Be Strong

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the fourth command.

4. Be strong

Paul told the Corinthians to grow up (act like men) and now he tells them to get strong. Paul here isn’t referring to growing strong physically, rather growing strong spiritually. Paul is saying: Become strong in your spirit so that you can resist the urges of your sinful nature. Throughout his letter Paul mentions that the Corinthians are still controlled by their sinful nature (3:3), that they lack self-control (7:5) and that they need to stop sinning (15:34). Paul says the answer to these problems is to grow strong in spirit. 

In the book of Galatians we read of the battle between our flesh (that part of us that desires to indulge sin) and our spirit (that part of us that desires to please God). Galatians 5:17 says “The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other...”  

Well how do we become strong spiritually so that when we're tempted our spirit overpowers our flesh and not the other way around? Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:25, “Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.” Paul is saying here that athletes become strong by going into strict training. And this is the same way that we become strong spiritually - by going into strict spiritual training. 

I would encourage each and every one of you to write out on paper (or on your computer or phone) your spiritual training plan. And I would encourage you to include in your training plan these three things: 

1. Bible reading 

2. Prayer 

Let me explain this real quick. As you spend time with Jesus through Bible reading and prayer, you become strong spiritually. Isaiah 40:30-31 says, “Even the youths shall faint and be weary, And the young men shall utterly fall, But those who wait on the Lord Shall renew their strength...” You see, we become strong spiritually as we spend time with the Lord. Psalm 27:14 says “Wait on the Lord...And He shall strengthen your heart; Wait, I say, on the Lord!” As we read our Bibles and pray we become strong in spirit.

3. Fasting 

Why fasting? Because if you can say no to food, you can say no to temptation. This is why Jesus instructed us to fast. Denying your flesh food prepares you to deny your flesh sin. The same resisting muscles you use to say no to lunch or dinner (or whatever it is you are fasting) are the same muscles you’ll use to say no to temptation. 

Develop a plan that works for you in order to become strong in spirit, so you can resist temptation. 

Act Like Men (Be Mature)

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the third command.

3. Act like men (Be mature)

Ladies, this doesn’t exclude you. Paul here is telling the Corinthians (both men and women) to grow up spiritually and become mature. Because spiritually speaking - the Corinthians were acting like babies.

This is why...

• In 1 Corinthians 3:1-2 Paul wrote, “Dear brothers and sisters, when I was with you I couldn’t talk to you as I would to spiritual people [that is: as I would to spiritually mature Christians]. I had to talk....as though you were infants in the Christian life. 2 I had to feed you with milk, not with solid food, because you weren’t ready for anything stronger.” 
• In 1 Corinthians 4:14 Paul refers to the Corinthians as his spiritual children and in 4:21 asks them if they needed a spiritual spanking? 
• In 1 Corinthians 14:20 Paul admonishes them “Brothers and sisters, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil be infants, but in your thinking be adults.” 

Do you see now why Paul ends his letter by telling the Corinthians to grow up (spiritually speaking)? God wanted the Christians at Corinth to grow up spiritually, and he wants the same for you and me. In 1 Corinthians 3:6 Paul wrote “I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God has been making it grow.” Paul is saying: God wants to grow your faith! And that’s true of us too. So let me ask you...

• Are you more kind this year than last? 
• Are you more patient this year than last? 
• Are you more of a servant? 
• Are you more generous? 
• Do you have a better understanding of Scripture this year than last? 
• Have you invited more people to church? 
• Have you participated in more semesters of growth group? 

Now don’t be too tough on yourself - it’s about direction, not perfection. But are you growing? At the same time, don’t be too easy on yourself either. If you can’t answer “yes” to any of those questions, God is saying to you “Act like men”, that is: Grow up! You aren’t supposed to stay stagnant in your faith. Like a tree, the roots of your faith are supposed to grow deeper (and your branches higher).

How do we grow up spiritually? 1 Peter 2:2 says “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation...” Friends - it’s impossible to grow up spiritually apart from reading your Bible. 2 Peter 3:18 says “...grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” How do you do that? By reading your Bible! Here's how this works...As you read the Bible you become aware of the areas in which you need to grow up.

• Maybe you have trouble getting along with others. Well as you read 1 Corinthians 1-4 God is going to challenge you to grow up in regards to quarreling with other believers. 
• Maybe you're doing something right now the Bible calls immoral. Well as you read 1 Corinthians 5-6 God is going to challenge you to grow up in regards to holy living. 
• Maybe you're not taking into account how your decisions affect others. Well as you read 1 Corinthians 8-10 God is going to challenge you to grow up in regards to selfishness. 

But you'll never know where you need to grow up apart from reading the Word of God. Through the Bible God speaks to us, telling us where we need to become mature. If you don't have a Bible reading plan I would encourage you to visit www.youversion.com on your smartphone or computer, where you will find a variety of Bible reading plans. Get in the Word and God will show you where you need to grow. 

Stand Firm in the Faith

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the second command.

2. Stand firm in the faith

Here Paul tells the Corinthians they must be adamant and resolute in their determination to live their lives for Jesus. The Corinthian church was doing a number of things wrong, which is one of the reasons Paul wrote to them. Here at the end of his letter he exhorts them to stand firm in the faith, which is the opposite of what they were doing. 

I think Paul's advice to the Corinthians is most appropriate for us who live today. We live in a culture that embraces a worldview and values that are blatantly anti-Christian. As a result when you go to work you may find yourself in the minority. And maybe you've been tempted to compromise what you believe or to keep quiet so everyone doesn't start making fun of you. Paul's advice to you? Stand firm in the faith! You might think this is impossible, but it's not! 2 Corinthians 1:21 says, “...it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ.” That is - God will help you! 

Let me give you three motivations for standing firm. 

1. The Lord is coming soon. 

James 5:8 says, “You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” Friends - there is nothing keeping Jesus from returning this very minute. Keeping the imminent return of Christ in mind will motivate us to stand firm in the faith. 

2. Your determination will be rewarded. 

Jesus said in Luke 21:19, “Stand firm, and you will win life.” That is, if you don’t give up, your reward will be life eternal. Remember friends “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” (1 Corinthians 2:9) 

3. Others are standing firm with you. 

The apostle Peter wrote in 1 Peter 5:9, “Resist him [Satan], standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings.” It's discouraging to think you're all alone, but the truth is, you're not. Christians all around the world are fighting the same battle. 

I love Ephesians 6:14. It simply says "Stand firm then.." The Christian life is not for the weak of heart. It takes good old fashion determination! Jesus said in Matthew 24:12-13 that in the last days, “Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.” So stand firm! Keep your spiritual fervor in serving the Lord (Romans 12:11). Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess (Hebrews 10:23). Stand firm! Let nothing move you (1 Corinthians 15:58).

Be on Guard

1 Corinthians 16:13-14 says, "Be on guard. Stand firm in the faith. Act like men. Be strong. And do everything with love." In this post we'll focus on the first command.

1. Be on Guard

Paul was telling the Corinthians that they had a spiritual nemesis, named Satan, that they must guard themselves against.

After all...

• Who was working to cause the division Paul wrote about in chapters 1-4? 
• Who was encouraging the immorality Paul wrote about in chapters 5-6? 
• Who was working overtime to split up the marriages Paul referenced in chapter 7? 
• Who encouraged the selfish behavior Paul condemned in chapters 8-10? 
• Who enticed Christians to defy God’s divine order that Paul wrote about in chapter 11? 
• Who was celebrating as the young Christians at Corinth misused the spiritual gifts that Paul wrote about in chapters 12-14? 
• Who was behind the false doctrine that there was no resurrection of the dead that Paul wrote about in chapter 15? 

The answer is Satan! So Paul instructed the Corinthians to be on guard. Well, the same devil who was out to trip up the Corinthians, is out to destroy us as well. The apostle Peter put it this way in 1 Peter 5:8, “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” When he says be alert and of sober mind, that's just another way of saying be on guard.

Now I want you to imagine you're in a war. How helpful do you think it would be if you knew your enemy's strategy and plan of attack? That would be helpful right?

Well spiritually speaking, we're at war. Ephesians 6:12 says "For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places." But we don't need to freak out because God has given us our enemy's strategy and plan of attack. It's found in 1 John 2:15-17 which says, “Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world.” 

When Satan tries to trip you up, he will attempt to appeal to you in one of these three areas. 

1. A craving for physical pleasure ( the lust of the flesh). This is called hedonism which says: pleasure will make you happy. 

2. A craving for everything we see (the lust of the eyes). This is called materialism which says: possessions will make you happy. 

3. Pride in our achievements and possessions (the pride of life). This is called secularism which says: position will make me happy. 

Paul said in 2 Corinthians 2:11, “For we are not unaware of his [Satan's] schemes”. Now you can say this too. And you can use this knowledge to "Be on guard..." 

Offering Basics: Part 5 of 5

An offering should be given proportionately.

1 Corinthians 16:2 says “On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income...” Paul is telling the Corinthians that how much they give in the offering for the Christians in Jerusalem ought to be determined by how much they make. Those who make a little may only be able to give a little, while those who make a lot will obviously be able to give more.

In Luke 21:1-4 we read that “While Jesus was in the Temple, he watched the rich people dropping their gifts in the collection box. Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. “I tell you the truth,” Jesus said, “this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has.”

Jesus’ point? Generous giving is proportionate. You may have little and therefore giving little - but if you only have little, the little you give is actually a lot! If you are truly strapped financially, giving $5 to the Christmas Offering might be really generous FOR YOU (proportionally speaking). On the other hand, if you are truly wealthy, even giving $5,000 might not be generous FOR YOU (proportionally speaking). Let me ask you this: FOR YOU, and in light of your particular unique financial situation, what does generous look like? That’s what I’d encourage you to give in the Christmas Offering. Have you been given little? Give accordingly. Have you been given much? Give accordingly. I think the principle behind Luke 12:48 applies here. Jesus said “When someone has been given much, much will be required in return; and when someone has been entrusted with much, even more will be required.”

Offering Basics: Part 4 of 5

Every single believer should practice the giving of offerings.

Look at what Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 16:2, "On the first day of every week, each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up..." Success to Paul was having everyone participate.

When we train our growth group facilitators, we tell them that success in the weekly meeting is achieved when each person in the group participates in the discussion. We don't expect everyone to talk the same amount. We know that some will talk a lot and some will only talk a little. But success is when everyone participates. If one or two people do all the talking, there may not have been any awkward moments of silence, but the meeting wasn't a success because the goal is to get everyone to participate.

You know - this verse (v.2) has really made me rethink how to determine whether or not we’ve had a successful special Christmas offering or not. We have a goal that we’re shooting for ($20,000), but real success is more than just reaching the goal - it’s reaching the goal in the right way. We win when “each one of you” participates. Some will contribute a lot and some will contribute a little. But we win when everyone participates. In Matthew 6:3 Jesus talked about “...when you give to the needy...” Not if you give to the needy, but when you give to the needy. Through our Christmas offering you can put that verse into practice. To give an offering click here. 

Offering Basics: Part 3 of 5

An offering should be saved up systematically. 

Paul told the Corinthians in v.2 “On the first day of every week [that is: on Sunday when you gather for worship], each one of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income, saving it up, so that when I come no collections will have to be made.” NIV Paul is telling the Corinthians to systematically save some money each week to give in the special offering. 

When the 2013 tornado devastated Moore OK did you have anything saved up that you could give to Convoy of Hope, Samaritans Purse or World Vision? Or when the 2013 typhoon devastated the Philippines did you have anything saved up so you could help? When the special annual Christmas Offering rolled around this year were you prepared to give? 

How can you be prepared to give when the opportunity to give an offering presents itself? By saving it up systematically! 

Offering Basics: Part 2 of 5

Giving an offering helps us develop a capitol C church mentality.

In 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 Paul wanted the Corinthians to know that their little congregation was just one church among many, that collectively make up the body of Christ. Paul didn’t want them to have the mindset that they were all there was. So he led them in the giving of an offering for the Christians in Jerusalem who were in need. The offering was meant to help those in Jerusalem, but was also intended to help the church develop a spiritually mature “capital C” church mentality. Let me illustrate what I mean by “capital C” church...

Last year we gave $2,500 out of our Christmas Offering to a church plant only a couple miles away, right here in Springfield. Some Christians have the mentality - why would you do that? What if people go to that church instead of New Day? Well that might not be a win for the “little c” church (New Day), but it would be a win for the “capital C” church (the church at large) so we would celebrate that someone came to faith in Christ - regardless of where it took place.

Paul didn’t want the Corinthians to think only of themselves. And I don’t want that for our church either! When a church thinks only of itself, it has a “little c” mentality. That is - a spiritually immature mentality. The church that only thinks of itself has forgotten that Jesus wants the gospel message to spread from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria and then to the uttermost parts of the earth. That is - Jesus wants his message of hope and forgiveness spread throughout the world. So as a matter of obedience to Jesus, we HAVE to get involved in what God is doing in other churches around the state, in New England, in other parts of the country and around the globe. And this is precisely what we accomplish through our missions giving all year long, and through our special annual Christmas offering from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. 

Offering Basics: Part 1 of 5

An offering is different than the tithe. 

          

1. The tithe was 10%. The offering was any amount given above and beyond the tithe. Here’s an example...In the book of Ezra, when the Temple needed to be rebuilt (because it had been destroyed by Israel’s enemies) the Israelites were asked to give freewill offerings (Ezra 1:4,6; 3:5; 7:16; 8:28). These offerings were not substitutes for their tithe, they were to be given above and beyond their tithe. The Israelites were to tithe first to their local church, then give a free will offering, if they had the means, as they felt led, above and beyond the tithe.

2. The tithe was mandatory, an offering was not (unless God prompted them to give one). When it came to offerings the Israelites could give or not give as they felt led by God, but not so with the tithe. The tithe was required whether they felt like returning it or not.

3. The Israelites could not designate their tithe. The tithe belonged to God so only he could designate its use, and he said the tithe was earmarked for funding the local church. But an offering was different. The offering didn't come out of the 10% that belonged to God, but out of the 90% God let them steward. That belonged to God too, but God allowed some freedom in how it was used. They were free to designate an offering, but not the tithe.

4. An offering was given, whereas the tithe was returned. The tithe belonged to God, so when the Israelites gave their tithes, they were returning to God what was already his. But whatever they gave above and beyond the tithe, that was considered true giving, because that wasn’t required.

5. The tithe was consistent. The offering was sporadic. Every time an Israelite got paid, they would tithe. But they didn’t give an offering every time they got paid. They only gave an offering as the need for one appeared. 

A tithe and an offering are two separate things. And Paul's teaching here should be understood to be instructions on giving an offering. 

Was Paul a Chauvinist?

Many people (mostly women) reading 1 Corinthians 11:2-16 conclude that Paul is a chauvinistic pig. But nothing could be further from the truth! Paul is clear that men and women are equal and is only stating the biblical truth that though they are equal, they have different God appointed functions in the home. Equality of the sexes is what Paul is getting at 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 where he writes, “Nevertheless, in the Lord woman is not independent of man, nor is man independent of woman. For as woman came from man, so also man is born of woman. But everything comes from God.”

There are three basic teams you can be on in regards to the roles of men and women. Let me briefly describe each one:

1. The Feminist Team: This team says men are stupid. 

2. The Chauvinist Team: This team says women are stupid. 

3. The Biblical Team: This team says men and women compliment each other. 

In 1 Corinthians 11:11-12 Paul is clearly identifying himself with the Biblical Team. Anytime you're tempted to falsely accuse Paul of chauvinism just re-read Galatians 3:28 where Paul wrote "There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus." That is, Paul believed in the equality of women. Paul understood that both men and women were created in the image of God and that as equal image bearers each possessed immense value. Paul never argues anywhere that men are superior to women, only that men and women have different God ordained functions in the home. And in that regard, he is absolutely correct. 

Husbands, at times you will be tempted to act as if you are superior to your wife. Wives, at times you will be tempted to act as if you are superior to your husband. Here's something good for both husbands and wives to keep in mind. God made woman out of man’s rib. She is not to be out in front of the man (feminism), nor back behind the man (chauvinism), rather right by his side (from where she came) as his equal in every way. Here's another way to think of it...God made woman out of man’s rib. She wasn’t made from the foot (chauvinism) neither was she made from the head (feminism), rather right from his side. 

The biblical view is that men and women are equal but have different God-given assignments in the home. This is what Paul taught, and if we want to avoid unnecessary conflict in the home, what we ought to live by. 

The Divine Order: Illustrated by Custom

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that life works best with Christ in authority over man, a husband in authority over his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:22) and God in authority over Christ. This is the divine order. Now the apostle Paul knew that some of the Corinthians would get the wrong idea about the divine order, so he gave them five illustrations to make his meaning clear. In this post we'll look at his fifth illustration.

Illustration #5: Custom

Paul wraps up his teaching about the divine order in 1 Corinthians 11:16 where he writes, “If anyone wants to be contentious about this, we have no other practice—nor do the churches of God.” By “we” Paul means all the other apostles. Paul is saying: All the other apostles (i.e. Peter, James, John, etc.) all teach the same thing - that God has instituted a divinely established order that we ought to recognize and fall in line with.

For example, the apostle Peter taught the same thing as Paul. Peter writes in 1 Peter 3:1, "...you wives must accept the authority of your husbands." Then in v.7 he says "...you husbands must give honor to your wives. Treat your wife with understanding as you live together. She may be weaker than you are, but she is your equal partner in God’s gift of new life." You see - men and women are equal but they have different roles according to God's divine order. So Paul's point is - I'm not the only guy teaching this! This is what all the apostles teach because this is what the Bible teaches so don't give me a hard way to go on this.

In light of the divine order being illustrated in 1) the Trinity, 2) Creation, 3) the Angels, 4) Nature and 5) Church Custom and Practice we ought not to rebel against God's divine order, rather embrace it and abide by it, for the Bible teaches it's the way life works best.

The Divine Order: Illustrated by Nature

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that life works best with Christ in authority over man, a husband in authority over his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:22) and God in authority over Christ. This is the divine order. Now the apostle Paul knew that some of the Corinthians would get the wrong idea about the divine order, so he gave them five illustrations to make his meaning clear. In this post we'll look at his fourth illustration.

Illustration #4: Nature

In 1 Corinthians 11:13-15 Paul writes “Judge for yourselves: Is it proper for a woman to pray to God with her head uncovered? Does not the very nature of things teach you that if a man has long hair, it is a disgrace to him, but that if a woman has long hair, it is her glory? For long hair is given to her as a covering.” Paul is saying that men and women are created by God to compliment each other, yet to be different. Therefore, there should be a visible distinction between a man and a woman which serves as a visible reminder that God has different roles for men and women.

I remember going to Centrum Camp in West Springfield as a kid and wondering why this one guy was always hanging out with the girls. Several days into camp we found out that the reason this guy was always with the girls was because he was actually a she. But my goodness - even after someone told us she was a girl, we all had trouble believing it. I remember another time at a youth event in Maryland, tI met a new kid named Cade (C-A-D-E). But when I was told his name I heard Kate (K-A-T-E). Since I thought he told me his name was Kate and since he looked just like a girl at that point in time, I called him Kate all night. No one picked up on it. I don't remember exactly when or how I found out, but eventually someone informed me that Kate was Cade and a boy, not a girl. But man alive - it's getting harder and harder to tell now a days!

And this is exactly why it's important to take steps to clearly identify your gender in your appearance. It's a visual reminder that men and women are different and have different God-given roles. Now in our American culture, a man wearing his hair long is no longer considered distinctly feminine as it was in Paul’s day so I don’t personally believe you need to run out after service and get a haircut if you have long hair. But I would definitely say that if you’re a man don't wear a dress, don’t wear make up, don’t wear high heels and don’t wear a purse. These things are distinctly feminine. In the same way - Do women have to have long hair? I don’t believe they do. In our American culture you can clearly be identified as female even with short hair. And that's the goal. For men to clearly appear as men and for women to clearly appear as women.

I think a man honors God when he takes steps to appear distinctly masculine. I think a woman honors God when she takes steps to appear distinctly feminine. It’s a small way we can show God that we are embracing his divine order in the universe. When a man dresses like a man and a woman dresses like a woman, a pleasing message is sent to God that says: I am ok with who You made me to be. I have a different role to play than someone of the opposite sex - and I want to reflect that difference in my appearance.

So men - embrace your masculinity. Be a man and look like a man. Women - embrace your femininity. Be a woman and look like a woman. It’s a testimony to the different roles God has for us in his divinely established order.

The Divine Order: Illustrated by the Angels

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that life works best with Christ in authority over man, a husband in authority over his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:22) and God in authority over Christ. This is the divine order. Now the apostle Paul knew that some of the Corinthians would get the wrong idea about the divine order, so he gave them five illustrations to make his meaning clear. In this post we'll look at his third illustration.

Illustration #3: The Angels


In 1 Corinthians 11:10 Paul writes “It is for this reason that a woman ought to have authority over her own head, because of the angels.” That is, as the women in Corinth would wear a head covering to demonstrate they were under their husband's authority, so the angels also wear a covering in the presence of God (Isaiah 6:2) to show they are under his authority.

I personally don't understand why some women get so upset when they hear a passage of Scripture like the one we're studying today. Wives - let me remind you that everyone is under someone's authority...

• Children have parents in authority over them. 
• Students have teachers in authority over them. 
• Athletes have coaches in authority over them. 
• Employees have employers in authority over them. 
• Enlisted soldiers have officers in authority over them.  
• Husbands have Christ in authority over them. 
• Christ has God in authority over him. 
• And even the angels themselves are under authority. As Psalm 103:20 says “Praise the LORD, you his angels, you mighty ones who do his bidding, who obey his word.” 

If there's a need for order in the classroom, order in school, order in sports, order at work, order in the military, order in the Trinity and order among the angels - how could there possible not be a need for order in the home?

Using the angels as our example, let's consider what happens when we defy God's divine order. According to Hebrews 2:6-7 God put the angels right where he knew they would be happiest - higher than man but lower than God. But Lucifer didn't like his God-ordained place in the universe so he rebelled against God and his divine order. You can actually read about his rebellion in Isaiah 14:13-15. Lucifer said in his heart: I'm not happy where God's placed me so I will ascend to the heavens, I will raise my throne above the stars of God, I will sit enthroned on the mount of assembly, on the utmost heights. I will ascend above the top of the clouds, I will make myself like the Most High. And what was the result of this rebellion? Lucifer became Satan and the angels who followed Lucifer became demons, and according to Matthew 25:41 hell itself was created as a place of punishment for Lucifer as well as those who follow in his footsteps. What was Lucifer's sin here? He wanted a more elevated position than the one he was given. Instead of accepting his lot in life he instead aspired to be greater than God. But what disaster we bring on ourselves when we do this. As God said to Satan in Isaiah 14:15, "But you are brought down to the realm of the dead, to the depths of the pit."

Husbands, we are to voluntarily place ourselves under the authority of Christ. But every time we disobey we are saying in our heart "I want to be my own god! I want to live my own life how I want to live it." When we do this we're no better than Satan (and we sound like him too). Recall that Lucifer said "I will ascend, I will raise my throne, I will sit enthroned, I will make myself like the Most High." How different than Jesus, who rather than saying "I" said "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10). After studying this point I had to tell God "I'm sorry for all too often making myself god by living how I want to live instead of how you say I should. Please forgive me." Maybe you need to do the same?

Wives, the Bible says you are to voluntarily place yourselves under the authority of your husband. But when you have an attitude that says in your heart "I aint nobodies helper. I aint serving him" that is actually a Satanic and demonic attitude. It's the very attitude of the heart that turned Lucifer into Satan and many of the angels into demons. If that's you today I would encourage you to repent and adopt a Christlike submission that says "God, you know best. So if that's what the Bible teaches that's what I'm going to do. I might not like it just yet, but I'm going to do it in faith and trust you with the outcome."

The Divine Order: Illustrated by Creation

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that life works best with Christ in authority over man, a husband in authority over his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:22) and God in authority over Christ. This is the divine order. Now the apostle Paul knew that some of the Corinthians would get the wrong idea about the divine order, so he gave them five illustrations to make his meaning clear. In this post we'll look at his second illustration.

Illustration #2: Creation

In 1 Corinthians 11:7-9 Paul writes, “A man ought not to cover his head, since he is the image and glory of God; but woman is the glory of man. For man did not come from woman, but woman from man; neither was man created for woman, but woman for man.” When Paul says that man is the glory of God that simply means that Adam came from God (Genesis 2:7). And when Paul says that woman is the glory of man that simply means that Eve came from Adam (Genesis 2:22). Paul is saying that the creation account in Genesis 2 illustrates the divine order that he stated back in verse three. That is, God is in authority over Adam because Adam came from God. In the same way, Adam is in authority over Eve because Eve came from Adam. You could follow his logic by adding that children are under the authority of their parents because children come from their parents. It's as if Paul is saying: You are under the authority of whoever you came from. Adam came from God so Adam is under God's authority. Eve came from Adam so Eve is under Adam's authority.

Now in referencing the creation account Paul brings to mind another great example of the disastrous consequences that come when husbands and wives rebel against their God ordained roles in the family. Let me explain...We read in Genesis 3:1-6 that "...the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, “Did God really say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’?” The woman said to the serpent, “We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ ” “You will not certainly die,” the serpent said to the woman. “For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it.  

In this passage Eve shows no respect for her husband as the God appointed leader of the home when she goes ahead and makes an independent decision regarding the eating of the fruit. But Eve isn't the only one to blame. We also observe in this passage a passive Adam who failed to lead his wife and himself in the ways of the Lord. Here we have complete role reversals! Instead of Adam leading Eve in godliness with her supporting him, we find Eve leading Adam in sinfulness with him supporting her! And what are the consequences? Sin enters the world and along with it sickness, suffering and death - for the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). 

Friends - in keeping with the divine order the husband is to lead his family according to God's will and the wife is to follow him as he follows Christ. When the wife tries to usurp her husband's role as leader (as Eve did) the consequences are disastrous. Look at it this way...

• How many CEO's does a company have? 
• How many Lead Pastors does a church have? 
• How many Captains does a boat have? 
• How many Head Coaches does a sports team have? 
• How many Popes does the Catholic church have? 
• How many Presidents does a country have? 

What am I getting at? Only that anything with two heads is a monster! It seems to me that our culture recognizes the value of having a point person in business, in the military, in sports and in politics as well as every other arena of life, but for some reason not in marriage. May it be different at New Day. I pray God gives us the grace to see and understand his wisdom and to accept his divine order. Those who are Christians say "God knows best" but do we really believe that and live like it? If not, what changes do you need to make? 

The Divine Order: Illustrated by the Trinity

The Bible says in 1 Corinthians 11:3 that life works best with Christ in authority over man, a husband in authority over his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:22) and God in authority over Christ. This is the divine order. Now the apostle Paul knew that some of the Corinthians would get the wrong idea about the divine order, so he gave them five illustrations to make his meaning clear. In this post we'll look at his first illustration.

Illustration #1: The Trinity

1 Corinthians 11:3 says "...the head of Christ is God" but don't think that means in any way that Jesus is inferior and God is superior. On the contrary - the Trinity is comprised of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit and they are equally God. But though they are equal they do not have the same function. 

For example, when mankind needed to be saved from his sin, God sent Jesus into the world (John 3:17) to die on the cross in our place for our sins. Jesus, though he was equal with God the Father (John 10:30) voluntarily placed himself under God's authority so that man could be saved (Luke 22:42). Once Jesus died on the cross for our sins, resurrected from the grave and ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit came to earth to be our "Helper" (John 14:26, NKJV). Though the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are equally God, they have each played a different part in the salvation saga. 

But let's pretend for a moment that Jesus was offended at the thought of placing himself under God's authority. Let's pretend he argued with God, saying "Have you forgotten that we are equal? Going to earth is too lowly of a position for me to serve in so I'm not going." And let's pretend the Holy Spirit said "I don't want to be anyone's helper! I'm too important for that! No thank you!" Let me ask you - What would've happened if Jesus and the Holy Spirit responded that way? We'd still be dead in our transgressions (Ephesians 2:5) for without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins (Hebrews 9:22). Friends - if Jesus and the Holy Spirit didn't play their part, even though they are equally God, we'd all be facing an eternity in the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). Keep that in mind as we move on...

Now not only does 1 Corinthians 11:3 say "...the head of Christ is God", it also says "...the head of the woman is man..." and we know from Ephesians 5:22 that this is referring to a wife being under the authority of her husband. But don't think that means in any way that a wife is inferior and a husband is superior. On the contrary - a marriage is comprised of a husband and a wife who are equal. Genesis 2:24 says once a couple gets married the two become "one flesh". However, though they are equal, they do not have the same function. 

For example, in the home the husband is to lead the family according to God's will as revealed in the Bible. And the wife is to be his helper. In Genesis 2:18 God said “It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Just as Jesus allowed himself to be led by God, so a husband needs to allow himself to be led by Christ. And just as the Holy Spirit serves as our Helper, so a wife needs to serve as her husband's helper. The word "Helper" in John 14:26 comes from the Greek word "paraclete" and signifies one who consoles or comforts, one who encourages or uplifts; and one who intercedes on behalf of another as an advocate in court. That is, the Holy Spirit helps us by consoling us, comforting us, encouraging us, uplifting us, refreshing us and praying for us. And that's exactly what a wife needs to do for her husband - console him, comfort him, encourage him, uplift him, refresh him and pray for him. Though a husband and wife are equal, they each play different parts in creating a peaceful home. 

But let's pretend the husband is lazy and doesn't want to lead his family and let's pretend the wife is proud and doesn't want to be anybody's helper. What's gonna happen? There's going to be conflict! And this is exactly what we see in many marriages today - the conflict that results when husbands and wives don't want to play the part that God has assigned for them to play. Remember, if Jesus and the Holy Spirit weren't willing to play their part in the salvation process, we'd all be dead in our sins right now. In the same when, if a husband and wife aren't willing to play their part in the marriage relationship, that's the death of the marriage! 

I know this is hard to do, but husbands need to lead their family is accordance with God's will revealed in the Bible and wives need to help their husbands by consoling, comforting, encouraging, uplifting, refreshing and praying for them. This is how the family works best for this is God's divine order. 

The Divine Order: Defined

In 1 Corinthians 11:3 Paul writes, “...I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

God says life works best with Christ in authority over man, a husband in authority over his wife (cf. Ephesians 5:22) and Him in authority over Christ. This is the divine order. 

If you're from New England (Massachusetts in particular) you're familiar with these crazy things called "rotaries". If you're not from New England, a rotary is an intersection of roads coming together from several directions. It allows you to continue through without stopping at a stop sign or a traffic signal. When coming onto the rotary you must yield to those already in the rotary. These are the rules of the road. This is how those in authority set things up and how traffic works best. When people follow the rules of the road there is harmony. You not only get to your destination, but arrive there safely. But when you break the rules of road and approach the rotary however you want instead of how you ought to, you become a danger to yourself and others. 

In the same way, when we embrace God's divine order, even if we don't fully understand it, there is harmony and peace in the home, in the church and in the world. But when we rebel against God's authority and approach life however we want instead of how God says is best, we invite trouble into our lives. I realize how unpopular it is in today's culture to talk about a husband being in authority over his wife. But it's no coincidence that the further our culture has moved away from God's divine order, the higher the divorce rate has risen. And as we continue moving away from God's divine order it will continue to rise.

Would you like your marriage to last? Would like to live in harmony and peace and avoid needless conflict and pain? Those who have the best possible chance of doing so are those who embrace, not resist, God's divine order. 

Disputable Matters: Consideration #4

In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, we must subject ourselves to four checkpoints:

Checkpoint #1: My Creator. "Can I do it?"
Checkpoint #2: My Character. "Should I do it?"
Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it?
Checkpoint #4: My Companions. Will it lead them to Jesus?

In this post we'll look at Checkpoint #4: My Companions. Will it lead them to Jesus?

You may have checked a certain activity with God’s Word to determine right or wrong (checkpoint #1)...you have thought through the implications of how this activity might affect your character (checkpoint #2)...you may have cleared the activity with your conscience (checkpoint #3)...but the Bible says there’s still another consideration...the consideration of OTHERS! Look what Paul wrote...

1 Corinthians 10:24, “No one should seek their own good, but the good of others.” NIV
When you’re deciding whether or not you should do something - you also need to consider it’s affect on the Christian and non-Christian community. Will this help Christians grow closer to Jesus? Will this influence non-Christians to become followers of Jesus? Paul says if your freedom (or liberty) is a detriment to another believer’s spiritual growth, you need to give up your freedom when you’re with them. This is what he means in 1 Corinthians 9:12 when he writes, “... we put up with anything rather than hinder the gospel of Christ.” NIV That is, Paul gladly would rather suffer the restriction of his liberty than exercise his freedom and in so doing lead someone away from Jesus.

If we don’t take the personal convictions of others into account we risk hindering their walk with Christ, which is the opposite of what you want to do! Paul says as much in 1 Corinthians 8:7 when he writes: By exercising your liberty you could “defile” another believer’s conscience. He tells them in 1 Corinthians 8:9, “...you must be careful so that your freedom does not cause others with a weaker conscience to stumble.” NLT (cf. 1 Corinthians 10:32)

You may have “the right” to do something, but your Christian responsibility is to forgo that right in order to build up fellow Christians and positively influence those that are not. In chapter 9 Paul mentions a number of rights he had as an apostle but he goes on to say in v.15 “But I have not used any of these rights.” Why did Paul voluntarily give up doing things that were technically 100% ok for him to do? Because he didn’t want his freedom and liberty to become a stumbling block to anyone. Paul said in chapter 8 verse 12 that when your liberty becomes a stumbling block to another believer that you have sinned against that believer AND against Christ! And Paul didn’t want to be guilty of that.

This is why Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 9:19, "Even though I am a free man with no master, I have become a slave to all people to bring many to Christ." Paul's saying: There are many things I’m free to do that I don’t do so that I can better influence people for Christ. When Paul was with the Jews he observed Jewish convictions so as to influence them for Christ. He knew that if he ignored their personal conviction regarding ceremonial hand washing, he would lose any influence with them for the cause of Christ. So when he was with the Jews, he would wash his hands like they did. And when he was with Gentiles he certainly wouldn't eat meat that had been sacrificed to idols in front of those who felt that eating such meat was wrong. Why? If he had, he would've lost his ability to influence them for Christ. This is the meaning of 1 Corinthians 9:22, where Paul writes "When I am with those who are weak, I share their weakness, for I want to bring the weak to Christ." 

Paul observed the personal convictions of those around him, in order to best influence them for Christ. And that’s what we should do to. We may have the freedom to participate in this or that. But if our liberty will cause another person to stumble in their faith - then we must voluntarily give up our freedom when we’re with that person. As Romans 14:15 says “If your brother or sister [in Christ] is distressed because of what you eat, you are no longer acting in love.” NIV

Here's the 1 Corinthians 9:19-23 principle: LOVE SETS LIMITS ON LIBERTY Paul would rather die than fail to act in love towards a fellow believer. Paul would rather die than become a stumbling block that would prevent someone from coming to faith in Christ. And that’s how we should feel too!

Disputable Matters: Consideration #3

In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, we must subject ourselves to four checkpoints:

Checkpoint #1: My Creator. "Can I do it?" 

Checkpoint #2: My Character. "Should I do it?" 

Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it? 

Checkpoint #4: My Companions. Will it help lead them to Jesus? 

In this post we'll look at Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it?

In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, you'll want to check the decision with your conscience. In Romans 14:2 Paul writes “...one person believes it’s all right to eat anything. But another believer with a sensitive conscience will eat only vegetables.” NLT He goes on to say in Romans 14:14, “I know and am convinced on the authority of the Lord Jesus that no food, in and of itself, is wrong to eat. But if someone believes it is wrong, then for that person it is wrong.” NLT From these verses we learn that even if the Bible doesn't expressly condemn a certain action, if someone feels convicted in their conscience about participating, then for that person, the action is sinful. The person who feel convicted over a certain issue can't justify participation by saying "The Bible doesn't say it's wrong" because Paul is clear - If you feel in your conscience that it's wrong, then for you, it is wrong.

During my freshman year of Bible college I personally felt that having the internet in my dorm room was wrong, because it only served as a temptation to internet pornography. So I got rid of the internet in my dorm room and instead used the internet in the library where I had the built in accountability of other people present. Should everyone have gotten rid of the internet in their dorm room? No! This was a personal conviction - something wrong for me- not something that was universally wrong for everyone. I could've tried to justify keeping the internet in my dorm room saying "The Bible doesn't say it's wrong" but that wouldn't have made it any less wrong. I was convicted by it, so for me it was wrong.

We all have what Paul refers to as “a sensitive conscience” in certain areas - and they are different for each person because we’re not all the same and we don’t all struggle with the same things. God knows exactly where we are weak and where we are prone to give in to sin, so he gave each of us a conscience that will lead us to stay clear of areas where we're prone to give in to sin.

Where has your God-given conscience been leading you lately - and are you following its leading? Are you heeding its warnings? Are you staying away from the areas its telling you to stay clear of?

Our third consideration when making a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter is: My Conscience. Will it allow to do it? For the final consideration click here. 

Disputable Matters: Consideration #2

In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, we must subject ourselves to four checkpoints:

Checkpoint #1: My Creator. "Can I do it?" 

Checkpoint #2: My Character. "Should I do it?" 

Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it? 

Checkpoint #4: My Companions. Will it lead them to Jesus? 

In this post we'll look at Checkpoint #2: My Character. Here we're asking "Should I do it?"

If you're going to make a good decision concerning a disputable matter, you better not stop at "Can I do it?" You must go on to ask "Should I do it?" The Corinthians made the mistake of thinking that just because they could do something (i.e. eat meat sacrificed to idols) that they should.

But Paul writes to them in 1 Corinthians 10:23, You [Corinthians] say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but [I Paul say] not everything is good for you. You [Corinthians] say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but [I Paul say] not everything is beneficial. NLT

You cannot evaluate every matter by asking "Does the Bible condemn it?" There are many things the Bible doesn't expressly condemn that might not be good for you. After asking "Can I do it?" you have to also ask "Should I do it?" For example, when deciding what shows to watch on TV I don't ask "Can I watch this?" because the Bible doesn't give a list of acceptable and unacceptable TV shows. Instead I ask "Should I watch this?" and "Is this good and beneficial to my spiritual development?" If I find the show to be counterproductive to my character development, I do not continue watching that show. 

Let's pretend someone is trying to decide whether or not drinking alcohol in moderation is right or wrong for them. They would have to ask is it beneficial for my spiritual growth? Is it good for me? For some the answer will be yes, and for others the answer will be no. For some, drinking alcohol habitually leads to drunkenness. For this person, drinking alcohol isn’t good or beneficial because it continually leads them to sin. But for the person who can drink in moderation, alcohol might be a nice compliment to a tasty meal, or a pleasant way to relax in the evening, or a nice addition to a romantic dinner with your spouse. For this person, drinking alcohol isn’t leading into sin, so there’s no problem.

But everybody is different, which is why God doesn’t make blanket statement rules for disputable matters. God allows freedom for those whose indulgence doesn’t lead to sin while requiring restriction for those whose indulgence does lead to sin. And God has given us a conscience to help us know the difference between when we should indulge and when we should refrain.

This leads nicely into our third checkpoint, which you can read by clicking here. 

Disputable Matters: Consideration #1

In order to make a God-honoring decision concerning a disputable matter, we must subject ourselves to four checkpoints:

Checkpoint #1: My Creator. "Can I do it?" 

Checkpoint #2: My Character. "Should I do it?" 

Checkpoint #3: My Conscience. Will it allow me to do it? 

Checkpoint #4: My Companions. Will it lead them to Jesus? 

In this post we'll look at Checkpoint #1: My Creator. Here we're asking the question "Can I do it?"

If you're going to make a good decision concerning a disputable matter, you better take the time to read your Bible so you can better understand how your Creator feels about whatever it is you're considering doing. This is what the Corinthians did in 1 Corinthians 8. They searched the Scriptures to see if eating meat sacrificed to idols was right or wrong. They told Paul "...we all have knowledge about this issue" (8:1). That is, they did a Bible study and learned that it wasn't a sin to eat meat sacrificed to idols. They reported to Paul their findings, saying "...we all know that an idol is not really a god and that there is only one God" (8:4) and "we can't win God's approval by what we eat" (8:8).

We would do well to follow their example in searching the Scriptures to learn how our Creator feels about something. If you find the activity you're considering participating in is expressly condemned in Scripture, you'll want to stay clear of it. Here's some lists found in Scripture to help you determine right and wrong.

• The 10 Commandments List found in Exodus 20:3-17
• The 7 Deadly Sins List found in Proverbs 6:16-19
• The Acts of the Sinful Nature List found in Galatians 5:19-21
• The List of Activities Practiced by Those Who Aren’t Going to Heaven, found in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 and Revelation 21:8

Another tool you can use to discover how God feels about something is a topical concordance, which will share all the Scriptures related to any given topic. If you want to know about suicide, greed, pride or anything else - you just look it up and read all the related verses. 

If you find that the activity you're considering participating in isn't in conflict with the teaching of God's Word, you're ready for the second consideration. 

What are Disputable Matters?

Romans 14:1 says, "Accept the one whose faith is weak, without quarreling over disputable matters." NIV 

If the Bible neither condones nor condemns a certain activity, it falls under the category of a disputable matter. Here are several examples of disputable matters: drinking alcohol in moderation, smoking a cigarette, watching an R rated movie, listening to secular music, going to a beach where there's mixed bathing, playing cards, getting a tattoo, getting a piercing, buying a lottery ticket or participating in Halloween. 

If the Bible specifically condemns a certain attitude or action, there's nothing to dispute - it's wrong. Here are several examples of activities considered universally wrong: murder, adultery, stealing, lying, coveting, gossip, pride, sorcery and drunkenness. 

Concerning disputable matters, a Christian may or may not feel at liberty to participate, depending on his/her personal convictions (which may change over time). But a Christian should never feel at liberty to participate in something the Bible expressly condemns as sinful. 

1 Corinthians 7: The Gift of Singleness?

Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 7:7, "I wish that all men were as I am [single]. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that.." 

The Bible is clear - being single isn't a curse, rather a gift that God gives to some people. Now there are two kinds of single people: 1) Those single against their will and 2) those single by choice. 

If you're single against your will (that is - you want to be married), are you stewarding your singleness well? Does God look down from heaven and see that you are seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33)? Have you been faithful with your singleness so that he can entrust to you a marriage relationship (Luke 16:10)? 

If you're single by choice, are you using your singleness to advance the kingdom of heaven or to selfishly indulge your discretionary time and income? Jesus said in Matthew 19:12 that "...some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven..." Is that why you have chosen not to marry? Or do you just want to have lots of free time to indulge every interest and hobby that catches your attention? 

Single people, whether by choice or against their will, are God's secret weapons! They are not second class citizens in God's kingdom! (i.e. A married person will likely only be able to attend one service and serve in another, while the single person can attend one service and serve in two) Simply put, there are some things singles can do for God's kingdom, that married people can't. This is what Paul is getting at in vv.32-35 when he writes...

An unmarried man is concerned about the Lord’s affairs—how he can please the Lord. But a married man is concerned about the affairs of this world—how he can please his wife— and his interests are divided. An unmarried woman or virgin is concerned about the Lord’s affairs: Her aim is to be devoted to the Lord in both body and spirit. But a married woman is concerned about the affairs of this world—how she can please her husband. I am saying this for your own good, not to restrict you, but that you may live in a right way in undivided devotion to the Lord.

So, if you're single, like Jesus, realize the potential you have to impact God's kingdom. Walk in your calling or in this temporary season to do things for God that you won't be able to do when/if you're married. 

Marriage: God's Antidote for Sexual Temptation

There are a number of biblical reasons for a person to get married (i.e. procreation, partnership, etc.). In 1 Corinthians 7 the apostle Paul teaches that purity is a godly motivation for marriage. This is the clear teaching of 1 Corinthians 7:2 which says, "...because there is so much sexual immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband." NLT 

Satan's strategy is to get us involved sexually prior to marriage and to keep us apart sexually once we're married. His goal is that prior to marriage we commit the sin of fornication (sex before marriage) and that once married we commit the sin of adultery (sex outside marriage). The Bible's advice for the single person not wanting to commit fornication is to get married. 1 Corinthians 7:9 says, "But if they can’t control themselves, they should go ahead and marry. It’s better to marry than to burn with lust." NLT And the Bible's advice for the married person not wanting to commit adultery is to keep the sex regular. 1 Corinthians 7:5 says "Do not deprive each other of sexual relations, unless you both agree to refrain from sexual intimacy for a limited time so you can give yourselves more completely to prayer. Afterward, you should come together again so that Satan won’t be able to tempt you because of your lack of self-control." 

Indeed, marriage is a dam against the flood of sexual temptation in this world. 

1 Corinthians 7: Is it ok NOT to marry?

God says in Genesis 2:18 "...it is not good for the man to be alone." Yet Paul says in 1 Corinthians 7:1, “...It is good for a man not to marry.” Is Paul contradicting God? Is God pro-marriage and Paul anti-marriage?

To properly understand the advice given in 1 Corinthians 7 we must understand it in light of what v.26 calls "the present crisis" (for more on that click here). In light of the present crisis, Paul says "...It is good for a man not to marry" (v.1). But in v.2 Paul lays out the general rule to be followed. Under normal circumstances he says "...each man should have his own wife, and each woman should have her own husband." 

So according to Paul, the norm is to be married (unless you have the gift of singleness), but under special circumstances (i.e. crisis) it might be best to wait to be married.

1 Corinthians 7: Is it ok to marry?

In light of the present crisis (1 Corinthians 7:26) some at the church at Corinth weren’t sure if it was ok or not to be married. So in Paul lays out the general rule. Look with me at the following verses...

• v.2, “...each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband.” 
• v.28, “...if you do marry, you have not sinned...” 
• v.36, “If anyone...feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married.”

Paul says in essence: Of course it’s ok to marry. Marriage is the norm. However, the Corinthians weren’t living under normal circumstances, rather in the midst of severe persecution (v.26). So although marriage is the norm, Paul goes on to say in vv.26-28...

Because of the present crisis, I think that it is good for you to remain as you are. Are you married? Do not seek a divorce. Are you unmarried? Do not look for a wife. But if you do marry, you have not sinned; and if a virgin marries, she has not sinned. But those who marry will face many troubles in this life, and I want to spare you this. NIV 

In light of the present crisis (v.26) Paul says it might be wise to choose not to marry at this time. It’s not sinful if you go ahead and get married, but you might be asking for trouble. It's important to understand that the only reason Paul is discouraging marriage is to spare them the hardship and suffering that accompanies times of trouble and persecution - not because he’s down on marriage. This is made clear by what he writes in vv.36-38

If anyone thinks he is acting improperly toward the virgin he is engaged to, and if she is getting along in years and he feels he ought to marry, he should do as he wants. He is not sinning. They should get married. But the man who has settled the matter in his own mind, who is under no compulsion but has control over his own will, and who has made up his mind not to marry the virgin—this man also does the right thing. So then, he who marries the virgin does right, but he who does not marry her does even better. NIV

Paul’s saying: If the bride’s biological clock is ticking and she wants to chance it and get married, even in spite of the present crisis, it’s not wrong to do so - it’s just risky to do so. Let me illustrate it like this: Would it be wrong for a Jew to get married during the Holocaust? No! It wouldn't be wrong, but it would be risky. Would it be wrong for someone in Darfur to get married back in 2003 in the midst of mass genocide? No. It wouldn't be wrong, but it would be risky. In light of the present crisis it might be best to wait. This is Paul's point.

Would it be wrong for a college couple to go ahead and get married prior to finishing college? No, but it will be harder than if they wait. It's not wrong if they get married during college, but there may be wisdom in waiting until graduation.

Is it wrong for a man to get married to a woman? Absolutely not, but he might want to wait to get married until he has a job and can provide for his wife and future children (1 Timothy 5:8). I remember asking Kristin's dad for his blessing so I could ask Kristin to marry me. I told him that I loved his daughter and had secured a job. He gave me his blessing.

If you want to get married, that's a wonderful thing! As you seek divine guidance, the same God who provided the perfect person will reveal to you his perfect timing as well.

The Key to Understanding 1 Corinthians 7

Key #1: Everything written in 1 Corinthians 7 must be understood in light of what v.26 calls "the present crisis." 
This is a reference to a time of persecution under Caesar Nero. Caesar Nero was a cruel and bloody man who did not hesitate to kill members of his own family, so you can imagine how he treated Christians. I remember learning in Bible college during our church history classes how Caesar Nero would torture Christians.

• Nero enjoyed dipping the Christians in wax, and impaling them on poles around his palace. He would then light them on fire, and yell: "Now you truly are the light of the world." 
• Nero wouldn’t just kill Christians, he wanted to make them suffer first. 
• In the arena he would wrap Christians up in animal skins and throw them to lions, or dogs who would then tear these men and women apart in front of thousands of entertained spectators. 
• At other times he would crucify them, and after the crowd would get bored, he would set the Christians on fire. 

All this persecution was right around the corner when Paul wrote to the Corinthians in AD 55 and told them “Maybe right now isn’t the best time to marry.”

In 2003 there was a mass genocide in Darfur that claimed some 400,000 lives and displaced over 2,500,000 people. The Arab militias would attack the families that lived in the villages of Darfur. When they found a family they would kill the father, rape the mother, sell the daughters into prostitution and the sons into slavery. If Paul was writing to a church in Darfur in 2003 he would probably give the same advice he gave to the Christians suffering persecution in AD 55 - Maybe right now isn’t the best time to marry.

Key #2: Although Paul is single in 1 Corinthians 7, he was married. 
We know this because in order to be a part of the Sanhedrin, you had to be married, and Paul was a member of the Sanhedrin. We don’t really know what happened to his wife, but many believe that when Paul embraced Christianity, his wife left him. So not only did Paul speak under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (v.25, v.40) but also as someone who once was married, and therefore someone who personally understood the challenges of marriage about which he wrote.

Key #3: Paul is not giving his opinion when he writes.
When Paul says “not I, but the Lord” (v.10) it just means that in this instance he is quoting Jesus - in this instance he has a direct command from Jesus on the subject at hand. When Paul says “I, not the Lord” (v.12) it just means he’s not quoting Jesus directly. But whether quoting Jesus or not, Paul is writing by “the Spirit of God” (v.25, v.40). What Paul writes when not quoting Jesus is equally inspired of God as what he writes when quoting Jesus. One would make a grave mistake to say “This is just Paul’s opinion. I’m only going to listen to the stuff he says when quoting Jesus.”

If you read 1 Corinthians 7 with this background information you'll get so much more out of the text.

Those Who Will Not Be in Heaven

1 Corinthians 6:9-11, Don’t you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don’t fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, 10 or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people—none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. 

Paul gives a grave admonition here - a grave warning to those in the church who claimed to be Christians yet lived in unrepentant sin. He tells them plainly: You will not inherit the Kingdom of God. In other words: Don’t be deceived. You aren’t going to heaven. You are going to hell. As Revelation 21:8 says “But cowards, unbelievers, the corrupt, murderers, the immoral, those who practice witchcraft, idol worshipers, and all liars—their fate is in the fiery lake of burning sulfur.” Paul is saying: If you live in unrepentant sin, you are among those Jesus referred to in Matthew 7:21 when he said “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” 

If there’s anything you are doing that the Bible says is wrong - you better be doing everything you can to get that sin out of your life. Put up safeguards, get accountability, etc. Take extreme measures if necessary like Jesus taught in Matthew 5:30 when he said “if your right hand causes you to stumble, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to lose one part of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.” But whatever you do - don’t be ok with it. Don’t think you can be right with God while habitually practicing unrepentant sin.

• If you’re sleeping together with someone you’re not married to or looking at porn and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it...
• If you’re committing adultery and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it...
• If you’re practicing homosexuality and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it...
• If you’re stealing and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it...
• If you’re getting drunk each weekend and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it...
• If you’re cheating people and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it...

If you’re doing anything you know the Bible says is wrong and you’re justifying it instead of repenting of it - the Bible says you will not inherit the Kingdom of God. Your sinful lifestyle is threatening your future in heaven and you need to repent - that is: turn away from - your sin.

How to Preserve Purity in the Church

1 Corinthians 5:11, “...you are not to associate with anyone who claims to be a believer yet indulges in sexual sin, or is greedy, or worships idols, or is abusive, or is a drunkard, or cheats people. Don’t even eat with such people. NLT 
Paul says the way you can help preserve purity in the church is by not associating with anyone who claims to be a Christian but is living in open, unrepentant sin. Don’t even have lunch with them! Don’t meet them for coffee. Don’t have a playdate with them. Make a commitment to disassociate yourself from anyone who claims to be a believer yet lives in open, unrepentant sin. And if they ask why you keep saying “no” every time they ask to get together...TELL THEM! Say “I love you and care about you, but if this is the path you’ve chosen to walk down, you’re going to have to walk it alone.” 

To continue hanging out is NOT to show the love of God, RATHER to encourage their sin. Continuing to hang out with them is to hurt them, not help them. If a child doesn't experience any negative consequences for misbehaving, that child will likely never change. In the same way, if a child of God doesn't experience any negative consequences for sinning, that person will likely never change either. 

The Danger of Ignoring Sin in the Church

1 Corinthians 5:6, “...Don’t you realize that this sin is like a little yeast that spreads through the whole batch of dough? NLT
Paul is saying that unchallenged sin will spread throughout the church, in the same way that yeast spreads throughout a batch of dough. As a rock that is thrown into a pond creates a ripple that affects the whole pond, so sin affects the whole church. As food coloring slowly but surely works its way through the whole glass of water, so sin works its way through the whole church.

Think of it this way. If an employer turns a blind eye to an employee arriving late for work, soon all the other workers will be coming in late too. But if a worker arrives late and is verbally reprimanded the first time, his pay in docked the second time, and he is fired the third time - that employer will help create a work culture where punctuality is valued. In the same way - confronting sin will help create a church culture where purity is valued. As it relates to the church...

• If someone contemplating adultery sees someone in the church committing adultery (without anyone objecting) he/she will be encouraged to do the same. 
• If a couple contemplating living together prior to marriage sees someone else in the church doing that very thing (without anyone objecting) that couple will be encouraged to do the same.

Confronting sin has a cleansing effect on the church, while condoning sin has a contaminating effect on the church.

The Nature of Church Discipline

The Bible is clear. If someone refuses to repent of sin, even though Matthew 18:15-17 has been followed, we are to remove them from our fellowship (click here to learn more). But it's important to understand that the nature of church discipline is redemptive. That is, we’re not to kick people out of church just to kick them out and have nothing to do with them anymore. Paul says the person is kicked out “...so that his sinful nature will be destroyed and he himself will be saved...” That is, the person is kicked out in hopes that he will repent - in hopes that he will turn from sin and be saved. 

At one church I served at there was a girl in the youth ministry who claimed to be a Christian yet was living in unrepentant sexual sin. She denied it but I knew otherwise and sadly, eventually, had to ask her to leave the student ministry at our church. Within a month it became known that she was pregnant out of wedlock. This girl probably hated me for a while (as did some in the church who didn’t have all the details and thought I was being too harsh, even though I was only doing exactly what the Bible said I should do). But long story short, things in the relationship with her and her boyfriend went south quick and this girl was devastated by the hurt and pain that sin always inevitably brings into our lives. She came to her senses, repented of her sin and wrote me an apology letter telling me she wished she had listened to me. At this point she was welcome back in our fellowship. That was some 7 or 8 years ago now, but last I heard, she was actively involved in ministry. In other words - it all worked out for good. Having missed the loving fellowship of other believers and having experienced first hand the destructive power of sin - she repented and came back to the Lord and to our church.

You see - when someone is kicked out of the church, they are removed from the love of the church and subjected to the destruction and death brought about by sin. This gives the person strong motivation to repent and turn back to God and to church fellowship. Any church discipline that isn't redemptive in nature isn't biblical church discipline. 

The Biblical Basis for Church Discipline

1 Corinthians 5:1-2, It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? NIV

Imagine the adult film industry hearing about the sexual practices of those in our church and being disgusted by it. Imagine dipping below their standard of morality. That’s what was happening at the church in Corinth. And instead of being ashamed, they were proud. Paul will address the sin of sexual immorality more in chapter 6:9-20, but here he addresses the Corinthians attitude towards sin in the church. Paul is clear that they should kick the man out! Now this sounds harsh but in Matthew 18:15-17 we learn of a very grace filled approach we're to take before kicking anyone out of the church.

• Matthew 18:15 gives us step one, “If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over.” That is, sit down with the person and lovingly tell them “What you are doing is wrong and I don’t think you’re going to like how things turn out if you don’t stop”. Your goal in meeting is to get the person to see the error of their way and repent. Hopefully they will listen and cut off the affair. 
• But if they don’t listen, step two is found in Matthew 18:16, “But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that ‘every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.’” In step two you involve a couple other people who also try to get the person to repent. 
• But if that fails, step three is found in Matthew 18:17, “If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector.” The only reason the whole church should ever find out what’s going on is if the person won’t listen during steps one and two. But if the person still won’t listen you tell the whole church so that everyone in the church can try to get the person to repent. 

The goal for all three steps is the same: That the person will repent! But if after steps 1-3 are followed, and someone that claims to be a Christian still won’t repent and stop whatever it is they are doing - Paul says to kick them out. 

• 1 Corinthians 5:2, “...you should remove this man from your fellowship.” 
• 1 Corinthians 5:5, “...you must throw this man out...” 
• 1 Corinthians 5:13, “...You must remove the evil person from among you.” 

Division: Evidence of Spiritual Immaturity

I Corinthians 1:11-12 where Paul writes, For some members of Chloe’s household have told me about your quarrels, my dear brothers and sisters. 12 Some of you are saying, “I am a follower of Paul.” Others are saying, “I follow Apollos,” or “I follow Peter,” or “I follow only Christ.” NLT 
It's human nature to divide up into little groups and war against other groups. In the world it's Republicans against Democrats, Red Sox fans against Yankee fan, Chevy Drivers against Ford drivers, Mac users against PC users. That's how the world operates. But this isn't how Christians are supposed to act. But this is exactly what was happening at the church in Corinth.

You see - the Christians at Corinth had divided up into little factions - into little dissenting groups within the same church.

• Paul’s ministry was geared towards the Gentiles (Acts 18:6), so no doubt the Gentiles (that is - the non-Jews) in the congregation were saying “I follow Paul”. 
• Peter’s ministry was geared towards the Jews, so no doubt the Jews were saying “I follow Peter”. 
• After Paul left Corinth to start another church in Ephesus, Apollos became their new pastor (Acts 18:27), and some liked Apollos better than Paul so they were saying “I follow Apollos”. 
• Now - while the first three groups were guilty of overemphasizing human leadership (and in so doing causing division), this last group was guilty of underemphasizing human leadership (and in so doing causing division). These were the rebels in the church who refused to follow the spiritual leadership God appointed in the church. In saying "I only follow Christ" they were really saying "I follow only me!" 

The people divided into camps and weren’t friendly towards others not in their camp. In the same way the people in the church were saying “Paul is best” while others were saying “No, Apollos is best” while others were saying “No, Peter is best”. And then the self-righteous people were saying “No, I’m the best.”

So in a pretty strong rebuke Paul has to tell the people in the church “Knock it off! Division in the church is evidence of spiritual immaturity and it needs to stop." 1 Corinthians 3:3-4, “...You are jealous of one another and quarrel with each other. Doesn’t that prove you are controlled by your sinful nature? Aren’t you living like people of the world? When one of you says, “I am a follower of Paul,” and another says, “I follow Apollos,” aren’t you acting just like people of the world? NLT

Pave the Way to Peace

1 Corinthians 1:10a, “I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church...” NLT 
God desires that his children live in harmony with one another. It breaks His heart when he sees relational division in the body of Christ.

Let’s pretend while taking a shower this morning (hopefully you did that) your right arm did a great job of washing your left arm, but then when it was your left arm’s turn to wash your right arm, your left arm did a subpar job - and consequently your right arm was offended and therefore refused to help your left arm put on your clothes for the day. Image how difficult it would be to put on your shirt with only one arm. Imagine the difficulty of putting on your pants and buckling your belt with only one arm.

In the same way that your physical body was designed to work together in harmony to be effective, so it is with the body of Christ. Paul says it this way in 1 Corinthians 12:12 “The human body has many parts, but the many parts make up one whole body. So it is with the body of Christ.” NLT Just as a human body is supposed to be a united whole, with all the parts working in harmony with one another, so should it be with the body of Christ (the church).

Division among the members of your physical body will render you ineffective at whatever it is you’re trying to do. And the same thing is true of the body of Christ. For those who don’t know - the church is on a mission to make disciples. And when we don't work in harmony with each other, we're rendered ineffective.

Therefore, we ought to do everything within our power to pave the way to peace with our other brothers and sisters in Christ. This is the clear teaching of the Bible both in the Old Testament and New.

• In the Old Testament Psalm 133:1 says, “How good and pleasant it is when God’s people live together in unity!” NIV 
• In the New Testament Jesus prayed for his disciples in John 17:11, “...Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one.” NIV God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit live in harmony with one another. They work in unison with each other (i.e. God the Father sent God the Son into the world that the world might find salvation in him. And God the Holy Spirit convicts people of sin and helps them see their need for Jesus). They are one and here Jesus prays that we would be one, so that people far from God the Father, can be led by God the Holy Spirit to God the Son (who is Jesus). 
• The apostle Paul writes in Romans 12:18, “If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.” NIV To have no conflict is unrealistic. We live in a sin-filled world and have stubborn sinful natures. As a result some conflict goes unresolved. But as far as it depends on us, we’re to live at peace with our brothers and sisters in Christ - with the other members of the body of Christ. That means that we do all we can to create harmony and destroy any possible cause of division and conflict. 
• As Paul writes in Ephesians 4:3, “Make every effort to keep yourselves united in the Spirit, binding yourselves together with peace.” NLT We won’t resolve every single conflict on this side of eternity unfortunately, but we’re to make every effort to, for this greatly pleases the Lord.

Educators, Not Entertainers

Parents are supposed to be primarily educators, not entertainers. 

• Deuteronomy 4:9 says in reference to God’s decrees and laws, “Teach them to your children and to their children after them... “ 
• Deuteronomy 6:6, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children.” 
• Deuteronomy 11:18-20, “Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates...” 

Parents are supposed to be primarily educators, not entertainers. Is it wrong to buy your kids toys? Of course not! But I hope their toy to spiritual tool ratio isn’t completely out of whack. 

•  I’ve bought my daughter Allyson a doll before. But I’ve also bought her a little girl’s devotional. 
• I’ve bought my son Lincoln a baseball. But I’ve also bought him a Bible. 

I play with my kids. I watch movies with my kids. I enjoy entertaining them. But my primary role as a parent isn’t entertainer. It’s educator.

7 Things Parents Need to Teach Their Kids - Part 7

There are seven things good parents will prioritize teaching their children. These seven truths come from The Lord's Prayer in Matthew 6 and are the spiritual foundation for successful children.

7. There’s more to life than here and now. 

Matthew 6:13b, “For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.” NKJV

Notice that word “forever.” You need to teach your children that this life is not all there is and that they will spend more of life on the other side of death than on this one. That’s the “forever” part. You need to teach them that if they’re lucky, they’ll live to be 80 years old, maybe a 100 years at the most. But that’s nothing compared to trillions and trillions of years in eternity! They need to understand how nearsighted it is to trade trillions and trillions of years of pleasure in heaven for 80 years of sinful pleasure on earth. We need to teach our kids to be like Moses...

Hebrews 11:24-25 says, “By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. 25 He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin.” NIV
This is sobering, but listen! Our kids need to know that sin is fun, but that hell is hot - that sin is temporary, while God’s judgment is eternal. They need to know that forsaking God for the fleeting pleasures of sin is NOT worth it in the long run.

Our culture teaches us not to concern ourselves with tomorrow and discourages delayed gratification. But this truth - that "There's more to life than here and now" - is God's antidote to short-term thinking.