1 Corinthians 8:7-8 Use Your Freedom Wisely!

1 Corinthians 8:7-8  But not everyone knows this.  Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled.  But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.  

Paul beseeches the strong Christians in the Corinthian church to be careful how they use their freedom IN CHRIST.  Specifically, he wants them to beware how they use their freedom in eating food served to idols.  Some Christians in Corinth were weaker in their knowledge of who God is and who Christ is.  The Corinthians had come out of a heathen culture of worshipping idols, so some of them still gave credence to the existence of other gods.  Because of this idea of the existence of multiple gods, some of the people had a difficult time understanding how Christians could eat food given to these lesser gods when they had committed themselves to Jesus, their Lord.  When they saw Christians still eating food given to idols, the weaker brethrens' consciences were defiled.  As we saw last week, Paul knew that the weaker brethren did not fully understand that there is one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. (vs. 6)  The stronger Christians understood that we live IN CHRIST at all times that He is our righteousness, our perfection.  Eating of food given to idols does not defile us, for we live by the grace and mercy of God.  The heart is what is important.  Once Jesus called a crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand.  What goes into a man’s mouth does not make him ‘unclean,’ but what comes out of his mouth, that is what makes him ‘unclean.’”  (Matthew 15:10-11)   IN CHRIST we are cleansed and made holy.  Nothing but Jesus makes us worthy to be accepted by God.  We are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do.  Only Christ brings us close to God through his shed blood.   

The Corinthians came out of centuries of serving idols.  Their culture, their society, even their calendar was organized around serving these false gods.  All they knew about life was serving idols made by man.  They were slaves to these idols because that was all they had known for their entire lives.  Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods.  But 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?  You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!  I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. (Galatians 4:8-10)  Paul implores the people from this culture of idol worship to separate themselves completely.  Yet as they are learning to walk in Christ, he does not want the stronger Christians' actions to hurt the weaker believers' faith.  Paul teaches that righteousness comes through Christ alone.  He fears that because of their past idol worshipping practices, some will distill the Christian experience into a way of serving God rather than accepting their complete dependence on God's grace and mercy.  He is concerned they will regress into manmade religion: serving God by how they dress, eat, act, think: serving God through ceremonies and rituals they believe will please God.  Sadly, he knows there is a tendency for human beings to adopt or to adapt the practices that they previously followed into their Christian experience.  When the Galatians turned back to weak and miserable principles, Paul expressed his concern for them as we noted above.  He knew they could not mix the old with the new and remain faithful to Christ.  He has this concern for the church in Corinth.  Rather than remain in the freedom God has given them, they were making themselves slaves again to false religions.  He wanted the weak and the strong to realize nothing but Christ brings us closer to God: no food, no way of living, no ceremonies, no rituals, no sacrifices, no philosophy, no idea: nothing can make us right with God other than the blood of Jesus Christ, our Lord. 

How foolish we have become when we set standards for ourselves to please God, when we think we are more reverent if we perform certain rituals or act in a certain way, when we think our service to God has to be clothed in the trappings of religion.  We have lost our way when we believe God comes closer to us only at church, especially if we dress in certain clothes, sing in a certain way, perform certain holy acts.  Do we not know that the Bible tells us the Holy Spirit is in us?  As Paul wrote in his second letter to the Corinthian church: But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellence of the power may be of God and not of us.  (2 Corinthians 4:7)  To be honest, God is as close to us when we are shopping in a grocery store, when we are eating in a restaurant, when we are taking a shower in our bathrooms or when we are in our beds asleep as He is when we are praying at the altar at church.  He is also with us at our worst moments of weakness and sin, for He promises, Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.  (Hebrews 13:5)  God is inside us when we commit to Jesus Christ as Lord: this is the salvation experience.  He has made us new creatures out of his great love for us.  His love causes him to be with us at all times.  He desires us to worship him by communing with him continually, praising his holy name, and singing our songs of joy because of his love for us.  He wants to hear our words of endearment to him.  Breakfast companions, do not push him to some corner in your life.  Do not make him meet you at some designated time or place, such as church on Sunday.  Do not think that you are only close to him when you are on your knees at an altar.  GOD IS CLOSE TO YOU AT ALL TIMES.  Paul quoted the Old Testament when he told the Romans, The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart.  (Romans 10:8)  Open your ears, hear him, lift up your heads, for He is with you.  You are not in a religion, you are IN CHRIST.  HE IS ALIVE IN YOU.  No eating, no drinking, no act of living will bring you closer to God than Christ IN YOU.  He has made you acceptable to the living God.  He is the God who cannot be put into temples made by hands, but He now resides in your temple because of the sacrifice of his Son, Jesus Christ.  Amen!  

1 Corinthians 8:4-6 One God Who Lives In Us!

1 Corinthians 8:4-6  So then, about eating food sacrificed to idols: We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world and that there is no God but one.  For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”),  yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live. 

In the above scriptures, Paul restates that there is only one God, even though some people entertain the idea of other gods, other divine beings, worthy of worship.  The belief that God created all that is in existence, even life itself, remains the essence of Christianity.  God spoke everything into being through the Word, the Lord Jesus Christ.  Of course the understanding of the creation of all that is through the Word of God goes beyond man's human knowledge, understanding, and even imagination.  The Bible says, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.  He was with God in the beginning.  Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.  In him was life, and that life was the light of men.  The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not understood it.  (John 1:1-5)  Without Christ, we humans are in the dark, determining what is real and what is not real by using our senses.  Paul talks about an existence beyond our senses with one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came.  With our senses, our understanding, and our knowledge, we can easily evaluate idols made of wood and stone and declare them as false images, not real gods.  However, our same human gifts and abilities cannot determine, evaluate, and measure the Creator of heaven and of Earth and his domain.  The Word of God tells us Jesus knew the Father.  When Jesus told his disciples He was going to prepare a place for them, Thomas said he did not know where Jesus was going or the way.  Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life.  No one comes to the Father except through me.  If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well.  From now on, you do know him and have seen him.” (John 14:6-7)  This same Jesus did miracles that no man from the beginning of time had performed.  Throughout his life, people saw a man not with extraordinary ability but with miraculous ability: healing the lame, the blind, the leper, and the demon possessed; raising the dead; feeding thousands with a small amount of food; and even controlling nature.  Most importantly, by paying the price for mankind's sin and waywardness, He brought a lost creation back into right relationship with its Creator.  Because God is just and the payment for sin was death, Jesus went to the cross to pay that debt.  Because of Christ's shed blood, all who place their faith in Jesus' righteousness and not their own will receive eternal life.  Paul writes about the mystery that has been kept hidden for ages and generations . . . which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.  (Colossians 1:26-27)  Christ alone is our hope, our everything.

The Bible speaks clearly about finding eternal life with harmony and peace that will never end.  This life comes through the Creator of all things, Jesus Christ our Savior and Lord.  Eternal life comes through no other name, idea, or philosophy.  “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,” that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.  As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”  For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile — the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”  (Romans 10:8-13)  By believing in Jesus Christ, your faith in him will give you life.  There are many supposed gods, but there is only one true God, and He is the God of all things.  And we who are his are called Christians.  But we cannot be Christians in name only.  Even children understand the idea that our words must mean something.  When our children were young, they liked to play school, but as is often the case, the oldest ran the classroom, and she was the "teacher."  One day, our son, Jeff, came in and said, "Christine always gets to be the teacher, and I want to teach sometimes."  I said, "Well, she probably thinks because she is older, she has more to teach the rest of you."  (This group of "students" included several younger neighborhood children as well.)  Jeff looked me straight in the eye and said, "Don't you think if she was a real Christian, she would let me teach sometimes?"  What could I say to that?  I said, "I am sure, if we talk this over, that Christine will give you a turn?"  And she did.  Christians take turns after all.  We know the words of Jesus, By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.  (John 13:34)

As Christians with an eternal view and with our hope placed in Christ Jesus alone, we want to live our lives for the Lord.  We dedicate ourselves to his life, to reflecting his image to the world.  We know whether we are alive or dead, we are his forever, forever to be in his presence.  We know we will never be alone again, lost in our finite existence, destined for dust.  Living for Christ brings an eternal reality to our lives.  For none of us lives to himself alone and none of us dies to himself alone.  If we live, we live to the Lord; and if we die, we die to the Lord.  So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.  For this very reason, Christ died and returned to life so that he might be the Lord of both the dead and the living.  (Romans 14:7-9)  Even though we exist with this hope as our salvation, a hope that goes beyond reasoning, we are not left with hope alone.  No, Jesus said, I want you to tarry in Jerusalem before you do anything for me.  I want you to wait for the Comforter, the Advocate, the Counselor.  I want you to wait for the infilling of the Holy Spirit.  No wood, no stone, no graven image can give you this Spirit of truth and light.  We who are Christians are living out the Book of Acts.  This Book is ongoing, extending into the Twenty-first Century as the Holy Spirit continues to change people's lives.  Paul describes the life of the Spirit: But if Christ is in you, your body is dead because of sin, yet your spirit is alive because of righteousness.  And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you.  (Romans 8:10-11)   We who are alive IN CHRIST through faith are literally alive IN THE SPIRIT OF GOD.  He who raised Christ from the dead will raise each of us from the dead.  We will meet Christ in the shadow of death someday, not in the infiniteness of death.  Jesus will greet us, welcome us.  He comes back for each of us.  The Holy Spirit, the Power of God, will resurrect us TO CHRIST.  THERE, IN HIS PRESENCE, WE WILL LIVE FOREVERMORE in the place prepared for us.  There is but one God, the Father, Creator of heaven and Earth for WHOM WE LIVE; there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and THROUGH WHOM WE LIVE; and there is but one Holy Spirit who guides us each day and teaches us all things pertaining to righteousness and truth.  Amen!  

  

1 Corinthians 8:1-3 Glorify God with Your Love!

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

Love is a nebulous concept for most of us.  Our love often depends on the situation or circumstance we find ourselves experiencing and sometimes hinges on whether it is reciprocated or not.  If someone rejects our smiles, endearing words, and affectionate actions, we tend to back off in our display of love towards that person.  If we feel a person does not care for us and for our ideas, we usually treat him or her coldly, without deference.  I have seen Christian athletes displaying unchristian actions when the athletic contest is on the line or when another player does something they do not like.  What about football players who testify of Christ in their lives; yet they claim in a game they caught a ball when they know they are actually lying.  On the basketball court, many Christian players, caught in a contested game, will fabricate about whether the ball went off them or their opponent in an out-of-bounds situation.  They will lie to the officials, to the fans, to the opposing players.  Their hundred percent effort to win the game has caused them to shake off the testimony of Christ.  The scriptures call Christians ambassadors of Christ who should love the world as themselves, but when the game could be decided by one play and when there are high expectations from coaches, teammates, and fans, these ambassadors of Christ give in to their circumstances, their situations.  Their love and claims of Christ in their lives become evasive.  Their love as with the above focus is dependent on circumstances, even on their freedom in Christ's redemption.  Of course, this kind love that is often found in our relationships, in our activities, in our interests is more than evasive, it is totally dishonest, and it is known by God.  Our claim of loving God should not depend on circumstances at school, on the job, or at home.  Our love is not based on our freedom to do or say anything we want, even if it seems appropriate and correct.  Our actions and words should express God's love for ALL HUMANITY.  Therefore, we should say or do that which will not hurt anyone and that which glorifies the Lord.  Jesus said, Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.  (Matthew 5:16 KJV)

In today's focus, we see Paul discussing how our knowledge about something can erase the guiding principle of loving others as ourselves.  Paul tells the Corinthians they should be careful how they act in their daily lives.  Just because they know that idols and other gods are not real, they should not take advantage of that knowledge by eating food in the temples of idols.  As we read the rest of this chapter, we will see that Paul warns them that doing so might hurt a weaker brother.  A weaker brother might be led away from the true gospel of Christ because of their freedom to eat in the temples of idols.  Because of the actions of the stronger brethren, a brother or a sister who is not as strong in the faith might start to believe these false gods really do have power or authority over their lives, giving credence to the lie that there are other gods in existence.  Paul wants them to know that their correct knowledge about a certain circumstance can be hurtful to others.  They must not forget their obligations to the whole church, even their weaker brethren.  A person's  perception of being completely free because of perceiving the word of God correctly, can cause great damage to the church.  We might think we contain the absolute truth about something or that we have freedom to act or say anything we desire.  Even sometimes thinking we can lie when it helps us can hurt others.  We might rely correctly on God's mercy and grace in all situations, but Paul is saying, we really know nothing as we ought to know.  Later in this letter Paul brings restraint to the believers: All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.  (1 Corinthians 10:23)  We do not really understand that the love of God is for everyone, in all circumstances.  Our liberty, used correctly or not, does not set us free from our obligations to others.  When the contest of life is on the line, we cannot use our freedom to undermine our weaker brethren.  We must live and act above reproach.  Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand.  (Philippians 4:5)    

The man or woman who loves God places God in all their activities and words.  This person of dedication is known by God, is recognized by God as his own son or daughter.  Our knowledge about the truth or our freedom we have in Christ must not be used capriciously for our own benefit at the expense of others.  We must be people of integrity: honest, truthful, obedient to God.  We must consider our weaker brethren in our daily words and actions.  How does what I do affect someone else who is weaker than I am in a certain area?  Love for God is personified in the actions and words of Jesus Christ.  When Jesus prayed at the Mount of Olives, He said, “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”  (Luke 22:42)  He allowed himself to go to the cross, to be stripped and beaten, to die an ignoble death, alone, with people cursing him and spitting on him.  Love for God is not evasive, circumstantial, based on the reciprocation of others, and our needs.  Love for God is sacrificial when we do not want to sacrifice.  Love for God is living a life of commitment when committing costs us everything.  Today in some Middle Eastern countries, a person can die for professing Christ as Lord or sharing the Good New with others.  God's love does not depend on circumstances; it is the power that sets us free.  Jesus' words are as true today as when He spoke them:  Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves.  I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing.  (John 14:11-12)  Remember his words, ". . .anyone who has faith in me WILL DO WHAT I HAVE BEEN DOING."  We are to be about our Father's business.  We are to do his work.  If the ball goes off you at a vital point in the game, be faithful to the Word.  Follow your Jesus.  For there are weaker brethren watching you.  You can either solidify their lives in Christ or you can lead them astray to another way, one that will lead them into death.  Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.  (Mark 12:30)  Amen!  

1 Corinthians 7:36-40 Win the Prize of Your Calling!

1 Corinthians 7:36-40  If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants.  He is not sinning.  They should get married.  But 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.  So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better.  A 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.  In my judgment, she is happier if she stays as she is — and I think that I too have the Spirit of God.

Once again in the above focus, Paul presents his perspective on following Christ wholeheartedly.  Christ is life to Paul, everything else is incidental in his understanding of what it means to live.  We see Paul telling the man who will not get married for Christ's sake that he does better than if he had married.  He tells the women whose husbands have died to stay single, not to get entangled again with the demands of married life.  Why?  Because in their singleness they might live lives more committed to Christ.  Christ is everything in Paul's teaching.  He makes this clear in these words: But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.  What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things.  (Philippians 3:7-8)  Paul considered all relationships within the purview of serving Christ.  In last week's breakfast we thoroughly addressed his comment: I 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.  (1 Corinthians 7:35)  In this week's focus we see him doubling down on this theme of sole commitment to God.  He desires men and women to serve Christ in undivided devotion to the Lord rather than serving their own emotional, psychological, and biological needs.  He clearly addresses all of this within the context of whether a man should or should not get married.  If he does get married because of harboring a guilty conscience concerning how he has treated his virgin, it is appropriate to marry.  If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants.  This decision to marry is acceptable as far as Paul is concerned, but he who does not marry her does even better.  Implied in all of this is that living for the Lord is better than living to fulfill your personal needs.  By adding that he has the Spirit of God, Paul implies that God would want what Paul has described for his children.

In finishing chapter 7, we should consider how the Spirit of God desires for us to live?  How should we plan our lives to give God preeminence?  Paul tells us to remain single if possible, to avoid entanglements in the world, to live for Christ and not for ourselves.  Paul kept his eyes on Jesus.  He said, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.  (Philippians 3:14)  But our lives are often entangled in the things of this world.  We have jobs, relationships, spouses, children, and daily duties.  We have all of these cares; plus we live in communities, social, political, and religious, that demand our participation and best efforts.  Within these responsibilities, how do we live our lives for God with total commitment to Christ as Paul has demanded?  Is it possible to live in the twenty-first century fully surrendered to Christ?  Can we marry the concerns of Paul to our daily existence as Christians?  Is it possible to know Christ in our daily lives in an intimate way without totally isolating ourselves from the cares of life?  Paul reminded Christians that they were not to become one with the world.  He quoted the words of the Lord in his second letter to the Corinthians to make this clear: “Therefore come out from them and be separate, says the Lord.  Touch no unclean thing, and I will receive you.  I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”  (2 Corinthians 6:17-18)  We know many religious orders in the Middle Ages established monasteries on high pinnacles of mountains so they might be protected from the demands, rigors, and chaos of daily living.  In their enclaves, they committed to serving God without distractions.  In some of their orders, they were forbidden to speak at certain times so they might hear God.  They were to dress differently, look differently than the ordinary person.  They dedicated many hours to prayer, meditation, and Bible reading.  All of this was so they could commit totally to God.  But this is not a reasonable model for most of us today.

Yet, are we not the temple of God?  Does not God dwell in us?  Seeing Jesus, John said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"  (John 1:29 NKJV)  The perfect Lamb was slain for us that we might have an intimate relationship with God in our personal temples.  Our temples have been cleansed by the blood of The Lamb of God.  No matter where we are or what activity we are participating in, God through the Holy Spirit is present in our temples, these human bodies.  His voice is in us; the voice that created all that exists.  We do not have to go on some mountain or to an isolated place to commune with God.  We do not have to avoid others to make God real in us, for He is in us at all times.  If we draw near to him in our spirit, He will draw near to us; for the Word says, Come near to God and he will come near to you.  (James 4:8)  God is not only personally involved in our temples; He has also placed us in the body of Christ, his church.  We know God singularly and corporately: For in fact the body is not one member but many.  (1 Corinthians 12:14)  Well then, what is Paul's concern in chapter 7 if God is always with us in our temples and if He goes where we go?  Paul asks us not to clutter up our lives with our own self-interests.  He wants us to be vibrant testimonies of Jesus Christ and his works in us.  He wants us to seek first the kingdom of God in all our choices and decisions.  Our mornings should open with prayer, and our evenings should end in prayer.  Our voices should express him in words and with songs.  Christ's nature should be obvious in all of our interactions and relationships.  Everyone should know who we are because of our love for humanity.  We should be the epitome of mercy and grace to all, deserving or undeserving.  We will be more generous than the world.  We will not be as the world--critical, judgmental, angry, deceitful--for these are instruments of darkness and death.  The temple of God brings life; we are the temple of God.  Wherever we go, the temple goes: the image of God to the world.  Listen to his voice today, for He constantly speaks to us.  He is The Advocate, The Counselor, The Comforter that dwells in us.  He is the pillar of fire at night, the cloud by day.  Look for that fire, that cloud, and follow him through life.  When you do, He will order your life correctly.  You will produce abundant fruit for his glory.  

1 Corinthians 7:32-35 Fully Devoted to the Lord!

1 Corinthians 7:32-35  I would like you to be free from concern.  An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs — how he can please the Lord.  But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world — how he can please his wife — and his 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.  I 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. 

Paul advises the Corinthians to remain as free as possible from the entanglements of this world.  He wants them to live lives one hundred percent committed to Christ, dedicated to Christ's affairs and not their own.   I would like you to be free from concern.  He is not necessarily talking about being married or not: he is talking about how they should look at life and live lives fully devoted to God.  Christians should be totally in, willing to give all for the purposes of Christ.  I 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.  The right way, the only way for Paul, was to be completely dedicated to Christ and his message.  For Paul, any other way would be a failure.  Paul was taught this message first on the road to Damascus when he met Jesus: “Get up," the Lord said, "and go into Damascus.  There you will be told all that you have been assigned to do."  (Acts 22:10)  In Damascus, Ananias came to see him and told Paul:  "The God of our fathers has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and to hear words from his mouth.  You will be his witness to all men of what you have seen and heard.  And now what are you waiting for?  Get up, be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name." (Acts 22:14-16)  Paul's assignment was very direct and pointed to what he must do in his life.  However, Paul believed all of God's children have a special purpose for their lives, for they are all members of Christ's body, and as members of his body they must fulfill their positions in that body.  When Paul describes the entire body growing up with Christ as the head, he says, From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.  (Ephesians 4:16)  To do so, they must be committed to Christ' affairs and not their own affairs.    

Jesus' teachings and his life clearly reveal the need for our lives to be dedicated to God's purposes and not our own.  He loved the Father and did everything to please him.  We claim to love Jesus, but are our lives lived for Christ in first place as we claim?  Or are we living primarily for ourselves: our needs, wants, and connections to this world.  Anyone who loves his father or mother more than me is not worthy of me; anyone who loves his son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me; and anyone who does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.  Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.  (Matthew 10:37-39)  Paul took up his cross, his purpose in life, and followed Christ in everything that he did.  Christ was the center of his life.  When the disciples were called, they immediately and wholeheartedly left everything to follow Jesus.  The world's affairs were put behind them.  Peter states this truth in Luke 18: 

Peter said to him, “We have left all we had to follow you!”  Jesus' call to them was definitive, follow me one hundred percent, and I will make you fishers of men.  This is our call no matter of what position we have in the body of Christ.  He will make us fishers of men because we will reflect God through our lives.  This reflection of God will convict men of their sins, causing many to turn to the Creator, becoming children of God.  When we live in the 

right way in undivided devotion to the Lord, we will be witnesses to the world, ambassadors of Christ.  Paul presents this challenge to the Corinthians: live the right way for God's purposes, not your own.  When we read Paul's words, we have to consider whether our devotion to God is undivided.  Can a mother make her home a haven for her family and Jesus at the same time?  Can a businessman make his company the most successful among others in his field while nurturing his faith and witnessing to others?  The answer is yes and no.  The answer is no if one is not constantly aware of the presence of Jesus.  The answer can only be yes with an intentional will to seek God's will first and foremost.  As Jesus said, But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.   (Matthew 6:33)

Are we living the "right way" according to today's verses or are we mostly concerned about our own affairs?  Is Christ and his message the primary focus of our lives or even our secondary concern?  Where do we place Christ in the decisions we make every day?  Paul tells the Corinthians that serving Christ is so important that perhaps they should not get married.  For Paul, Christ was everything, the first thing in morning and the last thing at night.  He wanted the Corinthian Christians to be just as dedicated as he was to living for Christ.  In life or in death, Christ was all.  As he wrote to the church in Philippi: I eagerly expect and hope that I will in no way be ashamed, but will have sufficient courage so that now as always Christ will be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death.  For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  (Philippians 1:20-21)   For us in the twenty-first century, is Jesus Christ the center of our lives or is He at best on the periphery?  Is He the cherished guest in our homes, preferred above everyone else, or is He basically ignored, lost in the clamor of daily living, only brought forward when we feel stressed or in need?  We will spend hours upon hours avoiding him.  His voice in us does not compete well with the din around us.  We think of him being silent within us, but we have caused his voice to seem silent in the presence of our blaring technology.  An axiom Paul struggled with is that flesh will do what it really wants to do when we yield ourselves to its will.  If we want to oppose this axiom of the flesh, we must know the Word and follow it through God's power.  These verses say it well: For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live, because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.  (Romans 8:13-14)   The children of God do His will, commit their lives to His life, and follow him by the voice of the Holy Spirit.  Are we being people of the Spirit or of the flesh?  Paul asks the Corinthians to be people of the Spirit.  The rewards are great for those who will follow Christ all the way.  

“I tell you the truth,” Jesus said to them, “no one who has left home or wife or brothers or parents or children for the sake of the kingdom of God will fail to receive many times as much in this age and, in the age to come, eternal life.”  (Luke 18:28-3)  Today, choose life in the Spirit, life abundant and full.  God bless you!  

1 Corinthians 7:25-31 The World Passes Away!

1 Corinthians 7:25-31  Now about virgins: I have no command from the Lord, but I give a judgment as one who by the Lord’s mercy is trustworthy.  Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are.  Are you married?  Do not seek a divorce.  Are you unmarried?  Do not look for a wife.  But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned.  But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this.  What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short.  From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those 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; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.  For this world in its present form is passing away.

The idea of holding this world lightly is an on-going focus in the Bible.  Living for God preeminently while living for ourselves less represents a major theme of  the New Testament.  We see in the Old Testament where God is intimately involved with the tent people going through the desert to the Promised Land.  He is there at night as fire and each day as a cloud to remind them he is an intricate part of their journey to the land He has prepared for them.  Their tent lives were constantly on the move, following the Spirit of God every day.  We who are alive now should be as those tent people, ready to move as the Spirit leads.  In the above passage, Paul reminds us our lives should not be attached to this world in a permanent fashion.  We should be able to pull up our tent stakes quickly if the Lord desires us to move.  What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short.  From now on those who have wives should live as if they had none; those 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; those who use the things of the world, as if not engrossed in them.  Why?  For this world in its present form is passing away.   To nail our lives down to this Earth and the things of this Earth is foolishness to Paul for he knows them to be only temporary.  He knows there is no eternal value in anything that is fixed to this earth.  Likewise, Peter wrote:  Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul.  (1 Peter 2:11)  These godly men knew heaven and Earth will pass away someday.  All that is of this world will turn to nothing, so why live so passionately to establish a foundation here.  Instead, Paul beseeches believers to put their treasures and hearts' desires on things above, not on things below.  He asks the church in Corinth to look above the horizon, above the institutions of this world, to fix their eyes on the true purpose of living, on God's plans for them: to allow the Holy Spirit to make them into sons and daughters of the Most High. 

Over the centuries, the message that Christians must redeem the time has been an integral part of Christian dogma.  What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short.  The urgency of accepting Christ, living for him, and sharing your faith with others represents the salvation message we proclaim.  Paul makes this clear in his second letter to the Corinthians: As God’s fellow workers we urge you not to receive God’s grace in vain.  For he says, “In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.”  I tell you, now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.  (2 Corinthians 6:1-2)   Today is the day of salvation is a major theme for just as it was for the early church.  Do not wait for tomorrow, Paul clearly says; for tomorrow might be too late for you.  Paul wants the Corinthian Christians to live a "today" life, functioning in the now, doing what God calls them to do.  He asks them to stay as they are in Christ, so Christ will be magnified in their lives.  His passion for them is to have their lives centered on Christ now and not on things of this world or on themselves.  Paul knew lives burning for Christ rather than engrossed in secular interests would bring glory to God and advance the kingdom of light.  He knew such lives would be a huge contrast to the barbarian world of darkness and sin where everyone was going his or her own way.  John described the world of darkness when he wrote: This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil.  (John 3:19)  Paul knew lives of light, lives committed to Christ in Corinth, would entice many to the message of hope and salvation through Christ.  When great darkness permeates people's existence, lives committed to Christ will shine brightly in contrast with that darkness.  Paul wanted them to consider themselves as living in tents, holding nothing here so dearly that Christ's life in them would take a back seat.   

Are we living a "today" life, viewing our homes as tents we can move easily as God directs?  Or are we so deeply rooted and grounded in this world that we live only for ourselves and the activities that hold us to the earthly realm?  Are we so engrossed in our personal lives and fleshly desires that Christ and our spiritual walk with him take a back seat?  Is He an afterthought that comes to us when we feel guilty for neglecting him?  Does He come first only during a time of trial when we bargain with him, making promises that we soon break, going back to our lazy, self-centered ways?  When chastising the Pharisees, Jesus quoted the prophet Isaiah: These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.  (Matthew 15:8)  Paul knew the heart had to stay pure.  Paul was writing to believers, those who had counted the cost and were following Christ in their lives.  He simply wanted them not to become involved in changes that would decrease their spiritual fervor or detract from their commitment to Jesus.  He was keeping them on the right path.  Some of us are in need of a spiritual tune-up so we can travel successfully on the right path.  We have made changes in our lives and strayed from our walk with Jesus to the point He is in second place.  Our allegiance is no longer to him first with all else second.  As we take inventory of our time and the energy we invest each day, we know we are neglecting him and our service to him.  He does not condemn us: He calls us with an everlasting call.  Look back over your lives, and you will see time and time again where He was there to meet your needs, there to receive you into his loving arms.  Today, He reminds you that He does not want to compete with other lovers in your life.  He loves you most of all, and He will never leave you or forsake you.  He says: “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.  Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.  For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”  (Matthew 11:28-30)     
 

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 Seek God's Calling

1 Corinthians 7:17-24  Nevertheless, each one should retain the place in life that the Lord assigned to him and to which God has called him.  This is the rule I lay down in all the churches.  Was a man already circumcised when he was called?  He should not become uncircumcised.  Was a man uncircumcised when he was called?  He should not be circumcised.  Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.  Keeping God’s commands is what counts.  Each one should remain in the situation which he was in when God called him.  Were you a slave when you were called? Don’t let it trouble you — although if you can gain your freedom, do so.  For he who was a slave when he was called by the Lord is the Lord’s freedman; similarly, he who was a free man when he was called is Christ’s slave.  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men. Brothers, each man, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation God called him to. 

Paul believed emphatically that every person who knew Christ was called for a purpose, God's purpose.  Each had a place in the body of Christ.  Each needed to lift his or her eyes to see that spiritual reason for living and not settle for anything this world has to offer.  God's plans for our lives are much greater than our purposes.  As Paul told the church in Colosse, Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  (Colossians 3:2-3)  God desires us to be his children, part of Christ himself.  We are to reflect him, not ourselves.  As Paul knew for himself, he was called for a purpose, set apart for a purpose.  Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God — the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.  (Romans 1:1-4)  So are we all called.  For the message of our lives should be Jesus Christ our Lord, our hope of glory.  Nothing is greater, no message is more important, no life is better lived than to live for Christ.  That is why in the above passage, Paul says remain in the state that you find yourself.  The message that Christ is Lord is so important that nothing else in life can compare with this reality.  If we spend our time living for ourselves, trying constantly to change our circumstances, always worrying about who we are and where we are, we might miss the most important reason for living, Jesus Christ.  The message of our lives will be me and my will rather than not my will but yours be done, Lord.  By centering on "me," we will lose the reason for life, which is Jesus Christ came to save sinners and He is Lord of all.  Because He is life, He alone is worthy of our lives, our worship, and our praise.  In Revelation they circle the throne and sing: Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!  (5:12)

In today's passage Paul says, stay as you are if possible for the glory of the Lord.  Was a man already circumcised when he was called?  He should not become uncircumcised.  Was a man uncircumcised when he was called?  He should not be circumcised.  Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing.  This condition of circumcision is temporal: in view of eternal existence with God, this status is of no consideration.  If you are a slave when called to follow Christ, remain so if you have to with the knowledge that your real life is IN CHRIST.  If you are free when called, remain free, but do not become a slave of men for any purpose.  Does God want us to be slaves to people?  Of course not.  But we are to fix our minds continually on the higher calling that we are slaves to God, for Jesus purchased our freedom with his precious blood.  Twice in this letter, Paul reminds the believers they were purchased by Christ: You are not your own; you were bought at a price.  Therefore honor God with your body.  (1 Corinthians 6:19-20  See also 1 Corinthians 7:23)    Otherwise, Paul wants us to know, slave or not in this world, we are as slaves to Christ for his glory.  We are not to be consumed by our circumstances in life: we are to be consumed by our purposes in the eternal body of Christ where He has placed us.  His purpose, not ours; his will, not ours.  For the flesh, this is a hard pill to swallow sometimes.  For the fleshly man or woman, this is not the reason for life.  The carnally minded individual wants to be all that a person can be in this life, to win this world and everything in it; for tomorrow death comes; and dust is each person's destiny.  But winning in God's economy, in the life he has set up for us, means committing to Christ, to see all life in an eternal perspective, knowing our destination will be with him as sons and daughters.  That is why we are so willing to become servants to Christ and to the world He created, to live for others and not for ourselves.  As Paul said, For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.  If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me.  (Philippians 1:21-22)  

If we truly accept our place in life and work for the Lord where we are, we will do well and find joy in this life and glory in the life that is to come.  Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God.  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  (Colossians 3:1-4)  Circumcised or not, slave or not, married or not, prosperous or not, successful or not, we are to live every day for the Lord, listening to the still small voice of the Holy Spirit to guide us.  Our souls are not bound to this earth.  When this journey of temporary existence ends, we will be in God's presence.  Consequently, we should live now in that reality, seeing a harvest of the fruit of the Spirit from our labors for Jesus: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  (Galatians 5:22-23)  We should focus everything we do on the heavenly, not the earthly.  Yes, we must do what is necessary for our existence here, but our spiritual lives should always be focused on Christ and his plans for us.  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 whatever grievances you may have against one another.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.  (Colossians 3:12-14)  We are to live as Christ wants us to live, revealing him to a broken world.  We are to fulfill the two cardinal commandments, the commandments that suffice all others: love your neighbor as yourself and love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.  Regardless of our status or position in the world, we should be living sacrifices for the Lord.  We should be fully devoted to him, to no other, not to this world or to anything in it.