Well, we did it! We were able to do a 30,000 foot flyover of 1 Corinthians 10, 11, 12, & 13 this morning! Thank you, to all who contributed to our study with the verses that spoke out to you. Please read chapters 14, 15, & 16 this week, starting with Monday – chapter 14, Tuesday – chapter 15, etc. You will have the opportunity to read each chapter twice, and mark the key verses that speak to you. We will see if we can close out 1 Corinthians next Sunday, and get into 2 Corinthians in the upcoming weeks.
Chapter 10: Paul speaks to the issue of temptation, using the nation of Israel as the allegory / type & shadow of our spiritual struggles during this mystery period – the dispensation of grace. Please remember that the physical events and struggles encountered in the wilderness wanderings of the nation of Israel are pictures for us to understand our spiritual trials. V.12-14: Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry. Paul encourages us all to be careful to stay humble and trust God through all our trials and struggles. I shared the statement I heard on Greg Laurie's program this morning, A faith that cannot be tested is a faith that cannot be trusted!
Paul closes our the chapter exhorting us to keep our focus on glorifying God – V.31-33: Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved. We are to live out our daily lives to the glory of God, that the lost in our world might be saved!
Chapter 11: We have come to the conclusion that, regardless of the century, or the culture, people are all the same. The problem with submission in the first century is the same as today – people have a tendency to want to do things they want to do! Paul delivered two ordinances to us in chapters 10 & 11 – baptism and the Lord's Supper / communion. The first guards the door of the church, while the second guards the purity of the church. V.28-31: But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged.
Chapter 12: Paul sets in order the use of spiritual gifts. The triune God is revealed as the integral persons who guide the church through the use of gifts, the administration of the church, and the differences of operations, in V.4-6. V.7 reveals the manifestation of the Spirit is given to everyone, that all may benefit from it! Galatians 5:22-23 explain what the manifestation of the Spirit is: But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.
Chapter 13: Paul explains that our motivation for serving the Lord must always be tested. Why do we do what we do for the kingdom? If we sacrifice all and do everything that that is asked of us, but serve without unconditional love / charity, there is no eternal value! Paul closes out this chapter stating that faith, hope, and charity are the great attributes to aspire to, but the greatest is charity. We are justified by faith, and we have an eternal hope in the promise of God concerning the rapture of the church age saints, but the unconditional love of the triune God manifested in this world through our lives, is the greatest attribute!
