You can't have it both ways

Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? – 1 Corinthians 10.21-22

Another aspect of the Lord’s Table that Paul stressed was that of purity. The Table is all about unity and purity. These Corinthians were dragging a part spirit into the Table service. They cared nothing about their walk with God when them came to the Table. It was just a time to party. Sure it a party to celebrate the body and blood on Christ instead of seeing the importance of the Table. 

People do that. Instead of the world celebrating the life of the great missionary and gospel preacher named Patrick they just celebrate with drunkenness and a party spirit. In America, Memorial Day, which is supposed to commemorate the sacrifice of fallen soldiers, is just an excuse for a party. Christmas, the celebration of the incarnate Christ, becomes all about parties and gifts. 

So it’s not unusual that this problem arose. 

Paul makes it clear that this is not to be tolerated. Later he calls that they are doing shameful 

You can’t drink of the cup of the Lord and the cup of devils. We cannot share at the Lord’s Table and the devil’s table. Are you willing to provoke the Lord by mocking the Table? 

We can’t have it both ways. We can’t come to the Lord’s Table when our lives are full of sin. The answer is not to ignore the Table – the answer is to deal with the sin. The Table is our chance, as I used to hear an old preacher say, keep short accounts with God. 

One bread

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. – 1 Corinthians 10.16-17

Paul is staring to an extended teaching on the Lord’s Table here. He starts kind of subtly but eventually he will give a full teaching. In the next chapter we see that the Corinthians had totally wrecked the Table. They were coming for a feast of eating and drinking. They had forgotten the meaning of the Table. The rich would have plenty, but the poor could go hungry. It was a mess that sorely needed sorted.

Paul begins by stressing the need of unity. He said that we are all partakers of the same bread and the same cup. We are in fact ‘one bread.’ We all come to share the same bread and the same drink because we are one.

One body, one bread, one juice – the symbols of the Table are a powerful reminder. No wonder that the Table was seen by the early church as the most important time of the week.

This ‘one bread’ concept is why we can share in the Table wherever and whenever we meet with the body. We are one with Christ and the Father and we are one with each other.

As the opposition gets worse and worse we are going to need each other more and more. The Lord’s Table is a great reminder of that oneness as we, one body, one bread, all partaking of one bread which is the communion of Christ.

What a gift we have in the Table.

`God won't give you more than you can handle?

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. – 1 Corinthians 10.13

There are some well-meaning attempts to use scripture to make a point. ‘Money is the root of all evil’ is one of them. ‘Don’t judge’ is another. To me though the worst misuse, because it gives false hope is the phrase ‘God won’t give you more than you can handle.’ I guess it is taken from the verse, but sadly that is not what God says here. God certainly will allow you to face more than we can handle. We are only human after all.

What does this verse mean then?

If we read the whole verse we see what it means. The context is of Israel in the Wilderness. They certainly had more than they could handle, but God always provided for a way to get through the trials. Too often they tried to do it their own way and then they failed. Sometimes they were even punished for their sin.

We certainly will face more than we can handle. We face death of loved ones. We face serious illness in children. We face massive financial problems. This are often just too much for us to deal with.

‘But God…’ I love that phrase. The ‘but Gods’ of the Bible are always the things that turn bad into good. Here it is ‘but God is faithful.’ We can’t handle it, but our faithful God can handle it and He will get us through it. He will provide a way of escape that we can bear it.

Take heed

Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. – 1 Corinthians 10.12

Pride is a terrible thing. We all are prone to it to some extent. When we look back at the testings and trials of Israel in the Wilderness it is easy for us to sit back and claim that we would never be that impatient or selfish or discontent or rebellious. Those folks were really messed up!

How is that for pride? Do we really, truly think that we are any better than they?

Paul knew that and if he didn’t the Holy Spirit certainly did. He knew that people looked back with pride and arrogance at the travels through the Wilderness and how Israel failed over and over and over again.

So Paul writes ‘let he that stands pay attention so that he doesn’t fall.’ The Corinthian believers were just as prone to failure as Israel was. We are just as prone today. I look at Israel now, and this stage of life, and see more and more and more of me. I see me discontent and fleshly thoughts and untrusting. I see me questioning what God is doing. I think I am beyond looking back and wanting my old life before Christ, but even there I can find myself wondering why the world has so much and I have realtively little.

I need to be careful that I don’t get too haughty and proud. When I do I will stumble and fall. It is not even a matter of God punishing me. When I get proud and haughty I start to depend on me and not God and when I depend on me I will always stumble.

It way too easy to think of ourselves more highly than we ought to think. When we do we are asking for trouble.

Examples

Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted. Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. – 1 Corinthians 10.6-10

The Old Testament account of the wanderings in the Wilderness are not just exciting stories. They have a purpose. Paul says that those things are example for us. It is easy for us to be critical of them for their discontent and their moaning and whinging and complaining and rebellion. Those events, and how God dealt with them, should teach us a lot about our bevaviour and how we respond to difficult times in our own lives.

They lusted after evil things. We need to avoid those lustings. We need to avoid any sort of idolatry. We need to avoid the party spirit they celebrated. They were punished for fornication. They tested Christ. They were murmerers and complainers – actions that we too ought to avoid.

It is easy to look back and be critical of Isreal in the Wildnerness in hindsight. 'How could they act that way?'  'Why did they have such a hard time trusting God?' Then, all the while we have the exact same issues.

It is far better for us to learn from their example and avoid their sins.

Water from the Rock

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; And did all eat the same spiritual meat; And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. – 1 Corinthians 10.1-4

Most of us know the story of Israel drinking water from the rock in the Wilderness. It happened al least twice that I can think of. Once the rock gave water when Moses spoke to it and once when he in anger struck the rock.

God provided physical and spiritual drink for His people. It was a desert land and the people needed water. And God provided it miraculously from a rock.

Somehow, in a way I can’t understand, this rock was special. The Rock followed them to provide fresh water for their physical needs, and also somehow for their spiritual needs.

The next line is what is amazing – that Rock was Christ.

The next we hear about the connection between Christ and water is in His interaction with the Samaritan woman at the well. There He offered the same water He provided in the Wilderness. The water from the well would meet her physical needs and He would meet her spiritual thirst.

It amazes me that the same water is available to us today. It is everlasting water than never runs dry. Like the Jews in the Wilderness we too live in a ‘dry and thirsty land’ and just like He provided for them He will provide for us.

Benched

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. – 1 Corinthians 9.24-27

One of the things Paul always seems to dread is the possibility of not being fervent and determined and dedicated to serve God and talk about Jesus. In this section about  running the race he says that he runs with certainty. He is not just beating at the air for nothing. He fears that he might be found a castaway.

We use a diffferent phrase today in some sports. If a player is not fit to play we say that he has been benched. He is at the game but he does not get to play. He is sidelined.

I don’t think any serious athlete likes to ‘ride the bench.’ Serious athletes want to be in the game where the action is. They want to take part and make a difference. They want to be where the excitement is.

That attitude should be the attitude that we strive for in our Christian life. No Christian ought to find themselves cast aside or find themselves sitting in the bench.

Sadly it seems that a lot of Christians are happy enough to be on the team, but not play their part.

That’s really sad, isn’t it? It’s just not normal – or it shouldn’t be.

Being in the bench means that we are not being stedfast and unmoveable and abounding in God’s work. It means we are just along for the ride. That’s not God's plan for us.

The race

Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. – 1 Corinthians 9.24-27

Paul must have loved athletics. He would have been familiar with the Roman Games and probably known about the ancient Olympics. Athletic events were common place in his day. All kinds of athletics were popular. Running, jumping, boxing, and all kinds of events we would be familiar with took place at feasts and festivals of the time.

Paul uses what people knew to illustrate truth. He talks about running a race.  People run a race for a purpose – to win. Running is one thing, but a race is another. This isn’t the only place where he talks about a race. His does it as well in Hebrews (I know, nobody knows who wrote Hebrews, but…) where he speak about running a race with patience.

But here is talks about a race to win a prize. In His day it was not medals or ribbons but a wreath made of branches that was given to the winner. Runners ran a race to win the crown – but the problem is that that crown would not last forever.

But Paul also speaks of a crown that we seek in our spiritual race through life. Our goal is a crown that will last forever.

We can get so caught up in the world’s rat race sometimes that we neglect the race that is important.

We need the keep the proper crown in mind as we go through life day by day – only that crown will be eternal glory.

All things to all men

To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. – 1 Corinthians 9.22-23

Pragmatism is often seen as an ugly word. It even sounds a bit ugly. Doesn’t it? There is definitely a sense where it a negative thing when we sacrifce principles and truth for expediency sake.

But there is a good pragmatism if you will. Paul said that he would become all things to all men if he might save some in so doing.

That doesn’t mean that he would compromise his faith or standards. It meant that Paul was a Jewish scholar who spoke Greek and was also a Roman citizen. He was familiar with all kinds of cultures. He could adapt to whatever culture he was dealing with.

Paul had a knack with people. Some people today have the same ability. I once heard a preacher in America twice in less than a month. The first time I heard him preach was as a seminary. The second time was in a rural farming community. The hearers could not have been much different. Despite that the preacher preached the same message to both. The amazing thing is that he had the ability to adapt his message to both groups of people. To the seminarians his words were those of an intellectual. His points were well deep and appealed to the people he spoke to and he used big words and all that goes with that.

The next time, with the farming community, his message was more down to earth and common. He used language and illustrations suited to the people there. He used home spun yarns and stories that the people could identify with.

We need to remember these things as we share with people. To the weak Paul became as a weak man. To the strong he was strong.

Why? So that by all means he might reach some.

We need to meet people where they are. We may need to listen at least as much as we speak. I need to preach the same gospel to the university lecturer and the guy who serves our community by sweeping the streets. It is important though that I get to know them and where they are and make to gospel appicable to both.

May God give us he ability to be ‘all things to all men.’

Woe is me

But I have used none of these things: neither have I written these things, that it should be so done unto me: for it were better for me to die, than that any man should make my glorying void.   For though I preach the gospel, I have nothing to glory of: for necessity is laid upon me; yea, woe is unto me, if I preach not the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:15-16

I have to tell you straight up that this has always been one of the most challenging passages of scripture for me as a preacher. Paul was totally impassioned about his call to preach. It was his life. It obsessed him. It controlled him. I was all that he could think about. Before the Damascus Road he had a mad passion to kill Christians. Maybe that is why he had such a passion now to see people saved.

Paul never glorified in being a preacher. That is one thing that sticks out.He never said ‘look at me’ and tried to draw attention to himself. He humbly proclaimed that it was only the grace of God that allowed him to preach the gospel.

Though I preach the gospel it is nothing too glory about it because it was only what I need to do.

Paul was preaching. It was his life. It was all of Him. Nothing else distracted him.

‘Woe is me if I don’t preach this gospel.’

I wish that was me. I know I should be more faithful about talking about Jesus. I know I should do it more. I know it should be me.

But sadly I don’t feel the same ‘woe is me’ that Paul did. It might bother me that I don’t preach more, but it is not my compulsion when I get up in the morning.

God help me – give me that spirit about the gospel.

Those who preach the gospel

Do ye not know that they which minister about holy things live of the things of the temple? and they which wait at the altar are partakers with the altar? Even so hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should live of the gospel. – 1 Corinthians 9.13-14

How are those who not only preach the gospel to the exclusion of a regular job supposed to provide for themselves? There are some who just say that they should work like everyone else. There is nothing wrong with a preacher who has to do regular work. Paul relied on his tent making skills at times. A lot of pastors of small churches have to work as well as preach. We do it and it is fine.

God’s desire is that those who preach the Bible for a living should live of the gospel. Those who are blessed and taught and edified by a preacher of the gospel ought to allow him to be free from the burden and taking their time to ‘go to work’ so that they can pray and prepare and preach without hunderance. Paul talks about how a godly preacher is not going to make an issue of it, but it is not the best situation.

Let us all be sure of the repsonsbility to care for those who spend their lives preaching the gospel so that they can dedicate themselves fully to doing that work.

Liberty and stumbling

But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ. Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend. – 1 Corinthians 8.9-13

Liberty in Christ is one of the greatest blessings we have. We have been freed from thelaw. We are not bound to eat or not eat certain foods or to celebrate or not celebrate certain. We are not bound by rituals nad routines or touch not taste not handle not instruction.

Liberty is brilliant.

It does not, however, mean that we can do whatever we want to do. We need to keep others in mind. The topic here is eating meat sacrificed to idols. Some had an issue with it. Others knew that it meant nothing because you can’t sacrifice to gods that are not God.

Now, those who ate could have said ‘I don’t care what you think. I am free to eat this meat and I am going to eat it.’ Some folks delight in their liberty to the point where others are harmed by it with unneeded offence.

That’s not God’s plan. It is not about us. Our regular concern to be how others respond to us. We may have the knowledge about liberty, but we need to be aware if exercising our liberty is going to cause a weaker believer or maybe a new believer to be offended. It could be something simple which should in no way offend anyone. If I knowingly offend a brother the Bible says here that I sin against Christ.

If I know my action is going to offend a brother and cause him to stumble in his faith than I ought to choose to avoid it for his sake. It’s not that big a deal. That can’t control our lives, but we do need to avoid needless offence. It seems like Paul has an ‘in your face’ attitude toward my brother.

Here’s an example that I exercise. Some brethren do not think Christians ought to eat black pudding because it contains blood. I can’t see that, but if I am eating breakfast  with that brother I am going to avoid offence by not eating black pudding.

It really is that simple. Why would I cause someone to stumble so I can prove a point about liberty?

One God

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. – 1 Corinthians 8.5-6

There are many that are called gods. Man, in his quest to fulfil the eternity in his heart, has invented many gods. Some are in heaven, some are on earth. Most would say that there are many,many roads to god. It is something man needs. Sometimes these gods come in the form of idols. Sometimes they are philosophies or ideas. Sometimes man simply worship pleasure or sports or entertainment.

The thing is that all of these fall short. None of them can satisfy. The context here is dealing with the topic of eating things sacrifices to idols. Paul’s point is that since those gods mean nothing then food sacrificed to them has not been affected.

But Paul focuses on the fact that we know that there is one God. Our God is the God who is the God of all things. We are in Him and in Jesus. Those false gods did nothing and mean nothing.

Our God did everything and means everything.

Knowledge and love

Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But if any man love God, the same is known of him.
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. – 1 Corinthians 8.1-4

Knowledge is a good thing. God tells us to seek after it. We surely need knowledge of God His word to do His work. Seek knowledge, we are told. Seek wisdom. These are noble goals.

But there can be a problem. Sometimes knowledge can become a source of pride. Knowledge can puff us up and make us arrogant and give us a ‘better than thou’ attitude. When that happens knowledge can cause a problem. More on this in the next couple of days.

The counter here to love puffing up is that love builds up. Knowledge puffs up and love builds up others. This knowledge based pride can say something like ‘I know that I am free from obligations to the law. Because I am free I am going to act on my liberty no matter that anyone says.

It is going to be explained more in the next couple of verses, but love says that I am going to think about how my actions affect others.

Love ought to be our motivator is all that we do. We ought to love others more than self and in some cases that is going to decide how I am going to act. If I think that knowledge can override love I am sorely mistaken. May my love for others be seen in how I use my liberty.

Abide

Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant? care not for it: but if thou mayest be made free, use it rather. For he that is called in the Lord, being a servant, is the Lord's freeman: likewise also he that is called, being free, is Christ's servant. Ye are bought with a price; be not ye the servants of men. Brethren, let every man, wherein he is called, therein abide with God. – 1 Corinthians 7.20-24

We never know where life is going to lead us. As the Corinthians were being saved they faced all kinds of practical questions. What do we do now? Do we give up our lives? Do we withdraw out of the world?

Although not as dramatic as it was in Corinth people today face the same question when they get saved. What next? How do I really follow God? Do I just totally leave my old life and my job and my family and friends? If not, how do I follow Jesus and live like the new me while I stay in the world?

Paul makes it clear. Your salvation does not necessarily mean that you need to break all your ties and connection. He says we should stay where we are until God moves us. Obviously if our life involves sin we need to repent and move on, but genrally speaking stay where you are.

While you are there, Paul says, abide with God.

What if we did all withdraw when we got saved? Who would reach the world. When folks get saved they are in a prime position to reach the people around them. So genrally we carry on abiding with God and letting Him reach others through us.

Mixed marriage

But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy. But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? – 1 Corinthians 7.12-16

One of the huge question in the church at Corinth must have been a common one. Paul had made it clear that Christians should only marry Christians.

But what happens when someone gets saved, but their spouse does not get saved? Should you divorce them or should you stay married? How do we handle this ‘unequal’ relationship?

Paul is pretty clear. If you get saved and your spouse doesn’t you are to stay with them. If they leave you because you got saved let them go. If not, stay where you are.

We have a friend who is a wonderful example of this. She got saved many years ago but her husband didn’t. It caused issues from the very start. He wanted to continue they way they lived, but her life was changing as she drew closer to Christ and grew in Him. Obvious conflicts arose. How did she stay with him and still live by God’s word.

They worked things out as time went by. Key though was her realisation that her husband had not changed, but she was a new creation in Christ. He was the same, but she had changed. She prayed and asked God for guidance as to how she could reconcile the differences. God gave her clear direction. At first she told him when she was asked to do things that violated her faith, but she would do them because he was her husband. Eventually he stopped asking her to do those things.

Here Paul says that we don’t that our testimony may win a spouse to Christ. In the case of our friend her husband still is not saved, but she stays faithful.

Who knows what God might do?

On husbands and wives

Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband. Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. – 1 Corinthians 7.1-5

I almost hate talking about this passage. I am ashamed that for years I taught the first phrase of this first totally out of context. I used it to kick off a message about the importance of sexual purity. Boy was I wrong to use it an apologies to anyone who heard me and is reading this.

In actuality this passage is response to a teaching going around that God was against all sex. This idea that sex is bad and must be avoided is one that creeps up over and over in various denominations and sects and cults. Someone was telling the Corinthians that it is wrong to touch a woman – even in marriage.

Of course that is the quickest way to die off in a generation. That can’t be right.

So Paul clarifies it. Paul says that husbands and wives ought to enjoy the normal physical relationship that God designed for us. It is more than that though. Paul says that husbands and wives should not deny each other. We are sexual beings and the danger is that doing so would not satisfy those desires and could lead to unfaithfulness.

There is one exception. It is a kind of fast where husband and wife agree to abstain from sex for a time for prayer and fasting. Even that should only be for an agreed time.

It is a blessing that God is so practical about such a real part of our lives.

The temple of the Holy Ghost

What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's. – 1 Corinthians 6.19-20

Way, way back – way back in 1976 – I changed college to Tennessee Temple University. I was 21, but because I had not been required to take phys ed in the other college I still had to take a course here.

It was terrible. It is everything you hate about PE. The coach who taught the class was crazy. We had a list of memory verses we had to learn and if you could not quote the verse you had to run a lap around the basketball court. Most of the verses had some reference to the body and this was his favourite. Needless to say I learned this one well and it has stuck in my mind ever since.

For all that this is a wonderful passage for us to remember. It, or course, the verse focuses on the fact that we should glorify God in all we do.

This though talks about something in particular. We read that our bodies are the temple of the Holy Spirit. We have been bought with the price of the shed blood of Christ. Our bodies are His and our bodies should glorify Him.

It seems pretty clear that we ought, therefore, to care for our bodies with the same devotion that the Jews cared for the Temple. We need to sure that we don’t do things to harm our bodies. We need to care about the kinds of food we eat and the substances we take in and the things we do. We need to be sure that we stay active to the extent that we can.

If we harm our bodies we aren’t going to be much use to God and His work. If I wreck my body with the wrong foods, take unnecessary drugs and medication, pollute my lungs with toxins, and abuse alcohol to the point where my organs are damaged I am truly gambling with God’s possession, my body.

I wonder, if I honestly examined my life, could I say the my body brings glory to God?

Is it helpful?

All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. – 1 Corinthians 6.12

Liberty in Christ is an amazing thing. ‘Free from the Law’ is one of the greatest of blessings. In Christ the legal restrictions are gone. The Law was our schoolmaster to bring us to Christ. Now that Christ has come the schoolmaster it has lost its authority.

So indeed we can say now, that apart from clear sin, I can do anything. I can’t lie, steal, cheat, commit adultery, get drunk, disrespect authority, backbite, or any of those kinds of things, but what about the not so clear things? How do I decide to do it or not when I have the liberty?

There is a lot we could say, I even have a nice list I came up with one time but I can’t find it right now sadly.

For now I guess there are two things from this verse – is it helpful and will it make be captive.

That’s a great place to start anyway.

Before I decide to act on my liberty I need to ask myself if it is going to be something helpful, or expedient. Is it going to help me grow in Christ? Is it going to help others. Not everything that is ‘lawful’ is good. Is it going to offend another? Will it cause someone to stumble? Will it build me up? Can it honour God? Exercising liberty from the law is not just a matter of doing whatever I want.

Also, will this bring me captive? Will it control my life? Is it something I will obsess over to the point of denying other responsibilities? Will it take up time that I could otherwise use ‘redeeming the time because that days are evil?

Thank God that I am free from the law – but that does mean I am free from responsible living.

And such were some of you

And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.- 1 Corinthians 6:11

Right before this verse Paul lists a whole bunch of sins that will disqualify people from heaven. We talks about adultery and fornication and all kinds of sexual sins. He talks about liars and cruel people. The list is pretty conclusive.

Still though there is hope. Paul says next that ‘such were some of you.’

The difference is that those who have accepted Christ are washed. They are sanctified. They are justified in the name of Jesus and by His Spirit. That’s the only difference between me and them. I am no better than they are except for one thing. I’ve been washed, I’ve been justified, I’ve been sanctified.

We can be tempted at times to think that we are somehow better than the world around us. We can take a very much ‘holier than thou’ attitude.

Instead of ‘holier than thou’ though our attitude ought to be ‘there but by the grace of God.’ If it weren’t not for God’s grace in our lives we would all be still in our sin.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me.

Sin in the church

I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. – I Corinthains 5.9-11

Corinth was a wicked city. I’d say it would compete with our world today in its wickedness. Sadly, that kind of wickedness is going to permeate culture and even creep in to the church.

The context for this verse is the church disciplining a man who will not repent of a heinous sin. The chuch is told that if he will not repent they must cut him off form fellowship to show him how serious his sin is.

Then Paul differentiates how to deal with lost sinners and saved sinners.

When a brother is set aside to deal with his sin and make things right we are told not to have fellowship with him. Now that sounds harsh. It doesn’t mean that we hate him or scorn him. It means that we avoid regular fellowship so that his sin does not further infect the church. He must see how serious his sin his.

But we can’t do that with the lost. To do that we’d have to leave this world entirely.

That means that we are supposed to be tougher on sinning believers than sinners in the world?  Yes.

Our erring brethren need to be restored to fellowship. Christians must know the seriousness of sin they won’t deal with. They should be loved enough to seek to help them get back on the track.

The world is going to act like the world – the church should not.

Puffed up

And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.   For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive? now if thou didst receive it, why dost thou glory, as if thou hadst not received it? - 1 Corinthians 4:6-7

We read a lot about being ‘puffed up.’ It’s a pretty simple Greek word. It mean ‘puffed up’ or ‘blown up.’ We might use the word arrogant to make it a human trait. It is proud and boastful. It is like a peacock strutting his stuff.

Everytime we read about puffed up it is negative. We read that love is not puffed up and hear we read about believers being puffed up. Why? In this case it is because of which of the Christian leaders they followed. ‘I am an Apollos man.’ I am a Cephas man!’ ‘Well, I am a Paul man!’

How crazy it that?

Pretty crazy – but I have seen that exact thing in my lifetime. People love to drop names and Christians are no different. If we happen to have some association, no matter how big or small, with some ‘big name’ Christian leader we want everyone to know it. Folks are always happy to prove on Facebook or Twitter when they have met or been with some famous Christian personality. Though my personality list is very small I can be quick to mention the big names, most of them with the Lord now, that I met or shared a meal with or spent time with.

That kind of personality cult following is normal for the world. God’s people though only have One to glorify in. We can only glory in the Lord.

Judging

But with me it is a very small thing that I should be judged of you, or of man's judgment: yea, I judge not mine own self. For I know nothing by myself; yet am I not hereby justified: but he that judgeth me is the Lord. Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. – 1 Corinthians 4.3-5

Putting up with being judged by others can be a tough thing. It seems sometimes that there are Christians out there just looking for a chance to be offended. No matter how hard we try to do right and not offend others some folks just seem ready to judge us.

It is important that we strive to keep our testimony pure and clean and to not be a stumbling block to others. That is our reasonable responsibility.

But we can only do so much. What do we do when we are unfairly judged?

We do what Paul did. We don’t let it rattle us. We consider it a small thing not worth our time or energy. We are never going to make everyone happy. We can’t do everything to please others. Believe me, I have tried that route and the more we placate people like that the more they demand. We are going to always feel like failures. We can’t write people’s concern off without regard – but they really are not our judge.

God is our judge. Paul makes that clear. If I am right with God and my ways please Him I can trust that His judgement is all that matters.

That also means I need to be careful about how I judge others. Paul even talks about judging ‘before time.’ I don’t know all that is going on and what God is doing.

The point is pretty clear. Unless we have truly been offended or a Christian friend is in obvious open sin we are best just to leave it to God. He is well able to sort it.

Faithful

Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. Moreover it is required in stewards, that a man be found faithful. – 1 Corinthians 4.1-2

What is required of God’s stewards? Are we all ranked on our successes or failures? Is there an accounting of how big my church is or how many people I saw saved through my ministry? We live in a success driven world where numbers can sometime be the determining factor.

What does God require of His people? He has made us all ministers to reconcile men to God. We are all stewards of the gospel. It matters not whether we are labourers or business people or pastors or janitors or home makers or missionaries or public servants ot teachers or whatever. When it comes to preaching the gospel only one thing matters to God.

It is required in those stewards that we be found faithful. All God wants from us is for us to keep on keeping on. All He wants is for us the be stedfast and unmoveable and abounding in His work knowing our labour is not in vain. God wants us to not be weary in well doing. All He wants us to do is to not lose heart in doing God’s work.

Be faithful – and be assured that God will be pleased.

You are Christ's

Whether Paul, or Apollos, or Cephas, or the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come; all are yours;   And ye are Christ's; and Christ is God's. - 1 Corinthians 3:22-23

Paul goes back to the notion of the divisions which are starting to develop in the church. Paul is trying to drive home the point that this is not on. It is as problematic today as then. I once phoned a pastor looking for a chance to present our ministry in Ireland and his first question was ‘what camp are you in?’ A major question of fellowship in some of he chruches I dealt with in the past was ‘where did you go to school.’ We didn’t hear about Paul or Apollos or Cephas, but we heard a lot about whether we we supporters of this man or that well known or of this who that college that they founded.

That study doesn’t matter. At the end of the day one thing and one thing alone matter – am I or am I not Christ’s man? Am I His follower? Does my life reflect my desire to please Him or to please others?

Is it more important for me to identified by the group I am part of or the church I go to or the men I follow, or is it more important to be His?

Now I belong to Jesus. Jesus belongs to me. Not for the years of time alone, but for eternity.

Do I identify as Christ’s own?

You are God's temple

Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are. – 1 Corinthians 3.16-17

Here we have the first of two uses of ‘the temple of God’ in the letter to Corinth. This first usage speaks of the church as a whole being a temple and the latter use will speak of our bodies and temples of God.

Why is the church called the ‘temple of God?’

We have been teaching a Netflix series based on the early church. While not a video Bible it has been thought provoking. The other night Saul is with the still suspicious disicples talking to them about the Temple. They are still clinging on to the importance of being able to go to the Temple when Saul speaks to them. He says ‘we don’t need the Temple anymore. The Temple is right here. We are all the Temple we need now.

Indeed that is what Paul writes here. We are the Temple of God. Here is where God dwells, in His church. He dwells in the hearts of His people. We are the Temple – we ought to act like it. All of our actions as the church ought to reflect that God is among us. Sadly, a lot of the church is more concerned with all kinds of worldy dealings and not acting like God’s temple.

Are you and I as part of the church glorifying God in His Holy Temple?

No other foundation

For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. - 1 Corinthians 3:11

Foundations are obviously important. One of of Kids Klub songs is ‘The Wise Man and the Foolish Man.’ It is a simple story of the gospel parable who two men. One built his house on a soft, sandy foundation. The other built his house on a solid rock. When the storms came the house on sandy foundation collapsed while the house on the rock stood firmly.

The picture could not be any clearer. Whatever we seek to do in life needs a solid foundation.

The Rock of Cashel in about 90 minutes from where we live. It is an ancient church and castle built on an outcropping of rock down in County Tipperary. It was built over a thousand years ago. It is quite the imposing image as you drive up to it. The castle and church are standing today because of the tremendous rock that they are built. They have stood the test of time because their foundation give them strength.

If we are going to do any kind of work for God we need to remember that we are wasting our time if we are building it on any foundation but Christ. We waste our time if we build on fame or riches or tradition or church names or music styles or denominational labels our own own ability or anything. Like Cashel our strength comes from our foundation.

If it is not Christ, our solid Rock, we stand – all other ground in sinking sand.

God gives the increase

Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man?   I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase.   So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase.   Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. -  1 Corinthians 3:5-8

Seeing someone saved is very rarely a matter of a first time encounter with the gospel and an immediate salvation. It does happen, but that is not how it usually works. Most af the time there a seed planted at some point and some watering and some weeding and some fertilising. Eventually somebody gets to ‘pick the fruit’ and that is the one who, in some eyes, wins the prize.

Paul makes it clear here that all of God’s work is a team effort. We need each other and God uses each our skills and abilities and personalities to get a person to the point where they realise that they need a Saviour. That’s why our witness is so vital. We never know how God is going to use us in a person’s journey to faith. A word we speak or a Bible lesson or song we do in Sunday School or Kids Klub. That gentle word of faith or kind deed impacts lives. All those times we have shared our faith and seen no results are never wasted.

Some of us may do the even more basic work of getting the ground ready for the seed. Some of us may have to pick the stones out of the soils and till the earth in preparation. That’s not always the most rewarding in man’s eyes, but it is all vital work as we labour together to draw men to our Saviour. Each aspect of the work is vital, so let’s not get down if we don’t get to see the results. It is indeed God who is going to give the increase.

Babies

And I, brethren, could not speak unto you as unto spiritual, but as unto carnal, even as unto babes in Christ.   I have fed you with milk, and not with meat: for hitherto ye were not able to bear it, neither yet now are ye able.   For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? - 1 Corinthians 3:1-3

Babies are wonderful aren’t they? I love babies – I really do and I genuinely think babies are beautiful. We love baby videos and photos and just about everything about them.

But that only lasts for so long. It is tragic when children never develop beyond babyhood. It is tragic when children still need to have nappies changed and be spoon fed and have to have someone dress them even as their bodies develop and grow.

Sadly, that is where too many Christians dwelt in Paul’s and far too many dwell there today. It is nice being a baby. Somebody feeds you and cleans you up and pushes you around in the pram and carries you here and then, but eventually babies grow out of that. It’s sad though that some folks enjoy that kind of spiritual life even after years had passed by.

God’s plan is for His children to grow. Paul said that he still had to feed these carnal  Corinthian Chrisitans with milk instead of meat because they were too immature to handle the meat.

The signs of their ‘babyness?’ Endings and strife and divisions. They were like two tine children fighting over their toys. They were selfish and self-centred. They acted like spoiled brats.

How many Christians are like that today? How many of us fight with each other because we don’t get our way?

It really is for people to grow and quit acting like babies.

The natural man

But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:14

The natural man cannot receive the things of the Spirit of God. God’s thoughts and His ways and His purposes are far above our thoughts and ways and purposes. We have feeble, sin-cursed, corrupt minds that cannot grasp the truths of God. We can put a man on the moon and produce amazing feats of art and literature and architecture. We can defeat disease and fix injury. We can do all that, but on our own we will never ‘get’ God or His works.

That’s why things seem so crazy to us as believers and that’s why we seem crazy to the world.

There is no excuse for us who are saved. We have the mind of Christ is we are saved. We have the word of God to instruct us. We have godly teachers. There is no excuse for us to not.

We can’t expect the world to act like us. We can’t try to hold them to our standards. They need Christ. They need the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They need the word of God. Out task is to draw them to Christ.

The Holy Spirit teaches

Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual. 1 Corinthians 2:13

Not too long ago I had a serious case of preacher’s block while studying Acts 18. I thoroughly enjoyed studying and sharing about Aquila and Priscilla but I was stymied on how to proceed with the rest of the chapter. Everything I came up with sounded forced and trivial and like how a history teacher would teach about Paul’s time in Corinth. I’d been praying for days and still nothing came through.

Now, bear with me for a second. I walk for a little over an hour every morning. When I walk I listen to podcasts and nothing on my listen list appealed to me. I went to a podcast called ‘Pastors’ Talk.’ On the list of available episodes was one called ‘Overcoming Fear in Personal Evangelism.’ That was certainly a topic I needed so I downloaded it and headed out the door. It was excellent, but what really struck me was when on the speakers mentioned a phrase from Acts 18 where God tells Paul ‘I have many people here’ shortly after Paul faced some serious opposition. I made a note of it on my phone. When I got home the Holy Spirit began to teach and I just typed. I love that kind of thing and you preachers will know what I am talking about. I prepared the rest of the message with the knowledge that I was not studying or preaching in my own power or wisdom, but as the Holy Spirit taught me.

It is not always that dramatic, but that is an illustration of just how the Holy Spirit teaches us and teaches through us. Without His help we would be helpless. Sure, most of us could spin a decent lesson and even expound verse by verse, but where would the power be?

Thank God for the my Teacher!