1 Cor. 15

At nearly every Christian funeral, portions of 1 Cor. 15 are read. This is the Bible seedbed for what happens to us when we die. Above all, we are given hope that this earthly body will have ONLY been for earth, and that we will have a heavenly, imperishable body to live in heaven with.

This is good news. Lately, I have been wearied by the malfunctions my earthly body is experiencing. (I won’t bore you) I look forward to the moment I am “changed.” Those of us who have our ticket stamped for Heaven by believing in Jesus, our Savior, will all be transformed into a Heavenly body that God will give us. No tears, no aches and pains, no bowel disorders, NO CANCER etc. All that will be left behind.

Nevertheless, we plod on and do what we can to prop ourselves up to get a few more miles on the body we’re living in now.

1 Cor. 13,14

Chapter 14 is one of the most misunderstood passages in the Bible. Many churches and Christian movements simply ignore it or pigeonhole it to fit their spiritual comfort level. Paul, however, makes an profound observation. If the gifts of the Spirit are in use in a church gathering, the unbeliever or inquirer will fall down and worship God and say, “God is really among you.”

This is the kind of power we desperately need in our churches, especially now when society and culture around us is upended by the COVID-19 pandemic. Now would be a good time for Christians to get so full of God that when we DO get back together, His Gifts would be flowing in great power.

Let this be our goal.

1 Cor. 12

The analogy of believers being called a body gives us an understanding of how important each person is. With some believers, it’s obvious how they fit … pubic ministries that are functioning for all to see. With others, they may be hidden, yet vital.

Regardless of how a person may look or act, God has ordained that they contribute something essential to the operation of His Kingdom here on earth. This should revitalize our appreciation of one another, and set us on a quest to seek that they function in health.

When you greet a saint next time, treat them with the utmost respect and acceptance and commission yourself to make them feel needed.

1 Cor. 11

From this chapter we form our basis for communion. This text is quoted nearly every time Christians partake of the Lord’s Supper at church.

We remember what Christ has done for us in yielding His Body and Blood to take the place of our sin and suffering. It’s primarily about what HE did. Our responsibility? … to examine or look into our heart to tune our motive in partaking. It could have been that the suppers referred to at Corinth were “pot-lucks” where people were more concerned about their bellies than their heart attitudes.

Nevertheless, for Christ’s act of self-sacrifice, we MUST give the necessary focus from our hearts to respect the moment and its true importance. We thereby “remember” the Lord and what He did for us. If not, we are participating unworthily.

1 Cor. 8-10

God always provides a way OUT. Temptation, trials, afflictions etc. God leads us out.

The children of Israel came OUT of Egypt. God leads us OUT of darkness into His marvelous light. Lazarus came OUT of the tomb. We are to come OUT of worldliness and into a life of consecration to the Lord.

If you seem to be trapped in an ungodly or discouraging cycle, cry OUT to God and He will hear your prayer and deliver you.

I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.  He brought me up also OUT of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.  [Ps. 40:1,2]

1 Cor. 4-6

Paul harshly condemns immorality in the church at Corinth. He even recommends isolation and rejection of Christians practicing immorality. His strongest argument is that our bodies are the temple of God’s Holy Spirit and that we should render them only to serving God’s holy and moral purposes.

Viewing pornography allows this defilement to enter the eye-gate and lodge in our minds. We have the mind of Christ which is at war with sensuality and lust.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.  [Matt. 5:8]

1 Cor. 3

Patty and I are going to have a shed built in our backyard. Foundations are on my mind right now.

The Apostle Paul gives attention to this concept in his letter to the Corinthians. Obviously, there were some misconceptions about how to build a spiritual building. He reproved the new church for being allured into carnal methods of building. He restated that Christ Jesus was THE FOUNDATION. Then, they were to be very careful how their spiritual lives were constructed. Build with quality materials such as gold, silver and precious stones. Build for the storm rather than for fair weather. Every day we read and study God’s Word, we are using the best materials available.

Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock. [Matt. 7:24]

1 Corinthians 1,2

We all know that NOBODY is perfect. And yet, Paul declares that through Christ we can stand at the end with nothing to be blamed for. Yes, we have sinned … ALL have sinned and come short … but all confessed sin can be removed because Christ bore it and removed it.

It’s as if we owed a gigantic bill and He paid it. We were severely blemished and He approved us.

Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe. Sin had left a crimson stain. He washed it white as snow.

Romans 15,16

Paul greets a long list of faithful friends in the Gospel at the end of Romans and includes this special commendation … to those who have been faithful in endurance. “Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the Lord delivers him out of them all.” [Ps. 34:19]

We can be faithful BECAUSE God is faithful.  As Christ set an example of faithfulness for us, we can in turn be faithful for those who lean on us and watch our lives.

Faithful and absolutely trustworthy is He who is calling you [to Himself for your salvation], and He will do it [He will fulfill His call by making you holy, guarding you, watching over you, and protecting you as His own]. 1 Thess. 5:24 [Amplified]

Romans 13,14

The person who loves has fulfilled the law. If you love (your neighbor, your spouse, your enemy etc.) you will have conducted yourself in a manner that pleases God and removes the necessity to abide by rules of conduct.

It’s really very simple. Let love be your primary motive in all that you do. If you have trouble loving someone, allow God’s love for that person to flow through you. Treat them like a loving parent.