Hold the Line

During Paul’s ministry there were some in the Church who did not believe he was a true apostle. I was surprised when I learned that fact. One example is the Jewish group of believers who were called the Ebionites. They believed that Gentiles had to become Jews to be Christians and taught circumcision. They held other views that were considered heretical. Of course, Paul writes against those who taught that. It is clear that Paul had critics who attacked him and his apostleship. It is possible the slander had reached Corinth at the time of this letter, so Paul addresses it.

“1 Am I not an apostle? Am I not free? Have I not seen Jesus Christ our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord? 2 If I am not an apostle to others, yet doubtless I am to you. For you are the seal of my apostleship in the Lord.”

Paul had a very special encounter with Jesus Christ on the road to Damascus. The Lord chose Paul, an enemy of the Church, to be a witness to the Gentiles, and he would suffer greatly for the name of Christ. Jesus specificaly chose him for a specific task and was sent. That makes him an apostle. The work Paul had done among the Gentiles, and the fact that his work was used by the Lord to produce fruit among them and bring unbelievers into the kingdom shows the truth of Paul’s calling. The Corinthians were part of that proof. Others may not have considered him an apostle, but he was to all those churches where he had laid the foundation of Christ.

“3 My defense to those who examine me is this: 4 Do we have no right to eat and drink? 5 Do we have no right to take along a believing wife, as do also the other apostles, the brothers of the Lord, and Cephas?”

I think Paul may be addressing particular attacks that are being made against him here. Of course him and Barnabas have the right to eat and drink. Maybe someone was calling them gluttons and drunks. Maybe they were criticising Paul’s team because they took believing wives with them. Some have used this text to say that Paul was married, but I don’t think so according to the information Paul gives back in early chapters about himself and marriage. I think Barnabas or other team members had wives. I think it is very interesting that some of the other apostles, brothers of the Lord, and even Peter had wives that they took with them. These texts are proof that the tradition of the Catholic Church of forcing Priests to remain single is wrong.

“6 Or is it only Barnabas and I who have no right to refrain from working? 7 Who ever goes to war at his own expense? Who plants a vineyard and does not eat of its fruit? Or who tends a flock and does not drink of the milk of the flock… 11 If we have sown spiritual things for you, is it a great thing if we reap your material things? 12 If others are partakers of this right over you, are we not even more?
Nevertheless we have not used this right, but endure all things lest we hinder the gospel of Christ.”

The slander must have included accepting money from churches for the work of Christ. Paul begins defending the practice of churches supporting full time servants of the Lord at this point. He draws on illustrations from the Old Testament to do so. He shows it is right to accept funds from the Church for their work, but then goes on to say to the Corinthians that he did not use this right in regard to them. That way there would be nothing to hinder the good news that he had brought to them.

“13 Do you not know that those who minister the holy things eat of the things of the temple, and those who serve at the altar partake of the offerings of the altar? 14 Even so the Lord has commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel.”

So in conclusion to that point Paul uses one further illustration from the Old Testament and the current practice of his time. The priests who served in the Temple were given the sacrifices as food for their table as commanded by God. And the Lord had revealed to the Church and commanded that those who work full time for Him should live from that work. The logical conclusion is that the Churches are to support those God has called to minister to them.

“15 But I have used none of these things, nor have I written these things that it should be done so to me; for it would be better for me to die than that anyone should make my boasting void.”

In regard to the Corinthians, Paul did not accept anything from them. Nor is he writing those things for it to begin to be done. I believe it is because of the slander that had been brought against him, Barnabas, and his team that he defends himself. And since he had been chosen to not accept anything, and had spoken about it, if he changed his mind it would be better to die. Then his enemies could in some way think they were justified in slandering him as they were doing.

“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! 17 For if I do this willingly, I have a reward; but if against my will, I have been entrusted with a stewardship. 18 What is my reward then? That when I preach the gospel, I may present the gospel of Christ without charge, that I may not abuse my authority in the gospel.”

If Paul preached the Gospel and accepted funds from the Corinthians then he would no longer be able to say that he did it for the sake of Christ alone. His enemies could say he preached the Gospel out of a desire for money. Peter points out that some were doing that at that time(2 Peter 2:3). That was not Paul’s heart, therefore he did not accept financial contributions from the Corinthians.

Paul’s thought in regard to not preaching the gospel is one that brings God’s wrath to mind when he uses the word, “woe.” How terrible it would be for Paul if he didn’t do what the Lord had called and directed him to do. I think Paul willingly and unwillingly did what he had to do. There are two sides of the coin here. Of course Paul willingly wanted to serve the Lord, but I am sure there were some things that he suffered through that at times he was unwilling. I don’t think anyone wants to suffer the terrible things Paul went through such as stonings, scouraging, being in danger, cold, shipwrecked or anything else along those lines. Paul’s reward from the Lord was that he was able to preach the Gospel freely without accepting funds, that way Paul would not be tempted in anyway to abuse his position. Paul worked with his own hands to provide for himself and his companions. He was skilled in other areas that allowed him to survive. And Christ had helped him to be content in any circumstances (1 Timothy 6:8).

Peter writes that those who are to shepherd God’s flock are to not be greedy for money (1 Peter 5:2). God wants them to be willing and eager to serve. He wants them to be content and rely on Him. I think about today how the unbelieving world sees this issue. I turn on Christian television and see how they are focused on nothing but money. The end result is that those who desire money and wealth in the leadership of churches bring criticism and negativity to the name they represent.

I really do not think that pleases Christ. Men of God should be content with what God provides for them. They should flee from greed and live modest, Christ honoring life styles. After all Jesus is the example to follow. Especially in our day with all the scandals, greedy, false teachers out there like Robert Tilton. I was really unhappy when I saw that he was back on television, as I was when I turn through channels and come across Jimmy Swaggart. They drag the name of Jesus through the mud with their antics, then after taking off some time they come back to do it again. It is terrible what some gullible, ignorant Christians will listen to and some of the men they follow. Like sheep without a shepherd. It grieves my heart.

Its nothing new. The priesthood in OT times grew corrupt and wicked as well. Jesus looked on the people when He came as sheep without a shepherd, and God through the prophets severly condemned the corruption and religious hypocritical leaders. Jesus did the same at the Temple.

Paul writes to Timothy, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness” (1 Timothy 6:10-11).

From what I know, the question arose among the Corinthians about eating meat that had been offered to idols. It was a thriving business because after sacrifices had been made, the meat being cooked, would be eaten by those in the idol’s temple and sold in the market place. There was a lot of meat available to those who wanted it. It was an easy source of food.

“1 Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies.”

It amazes me that anything, including “knowledge” can lead us into pride. Wisdom, skill, appearance, ability, talents, and anything else can lead us along the path to where we become haughty and think too highly of ourselves. The truth is we are nothing but dirt. If we have anything, it is from the hand of God and belongs to Him. Paul shows the contrast between the end result of those who have knowledge and love. Knowledge brings pride, but love instructs, improves, and builds up.

“2 And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he knows nothing yet as he ought to know. “

This is the simple truth of the matter. If we think we know, we really know nothing as we should know it. I think about all the evolutionists out there who think they “know” how things came to be as they are today. We know they are in error. Their knowledge puffs them up and they look down on those of us who believe in Intelligent Design. I think this is similiar to what Paul is referring to. Those with “knowledge” about things offered to idols (I believe these were some in the church) who were eating the meat in their Christian liberty were causing problems for their brethren. They may have even been proudly looking down on those who didn’t eat because of their “knowledge.” And they didn’t bother to build up their brothers as love would have done. Paul points out how they should edify the brethren as he proceeds.

“3 But if anyone loves God, this one is known by Him.”

This scripture makes me wonder if the Corinthians were accusing each other of not being real Christians because of this issue. There are some denominations in error today who believe their group are the only ones who will be going to heaven. The rest of us Christians are going to go to hell since we don’t belong to their particular church and believe their particular doctrine. Paul simply points out logically that if someone really loves God, then they are known by Him. I think “known” here is referring to a deep, intimate relationship. God completely knows us, better than anyone on this planet or even ourselves. God knows the hidden things of the mind and heart. No one else knows us like God. And we can’t forget that we love Him only because He first loved us and changed our hearts.

“4 Therefore concerning the eating of things offered to idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is no other God but one. “

I like how Paul puts this. The simple, logical truth about idols is that they are nothing. They are not a god. An idol is a lifeless rock, a lifless piece of wood, or a lifeless piece of metal. Its dumbfounding how anyone could ever bow down and worship a lifeless, piece of man made sculpture as being a god. Though, you can go over to India today and observe the Hindu worship, which has idols. Even in some Catholic Churches, statues of Mary and Christ are revered. It is very disturbing, especially down in Latin America.

http://www.liveleak.com/e/d2e_1213570058

See Isaiah 41:7; 46:6-7

“5 For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as there are many gods and many lords), 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.”

Paul is simply saying that even if there are “gods” somewhere in heaven or here (which there isn’t) that for us Christians we are known by the true and only living God in the entire universe. God created us for Himself, and we have life through Christ. God is one and Paul reveals to us a little of the roles the Father and Christ fulfilled in creation. The Father, being the leader within the Godhead directed all things to be created as they are, and the universe was created through Christ (1 Corinthians 11:3; Colossians 1:16). The Father is the architect and Jesus is the builder. Not an easy concept to relay.

“7 However, there is not in everyone that knowledge; for some, with consciousness of the idol, until now eat it as a thing offered to an idol; and their conscience, being weak, is defiled. “

There are some in the church at this time that did not have the understanding that Paul is sharing here. When they ate meat offered to an idol, they saw it as meat offered to a real “god.” Some Christians may have really thought Zeus, Diana, or other “gods” really existed. We know they didn’t, but back then when idol worship and false religions dominated the Gentile world, it would be hard for them. Its just like today with false religion in our time. The followers of that religion really believe their “god” is real. The Muslims believe Allah is real. We know, Allah, was the moon “god” of the Arabian pantheon. They believe he is real to the point that “Allah” is the Arabic word that means God with a big “G” in our day instead of a little “g.” Allah and the God of the Bible are not the same.

“8 But food does not commend us to God; for neither if we eat are we the better, nor if we do not eat are we the worse. “

There is only one thing that matters between us and God. That is the precious sacrifice of Jesus Christ on our behalf. In Him, our sinfulness was placed on Him at the cross. In Him, His righteousness is given to us and we are justified before God. We are commended before God because of Jesus, nothing else. Food has no relevance in light of the truth of our salvation. We are saved by grace alone, not by works. So what we eat does not matter either way.

“9 But beware lest somehow this liberty of yours become a stumbling block to those who are weak. “

We have Christian liberty. We have been freed from the law in Christ. It was simply a teacher that led us to Christ because on our own we were law breakers. The penalty for breaking the Law of God is death. We have passed from that which brought death to that which brings life. Christ is the fulfillment of the law, and we were set free in Him. Jesus perfectly kept the law and was pure and righteous. We have been given that righteousness in Him. The law is good because as Paul says it shows us the difference between right and wrong, but the law was not 100% exhaustive in regard to every matter we might face. For those things that the moral law clearly does not condemn as wrong, Christian liberty comes into play. Though we should be wary because our liberty can make our brethren stumble as Paul goes on to explain.

“10 For if anyone sees you who have knowledge eating in an idol’s temple, will not the conscience of him who is weak be emboldened to eat those things offered to idols? 11 And because of your knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died? 12 But when you thus sin against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, you sin against Christ.”

Here is the crux of the matter. If a brother sees us doing something they consider sin even though it isn’t and they do it, they are sinning. Violating conscience is sin. Shall our brethren sin because of our “knowledge?” Anything that violates the law of love for us is sin. So if our actions and liberty lead our brethren to do something they consider sin, we sin against Christ for the sake of their wounded and weak conscience. They are held accountable to Christ for their conscience. This point Paul makes would deflate any of the Corinthians who were puffed up in pride in regard to their liberty.

“13 Therefore, if food makes my brother stumble, I will never again eat meat, lest I make my brother stumble.”

This is Paul’s simple conclusion. If eating food causes my brother to sin, I will never again eat meat. If we love each other like Christ loves us, how much more shall we abstain from those things that our brethren consider sin. That way they don’t go off and eat that meat they shouldn’t because they consider it wrong. There are plenty of examples of this in our day. We don’t have heathen temples where sacrifices are made and meat is sold, but there are other areas where this could apply to us.

Some Christians believe it is okay to drink a little wine here and there as long as they don’t get drunk. Some Christians believe any form of alcohol at any level is sin. If I am at a restaraunt and I have a drink, then my brother sees me who considers drinking sin and orders one for himself and drinks it, his conscience is violated and I sin against my brother and Christ. This could be applied to anything that isn’t clearly given to us in black and white in the scriptures. I’m not saying I drink. I’m just using it as an example to illustrate Paul’s example.

Love the brethren, and don’t lead others into sin.

Peace.

“16 Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?17 If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.”

Those who really believe, our bodies are the Temple of God. The Spirit of God indwells us. The fullness of the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit fills our hearts and saturates every cell of our bodies. His presence is in us and surrounds us. He is closer to us than anyone else in our lives.

John 14:16-17

“[Jesus] I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever— the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.”

The gift of the Holy Spirit is that He will abide within us forever. Even when we are with Jesus, our bodies are changed to be like His, and we are completely free from this mortality: The fullness of the Holy Spirit will continue in us for eternity. He dwells with us and is in us.

John 14:23

“Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him. “

The fullness of the Father and the Son has made our hearts His home. We don’t think about that sometimes. It is true. The fullness of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit indwell us. God is one and if the Holy Spirit indwells us He cannot be separated from the Father and the Son. We love Jesus, He lives in us, and we keep His word if we truly believe.

1 Corinthians 6:19-20

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own? For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

This text points out a very important truth. Our body is the Temple of God. We do not belong to ourselves any longer. Jesus bought me. My body, my soul, and my spirit belong to God. I am the property of God. Therefore my purpose is to glorify God. I belong to Him completely, and in all honesty I have no right to do anything with myself outside of His will. I am not free, nor do I have liberty. I am a servant of Jesus Christ nothing more.

All honor and glory to His name.

Now, our text says that God will destroy anyone who defiles His Temple.

1) This text refers to anyone who would defile our bodies in one form or another. Anything that defiles His Temple will bring His wrath. There is a whole, massive list of everything that could be considered defilement.

2) I think this text refers to our actions in regard to our bodies. We are to live holy and righteous lives. We are to do what is right and good in His sight with our bodies. If we defile our bodies we can be subjected to destruction even though we are saved. God disciplines His children (Hebrews 12:3-11). We should be very careful and fearful when it comes to sin. God’s discipline can include death among other things (1 Corinthians 11:30-32). So we should be very careful how we live.

What should we do when we see evil? Not look at it. Leave.

How about hearing evil? Not listen to it. Leave.

How about speaking evil? Shut up.

What if we are somewhere in the presence of evil? Flee.

Doing something wrong? Stop.

Should we tattoo our bodies? Do we think God wants graffitti on the wall of His Temple? Would we go to Jerusalem when the Temple of God was there and write graffitti on it? I wonder if it is alright if the tattoo glorifies Christ in some way? Maybe if I tattooed scripture on my body that would be pleasing to the Lord. I’ll have to pray about that one. That brings to mind putting a Jesus fish on my car. I decided not to because I didn’t want my driving to dishonor the name of the Lord if I did something wrong or foolish. If I had a Jesus fish tattooed on my arm and someone saw it when I was doing something wrong would that dishonor His name? That brings us Leviticus 19:28. The Lord told the Israelites not to tattoo themselves. Instead He told them to tie His commands onto their bodies (Deut 6:8). Then when they made them “wide” because of their corrupt self righteousness, Jesus pointed out their hypocrisies (Matthew 23:5).

I think about what is said about Jesus in John 2:13-17.

“The Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there. And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables. And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me” (ESV).

If Jesus felt that way about the Temple in Jerusalem how do you think He fills about our bodies? What would the Lord do if He cleaned out those things that defiled His Temple now? That is why Paul said we are to live holy and pleasing lives.

Romans 12:1

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service”

I plead with you as well. Live holy, pure lives.

Lord, help me to live a holy and pure life before you. I do not want to defile your Temple or your name.

“10 According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid the foundation, and another builds on it. But let each one take heed how he builds on it.11 For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.12 Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,13 each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is.14 If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward.15 If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.”

The foundation of our faith is Jesus Christ. He is the author and finisher of our faith (Heb 12:2), and He is the focus of all our trust. The apostles including Paul here laid the foundation for the church. Paul was a “wise master builder” according to the grace of God. It was God’s plan to do it that way. We know that building is the Temple of God, and the Temple of God are those called by God to believe in Christ. Jesus being the author of our faith, designed the building. He produced the blue print, and He works through those He sends to do the work. When the nation of Israel built the Tabernacle according to God’s plan, He chose specific men to be the wise master builders and gifted them with all the skills and knowledge they would need (Exodus 31:1-6). When Christ sent out the apostles to build the church He granted them everything they would need.

The apostles laid the foundation of Christ, and others were called to build on that foundation. The building began 2000 years ago, and it is still being built. Men have been sent by God to build on what the apostles began. Paul has some very strong truth here that anyone who comes to take part in the work should remember. He says they should take heed on how they build on the foundation. They need to be very careful.

1) The foundation is Jesus Christ. No other foundation can be laid other than the foundation that exists. If someone tries to lay a different foundation or change the foundation, we know they are not sent by God. I would include all the cults in those who have attempted to change the foundation. It is the same with Islam. They say they believe in Jesus, but it is a different Jesus than the one we know. Mohammed is a different foundation.

2) The day will come when those who are sent by God to build on the foundation, their work will be tested. The work is compared to precious metals, precious stones, wood, hay, and straw. When it is tested by fire, and I see the eyes of the Lord as fire seeing and testing all things (Revelation 19:12), the good work will remain. The bad work will be burned to ashes. Those who have refined, precious materials survive will receive a reward. Those who have nothing but ashes will receive nothing. Yet, they will still be saved telling us they were truly called and sent by God. They made poor choices in the work they did. This shows us the difference between good servants and poor servants.

Another application, I think this could be applied to every believer. The foundation of Christ is laid in every believer’s heart. I believe this passage refers to all believer’s work in their lives. What and how are we building on the foundation of Christ in our lives? Just like those called to build the church in one way or another are tested, our lives will be tested by the Lord. We will all appear before the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10; 2 Corinthians 5:9-10). Our lives will be set on fire by the eyes that see all things, the ears that hear all things, and the mind that knows every thought we have had in our lives. The great consuming fire that is our God (Heb 12:29) will test every word, every thought, every action, every motivation, and every secret and hidden thing will be revealed. We will be completely examined from the moment of our conception until the moment we take our last breath.

I know all I can do is throw myself on the grace, mercy, and forgiveness purchased for me by the blood of Jesus Christ. I will have no excuses and no answers for what the Lord will show me on that day. We will be judged by the one who took that wrath onto Himself to save us. How will we be able to answer Him at all? I will be on my face. When He asks for an account of my life and allows me to speak, all I will be able to say is, “Yes Lord, I did those things. I deserve your wrath, please, forgive your servant.”

I mourn and grieve over my bad choices and bad works in my life. Any true Christian would mourn over those things they have done. We should go to church in sack cloth, cover ourselves in ashes and dirt, and lay on our face before a completely holy and righteous God in repentance and ask for nothing other than forgiveness. We deserve nothing except death and destruction. Grieve over your sin. Wail with sorrow and misery over your wickedness for the Lord has taken all of that on Himself. God poured out the fullness of His wrath on Jesus for our sakes. It was our sin that scourged Him, slapped Him, spit on Him, mocked Him, the weight of our sin on the cross as He carried it through the streets of Jerusalem. It was our sin that nailed His precious hands to that rough and unyielding wood. It was our selfishness that drove the nails through His feet. It was our sin that drove the spear into His side and pierced His heart. Yes, grieve over Him, mourn over your sin those who call on His name. How dare we ever spend one moment more sinning in our lives once we come to Him begging for forgivness.

Live a pleasing, righteous, and holy life with the strength and power that the Holy Spirit has given to us. Don’t treat Jesus with contempt by continueing to sin.

May His precious name always be glorified among His people.

Have mercy on your servant, oh Lord. Forgive me for my failures and drive me to righteous living by your Spirit.

“5 Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers through whom you believed, as the Lord gave to each one?6 I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.7 So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase.8 Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.9 For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building.”

Paul makes things very clear here. As I have said, we are only tools in the hand of God to accomplish His work. Who is Paul? He is a servant, a tool in the hand of God. Who is Apollos? He is a servant, a tool in the hand of God. As we share the good news about Jesus with our families, friends, co-workers, and everyone else we come into contact with, we can recognize that we are just servants, tools in the hand of Almighty God to bring about His work. We plant, and we water. He is the one who gives us the strength to do the work. He gives us the ability and skill. Then He is the one who makes the seed grow. The Word of God is a seed that is planted in the heart of those who hear it. We encourage those who hear our words to believe, but it only happens by the hand of God. The seed only grows by the work of God.

So our part in the ministry of Christ is to obediently share the truth with everyone we get the opportunity. As Paul says, we are nothing. We are laboreres that have been sent by the Lord into the fields. He also owns the fields. Each of us will receive a reward according to our labor that we have done. The labor is to obediently do as Christ instructed to give testimony of Him. To show that Jesus came and died for sinners on the cross. That He rose from the grave three days later proving the truth of His word.

And the best part about all of this is that we don’t go into the fields alone. God goes with us to the degree that Paul calls us His fellow workers. We plant because He makes us able. He gives us the seed. We water because He gives us the strength and water to do so. God calls the seed to life. The seed sprouts, grows, begins to develop leaves, and ultimately produces fruit. God is there every step of the way. He even prunes the plant so that it produces more fruit. So faithful labor is what God has called us to. It is very simple.

For the Corinthians, Paul simply points all this out with the practical application for them to see their divisions are simply absurd. God is the one who sends, empowers, works through, and nutures the seed into a fruit producing plant. It is the work of Christ that makes it possible. Paul wrote these things so the people would repent of their divisions that had developed. It is Christ alone. That is one reason why we need to be careful about elevating mere men onto religious thrones or pedestals. The Pope is a mere man. The President of the SBC is a mere man. All pastors and teachers across the planet are mere men. Men are men who can do nothing. We are all fellow workers fulfilling a God given purpose and role, nothing more. Christ is the one to focus on. Men will always dissapoint; God will always exceed our expectations.

1 And I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual people but as to carnal, as to babes in Christ. 2 I fed you with milk and not with solid food; for until now you were not able to receive it, and even now you are still not able; 3for you are still carnal. For where there are envy, strife, and divisions among you, are you not carnal and behaving like mere men? 4 For when one says, “I am of Paul,” and another, “I am of Apollos,” are you not carnal?

God help us.

Envy, strife, and divisions in the church shows how shallow and selfish we can be. How many times have we all made this mistake in some form or fashing? All three of these traits usually are rooted in selfishness. If we know anything about selfishness, we know it is sin. The love of money is the root of all kinds of evil as Paul wrote, but selfishness is the root of all evil.

How can anyone speak to people like that as spiritual when they are acting like the world? The world envies, fights, and divides over the smallest things. Christians who act like that are like little babies who can only drink milk instead of eating solid food. If you are a parent and have had a baby, you know one thing. Babies are only concerned with self. It is only as we mature and grow where we put ourselves aside and begin to think about others. The Christians here at Corinth are acting like they did prior to Christ instead of living as Christ. Jesus is the supreme example of self-sacrifice. Instead of being like Him, these are selfish Christians who have not grown in Christ.

We are to love one another as He loves us. We know that Christian love is not selfish or self seeking (1 Corinthians 13:4-8a). The love Paul describes in chapter 13 is the type of love that we all should be practicing in our churchs. There will always be problems at church, but it is our duty to do our best to not be the one causing the problem. If there is a problem we should confront it with the love of Christ, and act in the love that Paul tells us about. I love my many brothers and sisters because I know that I am a mistake making sinner saved by God’s grace. If it wasn’t for Him, I would be a terribly, selfish man.

No one is perfect. I am not perfect. Like I have said before if there was a perfect church I had better not attend or I’d mess it up. All we can hope to do is live out the life of Christ in our relationships and actions at church. Pray for our brothers and sisters, love them and bear with them. We all make mistakes, and I know I have had to be loved when I have messed up.

When there are problems we can always look at it as an opportunity to show Christ’s love to our brothers. While we were still sinners, Jesus loved us and died on the cross for us. We can do the same, dwelling with one another in love and understanding. Working on solving problems together instead of fighting over them. Part of Christ’s love is making peace and helping others to grow. That may mean we have to confront selfishness, envy, divisions, and strife among the brothers.

Above all else as Paul has written: we are to be one in mind and action for Jesus wants us to live in unity and love. We are to live the life Christ called us to. We should examine ourselves for these types of problems. When we see a problem recognize it, and work on changing it. Recognizing there is a problem can be the most difficult step. Pray about the problem in your heart. Do your best to lay aside selfishness. Look at the other side of the issue. Pray about it some more. Go to your brother and make things right. Humble yourself and apologize when you are wrong. Forgive your brother and love him if he is wrong. Move forward in your walk together.

“7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God ordained before the ages for our glory, 8 which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 9 But as it is written: ‘Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.’ 10 But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God.”

The mystery of God, the hidden wisdom of God ordained before the ages for our glory is centered on Jesus Christ. All of the promises and wisdom of God is given to us in Christ. We have become new creations, the workmanship of Almighty God to be sons and daughters of the Most High. Who has poured out His Spirit into our mortal forms to be His Temple forever. Our mortal bodies may be weak and corrupted presently, but one day our bodies will be changed to be like Christ’s. We will be born in strength, incorruptible, and immortal. God will be glorifed in His vessels of mercy and grace, and the fullness of His indwelling will shine brighter than all the stars of the Heavens. We will walk with Him externally and walk with Him internally forever. All of the promises will be fulfilled in His people. No one has ever conceived of all that God has prepared for us. We will completely know God on that day, and all remaining mysteries and hidden things of God will be clearly revealed.

“14 But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

The natural man can never receive or know the deep things of God. Unfortunately, the sinfulness of man in rejecting God has blinded him. Natural men are dead spiritually and can never understand. And because they can’t understand they think the things of God are foolishness. Passages like this is what brings in the topic of the inability of man when it comes to the things of God. Natural men are blind, deaf, and mute when it comes to spirtual knowledge, and they can’t respond to spiritual things because they are spiritually dead. That was part of the truth of the Fall of Man. When Adam and Eve ate of the forbidden tree they died immediately spiritually. Of course, they did die physically later. We are spirit, soul, and body. God’s pronoucement of death for disobedience smites all aspects of our being.

Even Christians do not know everything there is to know about spiritual things yet. One day we will know, but it pleases God to teach us through our lives. The Spirit illuminates the Word to us and teaches us. He also teaches us through our life experiences. The difference for us is that God has given us eyes to see and ears to hear. He has opened our minds to receive the things of the Spirit, and He has given us the ability to understand. We see the truth of Christ, and we understand that truth.

We perceive the truth as God wants us to perceive it. We perceive Christ as the beauitful plan of God, a sweet aroma of life. The natural man perceives Christ as death leading to death (2 Corinthians 2:16). They perceive it that way because they are dead, and Christ is death to their way of life. And even though they know they are wrong for what they choose and want, knowing the judgment of God against such things, they still reject Christ and the truth of God. (Romans 1:32).