How Do We Look, How Do they See Us?

I Corinthians 8: 1-13

Now Paul will answer another question. In this culture there were a lot of statues set up all over the city that were honored with sacrifices, and they asked if it was okay to buy these meats that were sold inexpensively. 

Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge makes arrogant, but love edifies. 

As Christians, we all have learned about God. But just knowing what He's done for us can make us think we're better than others. But when we love God back, and love other people with His Love, then that will build them up. 

If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know; 

To only know the facts about something is to just see the surface of it, not to see what lies underneath it. 

but if anyone loves God, he is known by Him. 

When you realize how much God Loves you to have saved you as He did, then you will love Him back, and have a much better understanding that Love undergirds all the facts. 

Therefore concerning the eating of things sacrificed to idols, 

Now Paul applies this principle to the question they asked him.

we know that there is no such thing as an idol in the World, and that there is no God but one. 

We know that an idol is only a statue, and that there is nobody in that image, it's only wood or stone.  

For even if there are so-called gods whether in Heaven or on Earth, as indeed there are many gods and many lords, 

People worship and honor all kinds of things instead of God, and what they put first in their lives is their god, so there are many gods in this World; and someone's lord is whatever is boss over them, like an addiction. 

yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him. 

For us Christians, we know the one real God, that He is the Father who created us; and our Boss is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Word of God, by whom the Father created all of us.  

However not all men have this knowledge; 

Some new Christians who have been steeped in all the idolatry, may not have realized this yet, and still attribute power and value to the statues. 

but some, being accustomed to the idol until now, eat food as if it were sacrificed to an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 

So if they eat the meat that had honored the idol, they consider it as giving honor and worship to the idol instead of to God, and their conscience is wounded.  

But food will not commend us to God; we are neither the worse if we do not eat, nor the better if we do eat. 

Food is just material nourishment for our bodies, and it really makes no difference to God where that nourishment came from, since He gave us all the plants and animals for food. 

Even if someone has taken an animal and sacrificed it to an idol, then sold it in the butcher shop or restaurant; since the idol is only a statue, it could have no effect on the quality of the meat, it's still a good steak or chop, but it can be sold for less money because the animal was already paid for to sacrifice it. 

But take care that this liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak. 

So if you realize this, that you can get these good meats at a bargain price, so you want to take advantage of this good deal. But be careful how you do it. Appearances can be powerful influencers. 

For if someone sees you, who have knowledge, dining in an idol's temple, will not his conscience, if he is weak, be strengthened to eat things sacrificed to idols? 

So if you take your wife to one of these restaurants where the good meal costs less, and someone who is a new Christians sees you there eating, how is he going to understand this, if he still thinks there's something powerful in the idol? Might he conclude that it's all right to make use of the idol's "powers" for his own benefit, as well as the Lord Jesus?

For through your knowledge he who is weak is ruined, the brother for whose sake Christ died. 

So my liberty in the Lord has caused a new Christian to remain in the idolatry that he was saved out of. 

And so, by sinning against the brethren and wounding their conscience when it is weak, you sin against Christ. 

Loving my new brother in Christ will make me more aware of how he will see my life. I must consider how others take what I do, and be careful to not give a wrong impression in doing what is right.  

Therefore, if food causes my brother to stumble, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause my brother to stumble. 

So Paul says that if eating these meats may cause a problem for someone else, then he just doesn't need to eat meat any more. He is willing to limit his own freedom in Christ for the sake of appearances, to not offend someone else or cause them to stumble. 

This is a good general principle to follow no matter what the situation may be. We live in glass houses as Christians, because others are watching us. We may be living our lives righteously as we understand it, but if we don't consider how others may see what we're doing, even though it's all right, they may have some skewed view of things, and consider what we're doing to be wrong. 

In today's World, our enemy has deceived people so much that their thinking processes are twisted in viewing good things as bad, ugly things as beautiful, and wrong things as right. They see genuine Love as hatred, and tolerance and promotion of evil as good. 

They have turned the World upside down and see it as normal. Then when we, as God's people, turn it back upright, they are upset. That's why they said that Paul had "turned the World upside down" (Acts 17:6), when he was really setting things upright. 

That's why we need to be very careful about how we say what we say to people who are new Christians or who don't know Christ yet. And we need to be prepared to answer their questions with gentleness and compassion. And to patiently bear whatever persecution will come as a backlash to our evangelism. 

O my Father, this is such an important chapter for all of us to take to heart. Father, help us to consider how we may be seen by others. Let Your light shine through us into this dark World, to show up what is not right. Strengthen us in Your Love to love others so much that we are willing to sacrifice whatever is needed of our own abundance or reputation or friendships, to let others know Your Love, also. 

Help us who have knowledge share with others to increase their knowledge, so we all can see more of Your big picture of who You are and what You are doing. Father, help us to all be prepared to face whatever is coming in each of our lives, in our serving You and promoting Your Kingdom; so that every person everywhere will hear Your Good News, and understand enough to make an informed decision to either accept or reject You.

And draw all of Your lost sheep into the safety of the fold, that there will be One Fold with One Shepherd.

And every eye shall see, and every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Lord God Almighty, to the glory of Almighty God the Father! 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

To Marry Or Not To Marry?

I Corinthians 7: 25-40

Now concerning virgins I have no command of the Lord, but I give my opinion as one who by the mercy of the Lord is trustworthy.  

We have seen that Paul sometimes gives his own opinions when he doesn't have a direct command from the Lord, and this section is one of those. 

But I think that God had him write these, as an expansion and application of the general principles of the laws, considering the political and sociological condition the people were living in at that time. 

So it also is a good application for us to consider, to guide our thinking.

I think then that this is good in view of the present distress, 

They were under persecution at this time.

that it is good for a man to remain as he is. 

The whole last section dealt with not being concerned with changing your state in life just because you got saved.  

Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released. Do you not have a wife? Do not seek a wife. 

This is staying in the same situation. 

But if you marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. Yet such will have trouble in this life, and I am trying to spare you. 

It's not wrong to want to get married, but it will complicate your life.

But this I say, brethren, the time has been shortened, so that from now on those who have wives should be as though they had none; 
and those who weep, as though they did not weep; and those who rejoice, as though they did not rejoice; and those who buy, as though they did not possess; 
and those who use the World, as though they did not make full use of it; for the form of this World is passing away. 

I'm not sure what all Paul is trying to convey here, but what we do or have in this World is not as important as what we do for the Kingdom. This World is temporary and is passing away, but the Kingdom is permanent and will last forever. 

But I want you to be free from concern. 

This is Paul's main consideration for this whole section. 

One who is unmarried is concerned about the things of the Lord, how he may please the Lord; 
but one who is married is concerned about the things of the World, how he may please his wife, 
and his interests are divided. 

This makes sense. We don't want our minds to be divided. Having the responsibility of a family can complicate a simple life, and Paul really appreciates being available to serve the Lord freely. 

The woman who is unmarried, and the virgin, is concerned about the things of the Lord, that she may be holy both in body and spirit; but one who is married is concerned about the things of the World, how she may please her husband. 

The same situation is true for a girl or woman. 

This I say for your own benefit; not to put a restraint upon you, but to promote what is appropriate and to secure undistracted devotion to the Lord. 

Paul isn't trying to hold them to his standard, but he is trying to show them that it is easier to be devoted to the Lord without all the distractions. 

But if any man thinks that he is acting unbecomingly toward his virgin daughter if she is past her youth and if it must be so, let him do what he wishes, he does not sin; let her marry. 

In Paul's society, the father made the decision whether his daughter would marry. In most societies today we would ask the girl. 

But he who stands firm in his heart, being under no constraint, but has authority over his own will, and has decided this in his own heart, to keep his own virgin daughter, he will do well. 

So if the girl has decided she wants to stay single and can keep herself pure, then she should be commended.

So both he who gives his own virgin daughter in marriage does well, and he who does not give her in marriage will do better. 

So Paul concludes that staying single is better than getting married because it is easier to serve the Lord without all the distractions and complications of having a family. 

A wife is bound as long as her husband lives; but if her husband is dead, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 

The marriage vow holds "unto death," but if she is a widow, then she has no constraint from marrying another husband, especially if he is also a Christian.

But in my opinion she is happier if she remains as she is; and I think that I also have the Spirit of God.  

Paul here is asserting his opinion and wanting it to be trusted, because, of course, he has the Spirit of God, as all God's children have. And God did have him write these letters which have been included into the cannon of Scripture as God-breathed. 


These are not hard-and-fast rules, but just guidelines to direct our thinking processes. We don't have to automatically assume that every single person needs a spouse, every young girl doesn't have to marry, every single guy doesn't have to be on the prowl looking for satisfaction of his carnal desires.

We can also consider keeping ourselves available to serve the Lord freely as Paul has, but we can also consider marrying if we fall in love. 

Paul said previously that every man and every woman should have their own spouse to avoid fornication. Singleness is not a gift given to every child of God. We are all given different gifts, and if God has shown you that He wants you to serve Him free of all encumbrances, then decide not to look for someone to marry. But if you really want to have a marital relationship, and have fallen in love with someone you are attracted to, then by all means, you should get married. 

There is no Law either forbidding or commanding marriage, it's all up to us. We are free to decide for ourselves. There is no compulsion either way. 

God is good, and He wants us to have everything He planned for us to have and use for His Kingdom and His glory. He has brought some people together to marry so that they can help each other in their serving the Lord. Others He has strengthened to remain single and available to serve Him freely, like Paul. 

O my Father, You are so good to have given us everything we need. Father, You had Paul write his opinions so that we could have guidelines to follow, and not feel compelled into any relationship, but still free to pursue the life You want for each of us, whether to marry or not. 

Please lead us according to Your plan for each of us. Help us and strengthen us to do the things You would have us do, whether with a partner or not. Father, if a partner will help me serve You better, then bring him into my life. Either way, show me where You would have me go and what You would have me do to further Your Kingdom.

O Father, I want everyone to know how much You love them! Show me how to do what I can do in this endeavor. 

And every eye shall see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord God Almighty, our sovereign King of the Universe, to the glory of Almighty God the Father!

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Relax, Don't Worry About It

I Corinthians 7: 17-24

Paul here takes a couple of paragraphs to press one point: Don't make any drastic life changes just because you became a Christian.

Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches. 

Just as you were when God called you, this is where you are.

Was any man called when he was already circumcised? He is not to become uncircumcised. Has anyone been called in uncircumcision? He is not to be circumcised. 

Circumcision was a strong sticking point to the Jewish believers in that day to get unstuck from. Circumcision is a cutting of the flesh. Jesus said that the Earthly flesh was worth nothing spiritually, because life itself is spiritual (John 6:63). So whether a man is circumcised or not makes no difference in whether he is saved or not.

Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but what matters is the keeping of the commandments of God. 

This is because the flesh counts for nothing spiritually. Our thinking processes are the spiritual working through our physical brains, and how we think determines our attitudes and how we will or will not obey God. This is what God looks at.

Each man must remain in that condition in which he was called. 

Paul says it again, whatever state you are in when you are saved, don't try to change those things right away.

Were you called while a slave? Do not worry about it; but if you are able also to become free, rather do that. 

Even if you were a slave when you got saved, just try to be a better slave. Don't worry about it. But if you can obtain your freedom, go ahead. Then you will have more freedom to work for the Lord.

For he who was called in the Lord while a slave, is the Lord's freedman; likewise he who was called while free, is Christ's slave. 

Here's one of God's paradoxes: a slave is God's freedman and a free man is God's slave. God just doesn't see the way we do, does He? 

You were bought with a price; do not become slaves of men. 

Jesus paid for all of us when His blood was poured out by the soldier's spear. He bought us, we are His property and possession. We are His.  

Brethren, each one is to remain with God in that condition in which he was called.  

Here's the third time he says it. So if you were circumcised, a slave, or married to a spouse when God saved you; then don't try to get out of it just because you're a Christian now. 

This passage comes in the middle of Paul's chapter on family relationships, so it also applies to marriage and families. 

The focus today is not on circumcision or slavery, but the marriage and family question is on everyone's mind. This portion of Paul's letter instructs us here. 

The rest of this chapter continues to address answers to questions they had asked him about family circumstances.

O my Father, please teach all of us how to untangle the twisted and complicated situations people find themselves in today. Show us how to compassionately smooth out rough places in our relationships, and draw us ever closer to Yourself in our following Your ways in our attitudes and actions.

Father, You are so good and wise, and You have seen how we would get our societies so messed up. But You know the way out of all the confusion; please lead us out, into the simplicity of Your ways. Teach us how to be still (settle down, relax) and know that You have us in Your hand. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Marriage And Families

I Corinthians 7: 1-17 

Now Paul goes on to answer some questions he's been asked. 

Now concerning the things about which you wrote, it is good for a man not to touch a woman. 

Paul's opinion is that he can serve the Lord freely, unencumbered by a wife or family.  

But because of immoralities, each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband. 

But it is not an easy life for a man to not ever have that intimate relationship. 

The husband must fulfill his duty to his wife, and likewise also the wife to her husband. 

This "duty" is to submit to the intimate "one flesh" relationship. 

The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does; and likewise also the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does. 

When we make the marriage vow, we are voluntarily turning over our body to our new spouse. So our bodies belong to each other now, not ourselves. 

Stop depriving one another, except by agreement for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer, and come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. 

Paul says not to "cut off" your mate, unless you both agree to take a break to fast and pray, for a specific time period, then come together again to resume your physical intimacy. This is to reduce your vulnerability to temptation.  

But this I say by way of concession, not of command. 

This is Paul's idea, not any commandment from God.  

Yet I wish that all men were even as I myself am. 

Paul is again giving his opinion, that to be totally unencumbered gives him the freedom to travel and spread the Gospel and plant churches all over the known World. Wouldn't it be wonderful if every Christian could do that, too?

However, each man has his own gift from God, one in this manner, and another in that. 

But God gifts us all differently, because we are all different, so that wouldn't be practical. God wants us all to do different things different ways for the Kingdom, so that everything will get done.

But I say to the unmarried and to widows that it is good for them if they remain even as I. 

Here he is again, giving his opinion. Not a bad opinion, but not a hard-and-fast rule, either. 

But if they do not have self-control, let them marry; for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. 

Paul gives the concession that it's not wrong to marry, especially if someone would have a problem remaining celibate. 

But to the married I give instructions, not I, but the Lord, 

Now this is not Paul's opinion, but an actual command to be obeyed. 

that the wife should not leave her husband 
(but if she does leave, she must remain unmarried, or else be reconciled to her husband), and that the husband should not divorce his wife. 

This is before wives had the right to divorce their husbands. If they were in an intolerable situation, then they could only leave, not divorce. Men always had all the rights. But here, neither the wife nor the husband was to dissolve the marriage, as God intended marriage to be a picture of His relationship with us, and He will never leave us nor forsake us. 

But to the rest I say, not the Lord, 

Here's Paul's reasoned opinion again, not a commandment. 

that if any brother has a wife who is an unbeliever, and she consents to live with him, he must not divorce her. 
And a woman who has an unbelieving husband, and he consents to live with her, she must not send her husband away. 

Paul is maintaining that marriage is for one man with one woman for life, even when the husband or wife has become a Christian and the spouse has not yet. 

For the unbelieving husband is sanctified [set apart] through his wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified [set apart] through her believing husband; for otherwise your children are unclean, but now they are holy [set apart]. 

Both of the words for "sanctified" and "holy" come from the same Greek word. Hagiazo means: sanctified, to be holy; or to be set aside to be made holy, to be exposed to the Gospel and be saved. And hagios means: pure, blameless; or even, hagnos: innocent, clean, pure; which refers to being saved by living in a Christian home, and hearing the Gospel, a real advantage and privilege.  

Yet if the unbelieving one leaves, let him leave; the brother or the sister is not under bondage in such cases, but God has called us to peace. 

We should all try to get along with one another. So if an unbelieving spouse decides to leave, we are not to try to force them to stay. We can't expect a non-Christian to think and act like a Christian, so there is no rule that says they have to stay if they choose to leave. But the one abandoned this way is not under any compulsion to have to try to get them back, or to stay unmarried, or even having the liberty to choose to marry again, only in the Lord. 

Some Christian teachers still today will not go this far, to permit remarriage after divorce; but I contend that if the one abandoned is likely to be too vulnerable to temptation, then I would say that they would be like the unmarried and widows mentioned above, especially if the abandoning one marries again.

For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife? 

Paul contends that the believing wife could win her unbelieving husband to faith, and the believing husband could win his unbelieving wife to faith. This is a possibility, and the believing spouse needs to be sure that they love their partner with extraordinary love and kindness, to not be accused of running their partner off, should they leave. 

Only, as the Lord has assigned to each one, as God has called each, in this manner let him walk. And so I direct in all the churches. 

Paul does not vary his teachings to different audiences, he is faithful to teach only what He has learned from the Lord, and his own reasoned opinions based on the Lord's teachings to fill in the gaps. 

I know that some Bible teachers may still hold a hard-and-fast rule that once a Christian gets married, they can never have another spouse unless the previous one has died, to have a Christian ministry. And even if the person was married, divorced, and remarried before becoming a Christian. 

Considering our culture today, even Christians are getting divorced at the same rates as the general population, which is a very sad commentary on the state of the Church. So do we want to knock out three-fourths of all Christians from serving the Lord? Even if they have returned to the Lord and cleaned up their relationships to the best of their ability? 

Relationships have become very complicated with all the twistings and multiples of marriages and children and step- and half- and cousin-siblings, and other kinds of connections or lack thereof. The enemy has confused what a family even is, knowing that our human societies are based on our families. 

So we need to take one another where we are today, and if we need to start fresh, then let's start new with the Lord, and obey what He has commanded from this day forward. And deal with the complications of the past to straighten them out as best we can. And to love one another as God Loves us. 

Each one of us is important to Him, and is different from every other person He has made. And He has called us to live together in peace. 

Even in Paul's day, he had questions to answer concerning the marriage relationship, and because he did, we now have his letters to guide us today. 

O my Father, You knew we would have all these problems we have today, and even greater ones to come. You knew we would need to have guidance through these troubled relationship waters, so You provided Paul's writings for us today. 

We know that You guided Paul in writing his opinions, that they would not contradict Your rules, but expand our understanding of how we can faithfully apply Your commandments in our societies today. 

Father, You have called us to live together peacefully, loving one another, even in our own households, even if they are convoluted and complicated. You love every one of us, and You accept each one where we are right now. 

But then You don't leave us where we are, especially if we need to make changes to align with Your design. But those changes should never harm anyone, or even hurt them unnecessarily; but accept each person as a loved child of God, and not leave anyone out of our circle of affection. 

Father, grant us Your wisdom and compassion in all our relationships, especially our family relationships. We are Your family, as You are our Father as we are Your children, and Your Son is our Brother and our Bridegroom as we are His Bride. 

Father, our enemy has wreaked havoc with Your picture of family in this World, but let us have Your wisdom and discernment to salvage what we can of this beautiful picture. So that we can live together in peace. 

And may our families shine Your light brightly in this dark World, showing those in the World the wonderful joy of doing things Your way! 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

The "One Flesh" Principle

I Corinthians 6: 12-20

Paul is here addressing the third issue he deals with in this chapter, that our bodies don't belong to us, they are the Lord's. 

All things are lawful for me but not all things are are profitable. 

Just because something is legal, that doesn't mean that it is right, or beneficial. 

All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything. 

Something may not be against the law, but I don't need it, if it could cause me to acquire a bad habit or addiction.

Food is for the stomach and the stomach is for food, but God will do away with both of them. 

Food is meant to be eaten, but we need to pay attention to what we're putting into our stomachs that it will be healthy and beneficial. 

Today there is a big emphasis on the kinds of foods that are available to eat. Some are touted to be healthy, but contain harmful chemicals that excite the pleasure sensors in our brain. Other foods make no bones about just being fun to eat.

Personally, I like to eat one-food foods, that don't contain any processing or added chemicals, and season them with wholesome herbs and salt and pepper. When my regular diet consists of this, then a doughnut once in a while does no harm.  

Yet the body is not for immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord is for the body. 

God made our bodies to be healthy, and we will give account for how we have maintained this tent we live in. Not only concerning physical health, but also to pay attention to our moral values, which also impact our health. And our Lord does expect us to take good care of all the resources He gave us, including our bodies, minds and emotions, and our spirits.

Now God has not only raised the Lord, but will also raise us up through His power. 

Jesus' Resurrection was the raising of His physical body. And God will also raise up our physical bodies to be like His. So we need to take care of them. 

Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ?

Christ is the head and we are all His body parts. We are all united.

Shall I then take away the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? May it never be! 

Paul here gives as an example of one way we can abuse our bodies, by engaging a prostitute. This is only an example; he has already mentioned several other ways we misuse and damage our bodies in different kinds of unrighteousness. 

Or do you not know that the one who joins himself to a prostitute is one body with her? For He says, 

The two shall become one flesh (Genesis 2:24). 

Paul quotes Genesis here, with God's pronouncement that Adam and Eve will join their bodies intimately into one unit together, and this is marriage. 

So someone who joins intimately with another is trying to be "one flesh" with that person. If he is not married to that person, then it is fornication; or if he is married to someone else, it is adultery. 

Or if they are two people who are of the same gender, then they are trying to accomplish what is a physical impossibility; this is an aberration, or a twisting of what God designed, a perversion. 

But the one who joins himself to the Lord is one spirit with Him. 

When we are born into God's family, we receive His Holy Spirit. This is the Spirit of Jesus, who joins with our human spirits. So we are united with Jesus Christ. 

He is our Husband and we are His bride.

Flee immorality. 

So we are not to play with fire, but run away as fast as we can from any hint of immorality. God's Spirit in us gives us the power and authority to say "No!" to every temptation to stray. If we try to "stand and fight," we will lose. We can't fight temptation, we can only run from it. We stand and fight Satan. With our spiritual armor on.

Every other sin that a man commits is outside the body, but the immoral man sins against his own body.

This is serious. Don't even consider a little "fooling around." Your body is holy to God, and He will hold you accountable for not seriously taking care of it. Your body reflects physically all the mental, emotional, and spiritual events in your life. Especially immorality. 

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, 

The Holy Spirit is God, and where God dwells is His Temple. So your body is the Temple of God today in the World.

and that you are not your own?
For you have been bought with a price: 

When Jesus' Blood was poured out at the foot of the Cross when His side was pierced by the soldier's spear, He fulfilled the Corporate Sacrifice that Israel was to offer on the Day of Atonement, to purchase the whole World. So we are His property. We belong to Him by Creation and by Purchase. And when He becomes your Savior, we are His a third way--by Redemption. 

therefore glorify God in your body. 

We are to physically worship God with our voices, lifted hands, etc. And also by living our lives dedicated to His Kingdom, in purity and honesty and clear thinking. Our citizenship is in His Kingdom of Heaven. We need to live like it.

O my Father, You are our dear Father, You are our designer and maker, You are our Almighty God, who has planned out all the days of this Universe. And You are causing the Time to progress steadily, moment by moment, year by year, age by age, from beginning to end. Just as You want it, for Your enjoyment. 

And You have made Mankind to live with You, to share Your joy and enjoyment with each of us of Mankind, to all have fun together forever! 

Please strengthen us against the pull of this World and our own damaged DNA of our flesh. Help us to live our lives separate from the World, even as we live in the World; that our lives would be noticeably different from our neighbors around us, so they will ask us what makes us so different. 

And use us to share Your Good News to all who ask, and even those who don't ask, but wonder. Let our lives so stand out as beacons in this dark World, that no one will mistake Your power in us. 

And bring in all Your lost sheep into the One Fold with One Shepherd. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Unrighteousness Or Holiness?

I Corinthians 6: 9-11 

This is the second of three issues Paul tackles in this chapter of his letter. These people were apparently trying to straddle the fence by allowing this list of all kinds of evil behavior to go on, priding themselves on their tolerance and open mindedness.  

Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? 

Anyone who lives an unrighteous lifestyle is showing that he does not have the Spirit of God living in him, the Spirit of holiness and purity.

Do not be deceived; 

Don't try to fool yourselves into thinking that any of these things are all right, under any circumstances:

neither fornicators, 

Fornication is any kind of sexual or sensual relationship outside the covenant of marriage. 

nor idolators, 

An idol is anything you put first in your priorities before God, whether it be family, or things, or even yourself. 

nor adulterers, 

Adultery is married people having any kind of sexual or sensual relationship with someone not their spouse. 

nor effeminate, 

This means effeminate by perversion. 

nor homosexuals, 

"Abusers of themselves with mankind" are those who are injuring themselves by having relations, men with men, instead of with women in a moral and natural marriage relationship.  

nor thieves, 

A thief takes what doesn't belongs to him without the permission of the owner, even if it's just a little thing of "no consequence." 

nor the covetous, 

To covet is to desire what someone else owns for himself, rather than to be happy for the owner to have it.

nor drunkards, 

To drink too much, to over-imbibe, in order to dull the senses. 

nor revilers, 

To revile is to to assail with contemptuous and outrageously disgraceful or shameful abusive language. It's a really strong word for cussing someone out.  

nor swindlers, 

This is to cheat by deceit, trickery or fraud.

will inherit the Kingdom of God. 

Any one who behaves in any of these ways is showing that they don't know or care about God or His ways.  

Such were some of you; 

Paul is saying that some of these Christians used to live lifestyles characterized by these unrighteous attitudes. 

but you were washed, 

Christ's Blood washes away every stain of sin.

but you were sanctified, 

When they were saved they were set apart from the World and the ways of the World.

but you were justified 

Made just, according to Truth. God made us human, then when we are born again, He makes us pure and perfect. 

in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ 

Because of what Jesus accomplished as Christ for us. 

and in the Spirit of our God. 

God's Spirit dwells inside our spirits, making us pure and holy and just according to God's justice. He put our sin on Jesus' account, pouring out His wrath that we deserve on Him on the Cross; then He puts Jesus' righteous life on our page in the Account Book, to balance the books. He didn't deserve our punishment, nor do we deserve His righteous standing. 

These Christians who lived in Corinth used to live their lives indulging in all these wicked and unhealthy lifestyles, before they came to Christ through Paul's teaching. But once they were born spiritually, they were set free from all these addictions and compulsions. 

God made us to live with Him, and the only way to do that was for the Son to do what He did. It sounds grossly unfair to put our punishment on Jesus, when He didn't deserve it, but it's the only way God could be just, and also be our Justifier, to make us fit and able to live with Him. That's how much He Loves us. 

O my Father, You planned out all this before You ever made anything. You knew that if You gave us a free will, that we would decide against You, and do all these awful things that are listed here. And that Your Son would have to come as our Lord God to fulfill all the Law and the Prophets and the Psalms, just as He said. 

That He would have to suffer in our place, and then rise victoriously from the grave. 

And He will return to finish fulfilling the rest of all the predictions that have been written before He lived through any of it. 

That is why He told His people to write it. And why He came to this Earth to be born as a human, just like we were, to die a human death for each of us.  

And He will return soon, as soon as every one alive has heard Your Good News with enough understanding to decide for or against You. 

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!

Who Will Judge Whom?

I Corinthians 6: 1-8 

In this chapter Paul now turns to three more issues they need to resolve. 

The first is about lawsuits.

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

They are suing each other in the secular courts. 

Or do you not know that the saints will judge the World? If the World is judged by you, are you not competent to constitute the smallest courts? 

God has appointed His children to be the judges of the unrighteous of the World. So we should be competent to decide between Christians. 

Do you not know that we will judge Angels? How much more matters of this life? 

We will also be the judges over the Angels who sinned, a much more serious and spiritual matter. If we will have this authority, how much more capable we should be to decide matters of this World.  

So if you have law courts dealing with matters of this life, do you appoint them as judges who are of least esteemed in the church? 

If there are church members who aren't doing anything else, are they the ones you say to take this responsibility?

I say this to your shame. Is it so, that there is not among you one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren? 

If you do that, then your are admitting that no one in your congregation has enough godly wisdom to decide these matters. This is shameful, because you're not accepting what God has already given you. 

But brother goes to law with brother, and that before unbelievers? 

Instead they are suing one another in the secular courts. 

Actually, then, it is already a defeat for you, that you have lawsuits with one another.

Even that they want to sue one another is not right. 

Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be defrauded? 

Love covers over all kinds of wrongs, and forgives and lets it slide. 

On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. 

It's not right to hold a grudge or demand retribution, but especially when we are attacking our own brothers and sisters. 

We are to love one another, not only as we love ourselves, but as God Loves us. He Loves us with unconditional Love, that overcomes every obstacle. We will see later in this letter all the characteristics of the love we are to have for one another. 

O my Father, You are so amazing, that You know us completely, yet You still Love us so enormously! Please help us to forego any grudges we may be tempted to bear, especially against our own family members, whether physical or spiritual. 

Teach us how to love one another as You have Loved us, Father. Show us how to love with Your Love, instead of just our own human love. Even a mother's love is not as pure or great as Your Love for us. 

And You have already given each one of us everything we need to do everything You have set before us to do to accomplish our part of Your great Plan of the Ages. Open our eyes and our understanding to all that You have empowered us to do. 

And every eye will see, every knee will bow, and every tongue will confess that Jesus is our Christ and our Lord God Almighty, our Sovereign King of the Universe; to the glory of Almighty God the Father.

Even so, come, Lord Jesus!