Googoo Gaga!

1 Corinthians 3:1-11

The more I study and meditate on the Word of God, the more obvious it becomes to see how many churches today are mirror images of the early churches in Scripture. For example, the church at Corinth, would typically find themselves falling into sin, by way of being controlled by their carnal desires. For this reason, the apostle Paul had labeled the Corinthians “babes in Christ”. This fact was proven by their spiritual immaturity and childlike quarrels, through envying, strife, and divisions.

The Corinthian church had split into two halves; one side claimed to be of Paul, and the other of Apollos. Making claims of being rooted from a man is carnality, and the apostle Paul took great displeasure in the church for doing so. The only solid foundation men are to build upon and grow from is, the Son of God. Verse 11 of chapter 3 reads, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the true foundation of the church, and all those who believe. The apostle Paul, like all ministers are commanded to do, laid the foundation with Word of God, and Apollos continued in the Word, to help the church grow and mature.

The work of God’s ministry involves many different people, with diverse gifts and abilities, but it’s vital to acknowledge, there are no superstars in God’s kingdom, only team players. While we are to give honor to those who are deserving of it, we are not to place any man above the Son of God, because all praise belongs to God, not a man.

Many churches today suffer from the “babes in Christ” syndrome, but if the people replace their carnal desires with those of the Father, only then can the focus of the church be shifted back into the right perspective, and the people can begin to grow from babes, to mature sons and daughters of God.

The Hard Way

1 Corinthians 5:1-5

Learning is one of life’s most fundamental virtues. In their beginning stages, babies learn to walk, talk, and manipulate their parents into submission of their wills. Adolescents take advantage of opportunities to grasp the rudimentary principles of education, including reading, writing, and arithmetic in school, or at home. High school graduates set goals to learn a specific trade or field of study, in hopes of contributing to society in their profession. Learning is extremely valuable, and allows for one to grow accordingly in specific areas of life, while avoiding the dangers associated with ignorance.

While learning is inherently good, the are times when some individuals require hard lessons, after refusing to abide by the rules and guidelines that govern proper learning standards. For example, a baby who makes a habit of flicking peas off their spoon, may get a little “pow pow” on their hand or wrist, in hopes they’ll learn to refrain from those actions in the future. Another example involves children who refuse to do their homework consistently, and could be reprimanded by their teacher, as well as their parent, who’s discipline is intended to push them to shift their focus back in the right direction. College students who find it more important to drink and party, rather than attend class, could find themselves arrested, thrown in jail, or even suspended for a time from school. Discipline is enforced solely to cause one to change their mind from behaving contrary to the standards they are expected to adhere to.

In our text, the apostle Paul enforced strict discipline on an individual who’s actions were unacceptable according to righteous standards. Although the early church was still in development, and the people were growing gradually by faith, there were some who deliberately went against the teaching of the Gospel, and participated in acts even the Gentiles were wise enough to avoid. What made matters worse was, those who knew about the man’s deliberate sinful act, were so consumed in their own affairs, they neglected to rebuke him for his evil deed. Paul, in his absence, commanded the church to gather in a meeting, and deliver the man unto satan, “for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus.” Throughout the Christian community, there are debates as to the meaning of this text, but I’m more inclined to believe, the man who willfully sinned was excommunicated from the Corinthian church, and satan was permitted to afflict his body, which would eventually bring him to repentance.

Sometimes in life, we’ll go through times of difficulty, but only to shift our focus from satisfying our selfish needs, to fulfilling God’s purpose for us. Be mindful of straying too far away from biblical learning, as you continue to grow in grace, because there will always be times when you’re tempted to go against God’s standards, in favor of fulfilling worldly and selfish desires.

A Church United

1 Corinthians 1:8-25

The moment you begin to put your faith and trust in a man or woman, is the very moment you will begin to have divisions among you: You, meaning, the church. The faith of those who are the church, should be directed toward our Lord Jesus Christ, and the faithful God who made it possible for mankind to enjoy the privilege of fellowshipping with His Son. Unity among believers is where the foundation of their influence resides. When all members of the body of Christ speak the same thing, and operate in their function wholeheartedly, there will be no room for division or discord to take up space.

The church at Corinth had found themselves in contention among the members, thus causing the apostle Paul to reach out to them with strong words of correction and restoration. Paul heard how the church had become divided concerning whom they supposedly joined allegiance to. Some claimed to be of Paul and Apollos, while others took sides with Peter and Christ. I’m uncertain how these people allowed themselves to fall into such an ignorant state, but the Corinthians were known for jumping from fad to fad, so they were undoubtedly influenced by some unhealthy social thing going on during their era.

The apostle Paul wisely distinguished himself from Christ, then proceeded to educate the confused church on the importance of the Gospel, and Christ crucified. When you find yourself among those who give more relevance to a man than God, pray for them, then ask God to open their eyes to see that only through Him, can their lives have meaning, purpose, and reach its full potential. Man can only do so much for you, but God can take your life and make it worthwhile, through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Keep It Simple

1 Corinthians 14:13-19

Doing ministry and works for the kingdom of God, are very noteworthy opportunities. God is the creator of all things, and working to fulfill His purpose is a great thing! I can remember as a child, I always wanted to go out on Saturday mornings, to help my dad and brothers mow lawns. I was always denied that privilege, because I was too small, and would probably hurt myself, or someone else. But, when the opportunity came to assist my dad with his side business, I jumped at the chance to finally contribute to bringing funds to our home. When we do works for the kingdom, it’s so that all members of the body of Christ can be blessed. There’s no secret to what Christians do, and all things are done for edification, and encouragement. For this reason, there should never be a time, when a preacher, teacher, prophet, or anyone who exercises their gift in the body, do so for self gain. Paul mentioned in our text, he can speak with tongues (multiple human languages) more than all of the Corinthian church members, but he would rather speak only five words the people could grasp and understand, rather than 10,000 words that would leave them beyond confused.

Never get so caught up in your spiritual gift, talent, or ability, until you lose focus on God’s purpose to help others, and not hinder them. Take pride in all the great things God has placed inside of you, and be careful not to abuse, misuse, or not use His gifts, but operate in them as they were purposed to be used.

“Let your light shine so bright, until someone can see it in their valley moment.” – Ell

The Best Gifts

1 Corinthians 12:27-31

During Christmas time, millions of dollars are spent on various items, that are shared as gifts amongst family, friends, coworkers, and even strangers. Although the reason for the Christmas celebration is to acknowledge the birth of Jesus, American society has turned the season into a gift-giving frenzy. Children and adults alike, expect to receive good things from those who love them, and they render the same in return. While gifts offered to the receiver offer little benefit to others, the best gifts are those that can bless multiple people.

This same concept can be seen in the foundation of the early church. The apostle Paul taught the Corinthian believers the importance of the various functions in the church. Although the people were considered one body, they all had different functions. God organized the church in a way that all members can contribute, and exercise their gifts, without feeling as if their lives are meaningless. Paul was also detailed in dissecting the various functions in the church, and stressed that the people should covet earnestly the “best gifts”. The best of anything, is usually something that can help more than one person. In the case of the Corinthian church, the apostle Paul desired that the members seek to exercise gifts that will benefit not only themselves, but also bring edification to the entire body of Christ.

It’s easy to covet those gifts that may seem to bring attention to oneself, but as children of God, we are commanded to walk in humility, while keeping our focus on peace, love, and unity amongst the body.

Why does the living man complain?

Ell

What Have You Done For Me Lately?

Matthew 25:41-46

Up to this point in your life, how have you treated those who were hungry, thirsty, strangers, naked, sick, and imprisoned? It may take a few moments for you to think on all those situations, but according to Jesus, the church should pay close attention to those struggling in these areas, and waste no time, attending to their needs. While it is true, we were made the righteousness of God, through Christ Jesus, according to 2 Corinthians 5:21, we are to prove our allegiance to the Father through our works. How we treat others, reveals the secrets of our heart toward God. When a man loves God beyond words alone, he makes it his business to help those in need, on a daily basis. Whether it be lending a listening ear to someone dealing with a struggle, providing food for the hungry, or telling a lost soul about Jesus, the body of Christ should always be found doing something, to make the lives of others better.

There are those who bark and rant that they love God, and can even quote Scriptures easily, but they only do it for show, and have no real intentions to get their hands dirty in the field. God has rewards awaiting those who fulfill His love command, as well as for those who willingly refuse. The righteous have no problem taking time to relieve people of the pressures life presents to them, including children, whereas the unrighteous can turn their face away from a hungry child, with no remorse at all. Always be mindful of how you treat people today, because it’ll ultimately determine where you will spend eternity.

Walk in love,

Ell