul mentions the Holy Spirit 16 times in this letter to the Galatians.

3Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort?

Again he asks them how they can be so foolish. They’ve experienced the Holy Spirit, so what is it they think they can accomplish by turning back to the old ways? Trying to achieve righteousness by works, including circumcision, was part of life in the flesh. After receiving the Holy Spirit, we no longer should be living life in the flesh, but in the Spirit.

4Have you suffered so much for nothing—if it really was for nothing?

Paul asks, “Why have you suffered the ridicule if it meant nothing?”

5Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard?

Again he asks how they received the Holy Spirit in the first place—was it by obeying the law of Moses or through belief in Jesus Christ?

6Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness."

Paul is referring to Scripture from Genesis 15:6: “Abram believed the LORD, and he credited it to him as righteousness.”

He says to remember Abraham and how he believed God, and God rewarded him with righteousness.

7Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.

If you believe, you become a child of Christ, and therefore become a decendant of Abraham. Abraham was the physical and spiritual father of the Jewish race. So how can these Gentiles be decendants of Abraham?

8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you."

Paul again refers to the Scriptures. Genesis 12:3: “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

God told Abraham “All nations will be blessed through you.” He didn’t say all Jews, or all of your kin, he said ALL NATIONS. So we know from this God had a plan, even then, for all to be able to receive salvation. Paul suggests these Scriptures revealed God would save non-Jewish people through their faith.

9So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith.

All who have faith are blessed just as Abraham was blessed because of his faith.

10All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law."

We find this particular Scripture in Deuteronomy 27:26: "Cursed is the man who does not uphold the words of this law by carrying them out." Then all the people shall say, "Amen!"

If you rely on the law for your salvation, you cannot be saved. For the Scriptures say if you disobey even one of the laws, you are cursed.

11Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith."

Paul is referring to the Scripture found in Habakkuk 2:4: "See, he is puffed up; his desires are not upright—but the righteous will live by his faith”

So it’s obvious no one could possibly be so perfect as to do everything the law requires. Habakkuk 2:4 says even when a person is puffed up (arrogant) or has sinful desires, thereby disobeying the law, he can still be righteous by living by his faithfulness. God’s blessing has never been earned, but has always been freely given.

12The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them."

The law is not based on faith, far from it. The Scriptures say “the man who does these things will live by them”.

This is found in Leviticus 18:5: “Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the LORD.”

13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

This Scripture is taken from Deuteronomy 21:23: “You must not leave his body on the tree overnight. Be sure to bury him that same day, because anyone who is hung on a tree is under God's curse. You must not desecrate the land the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance.”

Christ released us from the curse of the law by becoming cursed for us, for the Scriptures say “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree”. (word used for tree here originally meant stocks and poles on which bodies were impaled).

14He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.

Christ did this so the promise given to Abraham could come true, and all people (including Gentiles) could receive the promise of the Spirit through faith in Him.

15Brothers, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case.

Here Paul tries to appeal to them by giving them an example they can identify with. ‘Human covenant’ normally indicated a last will and testament. In the Greek translation of the Old Testament, it had been used to indicate God’s promise to His people. So this was an apt analogy and one they could understand. Paul says no one can change or add to a last will and testament once it’s been established, and the same is true with God’s promise.

16The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. The Scripture does not say "and to seeds," meaning many people, but "and to your seed,"meaning one person, who is Christ.

Here Paul is again referring to Genesis, when the Lord gave His promises to Abraham. The Scripture said the promises were spoken to Abraham and ‘his seed’, not plural, but one seed—one person—that one being Christ.

17What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise.

The law wasn’t introduced until 430 years after God made this promise to Abraham and doesn’t change the promise. God’s ‘will’ could not be changed.

18For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on a promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.

The inheritance (being the blessing God gave to Abraham) was given by a promise, or covenant, from God and cannot be given by the law.

19What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator

So if the law didn’t change God’s plan for salvation, then why was there a law given at all? It was given so men could understand right from wrong until the time when Christ (the seed, or special descendant of Abraham) had come, fulfilling the promise. The law was given through angels to a mediator (Moses).

The promise God had given to Abraham had stood at the center of God’s relationship with his people (the Jewish people). After the exodus from Egypt, the law became an additional element in that relationship. The law is what Jeremiah spoke of as the ‘old covenant’ and Christ was the ‘new covenant’.

Paul says the law was given through angels.

Deuteronomy 33:2 He said: "The LORD came from Sinai and dawned over them from Seir; he shone forth from Mount Paran. He came with myriads of holy ones from the south, from his mountain slopes.

Acts 7:38,53 He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us…53you who have received the law that was put into effect through angels but have not obeyed it."

Hebrews 2:2-3 For if the message spoken by angels was binding, and every violation and disobedience received its just punishment, 3how shall we escape if we ignore such a great salvation? This salvation, which was first announced by the Lord, was confirmed to us by those who heard him.

20A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one.

Moses was a mediator and was given the law in a formal arrangement of mutual commitments between God and Israel. But the promise given to Abraham was given directly from God and involved no commitment from Abraham, only from God. No mediator was involved.

Whenever there is only one side committing to something, with nothing in return by the other party, there is no need for a mediator. So the law was purchased by commitment from the Israelites. The promise to Abraham was a ‘gift’ from God.

21Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.

So is the law a bad thing, going against God’s will?
No. The reason for the law is this: although it cannot save, it serves to reveal sin, which alienates God from man, and shows the need for the salvation the promise offers.

23Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed.

Before Christ (wherein lies our faith), we were prisoners of the law (or of sin), for the law revealed to us what sin was. And since no one could live without disobeying some of the laws, it exposed sin, yet gave us no way to be forgiven for that sin, making us prisoners.

24So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith.

The law was “put in charge” to lead us to Christ—to understand this fully, we have to understand what this terminology meant in those days.

The Greek word used here was ‘paidagogos’ (ped i gog us) which was an attendant who accompanied a young boy to be sure he arrived at his intended destination safely, using discipline whenever necessary (a sort of guardian or baby-sitter; literal translation would be ‘schoolmaster’). The paidagogos usually accompanied his charge to, and from, his teachers.

In this analogy, the teacher was Christ and the law was the guardian. Once the law (or guardian) had done it’s job and led us to Christ, then it was possible for us to be justified by faith.

25Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

Now that the law (or guardian) has safely delivered us to Christ (the teacher), the guardian is no longer needed.

26You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

By faith we are adopted into God’s family and therefore justified to be an heir with all the rights and privileges of a family member.

28There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

Unity in Christ transcends all distinctions such as ethnicity, sex, or social standing.

29If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Since Christ was of Abraham’s lineage, and we are adopted as His children, then all Christians are Abraham’s true, spiritual descendants, fulfilling the promise God made to Abraham. Because of this promise, we receive all of God’s blessings.

Galatians - Chapter 2

2010-09-13T15:43:00.003-04:00

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After receiving a comment regarding the date this letter was written (view this comment by scrolling to bottom of this page and clicking on "comments"), I’ve taken another look at the timeline of Paul’s missionary journeys and other events during that period of time. I’ve concluded the book of Galatians was probably written sometime AFTER the Jerusalem council, making it sometime between 49AD and 53AD.

In chapter 1, Paul told about visiting Peter in Jerusalem and meeting James. He explained he had already been preaching the gospel for years before meeting these men. Therefore, he could not have received the gospel from them as the false teachers had claimed.

Vs.1: Fourteen years later I went up again to Jerusalem, this time with Barnabas. I took Titus along also.

Here, Paul is continuing to explain that it was 14 years later before he returned to Jerusalem, and Barnabas and Titus had gone with him.

Barnabas’s given name was Joseph, and he was a Levite from the island of Cyprus. He had been Paul’s companion on the first missionary journey.
Titus was a Gentile and a Christian who served as Paul’s delegate to Corinth and was later left in Crete to oversee the church there. Paul had a specific reason for taking Titus with him on this trip; he wanted to see how the leaders of the church accepted Titus since he was a Gentile who had not been circumcised.

Vs. 2: I went in response to a revelation and set before them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles. But I did this privately to those who seemed to be leaders, for fear that I was running or had run my race in vain.

Paul went to the ones who seemed to be the leaders of the church (probably James, Peter, and John) to explain to them what he had been preaching and to confer with them. He was beginning to feel as if all he had taught had been in vain because the churches were already beginning to listen to the false teachers. He was looking for moral support and advice from fellow Christians.

Vs. 3: Yet not even Titus, who was with me, was compelled to be circumcised, even though he was a Greek.

Even the leaders of the church in Jerusalem must have agreed with him concerning the old law not needing to be followed anymore because Titus, who was a Greek, had been accepted as a Christian without circumcision.

Vs. 4: This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves.

The Judaizers had entered into the church and tried to convince everyone that in order to be saved, you had to first be a Jew. If you were a Gentile, then you had to be circumcised to convert to being a Jew. So Paul is saying by doing this, these Judaizers were taking away the freedom God was trying to give us from the slavery of the old law. Jesus Christ freed us from those laws when he died on the cross. We need only to believe and accept the grace of God for salvation, not live by a lot of out-dated laws.

Vs. 5: We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.

Paul says none of them believed what the Judaizers were teaching and all the leaders were in agreement. They didn’t even hesitate for one minute to throw out these ideas because they knew it wasn’t what Jesus had intended.

Vs. 6: As for those who seemed to be important—whatever they were makes no difference to me; God does not judge by external appearance—those men added nothing to my message.

As for these leaders of the church who he had conferred with, (Peter, James, and John), it didn’t matter that they had been important people within the church, they had not added anything to the gospel he had already been teaching. They believed the same as he did.

Vs. 7: On the contrary, they saw that I had been entrusted with the task of preaching the gospel to the Gentiles, just as Peter had been to the Jews.

In the Greek, the word used here for Gentiles meant “the uncircumcised”, and the word used here for Jews meant “the circumcised”.

In fact, they had agreed with all of what he had taught. They understood it was his job to preach to the Gentiles just as it was Peter’s job to teach the gospel to the Jews. This is not to say Paul didn’t preach to Jews at all. In fact, he usually went to the synagogue first whenever he arrived in a city. But he did consider himself to be foremost an apostle to the Gentiles.

Vs. 8: For God, who was at work in the ministry of Peter as an apostle to the Jews, was also at work in my ministry as an apostle to the Gentiles.

This job had been given them by God and God was leading them both in their ministries—Paul’s to the Gentiles, and Peter’s to the Jews.

Vs. 9: James, Peter and John, those reputed to be pillars, gave me and Barnabas the right hand of fellowship when they recognized the grace given to me. They agreed that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the Jews.

Peter’s Greek name was Cephas, which is what the original Greek manuscript of this letter said.
Pillars—a common metaphor used during that time for those who represent and strongly support an institution. These ‘pillars’ of the church had recognized Paul and Barnabas as fellow Christians. The ‘right hand of fellowship’ was a common practice during that time among both Hebrews and Greeks indicating a pledge of friendship. We still use this ritual today in a handshake.

Vs. 10: All they asked was that we should continue to remember the poor, the very thing I was eager to do.

The leaders had agreed they should continue their work teaching the Gentiles, but asked they also remember and help the Jews who were poor. This was a strong commitment within the church and was believed to be among the most important work of the church—to take care of the poor and downtrodden. But Paul says he was planning to do that anyway.

Vs. 11: When Peter came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face, because he was clearly in the wrong.

Antioch was the leading city in Syria and the third leading city of the Roman empire. Paul had left from this city for each of his missionary journeys, so it was like home base for him.

Peter had come to Antioch when he heard about the Judaizers and had tried to make peace by urging the Gentiles to just go along with the circumcision so everyone would be happy. He hadn’t intended to go against the gospel, he had only wanted to appease the Judaizers. But in doing this, Paul felt he was compromising the gospel message and he told him so to his face.

Vs. 12: Before certain men came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles. But when they arrived, he began to draw back and separate himself from the Gentiles because he was afraid of those who belonged to the circumcision group.

Peter used to fellowship with the Gentiles until some Jews came from Jerusalem, sent by James. Then he separated himself from the Gentiles and began hanging out with the Judaizers so these important people from the leading church in Jerusalem would see he was a good Jew. He knew the Judaizers were wrong in their teachings, but he was afraid to go up against them.

There are preachers doing this today. They don’t always agree with the church associations, but must abide by what they say or they might be thrown out. Or they are afraid to preach certain sermons from the pulpit for fear of upsetting some church members. In the future, we may see the government telling church leaders what they may preach, and what they cannot. If the church goes against what the government dictates, they may lose their tax exempt status and pay more taxes. This is already happening on a small scale, but I'm sure we will see it more in the future.

Vs. 13: The other Jews joined him in his hypocrisy, so that by their hypocrisy even Barnabas was led astray.

He says that Peter was being a hypocrite by going along with these Judaizers because he knew better and was teaching something he didn’t even believe in. And not only that, but the Christian Jews were listening to him and joining him in the hypocrisy. And now Barnabas was listening to the lies too. Peter was an important leader in the church of Jerusalem, so why shouldn’t they believe in what he was teaching?! We want to believe we can trust in the teachings of the church leaders, but we should be careful to study the Word ourselves so we can know if they are teaching something incorrectly.

Vs. 14: When I saw that they were not acting in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter in front of them all, "You are a Jew, yet you live like a Gentile and not like a Jew. How is it, then, that you force Gentiles to follow Jewish customs?"

Paul, in front of all the others within the church, tries to reason with Peter and let him know what he is doing is wrong. He says “Hey,YOU’RE a Jew, but YOU don’t live by the old laws. So why do you make the Gentiles live by the Jewish laws?”

When we disagree with someone in the church, do we go to that person? More often than not, it happens this way: This person gets mad at that person (it can be either a church leader or a fellow member). The person who gets mad picks up the phone and begins calling their friends. The person they are mad at is filleted and fried over and over again.

That is NOT the way a faithful follower of Jesus will treat anyone. The Apostle Paul got very upset with a Christian brother. He was upset because Peter had not acted as he should. Paul, however, did not run around telling this one and that one about it. What he wanted to say ABOUT Peter he said TO Peter.

I suggest the next time we get upset with or want to criticize someone, we need to ask ourselves a couple of questions. One would be, "Are we so sure what we are upset or critical of is valid enough to say to the person’s face without fear of being proven wrong?" The second question would be, "If it is valid, then shouldn’t I be talking to the person face to face instead of talking about the person behind their back?"

Vs. 15-16: We who are Jews by birth and not 'Gentile sinners' know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.

Paul does not condemn the law of the Jews. In Romans 7:12, Paul says “So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good.” He believes these laws were given to them by God and therefore it is holy, righteous, and good, but he is arguing against the illegitimate use of the Old Testament laws, which made the observance of those laws the grounds of acceptance with God. The law doesn’t make men right with God. Only through faith are we justified, which is the essence of the gospel message. In Romans 3:20 & 3:28, Paul says “Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.” and “For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law.”

Vs. 17: If, while we seek to be justified in Christ, it becomes evident that we ourselves are sinners, does that mean that Christ promotes sin? Absolutely not!

While we are seeking justification, we obviously will discover how sinful we really are; does this mean that Christ made us sinners? Of course not.

Vs. 18: If I rebuild what I destroyed, I prove that I am a lawbreaker.

Paul is saying if he accepts the law has to be obeyed in order to be saved, then he will be convicted by the old law because he has not obeyed it.

Vs. 19: For through the law I died to the law so that I might live for God.

He had given up the law so he could live for God.

Vs. 20: I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

This is a another key verse! By accepting Christ through faith, he has given up living his life for himself and turned his life over to Christ, to do His will and be His servant. He does this because Christ loved him enough to die on the cross for him.

Vs. 21: I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!

If we ignore the gospel message which says we are saved by faith and believe we are saved by obedience to the law, then Christ died for nothing! Paul is saying if we are saved by the law, and not by grace, then this makes a complete mockery of the cross.

Obviously, circumcision is not a hotly debated subject today, but how is Paul’s message still relevant?

Many people still believe man’s ability to get into heaven depends on how many rules he keeps and how respectable he is. Paul shows us what counts is FAITH, not works.

So if works isn’t important in getting into heaven, why can’t we just live the way we want?

The freedom a Christian obtains through acceptance of Christ is not the freedom to live as we please. It only frees us from obeying laws that have nothing to do with salvation, such as circumcision or not eating pork. When we become Christians, we will not be motivated by our own selfishness, but by our desire to express the joy and comfort we receive from the Holy Spirit in our character, behavior, and relationships.

Galatians - Chapter 1

2010-08-22T21:28:00.000-04:00

Galatia was a region in Central Asia Minor that included cities such as Iconium, Lystra, Derbe, and Antioch. Paul is writing to all the churches in this area. These were churches he had preached in, or helped establish, during his first missionary journey. The entire journey and the visiting of these areas is described in detail in chapters 13 & 14 of Acts.

In my last blog, I explained how the Judaizers were saying Paul had no authority from God and was not to be listened to…

Greeting (vs. 1-5):

Paul, an apostle—sent not from men nor by man, but by Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead—and all the brothers with me, To the churches in Galatia: Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to rescue us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

Paul introduces himself as being sent by Jesus Christ and God the Father, not by men. He is re-iterating that his authority is from God. He stresses that God raised Jesus from the dead. This is important because the resurrection is the central affirmation of the Christian faith and because Paul had actually SEEN the risen Christ for himself and therefore was qualified to be an apostle, even though he wasn’t one of the original twelve.

Paul is not alone when he writes this letter. He has others with him who agree with what he is writing. Also, he is identifying the people to which he is writing: the people within the churches of Galatia.

First he greets them, wishing them grace and peace from God and the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember, the entire gospel he has been preaching is all about God’s grace and the peace Christ gives us.

He glorifies Christ here and once again uses this opportunity to emphasize what Christ did for us: gave himself for our sins so we may be rescued from the evil in this world; and this was all a part of God’s plan and done according to His will.

Purpose (vs. 6-10):

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you by the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel—which is really no gospel at all. Evidently some people are throwing you into confusion and are trying to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned! Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God? Or am I trying to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ.

Paul is surprised that these fellow Christians could be so fickle, turning so quickly from what he has taught them about Christ to the new teachings of the false teachers. He can’t believe they would so quickly desert God, who sent Christ so we could be saved through grace rather than by works and deeds, as these Jews were teaching.

He’s telling them that these false teachings are not any kind of gospel. Gospel means ‘good news’ and the things these Jews were teaching were basicly the same ‘old news’ that had been taught for centuries. He tells them these false teachers are trying to confuse them and are distorting and misrepresenting the gospel of Christ.

He is saying here that ANYONE, including himself, or even an angel from heaven, who preaches anything other than the true gospel of Christ, should be eternally condemned, not just reprimanded, but thrown into the fires of hell for eternity.

So here we see we need to be extremely careful of what we teach to others about the gospel. If we get it wrong and go around telling people something that is not Biblical, we are guilty of the same thing these people were doing. Remember the verse in James 3:1 which tells us teachers will be judged more harshly. This is what Paul is saying.

He says, take a good look at me. Does it look like I’m trying to please men? If I were trying to please men, I would be preaching what they want to hear. I wouldn’t be traveling around trying to convince people about Christ and being chased out of cities and taking the risk of being imprisoned or beaten so I can be a servant of Christ. But he says he IS a servant of Christ, re-iterating his authority from God.

Paul’s testimony ( vs. 11-24):

I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ. For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers. But when God, who set me apart from birth (from my mother’s womb) and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not consult any man, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went immediately into Arabia and later returned to Damascus.

Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Peter (who’s Greek name was Cephas) and stayed with him fifteen days. I saw none of the other apostles—only James, the Lord's brother. I assure you before God that what I am writing you is no lie. Later I went to Syria and Cilicia. I was personally unknown to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. They only heard the report: "The man who formerly persecuted us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy." And they praised God because of me.

Paul is saying that he, nor any other man, made up the gospel he preaches. (This gospel message was simple: “Salvation is for all and is received by faith in Christ”).

He says no one taught him these things. He received his knowledge from revelations from Jesus Christ. This is literally true because Christ visited him on the road to Damascus after Christ’s resurrection.

Here he is confessing to, and reminding them, of his past, how he persecuted Christians and tried with wholehearted zeal to destroy the church of God.

He says he was very knowledgable about Judaism, more so than anyone else at his age at the time and believed completely in traditions of the Jews.

Here is a case of ‘predestination’. Paul says God had chosen him from birth to be His servant. He had ‘set him apart’, not because Paul had done anything special, but strictly because of God’s grace.

God had, in His own time, revealed His Son to Paul so he could teach about Jesus to the Gentiles (the Greek word here translates literally to “nations” or “peoples” who were designated foreigners. In this case, they would have meant pagans or non-Jews). And Paul said he didn’t go to any man (Greek word here translates to “flesh and blood”) to see what he should do. He only listened to God and received his message from God.

The Judaizers were saying Paul was not an original apostle, but received his teachings from the twelve apostles and was merely repeating what he had heard them say.

Paul says he didn’t even go to Jerusalem (which was the religious center of Judaism and the birthplace of Christianity) and talk to the apostles of Christ to get their opinion. They were apostles before he was, but he didn’t need their blessing, he already had God’s blessing and God’s grace.

After being in Arabia and then going to Damascus, he spent three years preaching the gospel before he decided to go get acquainted with Peter (A.K.A. Cephas). He stayed with him for 15 days, probably rejoicing in their shared love of Jesus. He’s letting these people know he received the gospel from Christ and had taught it in Damascus three years before he ever met any of the apostles. So he couldn’t have received his knowledge of Christ from them.

NOTE: His time in Arabia is not talked about in Acts, but it is believed Paul had been so stunned by his visit from Jesus and the new knowledge he had been given, he needed a time of solitude to absorb it all. It was in Arabia that many of his revelations came. God was preparing him for his calling.

He lets the people of Galatia know this was not some kind of summit meeting or conspiracy to come up with a story, he never even saw any of the other apostles. But he did see James (Jesus’ brother, not the apostle James). At this time, James was the leader of the elders in the Jerusalem church.

Paul tries to assure them, in the name of God, he is being completely truthful.

When he left Peter, he went to Syria and Cilicia (in Tarsus, Paul’s home).

He didn’t go to these places to see anyone, he went there to preach. He says no one in Syria or Cilicia knew him at all, he was a total stranger to the Christian Jews there. (This was his home, but he’d been gone for a long time, and when he’d left, he had been a different person. He had been Saul, the young man who was to be a leader in Judaism and who persecuted Christians.)

These people had heard of Saul, the man who had persecuted Jews that had become Christians, and they had heard of his conversion and how he was now preaching Christ’s gospel. So they welcomed him and praised God for him. Imagine how good this made him feel, to be finally accepted in his hometown among a group of people who already knew Christ. I imagine those years between his conversion and when he went to see Peter, he had felt pretty alone in trying to preach the message that Christ had given him to teach.

We can get a small sampling of this joy when we find a church that welcomes us and has the same faith we do. Anyone who says they don’t need church is going it alone much in the same way Paul did for those three years. It can be done, but it’s so much easier and more joyful when you can share your faith with others of the same faith.

How can we prepare ourselves for the times in our future when we will hear a distorted message about Christ?

Through Bible study we can know when it is a distorted message.
Through prayer, the Holy Spirit will help guide us to know the truth.
Cling to the Word of God, rather than things we may have heard or been taught in the past, even if it was taught by people we thought to be Christians.

Should we argue with the messenger or condemn him in front of others?

No, we should take him aside, show him from the Bible where he is wrong, try to persuade him into the truth so he can go back and correct his wrong teaching. If this does not work, then we are to separate ourselves from him and his teachings.

GALATIANS

2010-07-05T07:59:00.001-04:00

Written by Paul of Tarsus

A little history lesson:

In order to understand the book of Galatians, we must understand some of the period history and what Paul was facing.

Judaizers: a sect of Jewish Christians that were not willing to accept the teaching of the Apostles and insisted that gentiles could not be saved unless they obeyed all the Jewish laws: such as circumcision, eating special foods, and celebrating Jewish feast days. They made it their business to visit and unsettle Gentile churches, teaching that in order to become a Christian, Gentiles must first become a Jewish Proselyte and keep the Jewish law. They were determined to stamp Christ with the Jewish trademark.

Jewish Proselyte: If a male, not born a Jew, wished to become a Jewish Proselyte, he could do so by being circumcised and observing the ceremonial law of the Jews; in some respects, this is likened to a foreigner becoming a citizen of our country.

At this time, Christianity was considered a Sect or Branch of Judaism. However, by the Fall of Jerusalem in 70 A.D., this had changed. Jews and Christians were separated. A small group known as the Ebionites remained for two centuries, but were hardly recognized by the Church at all.

Paul had been to Galatia around 45-48 A.D. and established the church, and his work had been extremely successful. Great multitudes of mostly gentiles had enthusiastically accepted Christ. But soon after Paul left Galatia, the Judaizers came along insisting that gentiles could not be saved unless they obeyed all the Jewish laws. They also said Paul did not have the authority from God, and he was not to be listened to. The Galatians heeded these teachings with the same whole-heartedness with which they'd first received Paul’s message. There was an epidemic of circumcision among the gentile Christians, and Paul heard about it.

The purpose of this letter was to try to put an end to the confusion being caused by the false teachers. It is believed he actually wrote this letter about 49 A.D. from Antioch soon after he left Galatia, but before the Jerusalem Council of 50 A.D. The Jerusalem letter from this council, stating circumcision was not necessary, was carried immediately to the Galatian churches (Acts 15:1 – 16:4). So if Paul had written his letter after that, he probably would have referred to the Council’s letter. Therefore, it seems likely that the writing of Paul’s letter to Galatia pre-dated the Council meeting, making this book one of the first written of our present New Testament books.

Paul re-visited Galatia immediately before setting out on his second missionary journey, and again before his third.

As we study this letter, we will notice 4 special features:

• It’s a strong letter: Paul does not compromise. He writes in very strong language and supports his main theme with many different arguments.

• It’s a loving letter: Paul shows all the concern and care of a great pastor.

• It’s brief: It has been called a ‘rough draft’ of the book of Romans, which was written later in greater detail and developed more fully.

• It’s memorable: It contains many phrases that stick in your mind.

Paul begins by re-explaining the gospel he teaches and claiming his authority from God. He re-iterates we are saved only by believing in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. He goes on to say Christians are to live by the law of love, not the law of Moses. He makes sure they know, although it had been a necessary part of Jewish National Life, circumcision was not a part of the Gospel of Christ and had nothing whatsoever to do with Salvation. If Paul had not fought back and had allowed the Judaizers to continue to lead the gentile Christians astray, then everything he had taught would have completely lost it’s meaning. The gospel Paul wanted them to understand was that man is justified by faith in Jesus Christ—nothing more and nothing less—and man is sanctified not by legalistic works, but by the grace and power of Christ and the Holy Spirit.

It was the rediscovery of the basic message of the book of Galatians that brought about the Reformation of the church. Galatians was relied upon very strongly by Martin Luther and therefore is often referred to as “Luther’s book”. One of the key verses Martin Luther liked to rely on was 2:16.

"Know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified."

I'm Back! Let's Discuss the Sabbath

2010-05-24T16:12:00.000-04:00

April came and went, and now May is almost over! Where does the time go?!

I am still struggling with Revelation, so a study on it is not yet feasible for me. I do, however, want to tackle it eventually.

For now, a discussion about the Sabbath has been nudging at me. What about the fact that most of us worship on Sunday (the 1st day of the week) rather than on Saturday (the 7th day)?

I grappled with this question for several years, until I prayed about it and allowed the Holy Spirit to help me through Bible study. Following is my conclusion. However, I would still like to know what you think, so please comment if you have thoughts on the subject.

Resting on the Sabbath was one of the Ten Commandments given to Moses for the Israelites. The Ten Commandments are still a terrific moral compass for us to live by, but they were the beginning of the Old Law. Under the New Covenant, given to us by God through the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, and the gift of the Holy Spirit, Christians are not bound by the Old Law.

Galatians 3:19-25 What, then, was the purpose of the law? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was put into effect through angels by a mediator. A mediator, however, does not represent just one party; but God is one. Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. But the Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe. Before this faith came, we were held prisoners by the law, locked up until faith should be revealed. So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, we are no longer under the supervision of the law.

So the law was given to help guide God's people until the coming of Jesus Christ.

So when should we worship?

I believe the Word instructs us to worship and praise God in all things we do and say. It is good for us to set aside a day to remember what our Lord has done for us, and in 1 Corinthians we are instructed to set aside a portion of our income for the Lord's work on the first day of each week.

1 Corinthians 16:2 On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with his income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.

This was the custom of the early churches, to set aside offerings to help those within the churches and spread the gospel. When Paul says "when I come", he is speaking of when he visits to collect the offerings so he can distribute them to the other churches as needed.

The apostles also met on the first day of the week to break bread, as told in Acts 20:7. On the first day of the week we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.

I do not believe it matters which day you choose to worship or observe as your Sabbath day of rest. We are told in Titus not to argue over such things.

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless.

In Romans, Paul gives instruction about how Christians should live and sets the foundations of the Christian faith. In regard to holy days, he has this to say:

Romans 14:5-6a One man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike. Each one should be fully convinced in his own mind. He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord...

In Colossians, he goes one step further:

Colossians 2:16-17 Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

So our hope and faith is in Christ, not in which day we choose to celebrate Him. The Sabbath was "a shadow of the things that were to come". Christ Jesus. Now that He has come, we are to follow Him in the way the Holy Spirit leads us.

In summary: We are to be Christians every day, and fellowship with other Christians on whatever day we choose, while continuing to set aside our offerings on the 1st day of the week. More important than how and when we worship is that we worship Christ. Believers should focus on faith in Christ alone. Our worship, traditions, and ceremonies can help bring us close to God, but we should not criticize fellow Christians whose traditions and ceremonies differ from ours.

Taking A Break

2010-01-12T13:58:00.005-05:00

Thank you for visiting my blog. I will be taking a break from the Bible study until Spring while I work on the manuscript for my third novel.

Please use this time to catch up on lessons you may have missed by checking out the archives. Look on the left of the screen and click on "Blog Archive" and choose from the drop-down menu.

Stay warm and check back for more studies in April. I'm considering an in-depth study of the book of Revelation. First I need to decide if I'm up for the challenge. I'll let you know in April.