1 Corinthians 13

My view: Below, Pastor Mark Driscoll discusses whether gifts such as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and healing still occur today. This is another one of those large theological debates, and frankly, I know next to nothing to contribute to it. What I do know though, is that Paul wrote to the Corinthians because they were too caught up in this exact subject. They used spiritual gifts as "proof" of how faithful one is. This is why Paul stressed that love is the most important proof of our faithfulness in Christ. After all, Jesus only gave us two commandments, and they both revolve around love. Sure, Paul's explanation doesn't get at the crux of the debate of do spiritual gifts happen in our day or not, but then again, maybe that's not the point. From my own Bible studies, I'm beginning to come to an understanding that when God is not explicit about how things should be, then those issues are not at the heart of God's issues. At the end of the day, what's our obsession with spiritual gifts anyway? Are we using it to justify our faith? Are we using it to judge other people's faith? We have Jesus. We do not need spiritual gifts to make us feel better. Jesus is the Judge. We don't need spiritual gifts to judge others. Now, I'm not against spiritual gifts. In fact, I'm pro-God-is-amazing-and-He-can-do-whatever-He-wants. By this, an example comes to my mind: Amos. Amos was one of God's prophets. During Amos' time, no one took him seriously because he had no pedigree as a prophet. People judged him based on HUMAN standards. He was just a sheep tender, a farmer boy! Yet, God raised Him to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom. By GOD'S STANDARDS, Amos was His perfect vehicle. Hence, for me, the case is clear: God performs miracles through us. When a miracle is required to show God's glory, a miracle will happen. When miracles are not needed, miracles won't happen. When do we need miracles? Not by our standards. By God's standards.

http://pastormark.tv/2011/12/15/tough-text-thursday-1-corinthians-13

Excerpts from Scripture Study by Pastor Mark Driscoll

December 15, 2011

1 Corinthians 13

The issue of modern-day miraculous gifts such as prophecy, tongues, and healing is a controversial one. On one hand you have extreme Charismatics who believe these types of gifts are alive and well, and who incorporate them into the church service, often without any order or constraint and are manifested in strange ways.

On the other hand, you have Cessationists who believe that miraculous gifts ceased in the early church and have “passed away.” Their idea that these gifts are used in modern day worship and practice is viewed as counterproductive at best and counterfeit at worst.

Many in the Charismatic tribe criticize Cessationists for following a “cerebral” Christianity, “which has generally implied that we can get along quite well without the Spirit in the present age, now that the church has achieved its maturity in its orthodoxy.”1 Conversely, many in the Cessationist tribes of Christianity accuse Charismatics of following an emotional Christianity that holds little value for strong Biblical scholarship and theology.

We must always evaluate such issues through the lens of Scripture. 1 Corinthians 13, is an important passage in understanding whether these gifts are valid for today.

The Superiority of Love (1 Corinthians 13:1–7)

If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am a noisy gong or a clanging cymbal. And if I have prophetic powers, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing. Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Chapter 13 is situated between two chapters that speak on the nature of spiritual gifts, which included such things as prophecy, speaking in tongues, and miraculous healing (cf. 1 Corinthians 12:7–11). Paul’s message in 1 Corinthians 13, stated strongly in verses 1–7, is that love is superior to these gifts.2

The Permanence of Love (1 Corinthians 13:8–13)

Love never ends. As for prophecies, they will pass away; as for tongues, they will cease; as for knowledge, it will pass away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part, but when the perfect comes, the partial will pass away. When I was a child, I spoke like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I gave up childish ways. For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. So now faith, hope, and love abide, these three; but the greatest of these is love.

No controversy surrounds verses 1–7, as most Christians take Paul at his word that love is superior to miraculous spiritual gifts. But verses 8–13 raise an important question among theologians: Do miraculous gifts exist today? D.A. Carson rightly observes that this passage alone cannot settle this question—and too much discussion only obscures Paul’s central point regarding the permanence of love in contrast to the temporary gifts.3 However, this passage is often cited by Cessationists as evidence that the miraculous gifts are no longer in operation.

No one disputes the temporary nature of these gifts. The verb katargeo means “to pass away” (vv. 8, 10); there is no way around the idea that prophecy and miracles are temporary—as they obviously won’t be needed in the new heavens and the new earth (Revelation 21) when Christians will be in the presence of God for eternity. Further, Paul’s contrast between childhood and adulthood suggests that these gifts were always destined for obsolescence.

The disagreement between Cessationists and Charismatics is on the meaning of the phrase “when the perfect comes” (v. 10). What does Paul mean by “the perfect?”

Three Views of “The Perfect”

Historically, there are three broad categories for understanding this passage:

1. In the early Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas believed it referred to the death of the believer. The problem with this view is that Paul is speaking about an entire community, so it seems inconsistent that he would switch to a discussion of personal destiny.

2. The “perfect” refers to the completion of the New Testament canon. Once the New Testament was complete, miraculous gifts ceased. This is generally the view of Cessationists.

3. The “perfect” refers to God’s future eschatological4 kingdom. This is generally the view of Charismatics who rightly point out that while the Bible is perfect in the context of 1 Corinthians 13:12, what is perfect is Jesus who we will see “face to face.”

The Cessationist View

It is common for those holding a Cessationistic position to curiously argue from history rather than Scripture, which seems to indicate their position is on the ropes to begin with. They boldly claim that the miraculous gifts ceased after the time of the early church following the completion of the canon of Scripture. Some view the silence of the early church on miraculous gifts to suggest that these gifts did in fact cease at the close of the New Testament canon. However, the absence of evidence is not the evidence of absence.5 Furthermore, there is strong evidence to indicate just the opposite.

The Witness of the Ante-Nicene Fathers

Justin Martyr

Martyr’s remarks on gifts come in his Dialogue with Trypho, in which a Jew who has challenged him, as one wearing the philosopher’s robe, to make a case for the Christian faith. Justin is making the point that it is not surprising that the Jews hate Christians, being provoked to jealousy, for this is part of God’s plan: ...knowing that daily some [of you] are becoming disciples in the name of Christ, and quitting the path of error; who are also receiving gifts, each as he is worthy, illumined through the name of this Christ. For one receives the spirit of understanding, another of counsel, another of strength, another of healing, another of foreknowledge, another of teaching, and another of the fear of God. To this Trypho said to me, “I wish you knew that you are beside yourself, taking these sentiments.”6

In the same work, Martyr argues, “For the prophetical gifts remain with us, even to the present time. And hence, you ought to understand that [the gifts] formerly among your nation have been transferred to us.”7

Irenaeus

In his magisterial work Against Heresies, the Bishop of Smyrna and disciple of Polycarp is making a case for bodily resurrection. One of his points is that Christ, in taking on humanity, perfected human flesh that was originally made in God’s image. For this reason does the apostle declare, “We speak wisdom among them that are perfect,” terming those persons “perfect” who have received the Spirit of God, and who through the Spirit speak all kinds of languages, and bring to light for the general benefit the hidden things of men, and declare the mysteries of God, whom also the apostle terms “spiritual,” they being spiritual because they partake of the Spirit, and not because their flesh has been stripped off and taken away, and because they have become purely spiritual.8

In another part of the same work, Irenaeus argues against the Montanists, a heretical sect formed by Montanus that claimed fresh revelation and the ministry of the Paraclete [Holy Spirit], which implicitly denied John 14:16 and thus the entire gospel. Irenaeus used an argument from prophecy as evidence that the Spirit has indeed been sent to the true church: Others, again (the Montanists), that they may set at nought the gift of the Spirit, which in the latter times has been, by the good pleasure of the Father, poured out upon the human race, do not admit that aspect [of the evangelical dispensation] presented by John’s Gospel, in which the Lord promised that he would send the Paraclete; but set aside at once both the gospel and the prophetic Spirit. Wretched men indeed! who wish to be pseudo-prophets, forsooth, but who set aside the gift of prophecy from the Church.9

He adds that the Montanists thus deny the Apostle Paul as well, who recognizes men and women prophesying in church (1 Corinthians 11:4–5). He concludes their sin is against the Holy Spirit and therefore unpardonable.

Tertullian

In his pre-Montanist period, Tertullian, following the example of the great Irenaeus, attempted to refute heresy in principle in The Prescriptions Against the Heretics. He also wrote specific works against opponents and heresies in this period, including Against Marcion that, though it may have been written as early as A.D. 207, seems to anticipate his Montanist leanings. The argument therein is instructive, however, because it, like Irenaeus, appeals to the presence of charismata in the church to refute the opponent: Let Marcion then exhibit, as gifts of his God, some prophets—such as have not spoken by human sense, but with the Spirit of God—such as have both predicted things to come and have made manifest the secrets of the heart. Let him produce a psalm, a vision, a prayer—only let it be by the Spirit, in an ecstasy (that is, in a rapture) whenever an interpretation of tongues has occurred to him...Now, all these signs are forthcoming from my side without any difficulty.10

Origen

Origen’s Alexandrian theology is both provocative and problematic. His works are salted with comments on the Holy Spirit, and in many cases he mentions the charismatic gifts in that context: I consider that the Holy Spirit supplies the material of the gifts (which come from God) to those who—through him and through participation in him—are called saints. As a result, the said substance of the gifts is made powerful by God, is ministered by Christ, and owes its actual existence in men to the Holy Spirit. I am led to this view of the charismata by the words of Paul, which he writes somewhere, “There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit.”11

And again in another work, Origen asserts that the gospel has a divine demonstration of the Spirit and power, “because of the signs and wonders which we must believe to have been performed,” going on to say, “traces of them are still preserved among those who regulate their lives by the precepts of the gospel.”12

Fascinatingly, though Origen considers the demonstrations of the gospel present in his day, he sees them diminishing, a phenomenon he credits to a lack of holiness in his contemporaries. He observes: “Moreover, the Holy Spirit gave

signs of his presence at the beginning of Christ’s ministry, and after his ascension he gave still more; but since that time these signs have diminished, although there are still traces of his presence in a few who have had their souls purified by the gospel and their actions regulated by its influence.”13 At this point, judgment is reserved as to whether or not this perspective is consistent with a Cessationist or non-Cessationist position, or neither.

Others

Although the sample of Ante-Nicene Fathers above is concise, it is fairly representative of comments from the writing of that period on the subject in question. To get a more rounded perspective, however, a few transitional Nicene and post-Nicene Fathers are important to consult. Eusebius of Cesarea writes of thecharismata as being “flashes of God’s lightning,” and adds, “There is a diversity ofcharismata, but the same Spirit. To some is given a word of wisdom by the Spirit and to another a word of knowledge and another faith and so on...”14 In a similar discussion in another work, he includes “...prophesying future events, healing diseases, raising the dead, and speaking in tongues, and sharing in wisdom and knowledge.”15

Athanasius speaks of the charismata in Trinitarian terms, as being bestowed by the Father through the Logos and divided by the Spirit. Basil in Shorter Rules requires the charismatic gifts, including the 1 Corinthians 12 gifts of tongues, to be ordered according to the pattern of worship Paul set down. Gregory of Nazianzus and Gregory of Nyssa identified the charismata as a separate gift to be sought after baptism. And finally, Chrysostom in his homilies on 1 Corinthians preaches of a cessation of gifts in terms similar to Origen, as a function of lost piety in the church.16

Evaluation of the Data

In considering the voices of the early church as represented above, one could manipulate the data to make a case either for a Cessationist or a non-Cessationist position. First, there seems to be clear evidence not only that charismatic gifts continued in the early church, but that they were accepted and expected by orthodox church leaders. On the other hand, there are remarks that could be construed as evidence of a recession, or perhaps even a cessation of at least some of the gifts. In the cases of Origen and Chrysostom, there seems to be an expectation of cessation. Again, the thorny issues in interpreting the data are brought to the fore in trying to make them alone responsible to answer the question of cessation or not.

Pursuing the argument from a primarily historical angle is the immanent Princeton theologian, B.B. Warfield. In chapter 1 of his Counterfeit Miracles, Warfield provides a sweeping critique of the quotes and sources I have compiled above, and more. His criticism centers on the lack of specific instances and details included or apparently even available to the post-apostolic writers to verify their general claims (which appear as firsthand accounts in their writings) that miraculous powers continued beyond the generation of the apostles.17 So weighty is his argument that, nearly 100 years later, it is still considered the sine qua non of Cessationist polemics.18

Warfield admits none of the passages quoted above in this paper as face-value evidence of miraculous occurrences or continuing charismatic gifts. He asserts, “The writings of the so-called Apostolic Fathers contain no clear and certain allusions to miracle-working or to the exercise of the charismatic gifts, contemporaneously with themselves.”19 He questions the genuineness of the account of Polycarp’s martyrdom in a letter of the church of Smyrna based on the accounts of miracles contained therein.20 Stopping just short of discrediting Irenaeus, Warfield suggests that the early miracle accounts, especially of purported raising-from-the-dead stories (in contrast to healing, exorcisms, and prophecy) are indeed events that happened within living memory rather than in Irenaeus’ present experience.21 His counter-thesis is simply that: These gifts were not the possession of the primitive Christian as such, nor for that matter of the Apostolic Church or the Apostolic age for themselves; they were distinctively the authentication of the Apostles. They were part of the credentials of the Apostles as the authoritative agents of God in founding the church. Their function thus confined them to distinctively the Apostolic Church, and they necessarily passed away with it.22

One could say that Warfield’s read of the early church fathers on the subject of miracles reveals an a priori skepticism regarding the evidence, to the extent that in order to admit any claim of supernatural effect as genuine it must first be scrutinized in terms of modern scientific parameters. Such a presupposition is not admitted by Warfield. On a different presupposition, that of a pre-modern Christian who “understands by faith” (Hebrews 11:6) the facts of the natural world (often labeled “superstition” by modern writers in their own chronological snobbery) would count a Christianity devoid of supernatural experience as a dead religious formalism (see 2 Timothy 3:5, for example). Opponent Jon Ruthven, whose writing may be said to evince a similar prejudice against Warfield and his whole Calvinistic polemic against “the implicit attack on the sufficiency of scriptural authority made by those claiming miracles and extraordinary gifts of the Holy Spirit,” nonetheless offers a substantial critique of Counterfeit Miracles.23 It is beyond the scope of this post to evaluate that work and referee the debate. The question in the present case regards, primarily, the historical evidence of cessation or continuance of charismatic gifts. Since that is also in view in Counterfeit Miracles, a bit more analysis is warranted.

The Charismatic View

For Charismatics, the “perfect” refers to the fulfillment of God’s kingdom when the new heavens and new earth are here. Miraculous gifts are present from the time of Pentecost until Christ’s return.24 The most obvious argument for “perfect” as referring to the future, eschatological kingdom comes from immediate context. 1 Corinthians 13:12 speaks of seeing God “face to face.” This was a phrase used in the Old Testament to refer to direct encounters with God (Genesis 32:30 and Judges 6:22,25 Deuteronomy 5:4, 34:10, Ezekiel 20:35, 33:11). Such personal experiences could hardly be confused with the close of the canon. Context is helpful in another way. Paul speaks of the eternal nature of love: he wants his readers to understand this passage in light of all eternity. Paul states elsewhere, “You are not lacking in any spiritual gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 1:7), meaning that he saw these gifts as a temporary provision to be done away with at the Lord’s return. Finally, there is the testimony of history. Though, as was mentioned, the early church was reluctant to speak to these issues, their writings revealed openness26 to miraculous phenomena.27 Gordon Fee argues that these miraculous events were quite common in the early church and that Paul writes of them so infrequently (1 Thessalonians 5:19–22 and 1 Corinthians 12–14) only reflects their abuses, not that these were unusual events.28

Conclusion

One of the distinct theological points of Mars Hill Church is that we hold both to gospel-centered theology associated commonly with reformed Christianity and we hold to the importance of the spirit-filled lives, which includes miraculous gifts. These two tribes, the Reformed and the Charismatic (or Continuationist), are not traditionally paired together, but we have come to these convictions through our study of Scripture rather than the traditions of the past.

In light of the evidence, we believe that 1 Corinthians 13 looks at the future Second Coming of Christ rather than the close of the Biblical canon. But we must be cautious to assume that this concludes the matter. Even the Cessationist Reformer John Calvin disagreed that this passage could be used to settle the issue in its entirety.29 Church history obscures the issue further, in that it can’t be confirmed that early apostolic practice has been preserved in today’s Charismatic circles.30 However, the lack of clarity regarding the total cessation of these gifts suggests that we may be “open yet discerning” with regard to these gifts. At Mars Hill Church, this is why we say we’re “Charismatic with a seat belt.” We seek to be gospel-centered and ordered in our approach to spiritual gifts while also not letting what has been abuse of spiritual gifts in some circles inhibit our belief that God does move miraculously today. But, I would urge those who are fearful of going to far in accepting miraculous spiritual gifts to consider if they are not guilty of the opposite sin—not going far enough in the Spirit? While we do not want unbiblical excess, we also do not want fear of such excess to compel us toward unbiblical lack of Holy Spirit power and giftedness. 1 Thessalonians 5:19–21 says, “Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good.” And Ephesians 4:30 says, “And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God...”

At the end of the day, the issue of miraculous spiritual gifts must be viewed as an open-handed issue, meaning it is not essential to salvation such a closed-handed issue like Jesus being the only way to salvation. This means that while we can differ theologically on our positions of miraculous spiritual gifts, as there is room for discussion, we must not let those differences be a dividing wedge between brothers and sisters in Christ and hinder our mission together as churches to make disciples of Jesus.

But, in closing I would press my Cessationist brothers and sisters to earnestly consider if their fear of the supernatural is not in fact quite worldly. The miraculous only came into question in a big way following the thinking of such materialist atheists as David Hume during the Modern era. Therefore, I find it curious that those claiming to defend the Bible argue against the supernatural and miraculous do so with reasoning that more echoes Modernistic atheism than Biblical revelation.

References

1 Gordon D. Fee, The Epistle to the Corinthians. (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdman’s Publishing Compant, 1987), p. 652. Similar sentiment is reflected by Jack Deere: “No one ever just picked up the Bible, started reading, and then came to the conclusion that God was not doing signs and wonders anymore and that the gifts of the Holy Spirit had passed away. The doctrine of Cessationism did not originate from a careful study of the Scriptures. The doctrine of Cessationism originated in experience.” (Jack Deere, Surprised by the Power of the Spirit (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1993), p. 99.

2 Grudem writes: “It is not enough to ‘seek the greater gifts’ (12:31a, author’s translation). One must also ‘seek after love (14:1, author’s translation)...” Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology, (Grand Rapids: Intervarsity Press, 1994), p. 1032.

3 D.A. Carson, Showing the Spirit, (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1996), p. 66.

4 The word “eschatology” simply refers to God’s future plans, including the return of Jesus and the establishment of a new heavens and a new earth.

5 Graham Cole, He Who Gives Life: The Doctrine of the Holy Spirit, (Wheaton: Crossway Books, 2007), 254.

6Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, eds. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 1 (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1977), 214 (hereafter cited as ANF).

7 Ibid., 240.

8 Irenaeus, Against Heresies, in ANF, vol.1, 531.

9 Ibid., 429.

10 Quoted in David W. Bercott, ed., A Dictionary of Early Christian Beliefs, (Peabody, Mass.: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 1998), 301.

11 Origen, De Principiis, in The Ante-Nicene Fathers, eds. Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson, vol. 4 (Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1979), 329.

12 Origen, Against Celsus, in ANF, vol 3, 397-398.

13 Ibid., 614.

14 Eusebius, Commentary on the Psalms, 76.16-17, quoted in Eusebius A. Stephanou, “The Charismata in the Early Church Fathers,” The Greek Orthodox Theological Review 21 (1976): 136.

15 Eusebius, Commentary on Isaiah, 6.2, quoted in “The Charismata”, 135.

16 This summary follows Stephanou, “The Charismata,” 136-139. The material on Chrysostom’s view of cessation is corroborated in a separate homily on 1 Corinthians 14: “...of old they thus used to speak, not of their own wisdom, but moved by the Spirit. But not so now... the present church is like a woman who hath fallen from her former prosperous days, and in many respects retains the symbols only of that ancient prosperity; displaying indeed the repositories and caskets of her golden ornaments, but bereft of her wealth: such an one doth the present Church resemble. And I say not this in respect of gifts: for it were nothing marvelous if it were this only: but in respect also of life and virtue.” The Homilies

of Saint John Chrysostom, trans. Talbot W. Chambers in Nicene and Post- Nicene Fathers, Philip Schaff, ed., vol. 12, (Grand Rapids: Wm B. Eerdmans Printing Co., 1989), 219-220.

17 B.B Warfield, Counterfeit Miracles, (1918; reprint, Ediburgh: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1995), 11-15.

18 See for example the substantial treatise by Jon Ruthven, On the Cessation of the Charismata: The Protestant Polemic on Postbiblical Miracles, (Sheffield, England: Sheffield Academic Press, 1993): “...this study treats Warfield’s Counterfeit Miracles as the final, authoritative and representative expression of Cessationism for conservative American evangelicalism.” pp. 22- 23.

19 Warfield, Miracles, 10.

20 Ibid., 10-11.

21 Ibid., 15.

22 Ibid., 5-6.

23 Ruthven, On the Cessation, 43.

24 Fee writes: “These are manifestations of the Spirit for the church’s present eschatological existence, in which God’s new people live ‘between the times’— between the inauguration of the End through the death and resurrection of Jesus with this subsequent outpouring of the Spirit and the final consummation when God will be ‘all in all.’” Gordon Fee, The First Epistle to the Corinthians, p. 643.

25 Note that both have the same Greek wording in the LXX, the Greek translation of the Old Testament.

26 We might cite as simply one example, the incident in which Augustine converted to Christianity after hearing the voice Tolle Lege! Meaning “take and read.” His experience drove him to read Scripture and discover the gospel of Jesus Christ.

27 “Gifts of the spirit,” David W. Bercot, ed., A Dictionary of early Christian Beliefs: A Reference Guide to More than 700 Topics Discussed by the Early Church Fathers(Peabody, mass.: Hendrickson, 2002), 298-304.

28 G.D. Fee: “Gifts of the Spirit” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters, p. 346

29 Specifically, Calvin said, “It is stupid of people to make the whole of this discussion apply to the intervening time.” John Calvin, The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians, trans. By J. W. Fraser, ed. By D.W. Torrance and T.F. Torrance (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1960), p. 281.

30 Gordon Fee, Listening to the Spirit in the Text, (Grand Rapids: Eerdman’s, 2000), p. 115.

1 Corinthians 8-16

Notes compiled from my BSF group


1 Corinthians 8–9


A few principles mentioned in this passage include...


1. An idol is nothing but man-made things. God is the ONLY ONE true God (1 Corinthians 8:1-3).


2. As Christians living in the world where there are many other religions and their “gods”, we know that those are false gods. We know that only Jesus Christ is our Lord, through whom all things came and through whom we live (1 Corinthians 8:4-6).


3. However, not everyone sees or understands this Truth. 


These people still worship the idols, because it is part of their culture or background. For example, some people still eat certain foods or worship with certain foods all thinking this would satisfy their gods or bring them closer to their gods (1 Corinthians 8:7). Paul described the minds of these people as weak, and because of their weak conscience, their minds are defiled and remain defiled. Paul says “defiled”, because they do not see the truth and continue to believe in things that are not real. Worse, these things are the manipulations of Satan, and by not believing in the one true God, they are trapped by Satan’s deceptions. And because their minds are weak and cannot see what they’re doing is wrong, they have been led astray by Satan, therefore becoming defiled.


4. Materialistic things, such as food, do not dictate how close we are to God (1 Corinthians 8:8).


5. Even though Christians know the truth, we need to be careful how we tell people about the truth.


Paul said, “If what I eat causes my brother to fall into sin, I will never eat meat again, so that I will not cause him to fall” (1 Corinthians 8:13). This is to illustrate that as a Christian, we should be supportive of those around us. We should help them find God’s way, and avoid doing things that would cause them to falter. Even if what we do is the right thing to do, we should avoid doing it if it confuses other people, causing them to do the wrong thing.


Zondervan NIV footnote:


8:12 wound their weak conscience. Eating meat offered to idols when they feel it is wrong tends to blunt their consciences, so that doing what is wrong becomes much easier. The result may be moral tragedy. you sin against Christ. Cf. Mt 10:40; 18:5; Mk 9:37; Lk 9:48; Ro 14:15 and note; 14:19-20.


8:13 I will never eat meat again. Paul presents himself as an example for the church (cf. Ro 14:21).


As Christians, we know there is no meaning in bowing down to other gods, because those gods have no meaning. Worse, some of those gods are demonic in origin. However, many cultures still bow down to these gods because it has been passed down for generations.


I think it is necessary for Christians to share the Truth with these people, but we need to be sensitive. These traditions, even if they are wrong, are still an important part of these people’s lives, and we need to understand that. I like what my pastor said about this important issue. We are not saying what our ancestors have been doing for thousands of years is wrong. We are saying the gods they have been idolizing are false idols.


Instead of telling people how wrong they are, we need to communicate with them and reason with compassion. People get very attached to cultural values, especially when it is deeply integrated in their society. We need to be sensitive to that and let them know that we still have respect for our ancestors, but we cannot have a weak mind and give in to doing things that we know are wrong.


Those who are weak cannot see the truth by themselves. We need to be stronger for them and make sure what we do help them see the truth, as opposed to pushing them away.




1 Corinthians 9


Paul did not stand on his right to receive financial support from the Corinthians because, as Christians, “we put up with anything rather than hinder the Gospel of Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:12). In other words, there are many things Paul should be able to freely do, but he doesn’t, because he knows that if he does, it would cause other people to falter and prevent the spreading of the Gospel. And as a disciple of Christ, we know that the most important thing we have to do in this life is to spread the Word, therefore we need to know that it’s not about us being right. It’s about us preaching the Gospel so that it can be heard by everyone.


Examples of how Paul was willing to be supportive to help more people hear the Gospel:


"Though I am free and belong to no man, I make myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To 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. To 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. To 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. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings" (1 Corinthians 9:19-23).


Zondervan NIV footnote


9:11 material harvest. Food, lodging and pay supplied by the Corinthians (cf. Gal 6:6). Paul here sets forth the principle that those who serve the church should be supported by the church (cf. Php 4:14-19).


9:12 did not use this right. The point of Paul's discussion in ch. 9. He had numerous rights that he did not claim because of his love for the Corinthians. Thus ch.9 is an extended personal illustration of the practice advocated in ch. 8. Because of love for others, believers should be ready to surrender their rights (see Ro 14:15 and note).


9:15 this boast. That he had preached the gospel without charge, so that they could not say that they had paid him for it.


9:18 my reward ... in preaching the gospel. Paul's reward in preaching is not material things but the boasting that he has preached to the Corinthians without charge and has not taken advantage of the rights he deserves: food and drink, shelter and pay (vv.3_12).


9:19 I make myself a slave to everyone. Not only did Paul not use his right to material support in preaching the gospel but he also deprived himself - curtailed his personal privileges and social and religious rights - in dealing with different kinds of people. to win. To bring to Christ.




1 Corinthians 9:19–27


Paul said, “I do not run like a man running aimlessly; I do not fight like a man beating the air” (1 Corinthians 9:26).


Paul is comparing the Christian life to running a race. Just like athletes who train before a race, we, too, need to train hard (that is, to diligently study and LIVE the Word). 


Athletes race to win medals, but Christians train hard to remain on God’s Way for eternal life in God’s glory.


We, too, therefore should keep our eyes on our eternal life. We should not be distracted in our focus on Jesus. When we are weak, we should seek God for nourishment. God will strengthen us so that we can continue our walk as Christians.




1 Corinthians 10–11


Sins of Israel:


1 Corinthians 10:7 = They committed idolatry (Exodus 32:6)


1 Corinthians 10:8 = They committed sexual immorality (Numbers 25:1-9)


1 Corinthians 10:9 = They tested Christ (Numbers 21:5-6)


1 Corinthians 10:10 = They grumbled (Numbers 16:41-49)


Additionally, the Book of Isaiah summarizes the sins of Israelites really well.


We are tempted to commit these each day by Satan’s deceptions.


However, if we place our faith in God, He will guide us through any temptation, for we have been told, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world” (1 John 4:4). This means with God guiding us, we can overcome any temptation of this world.




1 Corinthians 10:23, 31–33


Principles shared are...


1. Everything is permissible but not everything is beneficial nor constructive (1 Corinthians 10:23).


2. Whatever we do, we should do it all for the glory of God (1 Corinthians 10:31).


Do things not for the sake of yourself, but for te sake of many, so that they may be saved (1 Co 10:33).


Zondervan NIV footnote:


10:23 not everything is constructive. See 6:12 and note. Personal freedom and desire for one's rights are not the only considerations. One must also consider "the good of others" (v. 24; cf. 8:1; Gal 6:2).


10:31 all for the glory of God. The all-inclusive principle that governs the discussion in chs. 8-10 is that God should be glorified in everything the Christian does (see note on Ro 16:27).


10:32 Do not cause anyone to stumble. Living to glorify God will result in doing what is beneficial for others, whether Christians ("the church of God") or non-Christians ("Jews, Greeks").


10:33 please everybody in every way. Paul will do nothing that might hinder someone else from receiving the salvation proclaimed in his gospel. that they may be saved. See 9:22.




1 Corinthians 11:1–16


In a Christian household, the head of the house is man (1 Corinthaians 11:2). The man and woman are equal partners, for neither the man nor woman is independent of each other (1 Corinthians 11:11). We are all a part of the body of Christ and have our own duties to fulfill. Let us accomplish our tasks with no contention is this order of authority, for this is God's order, and everything we have comes from God (1 Corinthians 11:12). If we are contentious about it, then we can no longer do God’s will.


Zondervan NIV footnote:


11:3 Some understand the term "head" to refer primarily to the concept of honor, in that one's physical head is the seat of one's honor (cf. vv. 4-5). Thus as Christ honored God, each man is to honor Christ, and each woman is to honor her husband. Others see in the word "head" the idea of authority (which would also include the concept of honor). They point out that Paul clearly uses the term in the sense of authority in Eph 1:21-22 ("under his feet"; "head over everything"), in Eph 5:22-23 (where headship is seen in a context of submission) and in Col 1:18; 2:10. Thus as Christ has authority over "every man" and is therefore to be honored by them, so the husband holds a position of authority and is therefore to be honored by his wife. See note on 15:28.


The passage spoke about women needing to cover their heads with hair. This was because back then, only prostitutes would shave her head. Paul is using this as an example to show what ungodly women dress like. This doesn’t mean women who shave their heads are committing a sin. Paul is just using current events as vivid symbols.


The idea here is doing God’s will in a Godly manner. Whatever order has been set by God, we need to abide by that and have no complaints.




1 Corinthians 11:17–34


As we take Communion, we need to remember the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. On the night Jesus knew it would be His last, He told His disciples that when we break bread, we should do it in remembrance of Him, of how He broke His body for us. Similarly, as we drink from the cup of wine, we should also drink it in remembrance of Jesus, the wine representing the blood Jesus shed for us. Every time we take Communion, we are reminded again of the sacrifice of Jesus, dying on the cross for us, to wash us clean of sins, understanding at the same time that Jesus will come back for us, giving us eternal life (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).


Paul further said that, “Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 11:27).


Lastly, I really like what Paul said here, “But if we judged ourselves, we would not come under judgment” (1 Corinthians 11:31). It is always easier to judge others. But then, what of it? After we judge others, what changes can take place? That accomplishes nothing more than aggravating other people. However, if we judge ourselves with God’s Word, we can discipline ourselves to become better Christians. And this is so much more beneficial, because when we stand in front of God on Judgment Day, we would know that we are disciplined.




1 Corinthians 12–14
Romans 10:9–10
Galatians 3:26–28


When we claim, with our heart, that Jesus is Lord, we have the Holy Spirit in us (1 Corinthians 12:3). With our heart, we believe, and we are justified, we have received Jesus’s gift of Salvation. With our mouth, we proclaim our faith, and we are saved, because we proclaim the truth flowing only from the Holy Spirit (Romans 10:9-10)


Every Christian should be active in some way, because we are all granted with our own gift in the Holy Spirit. We all have talents that contribute differently in the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12:7-11). We can’t all be heads or arms or legs. We each have our own role, and we need to contribute to ensure proper function of the whole body. This is why Paul said, “God has combined the members of the body and has given greater honor to the parts that lacked it, so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other. If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it” (1 Corinthians 12:24-26).


God is love. John said that, “Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love” (1 John 4:8). And Jesus also taught us the most important thing is to love God (Matthew 22:37). From these passages, we learn that love of God (which gives off love for God and love from God) is the root of all our actions. Furthermore, note that Satan can also perform miraculous signs. But, it is very evident that he has no love of God, and his fate is Hell. This, I believe is the best illustration of what Paul is saying, that if we do things without the love of God, we are nothing (1 Corinthians 13:1-3).




1 Corinthians 14


Several principles about the use of spiritual gifts in the church:


- Follow the way of love and eagerly desire spiritual gifts, especially the gift of prophecy (1 Corinthians 14:1).


- He who prophesies is greater than one who speaks in tongues, unless he interprets, so that the church may be edified (1 Corinthians 14:5)


- I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my mind; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my mind (1 Corinthians 14:16).


- Tongues, then, are a sign, not for believers but for unbelievers; prophecy, however, is for believers, not for unbelievers (1 Corinthians 14:22).


- When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church (1 Corinthians 14:26).


- Women should remain silent in the churches (1 Corinthians 14:34).


See http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2011/04/womens-place-in-spiritual-leadership.html for elaboration.

- Everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way (1 Corinthians 14:40).


Zondervan NIV footnote:


14:1-5 The basic principle Paul insists on is that whatever is done in the church must contribute to the edification (building up) of the body. This is in keeping with the declaration in 12:7 that gifts are "given for the common good." It also is in agreement with the principle of love (ch. 13). What is spoken in the church, then, must be intelligible - it must be spoken in the vernacular language or at least be interpreted in the vernacular. Prophecy is therefore more desirable than tongues (unless an interpreter is present) because prophecy is spoken in the native language of the listeners.


14:26-27 everyone ... anyone ... someone. The stress here is again on the diversity and yet complementary nature of spiritual gifts. It is also apparent that every member could participate in worship, not just certain leaders or officers.




1 Corinthians 15:1–10


After Jesus rose from the dead, He made at least 6 different appearances:
1. to Peter
2. to the 12 Apostles
3. to more than 500 brothers
4. James
5. to all the apostles
6. to Paul




1 Corinthians 15:3–4


The 3 basic Christian beliefs are:


1. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3)


2. Christ was buried according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4)


3. Christ was raised from the dead on the 3rd day according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4)


The reason why Christians have Good News (the Gospels) to share with the world is because Jesus conquered death. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, Christianity would be no different than any other religion. It would be just another religion teaching us how to be morally good people with no promise of better things to come after our physical death.


The following verses, Paul discusses why this is:


“And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead” (1 Corinthians 15:14-15).


“If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men” (1 Corinthians 15:17-19).




1 Corinthians 15:23–28


The order of events from Christ’s resurrection until God is all in all:


1. Christ comes for those who belong to him (Rapture) (1 Corinthians 15:23)


2. The end of the days comes to destroy Satan and his followers (including those who refuse to accept God’s Grace) (1 Corinthians 15:24)


3. Christ reigns until all of His enemies are under His feet (1 Corinthians 15:25)




1 Corinthians 15:35–58


When we die as believers of Christ, God will resurrect us in our new bodies. Each body would be unique and corresponds to the Will of God that God has for each one of us (1 Corinthians 15:35-38).


Therefore, our heavenly bodies are different from earthly bodies; the splendor of the heavenly bodies is different from the splendor of the earthly bodies (1 Co 15:40).


Paul said, “The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body” (1 Corinthians 15:42-44).




1 Corinthians 15:51–57


If we’re still alive when Jesus Christ returns, we will not die a physical death. Instead, we will be changed, from mortal to immortal, in the twinkling of an eye. When the last trumpet of God’s judgment sounds, those who died as believers in Christ will rise from the dead first, receiving their new bodies. Then, those still living and are believers of Christ will immediate change into their new bodies.


The living believers will not die but will be changed instantly from perishable/mortal to imperishable/immortal.


The dead believers will also be raised imperishable/immortal.


Thus, death will be conquered, as prophesied by Isaiah (Isaiah 25:8).


(However, all unbelievers will perish. Therefore, the sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.)




1 Corinthians 15:57–16:24


All Christians should know that our King of kings, the Lord Jesus Christ, is a LIVING God. He was put to death, but He conquered death through His resurrection. This is why we have hope for our sins. Because Jesus died for our sins and was raised from the dead, we have the confidence that through Him, we are made righteous in the eyes of God. We, too, may receive eternal life after the death of our physical body. Christ is alive now and is preparing a place for us in Heaven. That is the Good News. Our King is a LIVING God!


Some of the things we should always keep in our heart are...


- Receive the gift of salvation that God has given to everyone.


- Give thanks always for everything to God the Father (1 Corinthians 15:57).


- Stand firm in faith. Let nothing move us (1 Corinthians 15:58).


- Always give ourselves fully to the work of the Lord (1 Corinthians 15:58).


- Be on our guard; stand firm in the faith; be men of courage; be strong (1 Corinthians 16:13).


- Do everything in love (1 Co 16:14).


- Submit to one another in the fear of Christ (1 Corinthians 16:15-16).

1 Corinthians 1-7

Notes compiled from my BSF group


1 Corinthians 1:1-9


Paul encouraged the Corinthians for the following:


- Being enriched in every way—in speaking and knowledge (1 Corinthians 1:5-6)


- Not lacking any spiritual gift as they eagerly waited for the revealing of the Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 1:7)




1 Corinthians 1:10-17


Paul addressed the problems the Corinthians faced:


Paul learned that the Corinthian church had become divided. Some people chose to follow Paul’s teaching, or Apollos’ teaching, or Cephas’s teaching, or Christ’s teaching (1 Corinthians 1:10-12)




1 Corinthians 1:17–18; 2:6–16
Acts 2:22–24, 36–38
Galatians 6:22–26


In response to this divide, Paul reminded the Corinthians that Christ is not divided.


We are all followers of Christ, even the disciples Paul, Apollos, and Cephas! These disciples are sent to preach the Gospel, to preach the wisdom of God, not of human! And so, any wisdom that comes from the mouth of the disciples, they all ultimately lead back to Christ. Following this logic, if we are all followers of Christ, how could we possibly be divided?


The Church therefore has no reason to be divided if we are all united in Christ. The church should be one follower of Christ and Christ only (1 Corinthians 1:13-17).




1 Corinthians 1:18–2:9
Human and worldly wisdom ultimately come from God. And because humans are flawed, their understanding of God’s wisdom, when used on their own instead of with the guidance of God, is flawed and becomes foolish.




1 Corinthians 2:10–16
God gives us His wisdom through the Holy Spirit.


The Holy Spirit searches all things, including thoughts of man, and guides man to understanding the wisdom of God.




Here, I'd like to dwell a bit on human wisdom (if there is such a thing) and inspired wisdom from God.


First, the main idea here is, when we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we need not to be afraid because we will be guided by God. However, when we stop listening to the Holy Spirit, we start rejecting the guidance of the Holy Spirit, leading us astray. This is what was happening to the Corinthians. This is what caused division among them. Instead of being united in Christ, they started deciding what they want to believe and what they don't. They started making decisions based on their own understanding of things instead of based on God-inspired directions.


From the Corinthians, we see that when people are proud of their knowledge, they start to base what is right and wrong on their own understanding. Their minds are no longer open to new things, and they certainly won’t be open to the miraculous possibilities by the acts of God. Their minds would thus be closed to God’s instructions, thereby preventing them from maturing in the Word of God. Worse, they are also no longer guided by God’s Word and think they have the answer to everything.


When people are guided by themselves, they become divided, because they’re no longer united in the Word of God. We saw this happening also in the story of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9).


People during that time thought they could become like gods and started building up toward the Heaven. They believed that if they make it to Heaven, they then can sit at the throne of God. To punish them for their pride, God confused their languages so that they could no longer understand each other. And when they were no longer united, chaos resulted.


These Biblical stories tell us that when we no longer follow God’s Word, we no longer communicate as one.


And on this note, when we run into debates with fellow Christians, we should stand back and think about why that is. Usually, the root of the problem is often a serious misunderstanding of the Word of God. And I would encourage that instead of arguing, we should work together to resolve that misunderstanding and stand stronger as united Christians. It's never about who's right and who's wrong. It's about lovingly welcome brothers and sisters to continue to mature in the Word of God.




1 Corinthians 3:1-4


Paul could not speak of the deep wisdom of God to the Corinthians because they were worldly people.


Paul spoke of "milk" and "solid food".


“Milk” is what babies drink when they are not mature enough to eat “solid food”. Similarly, as Christians, we proceed from being newborn Christians to becoming more and more mature as we learn more and more about the Word of God.


When we are new Christians, we read the Bible and understand the literal meaning of it – the easiest part, the "milk", of the Bible to understand. However, God’s message isn’t just that simple. There are prophecies and mysteries within the Bible that take years of study to understand them well. This kind of understanding only comes from maturing in the Word of God. This kind of understanding is "solid food".




Romans 8:7; 14:10–12
2 Corinthians 5:10
Galatians 6:8–9


“Worldly” means belonging to the world. We live IN the world, but we are taught not to be OF the world, not to belong to the world (1 John 4).


Why? Because the world is under the control of Satan, the evil one (1 John 5:19). Satan uses deceit to draw us closer to his world, thereby pulling us further away from God.


Addictions to or obsessions over money, power, social status, etc., are just examples of the lure of Satan.


What’s the problem with being worldly? Why is money, power, social status, etc., such a bad thing? Well, note that neither of those things is bad! It’s the LOVE for those things that is the problem!


“For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1 Timothy 6:10).


The ultimate idea of Christianity is both easy and difficult to understand.


It is easy to understand because it can be stated in one simple sentence: Love God.


But, it is also difficult to understand because if it weren’t, man would not have had so much trouble following God throughout the course of human history! We're told to love God. HOW? What does that mean anyway? If we can't even love our parents they way they deserve to be loved, do we really know how to love God, THE Father?


When we become worldly people, our heart no longer belongs to God. We crave worldly things more than we crave God. God is no longer the center of our lives, and we allow worldly things to dictate our lives.


When we follow God’s Word with our heart, when we place Him at the center of our lives, we succeed because God leads us to our success (Joshua 1:8). He is a Father who loves us. And through the Holy Spirit, He leads us toward things that are best for us.


When we start following our selfish goals, when we start idolizing money, power, social status, etc., we abandon God’s Word and do whatever we think is necessary to gain more money, power, and social status, etc. In other words, we no longer operate with the will to accomplish God’s work, to glorify God. We operate with the will to accomplish our own work, to glorify ourselves.


That’s not even the worst part.


The worst part is, we may THINK we have outsmarted God, that we can do whatever we want, follow our own wishes, depend on ourselves to glorify ourselves. We can do it all, WITHOUT God's help! But in all reality, that is just a sad, sad DECEPTION.


The Bible clearly states that Satan is the ruler of this world (1 John 5:19). He CONTROLS this world, and he is the master of deception. Who pulled Adam and Eve away from God? Who tried (but failed, ha!) to pull Jesus away from God, tempting Jesus in the desert? Satan, Satan, Satan.


When we are tempted to lust for money, power, social status, sex, drugs, and other things of this world, we have two choices: (1) keep God in our heart and have Him guide us to safety, or (2) give in to those temptations and join Satan in Hell.


People who think they can outsmart God, who think they can do it all without God, these are people like the Corinthians; they are like those who tried to build the Tower of Babel; they are like those who are like Satan. All these beings share the same characteristics: Pride. They think they can become gods, and they think they can do better than the Creator of all things.


Here's the most ironic thing though: These people think they are free, that they are masters of themselves. Well, they are not.


Our lives always are always revolved around something. If they aren’t, then we have no reason to get up in the morning.


Think about that for a second.


Isn’t it true? If we don’t have a central goal in life, then what have we got to live for?


So, here’s the thing: If our lives have to revolve around something, shouldn’t it revolve around something that is TRUE?


You want to rebel? Sure, go ahead. Have your life revolve around drugs. How long is that going to last? How real are those hallucinations? How long can you live a lie?


Fine, you say, then you’ll just have your life revolve around nothing. Then there is no incentive for you to do anything, is there? Essentially, that means, your life revolves around being lazy. 


Get my point here? Whether we like it or not, OUR LIVES REVOLVE AROUND SOMETHING.


Okay. Say, you are more ambitious and have up-standing goals. So… you choose to have your life revolve around success. What does that word mean anyway? How much money you make? How much power you have? How high up the corporate ladder you are? And how secure are any of these things? When the government goes bankrupt, when the economy fails, how much money is worth a loaf of bread? Where is all that power going to get you?


Furthermore, if Satan controls this world, who/what do you think your life ultimately revolves around?


Wake up, people.


If you think you can live without God, if you think what you have is success without God, YOU ARE SEVERELY DECEIVED.


You have fallen prey to Satan’s deception, and he’s got you worshiping money, power, status, etc. He’s got you worshiping anything BUT God. He’s got you worshipping some form of Satan. And that is a win for Satan, but a sad, sad loss for you.


Like I have been saying all this time, at the end of the day, our lives revolve around ONLY ONE of two things: God or Satan.


This is why we have been warned to NOT be worldly. When we start worshiping the world, when our heart no longer has God at its center, we start worshipping Satan, the ruler of the world, and his deceptions.


For those too proud to follow God, I urge you to swallow your pride. Revelation 16 talks about the Seven Bowls of God’s Wrath.


“Men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done” (Revelation 16:10-11)


Pay attention to this verse.


These people refused God and turned their backs on God. That part is obvious. What should be shocking should be that all these people know they are not just suffering from natural disasters. THEY KNOW THEY ARE SUFFERING THE WRATH OF GOD. If they didn’t, they wouldn’t be cursing God! Yet, even as they cursed God, they still refused to repent of their sins and submit to the Creator of all things!


This is so heartbreaking -- So heartbreaking because we see here how people’s heart can be so hardened, they would refuse the ONLY power that can save them from eternal suffering. They are so hardened, because they are so proud. Even when they face extreme agony, they would refuse help because they are too prideful to put down their pride and ask!


If you have not yet bow down to God, I really urge you to think about your decision. Why haven’t you accepted God as THE ultimate Creator, the Father?


It has been said, every knee will bow before Jesus (Isaiah 45:23). EVERY knee. That includes yours. Do you know what that means? It means, whether you want to or not, your knee will bow before Jesus. The difference is, when you CHOOSE to bow before Jesus, you will receive His love. But when you bow before Jesus on Judgment Day, you will be condemned in Hell, living your eternity in suffering and torment. And when you bow on that day, it won’t be because you chose to. It will be because you have finally discovered the righteousness of God and how your pride falls short of His righteousness, how your pride could not save you. You will fall to your knees because that realization will make you weak. It will make you weak, because you will discover that there is no one to blame but yourself. You put yourself in that situation.


So, I’m urging you again. Think about this hard. Your life revolves around ONLY one of two things: God or Satan. You cannot choose to follow Satan and still say you belong to God. This is why you cannot pursue money, power, social status, etc., and still say you belong to God. Because when your heart revolves around God, you will be interested only in doing His will, NOT your own will.


If you think you can succeed without God, you live worshiping yourself, just as Satan does. This ultimately leads to the same judgment as Satan’s judgment: eternal suffering in Hell.


Similarly, when you worship money, you ultimately worship Satan, for the lust of money is just one of Satan’s many deceptions. And so, when you worship power, you worship Satan. When you worship anything NOT God, YOU WORSHIP SATAN!


Success. What does that mean? I honestly don’t know. For the true Christian, it doesn’t really matter. All that matters to the true Christian is doing the Will of God. To us, that’s true success. We understand what matters most in this life isn’t all the money, power, social status, etc. We can see through Satan’s deception, because we have the Word of God in our heart (Hebrews 4:12). We know money, power, social status, etc. are just his glitter, clouding our eyes from seeing the Truth, from seeing God.


Success in this life isn’t about any of those materialistic, non-eternal meaningless and worldly objects. Success in this life is saving more souls, preaching the Gospel to more people, accomplishing God’s Will.


Money, power, social status, etc.? What’s so amazing about any of that when we compare it to God’s awesomeness? God created this world with one breath (Genesis 1). Look how hard we have to work to accumulate just enough wealth and power… and we can't even come close to achieving anything close to the miracles God has done!


Wake up, people.


Our best is NOTHING compared to God’s worst.


Let us put our pride aside and CHOOSE to bow our knees to God before we fall to our knees on Judgment Day.




1 Corinthians 3:10-12
We should build on the solid foundation of God’s Word. God’s Word is PERFECT. There is no way we can fail if we build upon God’s perfection.




1 Corinthians 3:13-15


"A person’s work will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames" (1 Corinthians 3:13-15).


What does this mean?


It means can your work stand up to the test? The test of what? The test of ANYTHING. Political hardship. Economic hardship. Natural disasters. ANYTHING.


If we live for this world, then when any of these worldly disasters happen, we will falter. We will look at the destruction, and we will have no hope, because we have spent our whole life building these materialistic luxuries that are now laying in ruins at our feet. We will now have to start all over if we ever want to enjoy our former glory.


Even if we believe we are very wise and can safeguard ourselves against all unknown disasters, know that there will be a day when ALL worldly wealth will be brought to a ruin (Revelation 18:17). Again, God or Satan. There is no escaping making this choice.


Clearly, none of the things of this world last forever. Nothing is secure. You may have a billion US dollars today, but when the entire world’s economy collapses (and any smart economist would tell you that this is only a matter of time), those dollar bills won’t worth more than toilet paper. At least the toilet paper is easier on our butts.


So, what will stand the test of time? God. God has ALWAYS delivered His people from times of trial. There are just way too many examples. The ENTIRE BIBLE is proof to how God provides, provides, provides! There is not one situation that can stomp God. NOT ONE. No matter the situation, God ALWAYS has a solution. God’s Way is the ONLY way that stands up to the test.


This is the point Paul is trying to illustrate. If we build upon weak foundations (our own will), any success we have will not withstand trials because we are flawed. And if we are flawed, then our foundations are flawed. However, if we build upon strong foundations (God’s will), not only will we stand firm and strong during trials (because we're following God's Way), we can rest assured that the success we’ve built will never be lost. God’s will is superior to any disastrous force. His will is not limited by political stress, economic instability, natural disasters, etc. (Moses parting the Red Sea is a popular example.) Anything we do in His will therefore will stand the test of any trial.




1 Corinthians 4:1-5
Paul describes the person who has some knowledge of God and the Bible as “those entrusted with the secret things of God” (1 Corinthians 4:1). We do not judge because we are not the judge. Only God is (1 Corinthians 4:2-5).




1 Corinthians 4:6–13


I found the following verses very inspirational:


Verse 1:
"Do not go beyond what is written. Then you will not take pride in one man over against another. For who makes you different from anyone else? What do you have that you did not receive? And if you did receive it, why do you boast as though you did not?" (1 Corinthians 4:6-7)


We learn the following things from Paul:


1. We follow the Bible, and we do not extrapolate beyond what is not written in the Bible. If the Bible doesn’t say, then IT DOES NOT SAY. Don’t guess. Just leave it as “I do not know”. Because in reality, we don't! ONLY GOD KNOWS - and we can ask Him about it when we're in Heaven. So, for the time being, don't guess, don't assume.


2. Why should we feel we are better than other people? Why do we compare what we have with what other people have, as if what we have would determine whether we’re better than others? All things come from God. ALL. God can take it away just as easily as He has given it all to us. So, what have we got to be proud of ourselves? What have we got to boast?


Verse 2:
"Already you have all you want! Already you have become rich! You have become kings—and that without us! How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!" (1 Corinthians 4:8)


We learn the following things:


The Corinthians were rich in materialistic things. They live the lives very much like ours. Big mansions, nice cars, gourmet food… things that kings would enjoy.


Yet, Paul said, “How I wish that you really had become kings so that we might be kings with you!” How SHARP a statement!


Here, Paul is telling the Corinthians that they were kings only in materialistic things but not in spirit. And Paul is saying that is so sad, because being kings of materialism is not real kings at all. Why? Because materialistic things are not eternal! However, when we receive eternal life by receiving Jesus, we are then promised to reign with Jesus ETERNALLY as kings and priests (Revelation 20:6).


This is why when we are kings in spirit, that is true kingship! This is why Paul said, “How I wish!” because Paul felt such great pity for them! The Corinthians believed they were kings when in fact they were not. Yet, they remained so blinded, Paul could only shake their heads hoping they’d soon see their folly.


Remember the story of the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)?


The rich man thought he had all the riches in the world and found out he didn't until it was too late. I say "too late" because by the time he realized his folly, he was already in Hell.


I really hope the significance of this story sinks in.


Throughout the Bible, we read stories like this. The most shocking discovery for me isn't what happens to people who are too proud to receive God. The most shocking discovery for me is that THESE PEOPLE ALL ULTIMATELY RECOGNIZE GOD AS GOD. They may refuse Him all they want throughout their lives, but at the end, THEY ALL KNOW HIM. And every single one of them make that realization as they suffer the wrath of God, knowing their repentance came too late.


So, I ask this question again to those who are quick to deny God's existence: How long can you live a lie? It should be obvious now that the question is rhetorical. We all have one lifetime to make one choice. You can choose to live a lie for one lifetime. Yes, that is your choice to make. Just know that you're swapping in eternal life for, what, 60 years, 100 some years at most, of the lie that you're better than God.


Man, oh, man, how my heart yearns for those too proud. Please, please, please make the right choice.




1 Corinthians 4:14-21
Paul’s purpose in writing to the Corinthians was therefore to tell the Corinthians to become kings of the spirit and stop worshiping meaningless and worldly objects.




1 Corinthians 5–6


Paul also taught on the following subjects:


- It is wrong to take one’s father’s wife as his own wife (1 Corinthians 5)


- It is better to have a wise judge to judge the disputes between Christians. Having a lawsuit among brothers show that they are defeated already, meaning they have allowed the enemy to put them against each other (1 Corinthians 6:4-11)


- Christians will judge angels and the world (1 Corinthians 6:1-3)


- Our bodies are members of Christ himself (1 Corinthians 6:15); our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19). Therefore, we should honor God with our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:20) and truly understand that just because we can do anything we want, that doesn’t mean everything we do is beneficial for our bodies (1 Corinthians 6:12)!


- Since our bodies are members of Christ (1 Corinthians 6:15), how could we bear uniting our bodies with prostitutes? When we commit sexual immorality, we are sinning against our own body. We should therefore flee from sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 6:18).


Each one of the above teachings can be a study of its own. I will not go into details here but will sum it up by saying our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. When we sin, we dirty ourselves, and we sin against God. Jesus died for us. Our freedom is bought with the price of His suffering death. To continue to dirty ourselves and to commit sin is the greatest disrespect for the Grace of God.




1 Corinthians 7:1-16
Matthew 5:32; 19:8–9
Mark 10:11–12
Luke 16:18


Paul also discussed the concept of marriage and divorce:


1. It is best to not to marry, but if we cannot control their sexual desires and give in to sexual immorality as the result, then we should marry and devoted to one husband or wife.


2. If we do consider marriage, polygamy is not accepted. “Each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband” (1 Corinthians 7:3).


3. To those who are married, divorce should not be easily considered (1 Corinthians 7:10).


4. To those who are married to unbelievers, they should remain with their spouses (1 Corinthians 7:12-14), for there is always a chance that the believers can save the non-believers (1 Corinthians 7:19).


5. However, if the non-believers wish to leave the marriage, then let them leave, for we are taught to live in peace (1 Corinthians 7:15).


Again, these points are studies of its own, and I would research each out before making broad-stroke conclusions.


Here are my notes on related subjects:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/search/label/Ezra
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/search/label/Hosea




Matthew 19:10–12
Paul's teaching is in line with Jesus's teaching. Those who do not have the will to remain single should be devoted to one person so that they may avoid the temptation of lust. However, those who have been called to remain single, and they are joyful in remaining devoted to God as a single, then let these people remain single.


We should note here that marriage is the holy joining of God’s people. The man should be devoted to the woman, and the woman should be devoted to the man.


Ultimately, it's still about having our heart revolve around God. If we can do it as a single, then do it. There is no need to seek a partner, because our focus is already completely on God. However, if our mind wanders and cannot bear the burden of being a single, then we should enter a Godly marriage (not the corrupted type of marriage we think of today when we hear the word "marriage").


What is a Godly marriage?


That is a hard topic. Thankfully, my church is currently going through a series of sermons dedicated to "Real Marriage", so I'll be posting notes on the topic as we go through them.