Treasure Coves

1 Corithians in Review!

2009-06-15T14:35:00.004-04:00

Our journey through 1 Corinthians has now come to an end. It has been a pleasant study filled with rich nuggets of truth and harsh convicting realities. I have come to believe that Kirkwood is probably not all that different from Corinth.

Here are the main themes of each chapter:

1. Division vs. unity
2. Mind of Christ
3. Division vs. human loyalty
(This is one of two chiasms in this book. Think of them as sandwiches. The emphasis is on the meat. In this opening sandwich, division is the problem - developing the mind of Christ is the solution!)

4. Shame on you!
5. Immorality
6. Lawsuits
7. Relationship issues
8. Conscience vs. compromise
9. Servant leadership
10. Recounted history - pattern of idolatry & punishment

Here comes another sandwich - this one a double-decker! Notice the emphasis on Love. Worship without each member exercising their spiritual gifts in love is useless!
11. Worship (and Lord's Supper)
12. Spiritual gifts
13. LOVE
14. Spiritual gifts
& worship

15. Afterlife & new bodies
16. Paul's money standards and closing thoughts - living in tension

Theme: To become a Dream Church, you must deal with selfishness and unify around Christ with unconditional love!

Come Quickly Lord!...1 Cor. 16

2009-06-15T13:19:00.003-04:00

Paul asked the Corinthian church to show their generosity by taking weekly offerings for the Jerusalem ministry. He encourages them to develop the habit of setting aside a portion of their income weekly. Paul never encourages tithing - instead he writes about first-fruit and freewill giving. NT giving is to be a voluntary habit done with joy, not duty!

It is quite interesting that Paul does not want to see or even touch the money! He says to take the collections before he gets there, and send it to Jerusalem with elected stewards. His ethical standards when it came to finances were far above board. I am reminded of the commitment Billy Graham made about financial integrity - and a scandal has never touched him!

Paul wanted to spend some quality time with the Corinthian church - a brief visit wouldn't suffice, but he knew that God wanted him to stay at Ephesus. He said "a great door for effective work has opened to me." How did he know this with such certainty? Because "there are many who oppose me"!!! Opposition & tension - what an excellent reason to believe that you are being obedient!!!

At the end of this final chapter, Paul takes the quill pen from his scribe, and begins to write sloppily with his own hand: "If anyone does not love the Lord - a curse be on him." Yep, that is Paul all right, no more authorization of authorship needed! May a curse be upon anyone who does not love God, His church, and His people.

Then Paul uses an Aramaic phrase: "Maranatha" meaning "Our Lord, Come!" This is both a cry of hope and a stern warning. Christ is coming - shape up! If you are sitting on the fence, get off. If you are hindering the work of Christ, now is the time to seek God's forgiveness. If you are living in immorality, bitterness, or causing division - repent now before it is too late.

Come quickly dear Lord!

Over my dead body!!! 1 Cor. 15:35-59

2009-06-02T15:14:00.001-04:00

The Apostle Paul answers our two BIG questions about our new heavenly bodies: “How?” and “What?” (vs. 35)

The “How?” is easily answered – new life is produced by death. Consider seeds – until they fall from their life source and go into the ground, they are living. Not until they go into the ground and die do they produce new life. (36) When my earthly body dies, God gives me a new and improved home for my soul.

The “What?” is still a mystery. Our physical bodies are just the seeds (37)…God chooses what the new plant will be like! (38)

Even physical bodies have a great amount of variety – just consider the difference between people, animals, birds, and fish!!! (39) Heavenly bodies have just as much variety but are more splendid than anything physical. (40) Consider the mind-popping variety and splendor of the sun, moon, and stars! (41)

Our present bodies are thankfully temporary…our new bodies will be eternal! (42) My sin-wracked body has an end, but my glorified body has none. Pain, disease, and death will not be part of the afterlife. My present body is dying, human, weak, and natural. My future body will be eternal, perfected, new, and spiritual. (43) That’s good news for everyone growing “old”!!!

All humans are natural descendants of Adam. All believers are spiritual descendants of Christ. (45) Humanity is lost and perishable - believers become found and eternal! (46) Adam came from dust, Jesus came from heaven. (47) We can be like either - which would you rather be like??!!! (48-49)

In our humanity, we cannot experience the amazing heaven God has prepared – where He will live with His followers forever. (50) Here is a cool secret – not all believers will experience death. Some of us will experience the Rapture – but all believers will experience a new reality with a brand-new body! (51) Our metamorphosis will be instantaneous! (52) In Christ, we can experience a new reality!

To get around in the afterlife, you need a new body! (53) This new body allows us victory over death. (54) Death cannot snatch our recreated glorified bodies! (55) We will have complete victory over the grave! The law causes sin which causes death. (56) Victory over all this is found in Jesus Christ! (57)

Stand firm! (58) Give yourself completely to God’s work – because your body is only temporary but your soul is permanent! (59)

The Truth about the Resurrection...1 Cor. 15:12-34

2009-05-12T10:26:00.002-04:00

Please read 1 Corinthians 15:12-34 before reading...

What a powerful argument Paul makes in the following verses for the resurrection!
12. If Christ raised, there MUST be resurrection of dead
13. If no resurrection, Christ NOT raised
14. If Christ not raised…preaching + faith = useless!
15. and we are false witnesses.
16. If dead not raised, neither is Christ
17. If Christ not raised…faith = futile & believers still in sins
18. and all dead believers are permanently lost.
19. If resurrection is a lie, Christians are the most pitiable people
20. Christ DID raise - His resurrection was the first fruits of those who have died (meaning more to come)
21. Death came through one man, so can life/resurrection
22. All people experience death through Adam, all people can experience life through Jesus
23. At the proper time, Christ will return and the dead will rise
24. When Jesus destroys the work of sin and Satan and hands the kingdom to God, the end will come.
25. Jesus will reign until He has defeated every opponent
26. The final enemy to be defeated is death
27. Everything (but God the Father) will submit to Christ
28. After this is complete, the Son will submit to the Father and they will reign in complete perfection
29. If the resurrection is false, why baptize? (very confusing verse)
30. If the resurrection is false, why do we even try to live the Christian life and put ourselves in danger?
31. Why risk death daily without future hope?
32. If resurrection is false, let us party hard – because this life is all we get!
33. Steer clear of corrupting influences
34. Come back to your senses and begin living like there is a future life and judgment!!!

The Apostle Paul nips this heresy (of no resurrection) in the bud! He challenges the Corinthian church with a series of logical arguments. Without the resurrection, our faith is useless. There is nothing better to do than party and enjoy this life. If you reject the resurrection of the dead, then be a hedonist. If you want to be a Christian, then live today like there will be a tomorrow. Be motivated by future judgment and future reward. Risk your life and health for the Gospel. After all, that is the only thing that really matters. Everything else is just temporary. Some of us will find that out too late.

The Real Gospel...1 Cor. 15:1-11

2009-04-30T12:06:00.002-04:00

Please read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 before reading...

Reminder...here is the real Gospel (1-2):
- which you received as your foundation
- which saved you
- which is the only truth
- which makes life worthwhile

Real Gospel means Christ fulfilled the Messianic prophecies (3-8):
- He died for our sins
- He was buried
- He was raised on the 3rd day
- He appeared to the 12 apostles, more than 500 believers, and Paul in a later vision

Paul’s take on his salvation:
- I am the most insignificant apostle
- I am least deserving
- I persecuted God’s people
- God’s grace reached me and changed me
- God has enabled me to work harder than all the apostles

After reading Paul's words, I must ask myself the following questions:
1. What does the Gospel mean to me?
2. What are the elements of the true Gospel?
3. How do I view my salvation and calling in light of Paul's perspective?

Use your gift for others...1 Corithians 14

2009-04-30T11:30:00.005-04:00

1 Corinthians 14 contains some of the richest nuggets of truth concerning spiritual gifts, specifically tongues:

"Unless you speak intelligible words with your tongue, how will anyone know what you are saying? You will just be speaking into the air." (9)

"Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church." (12)

^"If you are praising God with your spirit, how can one who finds himself among those who do not understand say “Amen” to your thanksgiving, since he does not know what you are saying? You may be giving thanks well enough, but the other man is not edified." (16-17)

^"I thank God that I speak in tongues more than all of you. But in the church I would rather speak five intelligible words to instruct others than ten thousand words in a tongue." (18-19)

^"If anyone speaks in a tongue, two—or at the most three—should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God." (27-28)

"For God is not a God of disorder but of peace." (33)

These are just a few highlights from this chapter. Paul was regulating the practice of a spiritual gift that had turned the Corinthian church into a circus. Converted pagans were using the gibberish pagan tongues in church thinking they were authentic.

Paul used the singular "tongue" to slam this pagan counterfeit and the plural "tongues" to uphold the legitimate sign gift. Throughout this chapter he uses sarcasm to make his point that the proclamation of Scripture is the most edifying gift to exercise in church. Gibberish builds up no one!

How ironic that the very chapter most charismatics use as a proof for practicing tongues is actually a harsh treatise regulating the sign gift and seeking to abolish its pagan counterfeit. The irony drips heavier when we see that women are not allowed to teach or have authority over men in church. Most charismatic churches practice just the opposite, while still using this chapter!

Spiritual gifts were never meant to be self-edifying. They were given to you at salvation to build up the church. Practicing a spiritual gift privately (as some do with "prayer languages") is not authorized in Scripture. My gift is to build you up, and yours is to build me up. How entirely selfish of me to think my gift was given for my edification or growth. I am one member in the body. Each member ministers to me, and I must find my place and minister to the body.

When I drive towards Binghamton, there are many signs giving me the mileage to my destination. As soon as I pass the city, the signs cease. There is no more need for Binghamton signs, because the city is behind me.

In the same way, tongues was a sign gift given for 3 purposes:
1. As a sign for unbelieving Jews of the authenticity of the Church - authority
2. As an indication that God's blessings had come to both Jews and Gentiles - blessing
3. As a warning of coming judgment (A.D. 70 this judgment by Rome was complete - no two stones were left standing in Jerusalem) - curse

Each of these 3 purposes has been complete. The early church was birthed, Gentiles were included, and judgment came to Israel. Then what is the current purpose of tongues?

Thanks for the powerful words of advice on this topic Paul! I am now more convinced than ever that even if the gift of tongues is active today - it is rarely, if ever, practiced legitimately and in-line with Paul's regulations.

Love is a CHOICE! 1 Cor. 13

2009-03-04T11:05:00.001-05:00

I appreciate the discussions we have had on "agape" love from 1 Corinthians 13. Love truly is a choice, not a feeling. The opposite of this love is not hate - it is selfishness. Loving the way God requires is not humanly possible. It is a supernatural love that can only flow out of our hearts after God has put it there.

Everything within us is opposed to this sort of unconditional love. We fear getting hurt again. Yet love is making yourself vulnerable. Love is never losing hope, never giving up...and committing for life. No wonder the "Bachelor" leaves the "love of his life" for another girl - feelings are completely unpredictable and should NOT determine our actions! True love is choice - and feelings will be a benefit of that choice!

Our upcoming discussion will be returning to spiritual gifts, especially tongues.

As you 1 Cor. 13:8-13, think about these questions:
- When will the gifts of prophecy, tongues, and knowledge end according to this passage?
- What is the "perfection" in verse 10?
- What does "child" refer to in verse 11?
- What is this paragraph saying about spiritual gifts as it relates to love?

I don't need you!...1 Cor. 12:20-13:13

2009-01-07T10:39:00.004-05:00

I don't need you!

Perhaps you haven't said it out loud...but we have all thought this. So had the believers at Corinth. Paul's writing doesn't challenge that independent thinking - he smashes it with a sledgehammer!

He declares the people in church that seem most insignificant to actually be the most crucial. He uses the analogy of the private parts of our body that we keep covered - these parts are vital for reproduction, pleasure, and nourishment. Without them, there would be no pleasure, no marriage, no kids, etc.

There are people at FCC who's gifts are hidden (private), but without them, our offering would not pay the bills, our church facilities would not be cleaned, our shut-ins would not be visited and cared for, our property would not be kept up, etc. There are many people serving and giving and caring and praying in ways you and I never see. They are faithful, sacrificial servants in our church. They deserve greater honor. They deserve to be treated with love and respect. They deserve to hear that "we really could not do it without you"!

In vs. 29, Paul lists seven public gifts that were functioning in the early church: apostles, prophets, teachers, miracles, healing, tongues, and interpretation. He asks (to their shame) if everyone needs to have a public gift. He admits they are all desiring what they think to be the "greater gifts" (vs. 31), a.k.a. the public gifts. He replies: "Let me now show you the most excellent way..."

The Bible's most beautiful love chapter has now begun - 1 Corinthians 13. You would be hard pressed to attend a Christian wedding where this passage is not read publicly, in the bulletin, or somewhere listed on the favors! But hold on a second...look at the CONTEXT! This passage on love is not man & woman love - it is all about love in the body of Christ, within the church!!!

As we embark on a beautiful journey through chapter 13, keep the context in mind. This amazing "Agape" love is about the love you and I are supposed to have for each other. Somehow, as the Bride of Christ, God expects us to get along, to serve each other, and to love one another unconditionally.

Action Steps This Week:
1) Think of a few people in church who you dislike - and thank God for them right now. Realizing that we really need each other is a humbling process that takes a long, long time!
2) Define love - and bring this definition to class on Sunday!

Spiritual Gifts Test

2008-12-18T09:17:00.004-05:00

There is an abundance of online material about spiritual gifts. I have taken more spiritual gifts inventory than I can remember, but there is one that I really recommend: Elmer Towns Spiritual Gifts Inventory. You can link to it here: http://www.elmertowns.com/spiritual_gifts_test/.

Knowing your spiritual gifts is an important prerequisite to using them! Your church family would benefit from you living out your gifts within your local church. So take the test today, and begin living out your supernatural abilities!!!

One of many...1 Cor. 12:12-31

2008-12-17T09:02:00.009-05:00

Have you ever sat next to someone in church that you disliked? Did you ignore them and head for the door as soon as you heard the final "Amen"? What if God told you that the person sitting next to you was absolutely indispensable to your spiritual well-being? Would this change your attitude towards them? Please read on for some tough-to-swallow words from Scripture:

VERSE:
(remember to substitute "believer" with "part" throughout Paul's metaphor)
12. You are one of many - in the body of Christ, you are an ear, or a hand, or a mouth, or something else. FCC is collectively one body, just as Christ is one body.
13. All of us believers at FCC have been saved by the same Holy Spirit - without regard to our family background or social class. ALL of us have the Holy Spirit!
14. FCC has many "parts"
15-16. No "part" of your body can choose to leave or change its unique function
17. If our body had only one "part" - imagine how scary we would be!
18. God chose our "parts" - it is His decision, and He has no regrets
19. Could you really survive with just one "part"?!!
20. Truth: many parts, one body
21. No one "part" can live independently of another "part"
22. Amazingly, the weakest "parts" of the body are the ones you cannot live without! (imagine losing your small toe, or thumb, or eyes, or liver, etc!)
23. We are very self-conscious and protective of our "private parts"
24. God purposely designed the weaker/hidden "parts" to have greater honor/significance/value
25. This makes each "part" equal in significance
26. Since your parts are connected, pain or excitement felt by one "part" of the body is felt by all. (Have you ever slammed your finger in a door, and breathed a sigh of relief because your toes felt so good?!!!)
27. Truth: FCC is the body of Christ - each of us is a "part"
28. God has appointed "parts" with specific gifts
29-30. Do we all share the same gift/function/part in the body of Christ?(Rhetorical question expecting a NO!)
31. There is a lot of "parts" jealousy swirling through FCC - let me show you a better way! (chapter 13 is that "better way")

Some Questions:
Have you ever been jealous of the abilities of another believer at FCC?
Why do we ignore someone at church who is struggling and focus on the person who is happy?
Why is it so hard for us to accept some people in our church and not others?
Which believers in our church have the “background/private” gifts that we often don’t see? What are these private gifts?
Do you think that FCC is functioning as it should with each believer using his gifts? According to this passage, is it okay if 99% of our members are serving and using their gifts?

GIFTS! 1 Cor. 12-14

2008-12-09T09:43:00.002-05:00

At Christmas, our minds are slightly preoccupied with gifts. Guys, we need to find that perfect gift for our wife that she will actually use. Women, you need to find that ideal gift for your husband that won't end up in the back of his closet. Parents, you need to find just the right toy for your kid - not too expensive, yet one that he can show off to his friends. It is a yearly challenge for all of us!

In the spirit of Christmas, 1 Corinthians 12 begins what hopefully will be a life-changing discussion on "gifts" of a different sort. It just so happens that God saw fit to give you some amazingly unique gifts tailor-suited for both you and First Christian Church. These gifts were hand-chosen by God to benefit all of us.

Have you unpacked your gifts yet? If not, I hope that by the end of this series of lessons you will. When you and I use our gifts, I guarantee your “blessing” circuit will blow a fuse. There is nothing like being on the receiving end of someone else’s supernatural gifts!!!

Here are the following “gifts myths” that I believe the Apostle Paul was trying to bust:
1) I don’t need to know my gift to exercise it
2) I am born with my gifts – they are my natural abilities that God uses
3) I have one spiritual gift
4) I don’t have gift “X”, so I can’t serve in ministry “Y”
5) I can choose which gift I have by praying and working real hard to get it

Somewhere underneath all this confusion lies untapped energy. There is no governmental agency that can regulate its use. So open your Bibles with me, and let’s begin digging!

no praise from paul...1 Cor. 11:17-34

2008-12-01T11:24:00.006-05:00

What would it be like to get a hand-written letter from the Apostle Paul to FCC? With great anticipation, we read through the fairly long letter on a Sunday morning during our service. Suddenly, we reach chapter 11, verse 17: "In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good."

There is a collective gasp as puzzled faces become looks of astonishment and bewilderment. Did you really mean that Paul? Do you really think that our services are a waste of time? Or worse than a waste, they are damaging?

We try to mentally brace ourselves for a lashing as Paul continues (17-22):
1) You are missing a spirit of unity
2) You serve communion but are not actually practicing it
3) You humiliate your brothers and sisters in Christ

We listen with a wounded heart as Paul shares some truth (23-26):
1) On the night of his betrayal Jesus instituted communion
2) The bread and cup represent His body and blood given for us
3) Each time you practice communion you proclaim the act of redemption and anticipate His glorious return

We take notes as Paul explains why our church is not growing (27-32):
1) Practicing communion unworthily is a grave sin...examination before communion is a must
2) Partaking of communion wrong is like partaking of judgment...it's suicide!
3) Self-judgment prevents divine-judgment
4) Divine-discipline prevents eternal-judgment

We prepare to change as Paul offers practical solutions (33-34):
1) Be considerate of others
2) Take care of your needs at home

As we listen to this thrashing from the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian Church, I cannot help but wonder if I should feel convicted. Do I practice communion unworthily? Do I contribute to disunity at FCC? Do I show a lack of consideration towards others? Do I practice self-judgment and welcome divine-discipline? What about you?

Cultural Symbol or Sacred Command?...1 Cor. 11:2-16

2008-11-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

Paul never minds stoking the fire. He realizes that FCC (First Church of Corinth) is messed up when it comes to worshiping as a community! So he writes this passage to put women...and men....in line.

Verse by verse:
2 - Obey God's words, all of them. You can't pick and choose what to obey!
3 - God-Christ-Man-Woman...in that order....obviously not significance, but role!
4 - Male head covering while prayer/prophesying = BAD
5 - Female without head covering while praying/prophesying = BAD
6 - Female head covering while praying/prophesying = GOOD
7 - Man is image/glory of God....Woman is image/glory of man
8 - Woman (Eve) came from Man (Adam), not vice-versa
9 - Woman created for Man, not vice-versa
10 - Female head covering a must, says Gabriel and pals
11 - Men and women need each other
12 - Neither can exist without other
13 - Isn't this teaching obvious?
14 - Don't you look twice at a long-haired man?
15 - Don't you look twice at a bald woman?
16 - This principle is consistent for all churches everywhere!

Alright, so that was a quick breakdown of those 15 verses in my own words. However, I haven't answered these questions:

1) What does this mean?
2) Is the Bible sexist? Are men "over" women?
3) Must women wear head coverings in the church today?
4) Are there any current symbols of male/female roles in our culture?

Looking forward to hearing your answers (or angry questions) on Sunday! :)

Women's doilies?....1 Cor. 11:1-16

2008-10-14T12:14:00.002-04:00

Please read and think about this passage, and come to class prepared to defend your conclusions!

¹Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ. ²Now I praise you, brethren, that you remember me in all things and keep the traditions just as I delivered them to you.

³But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. ⁴Every man praying or prophesying, having his head covered, dishonors his head. ⁵But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved. ⁶For if a woman is not covered, let her also be shorn. But if it is shameful for a woman to be shorn or shaved, let her be covered.

⁷For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. ⁸For man is not from woman, but woman from man. ⁹Nor was man created for the woman, but woman for the man. ¹⁰For this reason the woman ought to have a symbol of authority on her head, because of the angels. ¹¹Nevertheless, neither is man independent of woman, nor woman independent of man, in the Lord. ¹²For as woman came from man, even so man also comes through woman; but all things are from God.

¹³Judge among yourselves. Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? ¹⁴Does not even nature itself teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a dishonor to him? ¹⁵But if a woman has long hair, it is a glory to her; for her hair is given to her for a covering. ¹⁶But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God.

1 Corinthians 11:1-16 (NKJV)

Happy Thinking!!! :)

God's glory my only desire...1 Cor. 10:25-33

2008-10-06T12:24:00.006-04:00

We are tackling a great passage this week! There are many nuances that make this a tad confusing. But when you unknot Paul’s argument, you will find some very rich nuggets of truth for your life. Let’s go verse-by-verse using NLT:

25 So you may eat any meat that is sold in the marketplace without raising questions of conscience.
Paul says we are free to eat anything. Food is amoral.

26 For “the earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it.”
God creates perfection. Humans and our sin may pollute creation, but God didn’t make anything bad!

27 If someone who isn’t a believer asks you home for dinner, accept the invitation if you want to. Eat whatever is offered to you without raising questions of conscience.
The Creator has made everything clean – feel free to enjoy your dinner! Because of the food offered to idol issue, Paul offers a “Don’t ask, don’t tell” solution.

28 (But suppose someone tells you, “This meat was offered to an idol.” Don’t eat it, out of consideration for the conscience of the one who told you. 29 It might not be a matter of conscience for you, but it is for the other person.)
Someone at the meal brings to your attention that the meat was offered to an idol. Since they mentioned it, it might be important to them. As a courtesy, refrain from eating the meat. You may offend your host, but better to offend your host than cause someone to stumble. The last thing I want to do is cause someone to violate their conscience. If they are a weak brother or sister, I should build them up. Flaunting my freedom to eat the meat may harm them spiritually, and God would then hold me accountable.

For why should my freedom be limited by what someone else thinks? 30 If I can thank God for the food and enjoy it, why should I be condemned for eating it?
Great questions, Paul! Because you taught us that eating is amoral, but causing someone to stumble is immoral. So at times, I must limit my freedom for the sake of others. It is that scary attitude of SELFLESSNESS that we practice so rarely!

31 So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.
God’s glory - this is the bottom line! If I can honestly say that God will be happy by my eating or abstaining, then I am doing the right thing.

32 Don’t give offense to Jews or Gentiles or the church of God.
Very interesting categories affirming that the church is NOT Israel! Do not cause Jews, non-Jews, or New Testament believers to stumble!

33 I, too, try to please everyone in everything I do. I don’t just do what is best for me; I do what is best for others so that many may be saved.
Paul says that he tries to “please” or literally “accommodate” everyone! This is not about being a chameleon and walking on eggshells. It is about putting my needs last. It is about prioritizing the needs of others.
Paul did all this so that “many may be saved”. Paul cared deeply about the condition of the souls of others. The Corinthians did not. Their actions (idolatry, immorality, and division) proved they cared only about themselves. That is NOT a healthy New Testament community!

The community Paul envisioned is one where…
…preserving the clean conscience of a fellow believer is my priority
…the lost soul of an unbeliever impacts me deeply and changes my behavior
…my own preferences and desires are put on the back burner for the sake of God’s glory and other’s edification.

Head Scratcher of the week:
What are the three character traits I need the most to accomplish this?
1. _________________
2. _________________
3. _________________

To honor God and build others up – live selflessly!

it’s not about me! 1 Cor. 10:24

2008-09-30T09:01:00.004-04:00

I was do doing discipleship with a new believer a few months ago. He asked me to clarify something he had read in the Purpose Driven Life. These words are found in Chapter 1:

“It’s not about you.

The purpose of your life is far greater than your own personal fulfillment, your peace of mind, or even your happiness. It’s far greater than your family, your career, or even your wildest dreams and ambitions. If you want to know why you placed on this planet, you must begin with God. You were born by his purpose and for his purpose. The search for the purpose of life has puzzled people for thousands of years. That’s because we typically begin at the wrong starting point - ourselves…

You were made for God, not vice versa, and life is about letting God use you for his purposes, not your using him for your own purpose.”

As we discussed this chapter, I was floored to see that he was not only shocked by this radical view of life, but he had embraced it! He wondered if he was accurate to realign his life with these new priorities – God and others first, himself last.

I stammered in amazed delight – he had grasped a truth even I had not fully embraced. Life is not about me!

Look at the two greatest commandments: love God and love others (Matt. 22:37-40). Where am I in that equation? I am the subject – God and others are the object. I am the giver – not the receiver.

It is in this spirit Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 10:24: “Let no one seek his own good, but that of others.”

This is a command we wish children would obey! This is a command all of us must learn. However, practicing selflessness is in utter contradiction to our human nature!

Here are some burning questions:
1. Why do I find it so hard to set aside my feelings, hurts, and expectations?
2. What have I done recently to seek the good of someone else above myself?
3. How committed am I to putting others before myself?
4. What will I do this week to seek the good of someone above myself? (Come to class prepared to share what you did!)

In a Christian community,
I am last – others are first.

It’s MY life! 1 Cor. 10:23

2008-09-23T12:27:00.001-04:00

How many times have you heard someone when confronted in sin reply: “It’s MY life”??!!! Christians from Corinth to Kirkwood and everywhere in-between use this excuse.

Take a deeper look with me at Paul’s powerfully potent words:

“All things are lawful,”
but not all things are helpful.
“All things are lawful,”
but not all things build up. (ESV)

Paul is trying to expose the selfishness of the average Corinthian John and Jane. They were living their lives as if they were an island. What they did was their own personal business. “Leave my private life alone” they declared.

Paul again mocks the Corinthian adage that “all things are lawful” and that private choices don’t really matter to the community (see 6:12 also). God does give me freedom in Christ. But, NOT every choice, behavior, or action is helpful. Only certain choices, behaviors, and actions build up.

Burning Question: Can I really live however I want? Is it really MY life?

Weekly Nuggets:

~ If you are a Christian, you no longer own your life.

~ Your character is who you are & what you do – in public AND in private.

~ You may be making private choices that are tearing others down.

The wall between our home and our church
is thinner than we may think.

How do I practice idolatry? PART II 1 Cor. 10:12-22

2008-09-23T11:02:00.002-04:00

Thanks for the excellent discussion in class this week! We are asking the question: How do I practice idolatry?

Let us begin by asking: “What is idolatry?” Idolatry simply put is “worship – of anything than God”. Wondering what you worship? Simply look at 15 of the largest industries in America:

1) Starbucks, McDonalds…Fast food industry – the idol of my convenience
2) Planet Fitness… body building/workout industry – the idol of my body
3) GNC stores…health industry– the idol of my health
4) Adult entertainment, Playboy, online pornography…sex industry – the idol of my lust
5) Hollywood, Regal cinemas…movie industry – the idol of my entertainment
6) NFL, NHL, NBA, NCAA…all things sports – the idol of my pride & human fitness
7) American Idol, America’s Got Talent… pop culture fame – the idol of my fame
8) IPods, ITunes, MP3…music – the idol of my music
9) Wal-Mart, Target…retailers – the idol of my wants
10) Ford, Toyota, GM…auto makers – the idol of my self-image
11) Citigroup, HSBC, Capital One, Visions…banks, credit cards – the idol of my greed
12) AT&T, Verizon, Time Warner…phone companies – the idol of my gossip
13) DishTV, DirecTV…cable TV – the idol of my laziness
14) Century 21, ReMaxx…realty – the idol of my discontent
15) Applebees, Tullys, Ponderosa…restaurants – the idol of my gluttony

I could go on and on. So could you. We have so many idols! Do you notice they all came back to me? Our idolatrous society is no different from India with their many gods. We just call our gods by other names.

“But I don’t worship them,” you say. Idolatry isn’t about bowing down. It’s about distracting us from True Worship. For the Corinthians, it meant going into a temple. For us, we live IN the temple! Our culture immerses us in the worship of ourselves and our lusts.

Think about it. How much of your week is spent in True Worship of God? How much is spent in worship of the above “idols”? Are you distracted? I am too.

Maybe you don’t have an idol – maybe you are one! Perhaps we struggle more with idolatry than we realize.

Perhaps we are really worshipping ourselves!

How do I practice idolatry? 1 Cor. 10:12-22

2008-09-10T13:25:00.004-04:00

Last week we concluded that the three major temptations faced by Israel were: immorality, idolatry, and ingratitude. What were they supposed to be practicing? Purity, true worship, and trust/gratitude. If we could learn to practice these three behaviors, our lives & families & churches would be so drastically different!

The passage for this week is1 Corinthians 10:12-22. (Please read in NLT if available!)

This week continues the theme of idolatry from chapter 10. I have thought long and hard about idolatry the past few weeks. Isn’t this an outdated sin? Well, most commentators say that it is anything that comes before God in my life. So I suppose idolatry is everything! This is much too broad to have application for me.

What do you think about idolatry? How is idolatry different today than it was for the Corinthians? How is it the same? What does American idolatry look like?

I have come to some conclusions in my life that blew me away. It was after I asked myself lots of questions. What does my culture value? What do I value?

When it comes to idolatry, eventually you lose control. Eventually your idol eats your time, money, and family. You are at its mercy.

How do you commit idolatry? Answering this question was hard for me and will be for you. But it is a question we both must answer.

we are no different…1 Cor. 10:1-11 (NLT)

2008-08-27T10:13:00.003-04:00

¹I don’t want you to forget, dear brothers and sisters, about our ancestors in the wilderness long ago.

Paul was concerned that the Corinthian believers were unaware of their spiritual history. He wants to eradicate their ignorance, and replace it with historically accurate truth. The following historical facts he considers crucial to their present walk:

All of them

were guided by a cloud

that moved ahead of them,

and all of them

walked through the sea

on dry ground. ²

In the cloud

and in the sea,

all of them were baptized

as followers of Moses.

³All of them ate the same spiritual food,

⁴and all of them drank the same spiritual water.

For they drank from the spiritual rock that traveled with them,

and that rock was Christ.

Paul considers it significant that they were “all” guided by the same cloud, walked through the same sea, and traveled the same ground. They were all “baptized” into the same group as followers of Moses, ate the same “spiritual food” and drank the same “spiritual water”. Their source for all of this was….drum roll please….Christ!

How shocking this would have been for a Jewish believer to comprehend. Jesus Christ, the cornerstone of the Church, was also the source of life for Israel thousands of years prior to His birth! They had the same Jesus we do. They were eerily similar to a “church”. They had a community with shared experiences and teaching – and where did it get them?

⁵Yet God was not pleased with most of them,

and their bodies were scattered in the wilderness.

Ouch! Could Paul possibly have been more harsh? They (the Jewish slave escapees from Egypt) were quite similar to us (believers in Corinth/Kirkwood). And the punch line is --- they were NOT acceptable to God. Somehow, they disqualified themselves.

⁶These things happened as a warning to us,

so that we would not crave evil things as they did, ⁷

or worship idols as some of them did.

Yikes, their deaths became our object lesson. Their God is my God. Their disobedience my disobedience. Why am I not more afraid that their fate could become mine?

As the Scriptures say,

“The people celebrated

with feasting and drinking,

and they indulged in pagan revelry.”

Shouldn’t I be trembling? My carnal cravings also lead to death. Here are take-home lessons Paul shouts out:

⁸And we must not engage in sexual immorality

as some of them did,

causing 23,000 of them to die in one day.

Purity – a theme we have seen before in 1 Corithains. Absolutely essential for a child of God. God does not accept our immorality or our excuses. Are you failing morally? Get help! Are you struggling with a sexual addiction or fantasy? Seek counsel. The battle is not won alone. Losing this battle is not an option.

⁹Nor should we put Christ to the test,

as some of them did

and then died from snakebites.

Testing God – a sin of unbelief. How big is my faith? Some of Israel’s faith was small enough to deserve venomous snakebites. Perhaps I should focus on growing my faith and increasing my dependence on God.

¹⁰And don’t grumble as some of them did,

and then were destroyed by the angel of death.

Complaining – another theme of 1 Corinthians that seeps from many pages. Learn to be content! Stop being negative and muttering about how poor your life is. Do you think the angel of death is dead? I don’t think Paul believed that!

¹¹These things happened to them as examples for us.

They were written down to warn us who live at the end of the age.

You mean we are not all that different? That is exactly Paul’s point.

Catching (not casting) Crowns…1 Cor. 9:24-27

2008-08-20T14:54:00.003-04:00

²⁴You’ve all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. ²⁵All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You’re after one that’s gold eternally. ²⁶I don’t know about you, but I’m running hard for the finish line. I’m giving it everything I’ve got. No sloppy living for me! ²⁷I’m staying alert and in top condition. I’m not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. --- 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 (The Message)

What are you doing in your life right now that is putting you on track for a heavenly gold medal? Are you investing heavily in a person, missionary, Christian organization? Are you praying regularly and passionately for God to intervene in a crucial situation? Are you volunteering your time to serve Christ? Is there something, anything, in your life that merits a gold medal?

The Apostle Paul was convinced that he was running in a competition. He was not satisfied with the silver or bronze – just as most Olympic athletes scorn any medal other than the coveted gold. If you’ve been watching the Beijing 2008 Olympics, you even saw an athlete throw his bronze medal down and walk away. Paul too wanted to win the 1^st place prize (vs. 24).

Some people run for fun. Others run to win. Put Paul in the latter camp. He appeals to us to do the same: “Run in such a way that you may obtain it (the prize)” (vs. 24b). Olympic athletes run to win a medal they can’t take with them when they die. Christians run to win a medal that is “imperishable”.

Last night some high-profile runners were disqualified from the men’s 200 meter race after finishing 2^nd and 3^rd. Why? They ran out of their lanes!

Paul was extremely concerned that he might be disqualified. Rigid personal discipline is how Paul kept himself from elimination (vs. 27).

The greatly admired and respected Apostle Paul took extreme risks for Christ. He ran to win. He was competing for a permanent crown. He did whatever it took to remain in the race and stay in his “lane”. What are you competing for? Are you running for fun, or to win?

Iowa Testimonies

2008-08-13T17:55:00.002-04:00

This video tells a bit of our story from Cedar Falls, Iowa. Annie, Sommer, Dani, Brittany, and I spent a week (July 28-Aug 2) volunteering with Samaritan's Purse Disaster Relief - and it was life-changing!!!

Incarnation evangelism... 1 Cor. 9:19-23

2008-08-13T15:00:00.004-04:00

Perhaps one of the most misquoted and misunderstood portions of the New Testament. People often use this paragraph to justify all kinds of behavior. What exactly was Paul talking about when he penned the following?:

¹⁹Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. ²⁰To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. ²¹To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. ²²To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some. ²³I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings. - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NIV)

Is Paul saying that we can become like the people we are trying to reach? This is the typical interpretation. (This is why ministries are using all sorts of questionable methods to win people to Christ.)

I don't believe Paul is saying that at all! In fact, he tries quite clearly to state otherwise: "...not being without law toward God..." (vs. 21). This idea of using any means to win people to Christ is not a new idea - Paul mentioned it in Romans 11:13-14. Yet before we jump on the "end justifies the means" bandwagon, some thought is needed.

My favorite question to ask "ends justify means" people is this - I am going to build a bar onto our church. It will surely draw big night time crowds. While people are drinking and having a good time, there will be Christians mingling with them seeking to win them for Christ. Is this right? I have never gotten a "yes"! Why is that? Most people admit boundaries, they simply don't know how to think biblically about these boundaries.

Who is the very best example of being all things to all men, and yet remaining within the boundaries? Jesus! His incarnation allowed Him to serve, love, and free humanity from sin. He took on skin to bring Good News. He became a human, yet He retained His perfection.

Do you allow yourself to mingle with "bad people", also known as sinners? Do you take on their "skin" --- stoop to their level? Do you identify with them on a level you perhaps feel uncomfortable with? Paul did. I call this incarnation evangelism.

I think last weekend we practiced this by being at the Kirkwood Fair. For some, the crowds were perhaps "beneath" you. Perhaps the "carnies" gave you shivers. Did you care about their souls? Many of you did - enough to spend time giving away literature that could change their lives.

That's what incarnation evangelism is all about. It is about putting my preferences and comforts aside for the sake of anther's soul. It is caring more about the lost than my sensitivity.

Perhaps one of the best explanations of this passage comes from Eugene Peterson's Message paraphrase:

¹⁹Even though I am free of the demands and expectations of everyone, I have voluntarily become a servant to any and all in order to reach a wide range of people: ²⁰religious, nonreligious, ²¹meticulous moralists, loose-living immoralists, ²²the defeated, the demoralized—whoever. I didn’t take on their way of life. I kept my bearings in Christ—but I entered their world and tried to experience things from their point of view. I’ve become just about every sort of servant there is in my attempts to lead those I meet into a God-saved life. ²³I did all this because of the Message. I didn’t just want to talk about it; I wanted to be in on it! - 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (The Message)

Jesus wants us to do the same - get out of your church building! Stop staying in the team huddle. Stop drinking other people's medicine - the world needs it more than you do! Go out with the sinners. Befriend them. Eat with them. Go shopping with them. Love them. Don't practice their sin. Love their soul. Share hope with them. Practice incarnation evangelism!

How much does the Gospel cost you?

2008-08-07T12:33:00.003-04:00

1 Corinthians 9:15-18 (NLT)
¹⁵Yet I have never used any of these rights. And I am not writing this to suggest that I want to start now. In fact, I would rather die than lose my right to boast about preaching without charge. ¹⁶Yet preaching the Good News is not something I can boast about. I am compelled by God to do it. How terrible for me if I didn’t preach the Good News! ¹⁷If I were doing this on my own initiative, I would deserve payment. But I have no choice, for God has given me this sacred trust. ¹⁸What then is my pay? It is the opportunity to preach the Good News without charging anyone. That’s why I never demand my rights when I preach the Good News.

We have just heard from Will discussing Chapter 8 and the "right to party". Then we heard from Ralph discussing Chapter 9, verses 1-14 and the Paul's authority to be an apostle and expect to be paid. Now we see 9:15-18, and Paul essentially says that although all these rights are his, he gladly takes advantage of none of them.

As I contemplate on this week's text, I find myself asking some rather interesting questions:

What does the Gospel cost me?
How serious do I take my Christian calling?
Am I ever content in keeping the truth to myself?
What are my motives for helping in ministry?
Do I find pleasure in sharing Christ with people?

Paul said that he was "compelled" to share the Good News (vs. 16). Do you ever feel compelled to share Christ?

Be Like Paul? 1 Cor. 7:25-40

2008-07-15T09:30:00.000-04:00

We are biting a big chunk from 1 Corinthians this week, but this passage is really one main thought. I believe that the major question Paul seems to be answering is: "As parents, what do we do about our single daughters?" His answer speaks to married & unmarried alike:

1 Corinthians 7:25-40 (The Message)
²⁵The Master did not give explicit direction regarding virgins, but as one much experienced in the mercy of the Master and loyal to him all the way, you can trust my counsel. ²⁶Because of the current pressures on us from all sides, I think it would probably be best to stay just as you are. ²⁷Are you married? Stay married. Are you unmarried? Don’t get married. ²⁸But there’s certainly no sin in getting married, whether you’re a virgin or not. All I am saying is that when you marry, you take on additional stress in an already stressful time, and I want to spare you if possible.

²⁹I do want to point out, friends, that time is of the essence. There is no time to waste, so don’t complicate your lives unnecessarily. Keep it simple—in marriage, ³⁰grief, joy, whatever. Even in ordinary things—your daily routines of shopping, and so on. ³¹Deal as sparingly as possible with the things the world thrusts on you. This world as you see it is on its way out.

³²I want you to live as free of complications as possible. When you’re unmarried, you’re free to concentrate on simply pleasing the Master. ³³Marriage involves you in all the nuts and bolts of domestic life and in wanting to please your spouse, ³⁴leading to so many more demands on your attention. The time and energy that married people spend on caring for and nurturing each other, the unmarried can spend in becoming whole and holy instruments of God. ³⁵I’m trying to be helpful and make it as easy as possible for you, not make things harder. All I want is for you to be able to develop a way of life in which you can spend plenty of time together with the Master without a lot of distractions.

³⁶If a man has a woman friend to whom he is loyal but never intended to marry, having decided to serve God as a “single,” and then changes his mind, deciding he should marry her, he should go ahead and marry. It’s no sin; it’s not even a “step down” from celibacy, as some say. ³⁷On the other hand, if a man is comfortable in his decision for a single life in service to God and it’s entirely his own conviction and not imposed on him by others, he ought to stick with it. ³⁸Marriage is spiritually and morally right and not inferior to singleness in any way, although as I indicated earlier, because of the times we live in, I do have pastoral reasons for encouraging singleness.

³⁹A wife must stay with her husband as long as he lives. If he dies, she is free to marry anyone she chooses. She will, of course, want to marry a believer and have the blessing of the Master ⁴⁰. By now you know that I think she’ll be better off staying single. The Master, in my opinion, thinks so, too.

A few questions:
1) What is this "present distress" or "current pressures" in verse 26?
2) Does Paul view Christ's coming as more immanent than we do? Is this a problem?
3) What are the benefits/drawbacks of marriage?
4) What are the benefits/drawbacks of singleness?
5) What is motivating Paul to recommend singleness?
6) Should we be doing more as a church to promote & celebrate singleness?

No "if only" Living - 1 Cor. 7:17-24

2008-07-10T09:20:00.000-04:00

A big thanks to Ralph for teaching class last Sunday! I am sure that you were blessed as he shared his thoughts on this very difficult passage. I have been meditating on it for weeks now, and want to share some of my own questions:

1 Corinthians 7:17-24 (NLT)
¹⁷Each of you should continue to live in whatever situation the Lord has placed you, and remain as you were when God first called you. This is my rule for all the churches.

¹⁸For instance, a man who was circumcised before he became a believer should not try to reverse it. And the man who was uncircumcised when he became a believer should not be circumcised now. ¹⁹For it makes no difference whether or not a man has been circumcised. The important thing is to keep God’s commandments.

²⁰Yes, each of you should remain as you were when God called you. ²¹Are you a slave? Don’t let that worry you—but if you get a chance to be free, take it. ²²And remember, if you were a slave when the Lord called you, you are now free in the Lord. And if you were free when the Lord called you, you are now a slave of Christ.

²³God paid a high price for you, so don’t be enslaved by the world. ²⁴Each of you, dear brothers and sisters, should remain as you were when God first called you.

When I read Paul’s writings, they either leave me scratching my head or holding my convicted heart. This passage does both – after my initial confusion I am awed and convicted. Does this really apply to me? I think it does – and I believe this applies to you too!

The questions that Paul raises are tough – and our answers will reveal our deepest longings.

Vs. 17 – Have I learned to be content with my current living situation?

Vs. 18 – Do I wish to reverse pre-conversion choices that I now regret?

Vs. 19 – What is the most important thing in life?

Vs. 20 – How should I live today?

Vs. 21-23 – Who do I belong to?

Vs. 24 – Must I remain in my current situation?

Ask yourselves these questions. Be very specific with your answers. We will discuss our thoughts on Sunday.

Iowa

2008-07-01T18:29:00.000-04:00

In Iowa with Samaritan's Purse & BGEA Rapid Response Team!

Hello all!

I am in Iowa on a beautiful Tuesday. Today was our first full day out in the disaster areas. The Samaritan's Purse volunteers are hard at work cleaning out flooded homes (very similar to the Binghamton '06 flood). I hope that maybe a group from FCC will come back to Iowa with me for a week to do some manual labor in July. Anyone interested?

The chaplains (including yours truly) are meeting with affected homeowners and counseling and providing spiritual support. We do lots of listening, praying, and if the door opens - witnessing.
My partner-chaplain is Steve Frasier from near Los Angeles. Together, we have the West & East coasts covered.

On the plane yesterday I sat next to Katie, a young lady volunteering at a temporary animal shelter in Cedar Rapids. I was able to share the Gospel with her, and we had an awesome talk. Please pray for her, that God would keep softening her heart. I hope to keep in touch with her.

Lots happening. Please pray for the Iowans affected by these tornadoes and flooding. Pray for all the volunteers here working to make a difference. Pray that Christ will increase, and we will decrease!

Miss you all! Enjoy the pictures!!! Justin

Is the plane ready to take off yet?

Prairie Lakes Church is huge!

Awesome wireless cafe'!

Me with Steve Frasier en route to disaster area

Home just gutted by SP volunteers - this is our rental car

Lots of anger directed towards local gov't for protecting South Side but sinking the North Side by selective sandbagging

“I Do” – Marriage Vows & the Christian – 1 Cor. 7:10-16

2008-06-24T09:02:00.000-04:00

I will be away next Sunday, so we will begin this new section Sunday and then Ralph will lead the discussion while I am away. I told Ralph that this week we will open the can of worms, and next week his job is to sort out the mess!!

We begin to poke our heads into some touchy subjects including marriage, divorce, remarriage, and marriage to unsaved spouses. As we do so, it is helpful to remember that we live in a fallen world. God’s intention from the beginning has been one man and one woman for life. The fall and introduction of sin into God’s perfect created order (Gen. 3) messed everything up. We are now left in a broken world with broken families and broken marriages.

In our class and church, we have people who have experienced the agony of divorce. They would be among the first to tell you how difficult that path is. Nobody here prefers divorce. Yet some have experienced it first-hand. I invite each of us to tread on this ground with sensitivity and understanding. I invite each person to share both their insights from Scripture and how it relates to the experiences (joys & hardships) of their life. Let’s look at the passage together:

-----------------------------------

1 Corinthians 7:10-16 (NLT)¹⁰But for those who are married, I have a command that comes not from me, but from the Lord. A wife must not leave her husband. ¹¹But if she does leave him, let her remain single or else be reconciled to him. And the husband must not leave his wife.

¹²Now, I will speak to the rest of you, though I do not have a direct command from the Lord. If a Christian man has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to continue living with him, he must not leave her. ¹³And if a Christian woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to continue living with her, she must not leave him. ¹⁴For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.

¹⁵(But if the husband or wife who isn’t a believer insists on leaving, let them go. In such cases the Christian husband or wife is no longer bound to the other, for God has called you to live in peace.) ¹⁶Don’t you wives realize that your husbands might be saved because of you? And don’t you husbands realize that your wives might be saved because of you?

-----------------------------------

Paul begins by commanding marital faithfulness (vs. 10-11). The vow of commitment is not breakable. If separation is needed, allow for reconciliation. Does this mean that divorce is not an option?

He then looks at an unequal union between a believer and unbeliever (vs. 12-16). It is a very specific and poignant message to the Corinthian church. Some in the church had found Christ, but their spouses had not. If the unbelieving spouse was willing to remain in the marriage, Paul says to stick it out. He says that somehow the believing spouse brings “holiness” or “sanctification” to the marriage – and it somehow impacts any children involved. What does this mean???

If the unbelieving spouse leaves, Paul tells the believer that they are under no judgment from God – the separation is beyond their control. Is this speaking of divorce, or merely separation?

The questions in my mind are many. This passage was probably much clearer to the Corinthians than to us. Our understanding of these issues is deeply clouded by our culture, experiences, and preferences. We are separated from Paul’s writing by 2,000 years. What do we need to bridge this gap? Can we possibly understand what Paul was saying to the Corinthians, and what that means for us?

What are the timeless commands found in this passage that I am required to obey? Let the discussion begin…

Be pure! - conclusions from 1 Cor. 7:1-9

2008-06-23T05:12:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the great discussion in class yesterday. Here is my conclusion to this section of chapter 7. Remember that when Paul says "gift" in verse 7, he uses "charis" which means "grace gift" (we will see this word many more times in 1 Cor, especially chapters 12-14). The term "charismatics" comes from this Greek word. Paul teaches us that whatever our current relationship status is, we can view it as our grace-gift from God!

In all this discussion on singleness and marriage, it is easy to lose the perspective of context. Let’s zoom out a bit to see just where we are in this letter to the Corinthians:

Chapters 1-4: Unity and servant hood are needed in a divided church

Chapters 5-7: Purity and contentment are needed in an immoral church

Looking at it this way, we can see the entire purpose of Chapter 7 is purity. Paul wanted his readers – both single and married – to learn to live in purity. He tells them that marriage & singleness are both gifts of God. Whatever your current state is – do not consider it a curse! Consider it a gift from God! Learn contentment with your current gift from God!

Learn to be content as a single person. Pursue God with all your time and energy. Use your mind and body for His causes. Learn to fight temptation and remain pure. Paul would be proud of you! He can relate to your struggles, but extols singleness as an awesome gift from God. If you are consumed by unfulfilled sexual passion, Paul commands you to seek marriage – the only healthy outlet for sexual passion (vs. 9, “marry” is an imperative). The Corinthian culture saturated these single Christians in sex, much like our culture does. Since some cannot handle singleness, Paul’s solution is not sleeping around, it is marriage!

“But if they can’t manage their desires and emotions, they should by all means go ahead and get married. The difficulties of marriage are preferable by far to a sexually tortured life as a single.”

1 Cor. 7:9 The Message

Learn to be content as a married person. Marriage is a gift from God for a time. Be content with your husband or wife. Be faithful to them in mind and body. Practice purity and keep the marriage bed pure. Your body is no longer yours to keep to yourself or give to anyone other than your spouse! (vs. 4) One day you may lose your spouse and have to accept again the gift of singleness. Learn to be grateful for the gift of marriage and serve your husband/wife. Marriage is a place where your sexual passion can be fulfilled. If it is not happening in your marriage, that needs to change. If you withhold yourself from your spouse, you are setting them up for failure (vs. 5).

This is dangerous ground to tread, but Paul boldly covers it. He was sick of the immorality in the Corinthian church. He screams at them: “Learn to live in contentment and purity!!!” Do we hear him loud and clear? I am not so sure…

2008-06-19T09:49:00.000-04:00

(if you are looking for the weekly Sunday School blog, please scroll way down to the previous blogs, or click the correct link to the right)

Hey all,

I am posting a paper I wrote this week for my Contemporary Old Testament Theology class at Baptist Bible Seminary. I studied Ecclesiastes and isolated four major themes: perspective, pleasure, work, and wisdom. I spend time looking at each theme and developing a biblical theology of each. I love Ecclesiastes!!
Read & enjoy! Questions or comments? Feel free to post them!
Justin

A Biblical Theology of Ecclesiastes: The Grand Experiment

Introduction

The assembly is listening attentively as the Preacher speaks the words of this book. Sitting at the feet of the wealthiest and wisest king on earth is a great privilege. Hearing his lesson on life is surprisingly stirring. How could wealth not produce contentment and happiness? How could the soul who had everything want anything? How could depression overtake the soul of the revered Preacher? All these questions and more are swirling through the minds of the Preacher’s audience. Let us join this audience as we surface four of the Preacher’s main themes and look at their relevance for our lives.

Author

When it comes to the authorship of Ecclesiastes, there is considerable debate. I hold to the view that the author is who he claims to be: “The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king of Jerusalem.”[1] [2] There is only one son of David who was also King of Jerusalem – the wise King Solomon. Throughout the book, he chooses to identify himself as the Preacher: “One who gathers the assembly together for instruction.”[3] [4]

Purpose

The book seems to be Solomon’s notes taken during his grand experiment of life. He metaphorically put life in a test tube and did experiments to determine the substance of our existence. His conclusions are both saddening and joyous. Hope is buried in pain, pleasure is oftentimes lost to mourning, and life is overshadowed by impending death. Some view Solomon’s conclusions as depressive and dark. Others see them as filled with hope, purpose, and meaning. I belong in the latter camp.

As Solomon discusses his findings and discoveries, he utilizes different literary styles and techniques. Repetition is used to emphasize themes and conclusions. At times the discussion is a narrative of his experiments. Other times the book takes proverbial cause-effect and parallelism form.

At times, Solomon is almost whimsical and reflective. Other times, he uses imperatives and commands to compel his audience towards a change of mind and action. His grand experiment has produced some marvelous conclusions that no person should ignore.

Organization

Some see a progression in Solomon’s talk, while others see cycles or patterns but no real progression. While it appears that both observations and conclusions are sprinkled throughout this extended discourse, I believe there is somewhat of a progression.

I see two major sections in this sermon. Chapters 1-6 are primarily observations and statements concerning the vanity of life. Chapters 7-12 are primarily counsel and conclusions about living with satisfaction and meaning. Where the first section could be seen as Solomon proving his thesis, the second section could be seen as Solomon offering counsel in light of his observations. Section 1 is primarily narrative, while section 2 is primarily proverbial using if-then and parallelism statements.

Major Motifs

In the grand scheme of this sermon, Solomon seems to be repeating key words and phrases that give evidence to four major motifs. “Under the sun” surfaces a motif of human versus divine perspective. “All is vanity” bookmarks the beginning and end of this sermon, appears frequently throughout, and surfaces a motif of pleasure. “Toil”, “work” and “labor” all indicate a motif of labor. “Wisdom” and “foolishness” appear commonly and indicate a motif of right thinking and living. We will attempt to build a biblical theology of each.

Perspective: How do You View Life?

The apparent contradictions that seem to abound in Ecclesiastes are often simply changes in the author’s perspective. When Solomon views life from a purely human standpoint, he is left with a hopeless existence. Yet when he begins to view life from God’s perspective, he realizes that vanity can vanish and purpose can appear. Hopelessness can be swallowed by purpose; mourning can be overtaken by joy. It all depends upon your perspective. It is not a matter of positive thinking; it is a matter of a God-centered life of purpose versus a man-centered life of hedonism.

“Under the sun” is a compelling phrase used over two dozen times in Ecclesiastes and nowhere else in Scripture. It is imperative that we accurately interpret this frequent phrase to understand the true meaning of Ecclesiastes.

As a matter of observation, almost every time “under the sun” is used, it is in a negative sense. When Solomon wants to convey the vanity of life, he uses this phrase. He frequently uses this phrase with “a chasing after the wind” to describe the meaninglessness of life without God.

I believe that Solomon is using this phrase to describe life from a purely human perspective, without God. In his grand experiment, he tested life and found it to be empty, futile, redundant, and meaningless – apart from God. “Under the sun” is his way of describing what he observed from a human standpoint, without recognizing the divine plan or working of God. In chapter 4, Solomon describes the oppression, wickedness, and unfairness that are part of life. Evil is everywhere, and life is tragically unfair. No matter how good or bad a person is, the same fate awaits them both.

With almost a hint of fatalism, Solomon admits that with all his wisdom, he is still unable to logically comprehend all that happens “under the sun”. In a shocking confession of his failed experiment, Solomon admits he is unable to find meaning in life on his own: “When I applied my mind to know wisdom and to observe man’s labor on earth – his eyes not seeing sleep day or night – then I saw all that God has done. No one can comprehend what goes on under the sun. Despite all his efforts to search it out, man cannot discover its meaning. Even if a wise man claims he knows, he cannot really comprehend it.”[5]

When Solomon begins to factor God into the equation, life under the sun takes on a new flavor. No longer is all life meaningless and worthless. Suddenly there is contentment, satisfaction, and purpose in life. For Solomon, this was a heartening realization![6]

What a compelling lesson for Americans! We live in a culture that pursues the American dream. We cry out for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Yet in the rush to grab hold of the proverbial pot of gold at the end of the rainbow, we come up empty. Solomon’s sermon is as relevant to us as it was to his Jewish audience. We live in a world of hedonism. We should listen to a man who took pleasure to the max, and came out empty-handed. The pursuit of personal pleasure does not satisfy. Hedonism is taking a drink of saltwater in the desert. We can never satisfy ourselves.

The only real purpose and fulfillment that can be found in life is when we change our focus from ourselves to God. Life is not about our dreams, goals, and desires for our life. Life is not about us. Life should be about God’s dreams, goals, and desires for my life. My life must revolve around God and becoming the person God wants me to be. Only then can I find contentment, satisfaction, and meaning under the sun. Without a God-perspective, hopelessness is imminent and suicide is the only logical conclusion.

Pleasure: What Satisfies You?

Part of Solomon’s experiment was experiencing all the pleasures of life and making observations about them: “I set my heart to know wisdom and to know madness and folly.”[7] This empirical search for happiness left him empty. His search for meaning produced only meaninglessness: “I perceived this also is grasping for the wind.”[8] This oft repeated phrase highlighted the impossibility of finding pleasure apart from God. As one cannot hold the wind in his hand, neither can one find pleasure apart from God.

Solomon was a man of extremes and excess. As he looked out over his crowd of loyal subjects, he admitted his lack of moderation: “Whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I did not withhold my heart from any pleasure.”[9] He rode every roller coaster in Palestine, he owned every late model chariot, he built the largest and most majestic house in the world, and he was empty. He realized that despite his immense wealth, there are some things money simply cannot buy: “And how does a wise man die? As the fool! Therefore I hated life because the work that was done under the sun was distress to me, for all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Then I hated all my labor in which I had toiled under the sun, because I must leave it to the man who will come after me.”[10]

Solomon had a single outcome from his pursuit of pleasure without God: meaninglessness. His life had no pleasure, only sleepless nights: “For what has man for all his labor, and for the striving of his heart with which he has toiled under the sun? For all his days are sorrowful, and his work burdensome; even in the night his heart takes no rest. This also is vanity.”[11] His pursuit of pleasure yielded dissatisfaction with life, not unlike our own result of seeking satisfaction apart from God.

While his audience sat in uncomfortable silence wondering if all hope for pleasure was lost, Solomon continued: “Nothing is better for a man than that he should eat and drink, and that his soul should enjoy good in his labor. This also, I saw, was from the hand of God.”[12] His audience certainly looked perplexed at the glaring contradiction and paradox of his conclusion.

Upon closer inspection of his conclusion we find crucial lessons. Solomon did not say that wealth provides pleasure. He looked for the largest thrills and adrenaline rushes, but they came with hangovers. He sought the grandest bragging rights, but they got old. He undertook the biggest projects, but they left him empty.

Solomon became a hedonist during his experiment. Hedonism provides momentary adrenaline rushes followed by hours of boredom. Hedonism offers temporary happiness today, but there is always a hangover tomorrow. Solomon said there must be more to life than this. Then he realized that the source of true pleasure is not man-made. It is divine. True pleasure can only come as a gift from the hand of God. Solomon had been looking in all the wrong places.

The lesson that Solomon taught his audience is that pleasure can be enjoyed by all who work, eat, and have families. Thus pleasure was not reserved just for the upper class. Pleasure could be experienced by all who enjoyed the fruit of their labor. God has designed the simplest parts of life to bring pleasure. A man should enjoy the fruit of his work, his family, and his marriage. [13]

Solomon is teaching us that pleasure is a gift from God. Enjoy the gifts that God has given you. Find satisfaction and meaning in the moment. Do not get so lost in the past or future that you cannot enjoy the moment. Pleasure is a gift from God, not man-made. Do not search for meaning or pleasure apart from God; for the search will leave you empty handed.

Toil: What are You Working For?

Solomon pursued the American dream. The harder he worked, and the more he accumulated, the more his dream eluded him. Laziness was not a weakness for Solomon. He was a man of action and hard work. He undertook huge building projects.[14] He built majestic homes, vineyards, gardens, and orchards. He planted fruit trees and made watering pools and irrigation systems. He acquired many servants, herds and flocks. He multiplied his wealth by saving gold, silver, and treasures. He owned a personal orchestra complete with musicians and instruments. There was none like him in the history of Israel.

The end result of all his labor must have been painful to him, and stunning to his audience: “Then I looked on all the works that my hands had done and on the labor in which I had toiled; and indeed all was vanity and grasping for the wind. There was no profit under the sun.” He pursued fulfillment and dreams through his labor. But his work could not provide the outcome he desired.

Over and over Solomon asks his audience: “What does a man get for all his toil?”[15] The first four chapters he has almost nothing but bad things to say about work. It is a fruitless and thankless task that leaves you feeling empty. Then Solomon puts his finger on motive: “And I saw that all labor and all achievement spring from man’s envy of his neighbor.”[16] When work is about “keeping up with the Joneses” is does not satisfy. Someone always has something more, something better. In Solomon’s case, he had it all, and yet the fruit of his labor was still bitter. Hard work does not always produce happiness and pleasure. If work is unbalanced, it can lead to loneliness, greed, and shortsightedness.[17]

Chapter 3 provides a peek into a different perspective on work. Solomon reveals that looking at work as God-given can change everything: “I have seen the God-given task which the sons of men are to be occupied. He has made everything beautiful in its time…I know that nothing is better for them than to rejoice, and to do good in their lives, and also that every man should eat and drink and enjoy the good of all his labor – it is a gift of God.”[18]

From chapter 5 forward, the perspective on work is positive. From his new perspective, Solomon views work as meaningful and the results of work as gifts from God. In our Monday through Friday society, this biblical theology of work is crucial. We try to make it through the week and live for the weekends. Life for many people begins every Friday evening and ends every Monday morning. Yet Solomon implores us to look at our work as a good part of life, not a burden. We should see the results of our jobs as divine gifts, and enjoy them with our families.

Solomon also exhorts his audience to be risk-takers. In a pre-curser to Nike’s “Just do it”, he says: “Cast your bread upon the waters, for you will find it after many days.”[19] Investing in the future is a must for the diligent worker. Taking risks is a must for those who want fruit from their labor. Solomon pokes fun at the farmer who does not plant his crops because he is paralyzed by fear of poor weather.[20] His conclusion is that taking risks is a must, because we cannot know the future.[21] Only God can know and control the results of our work.

Besides simple contentment, Solomon teaches us to enjoy the fruit of our work! Have fun with your family. Enjoy meals together. Enjoy your possessions. Do not try to keep up with your neighbors, but do not view wealth as evil. Instead, view material possessions as gifts from your Heavenly Father: “It is good and fitting for one to eat and drink, and to enjoy the good of all his labor in which he toils under the sun all the days of his life which God gives him; for it is his heritage. As for every man to whom God has given riches and wealth, and given him power to eat of it, to receive his heritage and rejoice in his labor – that is the gift of God. For he will not dwell unduly on the day of his life, because God keeps him busy with the joy of his heart.”[22]

What a powerful theology of work! I am busy because God keeps me busy with the joy of my heart. My work is not troublesome or useless, it is a labor of love given me by God to earn his blessings and gifts for the enjoyment of myself and my family.

Wisdom: Are You Thinking and Living Accurately?

Far be it from the wise King Solomon to not discuss the benefits and pitfalls of wisdom with his audience. As the wisest King ever, he was intimately aware of the foolishness that surrounded him. He was also aware of the foolishness of his own instincts. Over two dozen times Solomon speaks about wisdom. After all, wisdom was his primary vial in which the entire experiment was conducted: “I set my heart to seek and search out by wisdom concerning all that is done under heaven.”[23]

As Solomon tested and used wisdom in his experiment, he grew increasingly frustrated at the results. Instead of satisfaction he experienced futility. Instead of joy, his increase of knowledge produced grief. In a stunning blow to those who believed that education could save mankind, Solomon decried the inability of wisdom to cure the ills of life: “For in much wisdom is much grief, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.”[24]

Solomon saw life as a cycle that repeats itself endlessly.[25] There are no original ideas: “There is nothing new under the sun.”[26] Although wisdom is better than folly, both the wise and foolish man die the same death. This disgusted him to the point of hating his life.[27]

In a very real sense, Solomon was the world’s earliest post-modernist! He realized millennia ago just how empty knowledge was without God. The more you know, the more you realize how unable you are to change the hopelessness of life under the sun. Education does not have the answer to life. Science cannot explain the purpose or meaning of life. The pursuit of education and knowledge is meaningless…without a pursuit of God.

In a moving self-argument, Solomon convinces himself that although wisdom is better than folly, the wise person is often forgotten and overlooked.[28] There is no intrinsic dignity or glory in wisdom. Although wisdom yields positive results, it only takes one sinner to destroy much good.[29]

One of the most ironic portions of Ecclesiastes is when Solomon explains the benefits of attending funerals rather than parties.[30] He says the wise person goes through tough times and understands serious matters of life. The foolish person is always partying and ignoring mature matters. Tragedy and grief are a part of life that will be experienced by all. Instead of ignoring grief, we would be wise to embrace and learn from it. Both hard times and good times can come from God's hand. Don't be too quick to escape hard times. Life is not always about pleasure.[31]

Solomon teased young people by telling them to follow their hearts in what has become the typical modern graduation speech: “Rejoice, O young man, in your youth, and let your heart cheer you in the days of your youth; walk in the ways of your heart, and in the sight of your eyes.”[32] As his audience smiled and nodded in agreement, Solomon quickly threw a left hook: “But know that for all these God will bring you into judgment.”[33] While his audience reeled from the sudden revelation that he was being sarcastic, he continued: “Therefore remove sorrow from your heart, and put away evil from your flesh…remember now the Creator in the days of your youth.”[34]

The wise person realizes that there is more to life than this earth. One day there will be a judgment. God will call all people to account for their actions. In a fitting conclusion to his message, Solomon reminds his audience that the ultimate duty of man is obedience and wise living: “Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is man’s all. For God will bring every work into judgment, including every secret thing, whether good or evil.”[35] Wisdom must produce right thinking and living before God. To live any other way is not only foolish, it is eternally meaningless!

Conclusion

At the end of this grand experiment, we see that life is meaningless apart from God. As hard as Solomon tried, he was unable to extract purpose or genuine pleasure from life on his own. He teaches profound lessons to people of all ages and cultures about perspective, pleasure, labor, and wisdom.

Our lives were designed to be centered on God, not ourselves. When we live apart from God, there is no hope or meaning to life. Temporary pleasure can be obtained through possessions, accomplishments, and experiences but this usually vanishes rapidly into emptiness.[36] When we live an honest life we can enjoy the fruits of our labor with a clean conscience and a happy heart. The wise realize that God did not intend that we are always happy. There is a time for pleasure and pity, happiness and mourning, life and death.[37] Wisdom is not the solution to life – rather it should lead us to God.

As hard as Solomon tried to figure life and God out, he admitted failure. He honestly acknowledged that the ways of God are incomprehensible.[38] God’s mind was much too deep for Solomon. If God’s mind is too deep for the wisest man ever, where does that leave us? Instead of embarking on the same grand experiment, it behooves us to accept his conclusions by faith. The pursuit of pleasure is a dead end, one that Solomon implores us not to travel. “Just trust me” he essentially says, “I have traveled every path imaginable, and they all left me hopeless. Stop pursuing selfish goals. Pursue God! Judgment is coming. Each person will give an account.”

In summary, life without God is meaningless, regardless of the experiences and riches acquired. But accepting the gifts of God in this life with contentment can yield a life of pleasure and fulfillment.

[1] Ecc. 1:1, see also 1:12

[2] Unless noted otherwise, all Scripture taken from the New King James Version, Nashville: Nelson, 1982.

[3] MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible. Nashville: Nelson, 1997. 927.

[4] See Ecc. 1:1, 2, 12; 7:27; 12:8, 9; 12:10

[5] Ecc. 8:16-17 NIV

[6] Ecc. 5:18; 8:15

[7] Ecc. 1:17a

[8] Ecc. 1:17b

[9] Ecc. 2:10a

[10] Ecc. 2:16b-18

[11] Ecc. 2:22-23

[12] Ecc. 2:24

[13] Ecc. 9:9

[14] Ecc. 2:4-9

[15] Ecc. 1:3; 2:17, 22, 23; 3:9; 4:8; 5:16;

[16] Ecc. 4:4 NIV

[17] Ecc. 4:8

[18] Ecc. 3:9-13

[19] Ecc. 11:1

[20] Ecc. 11:3-4

[21] Ecc. 11:5-6

[22] Ecc. 5:18-20

[23] Ecc. 1:13

[24] Ecc. 1:18

[25] Ecc. 2:12

[26] Ecc. 1:9

[27] Ecc. 2:12-23

[28] Ecc. 9:13-17

[29] Ecc. 9:18

[30] Ecc. 7:1-4

[31] Ecc. 7:14; 11:8

[32] Ecc. 11:9a

[33] Ecc. 11:9b

[34] Ecc. 11:10-12:1a

[35] Ecc. 12:13-14

[36] Ecc. 2:1-11

[37] Ecc. 3:1-8; 8:14; 12:1-5

[38] Ecc. 8:17 Job came to a nearly identical conclusion! (see Job 42:1-6)

My Interview with Dr. Paul R. House

2008-06-17T15:33:00.000-04:00

I had the great privilege of interviewing Dr. Paul R. House on June 4th. He is a respected OT scholar and theologian from Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. For more biographical information, please visit here.

He spent an hour and a half to help a student he has never met. He not only answered my questions...he also lit a theological fire in my soul. I found his answers to be intensely practical and helpful! I strongly recommend his Old Testament Theology book.

This interview was part of an assignment for my Contemporary Old Testament Theology class at Baptist Bible Seminary. Dr. Mark McGinniss taught this immensely helpful summer module. It was a class and interview to never forget!!!

90min. interview

Singleness & Marriage - a Gift? ... 1 Cor. 7:1-9

2008-06-17T08:52:00.000-04:00

Great discussion on Sunday...so much in this passage that piques our interest. Is marriage & singleness a gift? If yes, is it temporary or permanent? If Annie were to suddenly die, would I then be gifted with singleness? Or as Judy P. suggested, is sex the gift, not marital status?

Do we have a right to choose to be single or married? Or is it a calling, chosen by God rather than us?

If we are to have a biblical view of marriage and singleness and sex, then we must understand what Paul is saying in the passage, and how it relates to what God says through the entire Bible.

Time to do some digging on marriage, singleness, and gifts.

Some great online study tools - just enter your verse or key work on each site and hit enter! I have added each of these sites to my "favorites"...have you? These are just TOO EASY to not use!

- http://beta.biblestudytools.com/
- http://www.studylight.org/
- http://net.bible.org/home.php
- http://www.bible.org/

Here are some free resources you can download - I recommend E-Sword:
http://www.bible.org/page.php?page_id=3086

Don't expect an answer from me - you have the same Bible & Spirit I do. I challenge you to teach me!

Happy Digging!!!

marriage - good, bad, or ugly? 1 Cor. 7:1-9

2008-06-11T10:53:00.000-04:00

Remember when I said that the hardest parts of 1 Corinthians were yet to come? Well, they have arrived! Take a deep breath before reading this:

Instruction on Marriage

7 Now regarding the questions you asked in your letter. Yes, it is good to live a celibate life. ²But because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband.

³The husband should fulfill his wife’s sexual needs, and the wife should fulfill her husband’s needs. ⁴The wife gives authority over her body to her husband, and the husband gives authority over his body to his wife.

⁵Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control. ⁶I say this as a concession, not as a command. ⁷But I wish everyone were single, just as I am. But God gives to some the gift of marriage, and to others the gift of singleness.

⁸So I say to those who aren’t married and to widows—it’s better to stay unmarried, just as I am. ⁹But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust.

1 Corinthians 7:1-9 (NLT)

This passage all comes down to the question Paul was apparently asked by the Corinthian Church: "Is celibacy superior to marriage?" Paul says yes, no, and maybe!

Let's go verse-by-verse:

Vs. 1 - It is better to be single & celibate
Vs. 2 - It is better to be married than immoral
Vs. 3 - Celibacy is wrong for married couples
Vs. 4 - Marriage is about fulfilling your spouse physically
Vs. 5 - If you "fast" from intimacy in marriage, make it mutual and temporary
Vs. 6-7 - Celibacy and singleness is a gift, but so is marriage
Vs. 8 - It is better to be single & celibate
Vs. 9 - It is better to marry than to struggle with immorality

I suppose this passage is not as radical as it sounds at first read. Paul is not contradicting himself. Instead he is living in two realities: good and better. Marriage is good and a gift from God. Singleness is better for those who can handle it.

Paul was able to spend all his time, focus, and energy serving God because he was single. He didn't see his singleness as a hindrance. He wasn't longing for a wife. He was grateful that he could devote 100% to the work of God.

Where is my loyalty? What am I 100% dedicated to? Since I am married, do I give only 50% to God? Is my allegiance split? What about you - what is your status? Single, married, remarried? Do you wish you were married? Do you wish you were single? There are pros and cons for each.

To the single, there is a saying: "Better to single and wish you weren't, than to be married and wish you weren't!" God will gift some with marriage, others with singleness. Learning contentment is a great challenge.

It is interesting to notice that moral purity is the expected outcome for both single and married. If marriage is really supposed to be a solution to sexual needs, why is there so much cheating? Why don't people find fulfillment in marriage? Why don't people find fulfillment in singleness?

How come purity is going the way of the dinosaur? A young lady in our class told me last night that she is treated like a nun at work because she is a virgin. She is pure, and to most that is strange! Welcome to Paul's world!!!

What does this passage teach you? Any insights?

Tornado or Termites: The Erosion of Purity…1 Cor. 6:12-20

2008-06-02T15:14:00.000-04:00

Our discussion this week piggy-backs off the last two weeks. We are faced with the same questions, along with some new ones. Feel free to interact with this or any of the related blogs below!

Perhaps too often we view purity as something swiftly knocked down by a cataclysmic storm like a tornado. One minute a person is a strong Christian, and the next they succumb to their passions and lust. Pastors and lay people alike fall into the temptation trap and fall quickly from grace. Or is it more gradual than that?

Is the destruction more similar to a termite infestation – where we lose small battles in the mind that erode our foundation? Suddenly one day a breeze (temptation) comes along and knocks our house (purity) over. Shocking as it may seem to others, we realize that impurity is a road we have been traveling for a long time. Is the erosion of a person’s purity an overnight event, or a long process? When is temptation lost – in the mind or in the body?

We also talked about the 3 temptations of Christ (Matt. 4; Mark 1; Luke 1). The first temptation Satan tempted Jesus to turn rocks into bread. Jesus was tempted with the lust of the flesh. It was a real temptation. What do you think about this and the other temptations of Christ? Can this tell us anything about the temptation Paul talks about in our passage?

We talked a bit about the 3 sources of evil – Satan, the world, and ourselves. Is there Scriptural support for this? Have you ever thought about Satan being unable to tempt you and me at the same time? That perhaps some temptations come from my own inner badness? (James 1:12-15)

How about my body? Will it one day be destroyed & replaced? Does 1 Cor. 6:13 say that God will destroy my body? Or is my body somehow eternal? What does Scripture say about the skin I am in?

Let’s interact a bit on these issues as it relates to Scripture and life. Does our 1 Corinthians 6:12-20 text shed any light? What about other passages? What does Scripture say about temptation? What about purity? Sorry that I have more questions than answers this week! Feel free to interact with any of these questions - you don't need to answer them all!

I look forward to hearing what you find! Let’s dig together for Truth. Enjoy the journey!!!

the message paraphrase...1 Cor. 6:12-20

2008-06-02T15:12:00.000-04:00

Ralph and I both stumbled across the awesome paraphrase of the Message for our passage. Hey, great minds think alike! This gave me lots to chew on:

Just because something is technically legal doesn’t mean that it’s spiritually appropriate. If I went around doing whatever I thought I could get by with, I’d be a slave to my whims.

¹³ You know the old saying, “First you eat to live, and then you live to eat”? Well, it may be true that the body is only a temporary thing, but that’s no excuse for stuffing your body with food, or indulging it with sex. Since the Master honors you with a body, honor him with your body!

^14–15 God honored the Master’s body by raising it from the grave. He’ll treat yours with the same resurrection power. Until that time, remember that your bodies are created with the same dignity as the Master’s body. You wouldn’t take the Master’s body off to a whorehouse, would you? I should hope not.

^16–20 There’s more to sex than mere skin on skin. Sex is as much spiritual mystery as physical fact. As written in Scripture, “The two become one.” Since we want to become spiritually one with the Master, we must not pursue the kind of sex that avoids commitment and intimacy, leaving us more lonely than ever—the kind of sex that can never “become one.” There is a sense in which sexual sins are different from all others. In sexual sin we violate the sacredness of our own bodies, these bodies that were made for God-given and God-modeled love, for “becoming one” with another. Or didn’t you realize that your body is a sacred place, the place of the Holy Spirit? Don’t you see that you can’t live however you please, squandering what God paid such a high price for? The physical part of you is not some piece of property belonging to the spiritual part of you. God owns the whole works. So let people see God in and through your body.

Peterson, Eugene H.: The Message : The Bible in Contemporary Language. Colorado Springs, Colo. : NavPress, 2002, S. 1 Co 6:12-20

Linked to FCC's Website

2008-05-27T17:08:00.000-04:00

You can now find a link to this blog on FCC's Website: under "blogroll" click "Pastor's Justin's Adult Sunday School Blog".

FCC Memorial Day Video...remembering those who have gone before us

2008-05-27T16:02:00.000-04:00

My body lasts forever??? 1 Cor. 6:12-20

2008-05-26T09:43:00.000-04:00

Thanks for the awesome discussion in class on Sunday! It was great to see that so many were thinking and reading this passage during the week. It is certainly not a passage to read on a shallow level, or take lightly. There is too much within these 9 verses to dismiss out-of-hand. If you find it difficult to post a comment, just email it to me and I'll post it for ya! :)

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Here are some more questions for us to ponder and discuss this week, from the passage:

1. What should motivate us to live in purity? There are so many temptations that we know are wrong - but WHY should we say NO?

2. Why do you think God says to "flee" sexual immorality (vs. 18)? Most other temptations in Scripture we are called to resist. When it comes to immorality - we are told to flee...WHY???

3. What do you think about our bodies being permanent vs. temporary (vs. 14)? Is this new to you? Are there other cross-references or verses that might shed more light on this? Is the permanence of our bodies a motivator for purity?

4. What does it mean to be a temple of the Holy Spirit (vs. 19)? We all know we are a temple, but what does this mean? Is a temple just a dwelling, or is it also a place of worship? Does this make a difference?

5. Did Christ really buy your body, or just your soul, when He died for you (vs. 20)? What do you think Paul was arguing in this context? Why does this even matter? Does our discussion about philosophical dualism relate here?

Lots of questions to ponder. Interact with any of them - no need to try and answer all of them unless you are really ambitious! Dig deep in this passage.
- Do more cross-referencing using the center margin of your Bible.
- Grab a good study Bible (like MacArthur's or Ryrie's or Zondervan's) and read some of the commentary notes.
- Grab your Strong's Concordance (or buy one at Arrowhead or Amazon.com if you don't own one - I highly recommend every family have one in their home...if you want to try one out, I'd be happy to loan you my copy) - use the concordance to lookup "immorality" or "purity" or "sex" and see what other passages say.
- Or use an online Bible concordance for those same searches (here's a couple of the best: www.biblegateway.com and www.crosswalk.com)

Happy digging! Remember, the wealth of Scripture is often buried just beneath the surface. Only the diligent find buried treasure. Never settle for fool's gold! :)

"Tune your ears to wisdom,

and concentrate on understanding.

Cry out for insight,

and ask for understanding.

Search for them as you would for silver;

seek them like hidden treasures.

Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,

and you will gain knowledge of God."

(Prov. 2:2-5 NLT)

the skin we are in - 1 Cor. 6:12-20

2008-05-20T11:19:00.000-04:00

By my count, the word “body” is used 8 times in these 9 verses. Paul seems to be infatuated with the human body; or rather he is upset that the Corinthians were so pre-occupied with their bodies. I think the latter is true.

Paul speaks for God in explaining the incredible need for physical purity. This is not a passage about lusting or mental desires, although he speaks about this in other places. It is a passage about your body, and mine. It is a discourse on how we are to treat this skin we are in.

Let’s break down what God is saying to me about my body, verse by verse:

Sin can enslave me (vs. 12)
God did not create my body for sexual impurity (vs. 13)
God intended my body for His pleasure (vs. 13)
My body is somehow eternal (vs. 14)
My body is part of God’s body (vs. 15)
My body must not be part of a harlot’s body (vs. 15)
Sexual impurity prostitutes Christ, and causes Him to be defiled (vs. 15-17)
Sexual impurity is more than physical, it is a spiritual and emotional bond (vs. 15-16)
The only solution to sexual sin is running…away!!! (vs. 18)
Sexual impurity destroys my body (vs. 18)
My body is where the Holy Spirit lives (vs. 19)
I do not own my body (vs. 19)
Christ paid for my body with His blood (vs. 20)
My body must glorify God, because it is God’s! (vs. 20)

I am not sure I grasp just how deeply sexual sin destroys Christ, the church, and my body. We are all afraid of STDs. Nobody wants Herpes, Gonorrhea, or HIV. These possible consequences of impurity scare some into purity – at least physical purity. But has the thought of defiling Christ ever stopped you from getting involved in an impure relationship? Has the thought that you can ruin the Holy Spirit’s house ever kept you from getting physical with another person? What motives you to remain pure?

There is an awful lot we could talk about in this passage. Some quick background issues that we have touched on before: the city of Corinth was a cesspool of immoral slime! Instead of the two nude strip clubs and one adult toy store like Kirkwood, there was a massive temple to Aphrodite, the Greek goddess of love. Instead of a handful of gals who worked the 2^nd shift, they had 1,000 “priestess” who offered their services to visiting guys in the evening. I could go on, but you get the point.

Having a church in this sexual city should have been like having a lighthouse in the midst of a dark stormy inlet. Instead, the church at Corinth became part of the darkness and filth. Sure they worshipped God on Sundays, but during the week you could find Joe Christian visiting the temple and Sally Christian visiting the home of a lonely guy.

How did they ever rationalize their impurity? They were pretty good at it, just like we are. But they used some different rationalizations than we do. Some of them subscribed to something called philosophical dualism – where the body is viewed as evil and what you did physically made no difference. An immoral relationship is only temporary and biological. It has no permanent consequence.

Some of them thought of it this way – my stomach was made for food, and my body was made for sex (vs. 13). Sex is just a natural biological function. Humans are sexual beings. Ever heard this before?

I am going to stop this post pretty abruptly, and throw out a question. I have lots more to say, but will add more later. We have some things to think through first...

Based on this passage, why must I repress my body’s natural functions?

Quit walking all over me...or not??? 1 Cor. 6:1-11 continued...

2008-05-15T11:00:00.000-04:00

We inflict injury on one another for the sake of our "rights". Paul says - this is WRONG! If we are considering taking a fellow believer to court, God gives us a big red light. Believers are not to give away to unbelievers our God-given authority to judge. We need to begin standing up and making peace.

This may mean giving up a fight.
It may mean arbitrating a dispute.
It may mean church leadership mediating between fighting members.

Whatever the case, peace does not happen - it must be made!!! To make peace, someone may need to stand up and judge - something we hate doing in our relativistic "what right do you have to tell me I'm wrong?!" culture. To make peace, we may need to stand down...

This brings us back to our discussion in class on Sunday. Mindy had asked if we should allow people to walk all over us: "...You spoke about letting others walk all over you, and I understand God wants us to be humble and take sacrifices for his sake - however, is there a point at which you allow this to happen that others may not be able to see the glory of God in your life?" Each of us in class cringed at the idea of letting someone walk all over us. What does God have to say????

"accept wrong"
"let yourselves be cheated"
- Vs. 7

I wish those words weren't in this passage. I wish God didn't say them. But he did. Now we must deal with them, and obey them, no matter how much they may hurt.

What amount of wrong must I accept from others?
How much should I let others cheat me?
There must be a price-limit, right?

I mean, if someone cheats me out of my shovel, so be it. But if someone cheats me out of my computer, my car, my cash...no way!

This is about fairness, rightness, justice! Must I give up justice now?

Listen to Jesus:
"You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on the right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away." (Matt: 5:38-42 nkjv)

I don't think I am very good at this...I don't think our church is very good at this...I don't think our entire Christian community is very good at this. We have bought the lie that justice and fairness must be demanded now.

Yes, God is just and fair, we just need to wait until He sets the record straight.
Until then, I'm going to need a lot of something called forgiveness. What did Jesus have to say about that?

"Then Peter came to Him and said, 'Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Up to seven times?' Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven...'" (Matt. 18:21-22 nkjv)

Unlimited forgiveness, no justice or fairness - this is not sounding very fun right now. Yet the cost of being a follower of Christ is high - higher perhaps than some of us realize.

I was humbled by this high and costly calling this morning as I sat at the feet of a godly believer martyred by Hitler. Here is what he wrote from prison, unjustly accused by an ungodly government:

"Cheap grace is grace without discipleship, grace without the cross...costly grace is the treasure hidden in the field for the sake of it a man will gladly go and sell all that he has...it is costly becasue it costs a man his life, and it is grace because it gives a man the only true life."
(Dietrich Bonhoeffer, The Cost of Discipleship, pg. 47)

Have I signed up up for this costly grace yet? Have you?

learning to lose...1 Corinthians 6:1-11

2008-05-03T06:47:00.000-04:00

I love this text. I hate this text. Perhaps I need to take my morning bi-polar meds. Or perhaps I need to explain…

In principle, there is little in this passage I would disagree with. But in practice…ahhhh, I cringe at the very thought!

We all know that the Corinthian church was riddled with problems. Can you even imagine being a member of a church where...

1. there are constant power and leadership struggles
2. everyone disagrees about how to properly worship on Sunday
3. sexual immorality is common and overlooked
4. members have serious disagreements with one another
5. marriages are failing
6. immaturity and worldliness are more common than maturity and godliness

Wait...doesn't that sound like a lot of churches today? Perhaps even a tad like our church?

Ouch, let’s get back to the text.

Paul was very upset that Corinthian believers were taking their disagreements to court. Lawsuits were common…in the church! The Jews of Paul’s day considered going before a secular court blasphemy. They had their own court – the Sanhedrin – where they settled disputes and matters of law. The Romans allowed this court freedom to try almost any offense, and give almost any judgment, except the death penalty. This is why when Jesus was tried before the Sanhedrin and declared guilty of death, they needed to get the permission of Rome - via Pilate - to execute Him (Matt. 26:57-27:25).

Yet most Corinthians were Gentiles, not Jews. They grew up in a culture of litigation. What was that like? It was a bit like our sue-happy nation, only worse! Almost any disagreement was taken before arbitrators, and then a jury of peers. Disagreements were seen as challenges – and lawsuits made for good entertainment. However, Paul wasn’t entertained…

Allow me to quote from a Christian lawyer's perspective about this issue:
I have counseled dozens of Christians to drop lawsuits against each other. In some ninety percent of the cases, I have been successful. Without exception, those believers have been blessed. Also without exception, those who insisted on resolving their disputes in court became bitter and resentful – whether they won or lost their cases. If they went to court, they always lost spiritually.
(taken from John MacArthur’s NT Commentary on 1 Corinthians, pg 140).

These are sobering thoughts…and perhaps they apply beyond lawsuits. You see, Paul didn’t just say to stop suing. He said – learn to lose! Lose what? Arguments, disagreements, fights…. ARE YOU KIDDING???

We live in a culture that…
…honors winners and despises losers
…teaches us to stand up for our rights and to defend ourselves
…tells us to stop letting ourselves get walked over

Is God really opposed to all that? Look at verse 7:
Why not just accept the injustice and leave it at that? Why not let yourselves be cheated? (NLT)

God is calling Christians to create a culture that…
…honors others higher than ourselves
…teaches us to stand down from fights and give up our rights
…tells us to let others walk all over us

Better to take a loss of money, stuff, or reputation than to take fights to the next level and lose spiritually. You see, the issue is not about who is right. It is about who is wrong. And Paul is clear – if you take disagreements to the next level, you are wrong.

That’s pretty harsh. But isn’t that what the text says?

Let me end with a paraphrase of verses 7-8 from the Message:

These court cases are an ugly blot on your community. Wouldn’t it be far better to just take it, to let yourselves be wronged and forget it? All you’re doing is providing fuel for more wrong, more injustice, bringing more hurt to the people of your own spiritual family.

Let the comments begin…what do you think? Scripture, experience, thoughts…share them all!!!

fcc adult sunday school discussions...

2008-05-03T06:17:00.000-04:00

Hello to FCC's adult Sunday School class! If you are reading this, you have successfully navigated your way through the blog-o-sphere jungle to my blog site. Yes, this is Justin’s site!!! I am not a car salesman or insurance broker! ;)

I hope that we can develop a vibrant and interactive community here at Treasure Coves.

My intent is to write at least one major post per week on our text for Sunday's discussion. We usually have excellent discussions during our classes. This is perhaps a tool to allow our discussion to take place during the week too. It will help us to be better informed by God's Word and each other by the time we meet on Sunday.

If this is your first time interacting with a blog - do not fear! It is easy, simple, and inter-generational (No Todd, you are not too old for this!). It’s simply, really. Just give it a shot, and ask your kid for help if you get stuck. :)

Simply create an account that will allow you to post comments.
Here's how:

1. Click on “comments” below the blog you wish want to talk about
2. Scroll down under “choose an identity” and click the blue “sign up here” link
3. Easily create a Google account (if you have gmail, you can just click “sign in first”)
4. Write your comment & enter the word verification below (Make sure to click “email follow-up comments to me”. That way, you know when someone replies to your thoughts.)

That’s it – your comment will be posted under your screen name, allowing others to see what you are thinking!! You have now joined a blog community – don’t you feel special now?!!!

I really would love at least a few people from class to comment each week. This helps me in many ways to think, prepare, and apply the text personally. Hopefully it helps you too in your spiritual walk.

Ask me hard questions. Disagree with me. Cross-reference and use context to struggle through the text with me.

We can all learn more if we interact, think, and meditate more. Thanks for visiting, and make sure to leave me a comment!!!

My church

2008-05-02T13:10:00.000-04:00

If you would like to take a look-see around my church's site, check it out! First Christian Church
It is wonderful to belong to a church family that loves us unconditionally!

what do i believe?

2008-04-14T11:30:00.000-04:00

I am holistic. I believe that the treasure of Christ can and does permeate every aspect of life. I will not limit my thoughts to purely spiritual or church matters. My belief is that the sacred vs. secular distinctions created by our modern western mindset has created a gulf where there is none. Jesus did not come to have a compartment of my life – He came to invade my world…and yours.

My belief system is as complex as my God. My perspectives and views are changing, contrary to my God. I am constantly being shown where my beliefs are out of line with the unchangeable Truth. What do you believe? Is your belief worth dying for? Is it worth living for? Trusting the Truth is risky, dangerous…adventurous. I have staked my today and tomorrow on Truth. If it fails, so do I.

treasure coves is what?

2008-04-14T11:19:00.000-04:00

Treasure Coves is meant to be one of many inlets of truth within the vast blogosphere. I will attempt to link to other sites I deem valuable. I am not here to waste your time. To put it simply, my hope is...

- To encourage those who embrace the Truth
- To cheer on those seeking the Truth
- To warn those who reject the Truth

Feel free to intact with me. I am not threatened by opposing viewpoints. Scripture says perfect love casts out fear. Do not fear me, and I won’t fear you!

The search is on...

2008-04-14T08:32:00.001-04:00

I have always been fascinated with metal detectors. The thought of combing a beach for buried treasure thrills me. The adventure of hearing the quickening tempo of the beep, beep, BEEP! The excitement of reaching my fingers into the wet sand, feeling a smooth object...

Life is an extended treasure hunt. Some have given up in exasperation. They have found nothing of value and give up searching. Others are still on the hunt, prowling diligently for something buried beneath the surface. They dream of something more meaningful than the 9 to 5 grind of life. Others have found valuable treasure and seen their lives transformed, and call out for others to join them at their treasure cove.

Put me in the last category. Over two decades ago I found treasure that changed my life. It is not a genie in a bottle. It has no financial price tag. It is not something I can manipulate or control. It is beyond me. I seek to live under its influence and authority. What is "it"? It is truth, and it has set me free. I encourage you to join me in my corner of the universe from time to time. I will be examining my treasure and seeing how it relates to the world - both mine and yours.