Milo

GOD AND IDOLS
1 Corinthians 8–10

“Be careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak” (1 Cor. 8:9).

A person can be right about doctrine, and yet very, very wrong.

Background
Meat offered to idols. These chapters consider two separate but related issues. In Corinth most fresh meat was purchased at temple markets, which sold carcasses of animals offered to the deity they honored. Some Christians in Corinth argued that to buy a steak at such a market was participation in idolatry. Others thought this view foolish. After all, the gods represented by the idols weren’t real. Paul affirmed the right of the Corinthians to eat such meat, but urged those who feel free to do so to consider surrendering this “right” in any situation where a weaker brother’s conscience might be harmed.
The other issue concerned participation in banquets, which in the Roman world were typically dedicated to some god or goddess. Here Paul warned against participation, on the basis that though idols are not real, real demonic forces as well as immorality were associated with such feasts. A final note dealt with an ordinary supper invitation to the home of a pagan friend. Paul suggested the guest make no fuss about the meat, but if the host made a point of saying it had been offered to some pagan deity, then don’t eat.

Overview
Eating meat purchased from a temple meat market is not wrong, but harming a weaker brother is (8:1–13). The Corinthians should follow Paul’s example, for he had surrendered many apostolic “rights” to better serve others (9:1–27). Idolatry and associated immorality were to be avoided (10:1–13), so it was wrong to participate in banquets held in honor of some pagan deity (vv. 14–22). But a Christian could eat meat at an unconverted friend’s house, unless the friend specifically said the meat had been dedicated to a pagan god (vv. 23–33).

Understanding the Text
“Since their conscience is weak, it is defiled” 1 Cor. 8:4–12. It’s nice to be right. Those folks in Corinth who scoffed at pagan idols and held tight to the one true God probably felt a glow of self-satisfaction when Paul confirmed their view (vv. 4–6). They could pull up their chairs to a steak every night if they wished, and do so with a clear conscience.
The glow may have faded quickly, though. Paul reminded them, and us, that there’s something more important than being right. And that’s caring about the spiritual well-being of others.
Paul didn’t ask folks who are right to surrender their doctrinal insights. He didn’t even ask them to surrender a steak dinner now and then. He just asked them to care enough about others to be more concerned with their well-being than with either being right, or exercising personal rights.
Eating that steak at the church social doesn’t improve or harm spirituality. Meat has nothing to do with that. But sin has a lot to do with spirituality. And it is sinful to knowingly wound the conscience of a weaker brother or sister in the Lord.
So be glad if you have a mature grasp of theological issues. But take pride in your mature surrender of personal rights out of love for a less mature Christian brother or sister.

“Am I not an apostle?” 1 Cor. 9:1–27 Paul presented himself as one who had surrendered many personal rights for the benefit of others. This was not bragging. It was sharing. As such, it was a powerful revelation of the motives that not only drove Paul, but also can energize us as we seek to serve the Lord.
Note first the rights Paul surrendered—and then his motives. He gave up the right to marry and travel with a “believing wife” (v. 5). He gave up the right to be financially supported by those he ministered to (vv. 6–12). And he gave up the right to live as he pleased in order to meet the expectations of those he ministered to (vv. 19–23).
Why? Paul wanted to make preaching the Gospel a gift, not a purchase (v. 18). He wanted to fit in with others, so as not to personally offend anyone who needed to hear the Gospel (vv. 22–23). He placed such a high value on the rewards Christ will give in the future that mere earthly pleasures held little attraction (vv. 24–27).
If you and I are as eager to serve God, as sensitive to others, and as focused on eternity, our “rights” will seem unimportant to us as well.

“These things occurred as examples” 1 Cor. 10:1–11. Paul turned again to the question of idolatry. This time he made an important point. The Bible isn’t just a book of doctrine. It’s a book of human experience as well. The experiences recorded in Scripture are intended to serve as examples for us.
Here Paul’s argument from experience was that though the Old Testament community like the New participated in Christ (vv. 1–6), this was not enough. Some turned to idolatry and the immorality associated with it—and were destroyed (vv. 7–9). Some complained bitterly about their lot—and these too were destroyed (v. 10).
These experiences should serve as a warning to those Corinthians who are so sure of their doctrinal correctness. Those who “think you are standing firm, be careful that you do not fall!”
Being “right” is no guarantee we won’t sin!

“God is faithful; He will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear” 1 Cor. 10:13. Being right is no guarantee against sinning. But God does make us a promise. We are able to successfully overcome every temptation—if we take God’s way out of it.
Don’t think that God’s way out is all that hard to find, either. Paul summed it up in the next verse when he said, “Flee from idolatry.”
That word “flee” occurs several times in Paul’s writings. The Greek word, pheugo, is found here, in 6:18; 1 Timothy 6:11; and in 2 Timothy 2:22. We’re not only told to flee idolatry, but to flee fornication, flee love of money, and to flee youthful lusts. We may have to stand and fight Satan (James 4:7), but when it comes to temptation, Scripture’s “way to escape” is just that: escape!

First-century banquets like the one pictured above were commonly dedicated to a pagan god or goddess, and all were expected to offer a libation as part of the festivities. Paul urged Christians not to attend. Demonic forces lay behind paganism. One who participates in Christ can hardly join in the worship of demons (vv. 14–27).

“Eat whatever is put before you without raising questions of conscience” 1 Cor. 10:23–33. It’s not necessary to parade your faith. It’s not even necessary, when eating lunch with non-Christian business associates, to bow your head and fold your hands in obvious prayer. You can say, “Thank You” to God as you lift that first spoonful of soup.
That’s essentially what Paul was telling the Corinthians here. You don’t have to make a big show of being a Christian. Go on out to supper, and if your host makes no big deal out of the meat having been offered to an idol, enjoy it!
There’s another side to this issue, though. Sometimes non-Christians have their own ideas about what a believer ought and ought not to do. So the host might feel uncomfortable offering a believer a dish made from dedicated meat. In that case, Paul said, don’t eat, for the sake of his conscience! And, if your associates ask if you want to “say grace” before the meal, do it. Again, for the sake of their conscience, not yours.
What a sensitive way for Christians to live with others. Free, because we know the truth in Christ. But willing always to surrender any freedom that will benefit believer or unbeliever alike.

DEVOTIONAL
When Doctrine Divides
(1 Cor. 8:1–13)
At first glance it looks like a fight over roast beef. One group said, “Don’t eat it! It’s polluted!” The other said, “Looks all right to me. Mmmm. Tastes good too!”
Actually it’s a doctrinal battle, set in the kitchen. The folks who cried, “Polluted” were saying that any animal offered to a pagan deity bears the taint of idolatry. The folks who said, “Tastes good. And less filling,” were saying that pagan deities aren’t real! So whatever was offered to an idol can’t be polluted by the act!
What fascinates me here is that Paul showed us a fascinating approach to resolving our doctrinal disputes. He didn’t say, “Well, this group is right.” Instead he said, “Knowledge puffs up, but love builds up. The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. But the man who loves is known by God” (vv. 1–3).
What in the world was he saying? Simply that those arguments about “who’s right” won’t help settle doctrinal disputes! The claim of superior knowledge just leads to pride. And that pride was ill-founded. Whatever we know, we know it imperfectly. So those fights about who is right about doctrine can only isolate us from one another. In view of our human limitations, we can’t even be sure the winner of the argument is more than half right!
What Paul suggested is that we approach doctrinal disputes on the basis of love, rather than of knowledge. Love doesn’t puff people up, it builds them up. And love opens up our hearts to the ministry of the Spirit of God, who is able then to instruct both parties in the debate (implied by v. 3, “is known by God”).
What about while we’re waiting to learn? Why then, each group needs to be sensitive to the other’s convictions and conscience. We can exercise our freedom and live by our personal beliefs. But we also need to be “careful, however, that the exercise of your freedom does not become a stumbling block to the weak” (v. 9).
Is it wrong to dispute over doctrine? Not at all. It’s only wrong if dialogue becomes a dispute, and dispute dissension. We need to hammer out our understanding of God’s truth. But we need to do it together, so we can learn from each other. And we need to do it in a spirit of love, so that both parties can grow spiritually through the experience.

Personal Application
Hold on to your doctrines, but hold on even tighter to your brothers and sisters in Christ.

Quotable
“It has not pleased God to save His people by dialectic.”—Ambrose of Milan

MARRIAGE MORALITY
1 Corinthians 7

“But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband” (1 Cor. 7:2).

Marriage is intended to be a joy—and a lifelong commitment.

Background
Confusion in Corinth. Paul didn’t spell out the background when he discussed problems in Corinth. He didn’t need to. He and the Corinthians knew the situation well. We, however, have to re-create the situation from clues in Paul’s advice.
Most scholars draw this picture. Corinth was proverbial for sexual looseness. Paul taught a strict morality, but after he left, the church became confused about how to apply his teachings. Some opted for celibate marriage, assuming sex even in marriage was sinful. Some believed Christians shouldn’t marry. Some thought they should divorce unconverted spouses. Others, who had been deserted by pagan spouses, wondered if they were somehow guilty of violating Christ’s command, and if they were still bound in a now-empty relationship. In this brief chapter Paul clarified all these vital issues, and answered questions many ask today.

Overview
Husbands and wives are to meet each other’s sexual needs (7:1–7). The unmarried with overpowering needs should wed (vv. 8–9). Christians should not seek a divorce, even from unbelieving spouses (vv. 10–14). But if one’s partner leaves, the believing spouse is not bound (vv. 15–16). Paul advised retaining the place held when converted (vv. 17–24). He advised celibacy, but didn’t restrict the virgin or the widow who wished to marry (vv. 25–40).

Understanding the Text
“It is good for a man not to marry” 1 Cor. 7:1–7. Paul frequently began by quoting what folks in Corinth had been saying. He did this here. And Paul agreed with the quote, insofar as it expressed his personal opinion. He did not agree that it expressed his official teaching (cf. v. 7).
We need to be as careful as Paul in making this distinction. It’s one thing to tell someone, “Here’s what I think best.” It’s another entirely to say, “Here’s what all Christians must think or feel or do.”
We shouldn’t impose our personal preferences on others. And we shouldn’t let others con us into believing their preferences are binding on us.

“The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband” 1 Cor. 7:2–5. The Bible identifies three functions of sex in marriage. Sex is a means of procreation of children, and the seal of marital intimacy (Gen. 2). And sex meets a legitimate human need.
It isn’t “spiritual” to dislike sex. It isn’t “spiritual” to have celibate marriages. What’s spiritual is to realize that as a husband you are privileged not only to love your wife, but also to be God’s gift to meet her sexual as well as other needs. What is spiritual is to realize that as a wife you are privileged not only to love your husband, but are also privileged to be God’s gift to meet his sexual as well as other needs.
If you want a spiritually intimate marriage, giving your body gladly and lovingly to your partner plays an important part.

“It is better to marry than to burn with passion” 1 Cor. 7:6–9. Paul was not a supporter of the “anti-sex” clique in Corinth. While he himself had gladly chosen the celibate life, he realized that “each man has his own gift from God.”
Today we recognize that hormones play a key role in the sexual drive of both men and women. Some, in Paul’s terms, “burn.” And some do not. Don’t make the mistake of viewing one condition as better, or more spiritual, than the other. Paul didn’t. The structure of our bodies, including the heat our hormones generate, is part of our gift from God. So don’t look down on those whose physical nature is different from your own.
And don’t envy them, either.

“I give this command (not I, but the Lord)” 1 Cor. 7:10–11. Paul spoke very bluntly when he shifted from giving personal advice to passing on Christ’s command. Those folks who thought of sex as dirty and wrong, and were proceeding to divorce their spouses for “spiritual” reasons, must stop!
Immediately after stating a wife “must not,” Paul added an “if she does” condition. Why? Quite likely because some in Corinth, in their eagerness to do what they thought God wanted, had already obtained divorces! Now Paul told them to remain single or be reunited with their spouses, and live together as man and wife.
There are valid reasons for divorce and separation (cf. Matt. 19:9). But there are no frivolous reasons for divorce. God’s goal is a real marriage, that lasts a lifetime.

“The unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife” 1 Cor. 7:12–15. The next question the Corinthians were sure to ask was, “What about those of us married to non-Christians? How can we have a ‘spiritual’ relationship with an unbeliever?”
Paul’s answer was surprising. When just one partner is a believer, the family is “set apart” to God through His relationship with the believing person. This is no guarantee that spouse or children will be converted. It is a guarantee that God’s power flows from the believer, rather than Satan’s power flowing from the unbeliever. The Christian radiates Christ, and all within the circle of his or her influence are affected by the divine magnetism. Rather than break contact by divorce, the Christian who already has an unsaved spouse who is willing to stay married to him or her should seek to deepen the relationship, not break it.
Let Christ touch your spouse and your children through you.

“If the unbeliever leaves” 1 Cor. 7:15–16. Sometimes a person can’t help a divorce. Are we still bound to a relationship our spouse has abandoned? Paul’s reassuring answer was, “A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances” (v. 15).
I’ve just contributed to an InterVarsity Press book that presents four views on divorce. There may be no more hotly argued question in many churches. There certainly is no issue that causes greater pain and anguish for anyone personally affected. It seems to me that Paul here takes a stand with grace. When a marriage simply cannot be maintained, and the relationship has in effect ended, let it go. The believer is “not bound” in such circumstances. He or she is unmarried in fact, and thus free.
In debates of this kind, where strong arguments exist for various interpretations of the biblical text, it’s generally best to find yourself on the side of grace. That’s where God usually is.

“Retain the place in life that the Lord assigned” 1 Cor. 7:17–24. Paul summed up his teaching with a general principle that is applicable to many different situations. Did God call you as a married person? Then stay married. Were you a slave? Then don’t feel you have to be free, though you can take the opportunity for freedom if it comes.
A tremendously exciting concept underlies this principle. God can use us wherever, and whomever, we may be! You don’t have to be free to be spiritually significant. You don’t have to be married. Or celibate. The chances are that God can and will use you just where you are.
So don’t fall into that awful “if only” trap. If only I were a college grad, we think, God could use me. If only I had a million dollars. If only I’d gone on to seminary. If only I didn’t have a wife and 11 kids.
The devil loves to have us play “if only.” It keeps our eyes on fantasy, and off reality. If we open our eyes to what’s around us, we might be used by God where we are.

“What I mean, brothers, is that the time is short” 1 Cor. 7:25–35. Paul applied his “retain place” principle to marrieds and singles. But he also made an important point. It’s so easy to get caught up by concern for the welfare of a spouse. It’s so easy that we may become “engrossed in” the things of this world, in our attempt to make a better life for him or her.
We should love our husband or wife. But we Christians most of all should put God first—together.

DEVOTIONAL
Undivided Devotion
(1 Cor. 7:25–40)
“June! Can you come over tonight? We’ve just met the nicest young man!” Ever notice the matchmaking that goes on in a church? Or how we pressure people to marry? A single person starts coming to church, and within a month everyone’s busy trying to arrange a meeting with this or that prospect. It’s the same with widows and widowers. “Would you like to come over this evening. We’ve met the nicest woman, and she’s just your age!”
Well, it’s not fair. Especially to those with a gift that Paul values highly: the gift of celibacy. We can make it really hard for men and women who, for their own reasons, choose not to marry. Instead of respecting their choice, we assume that there must be something wrong with them—and we mount campaigns to correct it!
Paul made it clear that virgins and widows are free to marry if they wish. But he wanted us to give brothers and sisters the freedom not to marry if they wish—and not to be harassed about their choice.
It may help us back off if we consider Paul’s reasons. He said (and every married person knows it’s true) that “those who marry will face many troubles in this life” (v. 28). The married become responsible for spouse and children, and thus have a powerful motive to be “engrossed in” the things of the world (v. 31). After all, we’ve got to provide a house to live in. And with the costs of a college education these days, we need to work harder and save more money than ever before!
Now, it’s right to be concerned with “pleasing” our spouse. But the responsibilities that come with marriage mean we have less time, less money, and less energy to devote to pleasing God. Our choices are, rightly, shaped by considering the welfare of our families.
The unmarried, however, are free from all such restrictions, able to give “undivided devotion to the Lord.” And this, the gift of undivided devotion, is something that God is certainly pleased to receive.
So the next time a single person comes into your fellowship, welcome him or her gladly. And forego the matchmaking. You may have one of those special people who has decided to follow Paul’s advice, and live a life of undivided devotion to the Lord.

Personal Application
Welcome and honor singles in your church family.

Quotable
“This is self-renunciation—to unlock the chains of this earthly life which passeth away and to set oneself free from the business of men, and thus to make ourselves fitter to enter on that path that leads to God and to free our spirit to gain and use those things which are far more precious than gold or precious stones.”—Basil the Great

CHURCH DISCIPLINE
1 Corinthians 5–6

“What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. ‘Expel the wicked man from among you’ ” (1 Cor. 5:12–13).

It is the responsibility of believers to keep the church morally pure.

Background
Church discipline. Christ’s church represents Him on earth. Thus it is vital that the church be pure, holy, and self-cleansing. First Corinthians 5 makes it clear that persistent immorality requires discipline by the local congregation, and that if a believer fails to respond to discipline, he or she is to be cut off from fellowship.
It’s important to note several things about discipline. First, it is NOT exercised over differences in doctrine. It is NOT exercised over differences in conviction. It is NOT exercised over divergent opinion on procedure, or questions about motives. Church discipline IS exercised only in cases where a believer openly and persistently engages in practices which Scripture identifies as sin. In such cases, the church is not judging so much as agreeing with God’s verdict that certain behavior is sinful.
Church discipline is not to be vindictive, nor an attempt to punish a wrongdoer. It is to be a loving attempt to restore a sinning brother by acting out on earth the interruption sin causes in our fellowship with God. It is an obedient response to the Lord, who calls us to maintain a pure and blameless reputation as we represent Him.

Overview
Paul called for expulsion of an immoral brother (5:1–8), but not isolation from immoral non-Christians (vv. 9–13). Legal cases should be settled within church (6:1–8), as befits saints (vv. 9–11). Sexual immorality is unthinkable because of the believer’s union with Christ (vv. 12–20).

Understanding the Text
“Put out of your fellowship the man who did this” 1 Cor. 5:1–3. Who is responsible for church discipline? You are. I am. The “you” in Paul’s directive is plural, indicating that members of a congregation are accountable for the purity of the local body.
Matthew 18:15–17 is usually understood to give a pattern we can follow. First go to a brother alone. If he repents (stops doing what was wrong), drop the issue. If not, bring along another person and confront him again. If he repents, drop it. If not, bring in the leaders of the church. If he will not listen to them, inform the church as a whole, and “expel the wicked man from among you” (v. 13).
This process isn’t an easy one to follow; many Christians would rather just look the other way. That happened in Corinth. And it happens in modern churches too. Yet through Paul the Lord tells us that, even though it hurts, church discipline must be enforced.

“Hand this man over to Satan” 1 Cor. 5:4–5. Long ago God told the serpent who had hosted Satan, “You will eat dust all the days of your life” (Gen. 3:14). Some commentators have observed that while Satan eagerly seeks the believer’s life, all he ever gets is the dust of our bodies. Our souls—our essential self—is safe with God (1 Cor. 5:5).
Many see a reflection of this thought here. Expelled from the church, with the protection of believers’ prayers withdrawn, the person under discipline is handed over to Satan “so that the sarx [the body, the flesh, not ‘sinful nature’ here] may be destroyed” (v. 5).
The sinning believer is out of fellowship, yes. But not out of Christ! Dust is still all the devil gets. “His spirit [is] saved on the Day of the Lord.”

“A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough” 1 Cor. 5:6–8. Like yeast, malice and wickedness can quickly infiltrate and corrupt the spiritual life of a local congregation. Church discipline isn’t an option. It’s a necessity.

“Not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral” 1 Cor. 5:9–13. Christians aren’t party-poopers, always going around with a disapproving glare, pointing out the sins of others. Christians are partygoers, meeting others with a happy smile, always ready to lend a helping hand.
Somehow many Christians have the idea that unless they jump all over non-Christians and condemn their sins, they imply approval. Not at all. Everyone who gets to know us soon becomes aware of what we don’t do, and would not do. But we don’t judge non-Christians. We let the Holy Spirit convict. What we do is to associate with wicked folks when in good conscience we can, to show by our holy and happily lives that there’s an alternative.
We need to be the kind of persons unsaved folks turn to as an alternative, not turn away from as an aggravation.

“You must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is. . . .” 1 Cor. 5:9–13. “Must” is a pretty strong word. But it’s the word Paul used. Don’t worry about making the world holy by criticizing unbelievers. The world is simply being itself. Do worry about keeping the church holy by disciplining fellow believers. The church needs to be itself too!

“Take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints?” 1 Cor. 6:1–6 Paul wasn’t asking Christians to accept the role of victim. In New Testament times, ethnic communities had a significant amount of self-government, including the right to settle disputes by applying their national law even if they weren’t living in their homeland. So Paul implied here that Christians, who are citizens of Christ’s heavenly kingdom, ought to settle their legal disputes among themselves, applying the laws of Christ’s heavenly kingdom rather than relying on earthly courts.
The shame was that the folks in Corinth either did not think of appointing a panel of fellow believers to settle disputes, or else were unwilling to.
I do watch one TV program each day when I can. It’s “The People’s Court,” which comes on here at 10 A.M., about when I finish half my day’s writing. The program concludes with a line we Christians ought to modify. The host says, “So, if you have a dispute you can’t resolve, don’t take the law into your own hands. Take it to court.” Paul said, “Take it to church.”

“You yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers” 1 Cor. 6:7–11. I got a letter the other day from “Peacemakers International,” a Christian ministry that seeks to help Christians resolve disputes in a biblical manner. It urged those who received it to get involved in a dispute between a well-known Christian and a believer who worked for him for some time, and finally has been taken to court. Not that it’s over one of those “trivial cases” Paul mentioned in verse 2. Some serious charges are involved. The problem is, the “victim” has been willing to take it to a panel of Christian lawyers to settle out of court. But the other person has not—and has used verse 7 to condemn the brother who finally brought the suit!
What if the victim is willing to use a biblical procedure, and the perpetrator is not? “Peacemakers” says, “Treat him as you would a pagan or a tax collector” (Matt. 18:17). And there’s no injunction in Scripture about taking one of them to court!

“The wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God” 1 Cor. 6:9–11. An apt paraphrase is, “The wicked are headed for hell.” And Paul then went on to list behavior that requires such punishment: adultery, homosexuality, criminal behavior, alcoholism.
Don’t think though that even such acts cut one off from the possibility of grace. Paul said, “That is what some of you were” (v. 11). That’s were. What a Christian becomes, after he has been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of Jesus, and is an ex-adulterer, an ex-homosexual, an ex-criminal, an ex-alcoholic. Don’t let anyone who practices such sins deceive you by claims that he or she is a citizen of God’s kingdom now.

DEVOTIONAL
Sex and Sandwiches
(1 Cor. 6:12–20)
He was young. Good-looking. And he ardently challenged Billy Graham in a question/answer period after the evangelist’s televised talk to college students. Why all this fuss about sex? If a person is hungry, he eats a ham sandwich, doesn’t he? If he feels the urge, why not have sex and satisfy that hunger?
The question, though I saw the program about 15 years ago, reflects our society’s blatant move toward pagan sexual standards. It also reflects the attitude of some Christians in Corinth, whom Paul quoted as he returned in these verses to the question of immorality. “Everything is permissible for me,” Paul himself said of food choices (v. 12; cf. Rom. 14:14). And “God will destroy” this sinful body and replace it in the resurrection (1 Cor. 6:13). Why make such a big deal about what a person does with this meaningless ol’ body anyway?
Paul’s threefold response answered the question about sex and sandwiches as well as the Corinthians’. That casual pagan attitude toward sex fails to see that the body is important. The body is meant for the Lord, as a tool through which He performs righteous acts (v. 13; cf. Rom. 6:16–18). The body is important enough that God has determined to resurrect it (1 Cor. 6:13–14). The body is even now joined to Jesus Christ through our spiritual union with Him. Can we take Christ to visit a prostitute? (vv. 15–17)
In paganism, sex really is trivial. The casual attitude, the adolescent snickers, even the heated passion that constantly leers from movie screen and TV tube, all suggest that sex and sandwiches are on a par. Only Christianity affirms that life here on earth has more significance, and that our bodies were created for higher purposes.
Our bodies are temples of God’s Spirit. Our bodies are instruments for His use. Our bodies—all we are and have—were bought with a price. We Christians are determined to use our bodies only to glorify Him.

Personal Application
Sex isn’t trivial, because you and your body are special to the Lord.

Quotable
“Sex has become one of the most discussed subjects of modern times. The Victorians pretended it did not exist: the moderns pretend nothing else exists.”—Fulton J. Sheen

SERVANTS OF JESUS
1 Corinthians 2–4

“What, after all, is Apollos? And what is Paul? Only servants through whom you came to believe—as the Lord has assigned each his task” (1 Cor. 3:5).

Only servants” is good for leaders to remember. And followers too.

Overview
In Corinth, Paul depended on God’s Spirit (2:1–5), who makes the wisdom of God’s message plain to believers (vv. 6–16). Divisions showed the Corinthians were still spiritual infants (3:1–4): the mature would realize leaders were merely servants of God and of the church (vv. 5–17). “Boasting about men” is worldly foolishness (vv. 18–23). So honor all God’s servants—including Paul!—(4:1–13) and respond to instruction (vv. 14–21).

Understanding the Text
“I came to you in weakness and fear” 1 Cor. 2:1–5. My son Tim gave his first “devotional” the other night. He doesn’t enjoy speaking, and was a little more than nervous. I suspect most of us feel “weakness and fear” when opportunities to minister come. But did you realize this puts us right there beside the Apostle Paul? What’s most important, of course, is to remember that our impact doesn’t rest on our brilliant or persuasive presentation, but on the Spirit’s power.
We may have Paul’s fears. But we also have the Spirit who made his ministry so effective.

“God’s secret wisdom” 1 Cor. 2:6–10. The “wisdom of this age” relies on human senses to gather information, and the “rulers of this age” rely on the human intellect to put the gathered data together. “Rulers” was used by Paul of both religious and secular leaders, none of whom understood what they were doing when they crucified Jesus. The human senses (the eye and ear of v. 9) and intellect (the mind of v. 9) simply cannot grasp what God is doing in the world.
Paul offered proof. If human beings had the barest notion of what God was about, they would never have crucified Jesus.
So don’t be overwhelmed by the eloquent or the intellectual of this world. And don’t let them make you feel impotent. You know the “secret wisdom” of God.

“Expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words” 1 Cor. 2:13–14. Translators have struggled with the meaning of the Greek word synkrinontes, translated “expressing” in the NIV. It’s better to take it as “bringing together.” The Holy Spirit, who inspired the words of Scripture, lives in us, and enables us to accept and apply spiritual truth. He “brings together” the words and their meaning in ways that those without the Spirit simply cannot grasp. For they do not “accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him” (v. 14).
I remember going once to a general assembly meeting of the United Nations in New York. Each seat had its earphones, with several channels. A speaker could use his own language, and if I turned to the English language channel, I could hear a running translation. This is what Paul was saying here. Scripture speaks a language that is foreign to humankind. Only a person with the Spirit, God’s translator, can understand what is really being said.
When you read Scripture, be sure to ask God’s Spirit to “bring together” its meaning for your life.

“The spiritual man makes judgments” 1 Cor. 2:15–16. The word for “makes judgment” is anakrino. It is used 10 times in 1 Corinthians, and means to examine, scrutinize, to investigate. The Scripture gives us an objective standard by which to evaluate “all things.” But even more, the Holy Spirit confirms, and communicates to us the very “mind of Christ.”
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that Paul was concerned here with doctrinal systems or theological speculation. This verse does not guarantee that spiritual people will dot every theological “i” and cross every doctrinal “t” the same way. What Paul meant is that as you live your life all you need is Scripture and the Spirit to make wise and godly choices. In the Spirit you have access to the very “mind of Christ,” and can know God’s will!
Don’t waver back and forth with every breeze of well-intended advice. Listen. But rely on the Spirit to show you what the Lord wants you to do.

“Mere infants in Christ” 1 Cor. 3:1–9. Even a child knows what infants are like. They’re those tiny people who cry and scream, who kick their arms and legs without going anywhere, and who mess their diapers. No, it’s not hard to tell a baby when you see—or hear—one.
It’s the same spiritually. There’s one unmistakable sign of spiritual babyhood: worldliness. Thinking, and behaving, just like the people of this world who lack the Spirit (v. 3). Here adulation of leaders, and the “jealousy and quarreling among you,” are characteristic of the way “mere men” think and act.
How utterly foolish to exalt those who are “only servants,” when God is the source of all spiritual growth, no matter who ministers (v. 6). And then, to quarrel over which leader is better.
Watch out for spiritual babies. As they kick and yell, they all too often bruise folks who come too near. And some spiritual babies never grow up.

“His work will be shown for what it is” 1 Cor. 3:10–15. True servants of God aren’t motivated by adulation or a large following. They honestly want to build Christ’s church. And they build on the one true foundation, Jesus Christ. They keep the focus of their followers on Jesus, not on themselves. Not even on their vision of a Christian Disneyland, or of the largest church building in the U.S., or of the biggest radio or TV following.
Paul knew that his accomplishments would be evaluated one day on just this basis. Was he working to promote Jesus or himself? When Judgment Day comes, the “quality of each man’s work” will be revealed (v. 13).
Knowing this, what do we care how other people evaluate our service for Jesus? What do we care even for “success,” or the praise of others? The only true success is in serving Jesus and His people well. The only reward we seek is Christ’s, when our service for Him is judged at the last day (v. 13).

“You yourselves are God’s temple” 1 Cor. 3:16–17. The Corinthians thought of leaders as the really important folks in the church, and argued, with a tad too much enthusiasm, over which leader was best.
That was foolish because, as Paul had said, leaders are only servants of Christ. God is the source of all spiritual growth and accomplishment, whichever leader He may work through. So focus on God, not your leader.
There’s another reason the Corinthians were foolish. Paul said, “You yourselves are God’s temple and . . . God’s Spirit dwells in you” (v. 16). Who is really important? The temple of God? Or the servant who mops, polishes, and works to beautify it?
Next time you’re tempted to glorify some human leader, picture him with a rag and polish. And picture yourself as a beautiful golden panel that leader has been assigned to polish. Honor him or her for the work. But remember that his job is to bring out the beauty in you, to the glory of God.

“So then, no more boasting about men!” 1 Cor. 3:18–23 What’s left to boast about if we can’t tell others how interesting our preacher is? Or how beautifully our choir sings. How aesthetically the building is designed. How worshipful the atmosphere when the organ begins to play. How active our young people’s group. How dedicated to service the women’s club.
Paul had a suggestion. Remember that “all things are yours” in Jesus Christ. Because you are His, and He is yours, glory in this world, life, death, the present, the future—are all within your grasp. So if you feel like boasting, boast about Jesus.
Boast about your pastor, someone might come to hear him, and be impressed. Boast about your church building, someone might come to see, and compliment you. Boast about Jesus, and someone might realize his need, and be saved.

“I do not even judge myself” 1 Cor. 4:1–5. Paul honestly didn’t care if the Corinthians “cross-examined” him. The image is of a preliminary hearing, held before a legal case goes to court. What human beings say is irrelevant. God was the sole Judge of Paul’s motives and ministry.
To drive his point home, Paul said he did not even “cross-examine” himself. He didn’t agonize over his motives, or pry into every dark recess of his mind to find out if his service was totally pure.
Paul wasn’t competent even to judge his own motives. How could he be critical of others?
Paul had drawn two conclusions from the fact that Jesus will one day judge His own servants. Each promotes our mental and spiritual health. We don’t judge others, and thus are freed from a critical spirit. We don’t judge ourselves, and thus are freed from constant, agonizing self-doubt.
Accept Paul’s conclusions, and get rid of both these weights. They simply drag you down. Then get on with serving Jesus and others with enthusiasm and joy.

“What do you have that you did not receive?” 1 Cor. 4:6–7 Don’t you love the arrogance of the “self-made man”? “I did it all myself,” he says. “I worked three jobs for two years. Then I saw an opportunity, took the risk, and now I’m a multimillionaire.”
Of course, God gave him the health he needed to work three jobs. And the sharp mind, able to see the opportunity. And God saw that he was born in a country where a person could take risks, and succeed. But, other than the fact that every ability the self-made man used was a gift from God, he did it “all himself.”
Paul wasn’t trying here to steal credit from those who use their God-given abilities. He was just reminding arrogant Christians that it’s God who “makes you different from anyone else.” Anything we have we received as His gift. In that case, “Why do you boast as though you did not” receive it?
Pride is one of the most unspiritual attitudes of all. It reveals a total failure to credit God as the source of all our accomplishments.

“Already you have become rich!” 1 Cor. 4:8–21 Quarreling over leaders in Corinth was an expression of pride. The parties didn’t really care whether Apollos or Cephas or Paul were superior leaders. They wanted to feel superior, so they claimed to follow the more polished and powerful preacher!
Paul contrasted his own way of life with theirs in verses 8–13. The Corinthian Christians (in their own eyes) were rich, self-satisfied, wise, strong, honored. Paul was viewed by the whole world as a poor fool, poverty-stricken, weak, dishonored. Paul didn’t drive his point home. But he might have.
Even the unspiritual Corinthians had to realize that in service to Christ, Paul towered above them all. They even owed their faith to the apostle, who “became your father through the Gospel.” As a first-century father had the right to set the pattern for his sons’ way of life, Paul urged his spiritual children to discard their pride, grow out of spiritual infancy, and “imitate me” (v. 16).
We all imitate others. Let’s be wise in the choice of those we choose as our examples.

DEVOTIONAL
A Popgun for Christmas?
(1 Cor. 4)
I wanted a BB gun so badly. I was only six or seven. When Grandpa Zeluff grinned, and showed me the gun-shaped package under the Christmas tree, I was so excited I could hardly wait.
Everyone seemed to smile at me as the presents were passed out, one by one, till only that gun-shaped present remained. Then I had it in my hands! I tore off the paper—and almost burst into tears. It was a popgun. A toy for a toddler. It didn’t shoot BBs. It fired a cork, all of two to three feet.
I choked out a “thank-you” to Grandpa Zeluff, and went outside. And then I did cry.
I suspect that many Christians have looked under the Christmas tree and seen a Christ-shaped package. They’ve opened it with great excitement, but somehow the power they expected to find just hasn’t been there. In their life, Jesus has seemed about as effective as that popgun of mine, able only to poof out a cork or two.
Why? Why should our faith fizzle, and become a popgun experience? In 1 Corinthians 4, Paul gave a number of reasons. First, we get sidetracked (vv. 1–7). We either criticize or rely on ourselves and our leaders, forgetting that the source of all success and the focus of our faith is God. Try relying on mere men for a while—on any mere man—and your faith will never generate more than popgun power.
Second, we get comfortable (vv. 8–17). We assume that Christianity is a matter of soft pews, dressing up on Sundays, and maintaining the respect of outsiders. We forget that the Apostles, who displayed dynamic spiritual power, saw Christianity as a calling to selfless service. Paul suffered to serve others. Concentrate on comfort rather than service, and you have all the popgun power of a popgun religion.
Finally, we get arrogant. We know the right words, and we treat Christianity as if it were just a matter of words rather than a matter of living as citizens of a heavenly kingdom. When faith is a matter of talk rather than a daily walk with Jesus, the power simply is not there.
I wept when I got my popgun that Christmas. What a disappointment. But how much more terrible to become a Christian expecting to experience God’s power, and then to settle for a popgun religion.
You don’t need to.
Keep your focus on Jesus. Concentrate on service. And walk daily with the Lord.

Personal Application
Find out for yourself that the kingdom of God is a matter of power.

Quotable
“Shortly before Christmas, John Sung [later the great evangelist of China] accompanied some fellow students to a special evangelistic campaign at the First Baptist Church. He expected to hear Dr. Haldeman, an eloquent and learned preacher, but instead, the speaker was a 15-year-old girl! She spoke simply and yet powerfully. The proud, skeptical heart of the Ph.D. scientist was moved to the depths. He determined to discover for himself the secret of such spiritual power. He began reading Christian biographies ‘to investigate the secret of the effective ministry of great Christians of the past’ and ‘soon discovered that in each case it was the power of the Holy Spirit that made the difference.’ Turning down opportunities to teach science in America and China, he decided rather to give his life to preaching the Gospel.”—John T. Seamands

1 Corinthians

INTRODUCTION
Paul wrote his letter to Christians in the wealthy seaport city of Corinth in A.D. 55, some four years after he founded the church there. After Paul left, a number of problems developed in the church, and the Corinthians sent for advice. So 1 Corinthians is a practical, problem-solving letter. In it Paul explains how Christians are to deal with many issues, including divisions, immorality, and doctrinal disputes.
Paul’s letter gives us fascinating insights into difficulties first-century congregations faced as they tried to live out their lives in Christ. First Corinthians remains one of the New Testament’s most valuable letters. The principles Paul developed here serve as trustworthy guides to resolving interpersonal problems in today’s church.

OUTLINE OF CONTENTS
I.
Introduction
1 Cor. 1:1–9
II.
Divisions in the Church
1 Cor. 1:10–4:21
III.
Discipline of the Immoral
1 Cor. 5–6
IV.
Divorce and Marriage
1 Cor. 7
V.
Doctrinal Disputes
1 Cor. 8:1–11:1
VI.
Conducting Worship
1 Cor. 11:2–34
VII.
Defining Spirituality
1 Cor. 12–14
VIII.
Understanding Resurrection
1 Cor. 15
IX.
Conclusion
1 Cor. 16

THE DIVIDED CHURCH
1 Corinthians 1

“I appeal to you, brothers, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree with one another so that there may be no divisions among you and that you may be perfectly united in mind and thought” (1 Cor. 1:10).

Divisiveness denies the truth that Christ’s church is one.

Overview
Paul expressed thanks for his Corinthian brethren (1:1–9), but warned against divisions within the church (vv. 10–17) which reflect human foolishness rather than the wisdom of the Cross (vv. 18–31).

Understanding the Text
“Sanctified in Christ Jesus and called to be holy” 1 Cor. 1:1–3. Paul wished the very best for his readers: “Grace and peace to you from God” (v. 3). But he reminded them and us that to experience God’s best, we must become what we are.
What are we? We are persons “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” The word sanctified means “set apart to God.” In Old Testament times sanctified persons, places, and things were never used for profane or ordinary purposes. They could only be used in God’s service. The sanctuary table dedicated to God held loaves of bread. But not even the priests of Israel could put a meal on that table, pull up their chairs, and eat from it.
Paul said the Corinthians, “together with all those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus,” are “sanctified in Christ Jesus.” Jesus has set us apart to be God’s own, and God’s only. As God’s people now, we are to live holy lives, not ordinary ones. That’s why it is so important for believers to solve the kind of problems that emerged in the Corinthian church. Only as we live the holy life fitting for those sanctified by Jesus will we glorify God or experience His grace and peace.

“You have been enriched in every way” 1 Cor. 1:4–9. The Corinthian church had problems. But it had matchless resources too. Sometimes you and I focus so much on our problems that we forget the spiritual reserves that God has provided for us.
What resources did Paul remind us of? We have God’s grace to enrich us, for it was poured out on us when we responded to the message about Jesus (vv. 4–5). We have spiritual gifts to enable us to grow and serve (v. 7). We have Christ’s commitment to encourage us, for we know that He will keep us strong and safe until He returns (v. 8). We have God’s faithfulness to ensure that none of these resources will be taken from us (v. 9).
It’s all too easy for us to focus on our problems, and be overwhelmed. What God wants us to do is focus on His resources, and overcome! (See DEVOTIONAL.)

“Agree with one another” 1 Cor. 1:10–12. This earnest appeal for outward harmony is matched in verse 10 by an appeal for inward unity of “mind and thought.” The divisions Paul spoke of are schismata, cracks that have appeared in the walls of the church, and threaten to cause the building to tumble. Paul wasn’t asking the Corinthians to plaster over the cracks by pretending to agree. He was asking everyone in Corinth to consider the issues carefully, so that there could be a real rather than false unity in the local body.
Plastering over differences never resolves them. Only when we face common problems together, determined to find a basis for unity, will things get better. This is true in the church. It’s true in the family. It’s true in all of life.

“Quarrels among you” 1 Cor. 1:11–12. Some folks get upset over the fact that Christendom has so many different denominations. “See!” they shout as they point to these verses in 1 Corinthians. “It’s wrong for believers to say, ‘I’m a Presbyterian,’ or ‘I’m a Baptist.’ There should only be one grand Christian church, with no divisions.”
But Paul here was dealing with quarrels. He was dealing with factions that not only competed, but were actively hostile to each other. The believers who made up the “party of Paul” and those in the “party of Apollos” fought and argued over who was best, right, and most Christian.
All Christian communities in first-century cities divided up and met in a number of different house-churches. Paul doesn’t hesitate to identify one such congregation as folks “from Chloe’s household” (v. 11). I don’t expect he’d have any serious problem identifying modern Christians as folks “from the Baptist Church on 5th and Main,” or from the “Presbyterian Church on Little Road.”
So lets not make too much of such distinctions. Let’s remember that Baptist or Presbyterian, Christ’s church is one church. But, if the Baptists and Presbyterians start to quarrel over which group is right, or who are the best Christians, then we need to be concerned.

“Is Christ divided?” 1 Cor. 1:13–16 The basis for Christian unity is Jesus, who died for all who believe. Our union is with Jesus, and He is the source of our identity.
One of my wife’s girlhood friends, a devout Catholic Christian, says bluntly that she is a Christian and a Catholic, but that she’s a Catholic first. I appreciate her loyalty to her church as well as her sincere dedication to the Lord. But her approach to faith is too much like that of those in Corinth, whose allegiance to Paul or Peter or Apollos drove them to debate. In truth, our allegiance is to Jesus, and is not divided. He is One, and because He is the Head of every believer, the church is one.
My friend Bob Girard put it best when he moved to the Verde Valley in Arizona and wrote on the visitor’s card his first Sunday in a new church. Where the card asked, Would you like to become a member of this church? Bob wrote, “I already am a member of the body of Christ. So naturally I want to become involved in any way I can with my brothers and sisters here.”
If we nurture this attitude, the church of Jesus, which is one, will be one here on earth.

“Words of human wisdom” 1 Cor. 1:17–24. The word “wisdom” is one of the most significant words in Scripture. In both Testaments it involves the application of knowledge to guide daily life. The “wise” must have truth, and be able to apply it.
Mere human wisdom breaks down at both these points. Though all have smatterings of truth, human cultures and societies are flooded with lies and half-truths. And human wisdom is unable to either separate truth from fiction, or to correctly apply truth even when it is discerned.
Paul offered proof. When the message of the Cross is proclaimed, how does the self-proclaimed “wise man” respond? Those with roots in Jewish culture insisted on miracles to prove it. Those with roots in Greek culture insisted that it be “intellectually respectable.” Neither realized that the preaching of the Cross is “the power of God and the wisdom of God” (v. 24).
Why this critique of wisdom here? Because those who quarreled over which splinter group of Christians was closer to God were relying on mere human wisdom. They marshalled their arguments, completely missing the central fact that in Christianity everything must be related to Christ.
Don’t be surprised if non-Christians laugh at our faith. Carl Sagan publicly ridicules Creation. Ted Turner scoffed at the Cross in a speech to media executives. But never mind. “Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?” (v. 20)
Never mind. Just don’t go taking a worldly approach to solving problems in Christ’s church!

“God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise” 1 Cor. 1:26–31. The intelligentsia and the wealthy and the politically powerful are the shakers and movers in human society. They’re the people who count: the people to see if you want to get something done. But, Paul pointed out, their intelligence, wealth, and power were absolutely useless when it came to winning salvation.
To bring salvation to the world God’s Son became a poor Man, a Carpenter. He lived in a backward corner of the world, died a criminal’s death, and even after His resurrection there were “not many . . . wise . . . not many were influential . . . not many were of noble birth” who responded to the Gospel’s Good News. It follows that we Christians have nothing of which to boast, except of Jesus. Jesus Himself is our righteousness, our holiness, and our redemption.
What a rebuke for those who quarreled over mere human leaders. They not only argued like men of the world, they turned away from Jesus.
Jesus is the unifying center of our Christian faith. As we contemplate Jesus, we are so humbled that boasting in some supposed superiority of our little group seems to be the foolishness it is.

DEVOTIONAL
Out, Damned Spot
(1 Cor. 1:4–17)
Shakespeare portrays Lady MacBeth, a conspirator in the murder of her king, compulsively washing her hands again and again. She feels that a spot of the king’s blood has been splashed on her hand, and it rivets her attention.
Often we Christians respond a little like Lady MacBeth when we discover problems in our church or home. We almost compulsively focus on the problem, talking about it constantly, going over each detail again and again. Like the dear lady, we feel deep frustration, and the more we talk, the more serious the problem appears.
I’m not suggesting that you or I should avoid facing problems. Not at all. We should look honestly at things that need to be corrected, in our personal lives, in our families, and in our churches. But we should look at them positively. We should look at them confidently, in the full assurance that we can resolve them successfully.
In his Letter to the Corinthians Paul expressed confidence before he even mentioned the first problem. The Corinthians had been enriched by God’s grace (vv. 4–6). They had been enabled with a full complement of spiritual gifts (v. 7). They had been strengthened by fellowship with Jesus Christ (vv. 8–9). Because of these matchless resources Paul was sure that the Corinthians could face and overcome their many problems.
Think about it. Only after the Corinthians had been reminded of their resources in Christ (vv. 4–9), did Paul go on to discuss the problem (vv. 10–17).
What a pattern for us to follow. Let’s count up our spiritual assets in Christ. Then let’s face our problems honestly, in the complete confidence that together we can resolve them in His strength.

Personal Application
Looking to Jesus first gives perspective on our problems.

Quotable
“It is called the community of the saints because they have fellowship in holy things, yea, in those things whereby they are sanctified, that is in the Father and the Son, who Himself sanctifieth them with all that He had given them. Thus everything serveth to the betterment and building up of one’s neighbor and to the praise and glory of God the Father.”—Menno Simmons