On my last blog I gave a rundown of some of the things I have come across while studying through Isaiah. Today I'm going to give a rundown of the things I've come across while reading through 1 Corinthians. Being that the last time I posted about something was in 1 Corinthians chapter 3 and I am now in 1 Corinthians chapter 16, I will try to be as brief as possible.
One of the things I love about 1 Corinthians is that it is very matter of fact. There really isn't any need for interpretation. The letter explains itself pretty well. Following are just some of the verses that caught my eye through my study in this book over the last couple of weeks. This is not an all inclusive list either. I've studied this book many times. These are just the things that popped out this time around.
1 Corinthians 4:6, "...not to think beyond what is written..." - I love this verse for the very reason I just mentioned. This letter doesn't really need a whole lot of interpretation. There is no reason to think beyond what is written because the letter says what it means and means what it says. The main thing I take away from this verse and the surrounding ones is that there really isn't any reason to take scripture to far beyond what it says. If it's not clear or evident, than take it to prayer and seek the Holy Spirit for understanding, "Open my eyes, that I may see Wondrous things from Your law", Psalm 119:18 (NKJV).
1 Corinthians 4:15, "For though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel." This verse stuck out to me because of the calling I feel God has placed on me. When a pastor is over a church, the relationship with the body is more than teaching them, it is likened to a father and his children.
1 Corinthians 5:1-5 - I challenge you, to go read these verses. This is a sort of church discipline, in my opinion, that is being neglected. That's all I will say about that.
1 Corinthians 5:11, "But now I have written to you not to keep company with anyone named a brother, who is a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or an extortioner - not even to eat with such a person." Wow. When you read this verse in its context it pretty much says that our mission is to spread the gospel to fornicators, those that covet, idolators, revilers, drunkards, and extortioners. To do that we have to go out to where they are. However, if we have a brother or sister in Christ who is practicing these things then we need to stay far away from them. The question is here is why? Well it could possibly be because that brother or sister that is practicing those things are being bad witnesses. How can you bring a non-believer to Christ who is practicing those things if they see "Christians" practicing those same things?
1 Corinthians 6:12, "All things are lawful for me, but all things are not helpful. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any." This is an interesting verse for many reasons. When you read it with the surrounding verses it still begs the question, huh? I look at it at the way it is written. To explain this, lets look at smoking. Smoking is lawful, but not helpful. It's obviously bad for the body. Research shows that. Smoking is lawful, but it can become sin if you are brought under the power of it. When it becomes an addiction, a have to have, is when it goes from being lawful to sin. At least that's the way I read this verse.
1 Corinthians 7:19, "...keeping the commandments of God is what matters." Plain and simple. No need for explanation.
1 Corinthians 8:1-3, "1...Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. 2And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. 3But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him." Love builds the body of Christ. Through love we are able to serve one another and meet needs that need to be met. Edifying the body. Knowledge says it, but love does it.
1 Corinthians 8:9-12 - Read these verses. How we handle ourselves around others has a huge impact whether they are believers or not. However, when you sin against our brothers and sisters in Christ and wound their weak conscience you sin against Christ, as it says in verse 12.
1 Corinthians 9:14, "Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel." 1 Corinthians 9:16, "For if I preach the gospel, I have nothing to boast of, for necessity is laid upon me; yes, woe is me if I do not preach the gospel!" We have to preach the gospel. To preach the gospel we have to live the gospel. I'm not saying we have to go evangelizing the world, because not everyone has that gift. However, if we are living the gospel then our lives are preaching the gospel. We are being witnesses of Christ as Christ Himself told us to be.
1 Corinthians 15:3-4, "3For I delivered to you, first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures". If you were looking for two verses that laid out the Gospel message simply, here they are.
1 Corinthians 15:25-26, "25For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. 26The last enemy that will be destroyed is death." These verses got me thinking about the millennial reign of Christ. It says in Revelation that we will reign with Christ 1000 years, then the beast will be released and then cast out to fire for all eternity, which then starts our eternity with Christ. So, while we are reigning with Christ for those 1000 years, will there still be enemy forces on this earth contending with God? When I read these two verses all I can say is, I think so.
1 Corinthians 15:57, "But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." We have victory over death because Jesus Christ is our Lord. How awesome is that?
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