1 Corinthians 8 "Others"

After reading chapter eight I have concluded that even if we are perfect and we obey the ten commandments we can still sin.  Yes, that is right.  In chapter eitht paul talks about food offered to man made gods, how eating this food initself is not a sin.  But if you are eating this food and know that it was offered to another god and a weak brother or sister in Christ sees you doing this and is drawn away from Christ because of it you are sinning against them and in turn sinning against Christ.  

Isn't that interesting.  It reminds me of another time in the Bible when it talks about how it is a sin to cause another in Christ to stubble in their faith, for ex. if I had a drink when I knew my brother was trying to quit because he had made alcohol an idol in his mind, my drinking was encouraging him to drink though I didn't do anything.  

We must love our neighbor as ourselves that means even taking care of their shortcomings as well as our own in the sense we don't harm them.  

1 Corinthians 7 "Marriage"

I found this chapter quite interesting it talks about a lot of the different aspects of marriage and surprisingly only briefly mentions cheating.  It talks a lot about how a wife belongs to her husband and vise-versa; and when under what circumstances one can remarry or get divorced.  But, as that doesn't apply heavily to me as I am single I am done commenting.  One thing that did catch my eye though was verse 28.

28 But if you get married, you have not sinned. And if a virgin gets married, she has not sinned. But those who get married will have many troubles in this life. I want to save you from that.

WOW!! what does Paul mean? Is marriage a burden? (Yeah) But its a good one, right? (I always thought so)  Well what I think Paul is trying to say is that marriage can easily distract you from the number one most important thing, God.  He continues later in the chapter about how we need to pass quickly through the things of this world like joy, happiness, marriage, etc.  These are things the world brings and are only things we see in our short lives on this earth.  This is a truth I have know but I like the different viewpoint of it.  Thanks Paul.

1 Corinthians 6 "More and More"

Being an American (and making a generalization) I know what it feels like to want things more and more and I want them faster. This chapter starts off talking about how we as Christians take even our brothers and sisters to court, a court none the less that is run by people that don't even believe in God. If we as Christians, ones who are supposed to listen to God, aren't able to make judgement, then how is someone without God supposed to make a fair judgement?  Paul then goes to suggest that there isn't anyone even in the Church qualified to make a judgement between believers.  What good does this bring?  What does it show non-believers, what does it say of the acuser as a person?  I see in myself when I would do this a person who wants more and more, more usually of un-Godly, worldly, things.  It is better to be hurt and recover than to try to hurt another more, only to really hurt yourself more in the process.  

The chapter so far what something I never really thought about.  Paul then goes to expand on this issue saying someone wanting more and more will not enter the Kingdom of God.

 9 Don't you know that evil people will not receive God's kingdom? Don't be fooled. Those who commit sexual sins will not receive the kingdom. Neither will those who worship statues of gods or commit adultery. Neither will men who are prostitutes or who commit homosexual acts. 10 Neither will thieves or those who always want more and more. Neither will those who are often drunk or tell lies or cheat. People who live like that will not receive God's kingdom.

Now I have heard these words before and you probably have too.  Read them again with an open heart and be true to yourself.  These words are very conficting.  If you feel convicted continue with reading Colossians 3.

1 Corinthians 5 "They will only bring you down"

Well, the old saying about how if you are around people you don't want to be like they will only bring you down; the Bible tells us so.  The way I understand it, if we love our brothers and sisters in Christ and we see they are not living a Christian lifestyle we should confront them and if they are not going to change, they get rid of them, clean house, don't be around this person.  Now you and I can't get away from sinful nature all together we would have to leave this world to do that but we can control how much we are exposed to and don't forget Jesus ate with the thieves and beggars; so we should too but we must make sure we have a strong enough faith to do so. 

An evil person works like yeast, even a little bit will ruin the whole batch. 

1 Corinthians 4 "Well done, my son"

There is a lot in this chapter even though I didn't see it the first time I read it; so I am just going to comment on one of the things I liked. Paul talks about how the judgements made my the worldly don't matter at all. He talk about how he doesn't even judge himself because the only judgement that matter is the one that comes from the Lord on Judgement day. On this day the Lord will reveal the true reason behind all of our actions. He will know the inner purposes and the reason behind our prayers. Only then is it possible we hear the "Well Done" of God. This all comes from verse 5, check it out.

1 Corinthians 3 "Of this World"

The thing that catches me int this chapter is right in the beginning when Paul is addressing the town of Corinth. He is telling them (in chapter 2) they are right with God and they lack no blessing from God, but now he is telling them he had to address them as people of this world. He explains to them that they are new in Christ, they are still of this world and they can't even handle words that would be said to those who are of Christ, those who have left the ways of this world behind them.

I then wonder if I am like those in the town of Corinth. If Paul were to talk to me would he address me as if I was in Christ or as if I was of this world? I too as those in the town of Corinth get jealous, follow those of Christ but not Christ Himself. I wish to know Christ more but often do this by seeking him through others who know Him, instead of seeking Him directly through either Prayer, Listening, and Scripture. I am pushing forward in Scripture; and Prayer and Listening are following closely behind. I am not perfect but will always try to do better.

1 Corinthians 2 "Holy Wisdom"

Many times in my life I have been talking with someone about their faith, or mine, or about about Christianity in general and after a while I am amazed at what comes out of my mouth.  It is like I have all the right words to say or I am having realizations about things I never thought about.  I have, I am happy to say, made a positive difference in at least a couple people's faiths.  I credit all of these to wisdom, not of my own but, of the Holy Spirit.  

Paul writes in this chapter about how those who have the Holy Spirit inside of them have all knowledge.  The Spirit understands all that there is to know about God and can teach us things this world can't.  The Spirit can give us the power to teach like Jesus, but Paul's warning is that not everyone has the Holy Spirit within them. 

1 Cor. 2:14 "14 Some people don't have the Holy Spirit. They don't accept the things that come from the Spirit of God. Things like that are foolish to them. They can't understand them. In fact, such things can't be understood without the Spirit's help."

From this I understand that I must have faith the Holy Spirit knows better than I, because the Holy Spirit is God, and even if I do not see where it is leading me I must trust it.  But as always make sure it is the Holy Spirit I am following and not my own desires.  

1 Corinthians 1 "Many Leaders"

This chapter is the first chapter in one of Paul's letters so it starts off the same way as all of them do; proclaiming Paul's legitimacy as a messenger of the message of Christ Jesus and as an author of the Bible, being appointed by God.  He also address the town he is talking to in his letter, Corinth.

There are two main things that caught my attention in this chapter.  This first is how the church is divided.  Keep in mind that this is the early church so many are new Christians but many are a lot more devoted to their church than we are today.  In Acts the early church is described as being unstoppable.  In this chapter Paul writes about how Corinth's understanding of truth is better, more complete; and how there is no spiritual gift that God hasn't given them.  So when I look at our church today and myself and how I feel I and the Church don't understand truth very well I am inclined to wonder if we too are divided by many leaders.  Are we all following the true Jesus or are we following people who follow/followed Him?

The second is how Paul brings back a verse from Isaiah.  This verse and the rest of the chapter bring me to the conclusion that God doesn't always call "the best person" (defining best as to what we as humans would see it as).  Maybe this is to show that our perceptions as humans are insignificant or to show our ignorance, I don't know.  But what I do know is that once he calls you.  You will have everything you need to do what he asks of you.