1 Corinthians 7 -- To Marry Or Not

Paul takes up questions that the Corinthians have written him about, and the first regards marriage.  My commentary noted that where possible he used Jesus’ own words to reply.  If Jesus hadn’t spoken directly about it, Paul tried his best to answer in a way that fit with everything Jesus taught.  Paul was writing to three different groups:  Christians married to other Christians, Christians married to non-Christians, and unmarried Christians.

To the first group, Paul said to remain married.  Don’t divorce simply because it seems you could serve God better by being single.  He also addressed the physical – If you can’t control yourself, then marry, for a Christian should not take part in sexual sin.

Regarding the second group, a couple may have both been non-Christians and married, and later one of the two became a Christian.  The question arose about whether to remain married to a non-Christian or divorce.  Paul’s counsel was to remain in the same calling he or she was in when the Lord saved them.

For unmarried Christians, Paul asked them to consider several factors.  Consider the present circumstances and whether the additional demands of marriage could be handled.  Also, they should face the responsibilities honestly, for a new marriage partner and possibly children could distract them from serving God.  They needed to be sure they could handle that.   “It is possible to please both the Lord and your mate, if you are yielded to Christ and obeying the Word,” my commentary reassured.

The third factor is to remember that each situation is unique.  “It takes more than two Christian people to make a happy marriage.  Not every marriage that is scriptural is necessarily sensible.”  Finally, he said, “Remember that marriage is for life.”  “Marriage must be built on something sturdier than good looks, money, romance, excitement, and social acceptance.  There must be Christian commitment, character, and maturity.  There must be a willingness to grow, to learn from each other, to forgive and forget, to minister to one another.”

Father, in my singleness, I pray that You will guide me regarding marriage.  Help me to take all of this to heart.  If it is in Your will that I marry, please help me to find her and treat her as Your precious gift to me.  Remind me, too, that You will be gifting me to her as well.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 6 -- Sexual Sin

My commentary says that in Corinth, sexual laxness resulted from a philosophy much like we hear today:  “Sex is a normal physical function, so why not use it as you please?”

In verse 11, Paul said, “In the past, some of you were like that.”  The grace of God was present and working in their church, and God had already changed some people’s hearts and lives.  The verse continues, “But you were washed clean.  You were made holy and you were made right with God in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God.”  It says that the tense of these verbs indicates a completed transaction.  Those whom God had radically changed were not thrown out of the church.  God had restored them and cleansed them and made them useful to Himself and His purposes and will.  That was important for those to see who were still practicing sexual immorality.  They needed to understand that their current practice was driving them away from God.  It wouldn’t be their admission of their sins that would.  They also couldn’t claim that God had given them their desires and therefore they could give into them and always satisfy them.  Again their supposed “wisdom” was taking them far from God.

For us today, perhaps the best way to insure each day that we do not fall in their area is to do what my commentary suggested:  “If you begin each day by surrendering your body to Christ, it will make a great deal of difference in what you do with your body during the day.”

So why is all of this highly personal stuff so important?  “The conduct of individual members affects the spiritual life of the entire church … We are not our own.  We belong to the Father who made us, the Son who redeemed us, and the Spirit who indwells us.  We also belong to the people of God, the church, and our sins can weaken the testimony and infect the fellowship.”

Father, through Your Holy Spirit, please help me to keep my desires in check.  Guide all of my thoughts and help me not to stray into mental areas that are not good for me.  No matter how appealing it may seem, remind me that I am Yours.  I’ve been bought with a price, so why should I have to worry about living with the consequences of forgiven sin.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 5 -- Take Care To Read The ENTIRE Chapter

Paul addresses a particular instance of recurring sin by a church member and the church’s toleration of that sin.  Not only do they tolerate it, but they also are proud of their open-mindedness in tolerating it!  Paul gives guidance for church discipline, saying that such tolerance should never occur, because, like yeast, a little sin will soon spread to cause major problems in the church.  Tolerating that sin had also caused the church to be disgraced in the eyes of non-believers, too!

The man being discussed was to be “handed over to Satan”.  My commentary says this “does not mean to deprive him of salvation, since it is not the church that grants salvation to begin with.  When a Christian is in fellowship with the Lord and with the local church, he enjoys a special protection from Satan.  But when he is out of fellowship with God and excommunicated from the local church, he is fair game for the enemy.  God could permit Satan to attack the offender’s body so that the sinning believer would repent and return to the Lord.”

This is not an official sanction to set up “pious police out to catch a criminal”, it said.  “Rather it is a group of brokenhearted brothers and sisters seeking to restore an erring member of the family. 

While we may be tempted to think, “Whew!  I’m glad we don’t have any incest like he mentioned going on in our church,” it’s worth an extra look at verse 12, where Paul says, “You must not associate with those who call themselves believers in Christ but who:

1)      Sin sexually

2)      Or are greedy

3)      Or worship idols

4)      Or abuse others with words

5)      Or get drunk

6)      Or cheat people.”

WOW!

Father God, help us to remember that You have said there is not to be even a hint of immorality among us.  It’s not because we want the world to think we are better than them, but because it impedes our relationship with You and with other Christians.  Help us to see that any type of sin can give Satan a foothold, and help us not to defame Your Great Name by open-mindedness about it among believers in Christ.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 4 -- Three Pictures Of A Minister

A steward, a Spectacle participant, and a spiritual father…

The steward manages everything for his master, but himself owns nothing and displays faithfulness, my commentary said.  Ministers are managing the households of faith we call churches – managing them for the Master.  As a steward, a minister has the responsibility to be faithful to his master, and if he pleases his master, he’s a good servant.  So it doesn’t matter what men say, or even what the servant’s own judgment is about how he’s doing.  It’s God’s judgment of him that matters most, as the Master.

The picture of a Spectacle participant comes from the entertainment Rome found useful in keeping the masses on their side.  At the end of these grand shows, the poorest prisoners were brought into the arena to fight against wild animals.  Paul wanted them to see that ministers should exhibit the humbleness of these unfortunate prisoners.  My commentary told of a young preacher who told an older preacher friend, “Please pray that I will stay humble.”  His friend replied, “Tell me, what do you have to be proud about?”  The hanging end of that conversation kind of says it all, and was what Paul was trying to help them to see.

Lastly he mentioned the tenderness of a spiritual father, particularly in administering discipline.  The Corinthians were quite puffed up with their worldly wisdom.  Their religion was only in words, though.  “Paul gave the Corinthian church opportunity to set their household in order…  Unfortunately, they church did not immediately obey.”  So in the upcoming chapters he’ll be addressing that, my commentary said.

Father, help each of us – myself most of all – to take to heart Paul’s words about faithfulness, humbleness, and tenderness.  Help us to not break Your heart and need Your discipline.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 3 -- Why It's Taking A Little Longer Each Day On These

My quiet times have been so deep lately that I have to read, wait, think, and then write.  In v. 1-4, Paul speaks of the lack of spiritual maturity of the Christians in that church.  He compares them to babies who are unable to eat solid food (meat).  My commentary took an unexpected turn when it discussed what milk and meat really stood for:

“Milk represents what Jesus Christ did on earth, while meat concerns what He is doing now in heaven… The immature believer knows little about the present ministry of Christ in heaven.  He knows the facts about our Lord’s life and ministry on earth, but not the truths about His present ministry in heaven.  He lives on Bible stories and not Bible doctrines. “  In other words, what is really involved in our salvation – the deep things of God and how they apply to daily life, it said.  He refers us to Hebrews 5:10-14 as his proof.

So now I need to think on what Christ is doing for me now in heaven – interceding with God for me and many other things!  Yes, His work on earth was finished on the cross, but His work in heaven on my behalf goes on 24/7!

Jesus, thank You for Your current ministry.  I’ll never be able to repay what You did for me on earth, but what You’re doing for me now just bowls me over.  Thank You for loving me so.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 2 -- Wow! NOW I Understand!

The things I read this morning are dovetailing with a Sunday night series we’ve begun at church on the Holy Spirit.  It was hard to decide on just one thing to write about this morning.  But I liked what I read in my commentary about verses 10-16:

“Many people get confused (or frightened) when they hear about election and predestination.  As far as the Father is concerned, I was saved when He chose me in Christ before the foundation of the world, but I knew nothing about that the night I was saved!  It was a hidden part of God’s wonderful eternal plan.  As far as God the Son is concerned, I was saved when He died for me on the cross … This is where the Spirit comes in:  as far as the Spirit is concerned, I was saved (insert the time and place) .  It was then that the Holy Spirit applied the Word to my heart, I believed, and God saved me.”

Wow!  What a great way to explain it.  Who knew!  God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit did!

Thank You, Father, for this marvelous way of showing me how much You loved me before the world was formed and saved me through the death of Your Son, then had Your Holy Spirit quicken my heart to You in Your timing, so that I became a part of Your family!

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford

1 Corinthians 1 -- Trouble In A Church

Paul didn’t hesitate to address problems he saw in the church at Corinth.  My commentary said it was a defiled church because of worldly things its members were doing; it was a divided church because groups were competing for leadership; and it was a disgraced church because it was hindering the progress of the gospel instead of glorifying God.

Paul reminded the Christians there that they were called to be holy, that they’d been set apart by God, and they’d been enriched by God’s grace.  With all of this (which they seem to have forgotten) they should be expecting Christ’s return and therefore keeping themselves undefiled.

Paul talked about the fellowship they should have been enjoying with each other, which also should speak loudly to the world.  “They got their eyes off the Lord and on the Lord’s servants, and this led to competition,” my commentary noted.

Some Christians who belonged to the house of Chloe spoke up to Paul with courage and devotion.  “They did not try to hide the problems.  They were burdened about them; they went to the right person with them; and they were not afraid to be mentioned by Paul,” my commentary said.

How did Paul end up handling this?  He reminded them of what they were:  not wise, mighty, or noble.  “God had called them, not because of what they were, but in spite of what they were,” my commentary said.  He reminded them of why God called them – “to show the world their need and His grace.”  He also reminded them of all they had in Jesus.  “With all He has, why compete  with each other or compare yourselves with each other?”

The mistakes they were making helped to create problems in their church.  My commentary asked us to examine our own churches and our own lives and ask if we are living up to our calling.

Father, thank You for taking a church that is having problems and not hiding them, but using them to show us how even today we in a church can disgrace the name of Christ.  Allow us to see if there is anything we need to address and help us to openly allow You to guide us into all truth if there is.

Your Brother In Christ,

Gary Ford