S-Word Evangelical Free Church

[Sunday, 20/05/2012, Read 1Cor 8:1-13]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co8.1

Paul moves on to the next messed up problem – about the consumption of food offered to idols?

By definition, an idol is not a god at all (“We know that an idol is nothing at all in the world”, 1Cor 8:4). Instead, there is “but one God” and “but one Lord, Jesus Christ” (1Cor 8:6b).

However, the knowledge of the above might puff up a person (1Cor 8:1) and cause that person to utilise that knowledge in an unloving way or in a way that does NOT build up (1Cor 8:1).

This is especially so because among the community of believers, “some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol” (1cor 8:7) and this brother “is destroyed by your knowledge” (1Cor 8:11).

APPLICATION: “The exercise of your freedom” does not extend to becoming “a stumbling block to the weak” (1Cor 8:9). WARNING: This is sinning against Christ (1Cor 8:12).

REFLECTION (1): Where is the dividing line between (1) The prohibited participation in idol worship and (2) The eating of food sacrificed to idols in temples but the excess meat has since been RESOLD by the temple into the Corinthian marketplace for retail to the general public (including Christians)?

REFLECTION (2): In our Singaporean Chinese context, is the dividing line the CESSATION of the idol worship ceremony, e.g., after all the candles / joss sticks have been EXTINGUISHED, that believers can consume food offered to idols?

Let’s have some views on that before we conclude for our context.

[Saturday, 19/05/2012, Read 1Cor 7:1-40]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co7.1

1Corinthians is not the 1st letter between Paul and the Corinthians.

Letter A: Paul wrote to them (1Cor 5:9)

Letter B: They wrote to Paul (1Cor 7:1) and delivered by 3 persons (1Cor 16:17)

Letter C: 1st Corinthians

Now Paul responds to them from 1Cor 7:1-16:12 with much understanding of human nature and frankness.

In view of the rampant sexual immorality mentioned by Paul (1Cor 1-6), he now gives guidance to them for

1. the proper enjoyment of the gift of marriage from God; and

2. the avoidance of the abuse of the gift of marriage by human beings.

REFLECTION (1): For the singles, to consider whether a person has the gift of celibacy and can exercise self-control.

REFLECTION (2): For the married, to consider what it means practically that “the husband does not have authority over his own body, but the wife does” (1Cor 7:4) and “The wife does not have authority over her own body, but the husband does” (1Cor 7:4).

REFLECTION (3): How should the married then live in a world where the institution of marriage patterned after God’s will is under severe attack from various quarters?

[Friday, 18/05/2012, Read 1Cor 6:1-20]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co6.1

It is said that there are at least 2 things that drain the life and joy out of the human spirit, especially in the spiritual community.

(1) Disputes between believers in front of unbelievers (1Cor 6:1-8)

(2) Sexual sins against one’s own body (1Cor 6:9-20).
———
For item (1), the community loses it’s testimony before the watching world. The pagan habit of the 1Cor readers is to sue others in court, i.e., bringing disputes between those who are “washed, sanctified” (1Cor 6:11) before those that are not in Christ.

Worse, the one who sues also cheats – “Instead, you yourselves cheat and do wrong, and you do this to your brothers” (1Cor 6:8).

REFLECTION (1): Even if a brother wins a court case against another brother, Paul views them as “completely defeated already” (1Cor 6:7), a very bad scenario. “Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated” (1Cor 6:7) and at least prevent some damage to the spiritual community’s witness.

Oh boy, that’s a tough one, especially for those who slogans are “My stand”, “My right”, “My choice”, “My preference”, “My convenience”, “My feelings” and “My privacy” when it suits them. Sadly, the implications for the broader community are ignored.
———-
For item (2), a distinctive marker of God’s spiritual community is the holiness of the tabernacle/temple and the people that functions within it.

The holiness requirement is essential in the Tabernacle (see Exodus/Leviticus  account). This applies to the 1st Temple, built by Solomon too. Failure to pay heed to the holiness requirements within God’s turf results in the EXIT of God’s people from the Tabernacle and God’s promised land – DEATH and EXILE.

In 1Cor 6:19, Paul uses this metaphor of the temple to remind the readers of God’s presence among them as God’s holy people. The Holy Spirit has been “received from God” (1Cor 6:19) and dwells among them. As such, a believer must not sin “against his own body” (1Cor 6:18) nor sin outside his body – the sin list in 1Cor 6:9-10 sets out both these aspects.

Not being able to “inherit the kingdom of God” (1Cor 6:10) becomes a serious consequence of the failure to pay attention to the things that God prohibits.

One would have thought the believers should have known better than to “unite … with a prostitute” (1Cor 6:15, 16). But it shows how “innovative”, “creative” or “numb” a sinful mind can be when it comes to doing the opposite of God’s will.

APPLICATION: Be warned. God will take action soon, if not now, especially among those who belong to Him.

[Thursday, 17/05/2012, Read 1Cor 5:1-13]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co5.1

In 1Cor 5, Paul rebukes the church for failing to deal with a sexual immorality that is now openly known – a man’s incestuous relationship with his (step)mother. This relationship is now iconic for being “we are hip” and “we are happening” and a faulty “new freedom” mentality. Perhaps, that’s why they are proud and arrogant about it (1Cor 5:2).

Perhaps, that immoral man is too powerful to be touched, too rich or too connected? Or is he a big contributor to the 1Cor church’s financial needs? Whatever it is, the church FAILS to deal with it. They should “have been filled with grief” instead (1Cor 5:2).

REFLECTION: Have you encountered such a situation among believers around you? Do you feel you should not “rock the boat” in order to protect the “stability” of the relationships between believers? You don’t want to look “unfriendly” nor “condemning”?

Paul warns that the yeast (of that one immoral man) will affect the whole batch of dough (the church):-

Effect (1): The church loses her testimony before the watching world – even pagans are shocked by the sin (1Cor 5:1).

Effect (2): The church within slowly but surely slides into moral numbness and spirals into decay, as more and more people will feel “It’s all right what!”

Due to this flagrant immorality, Paul seems to hint to the 1Cor church:-

1. Their boasting is “not good” (1Cor 5:6).
2. Their speaking and knowledge (1Cor 1:5) are HOT GAS all these while.
3. The wise man, scholar and philosopher of this age among them are FAKES (1Cor 1:20).
4. Their claim to be “rich” and status as “kings” (1Cor 4:8) has come to ZERO.
5. Their strength and honour (1Cor 4:10) are actually BOGUS.

They are told to “Get rid of the old yeast” and start “A new batch without yeast” to sync with their true status. Their true status is this: believers of Christ EXEMPLIFIED by “sincerity and truth” (1Cor 5:8) instead of being TAINTED with the old yeast of “malice and wickedness” (1Cor 5:8).
————-
APPLICATIONS:

(1) Invite and welcome sinners into the church to receive salvation of Jesus Christ; BUT

(2) Disassociate with the BROTHER who is “sexually immoral”, “greedy”, “idolater”, “slanderer”, “drunkard” and “swindler” (1Cor 5:11, “Do not even eat” with him).

The living out of (1) and (2) above requires wisdom and discernment from God and courageous obedience on our part.

(3) Spend at least equal effort to get rid of the “old yeast” in our OWN lives also! Our behaviour (good or bad) will also affect the whole of S-Word. There is NO “private immorality” you know.

(4) Examine if that is the reason why the church has not grown by leaps and bounds – seemingly “private” sins that has affected the whole batch of dough (one church)?

[Wednesday, 16/05/2012, Read 1Cor 4:1-21]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co4.1

Whether on facebook, on your job, at home, or in church, we might feel sometimes that others have judged us incorrectly. What can we learn from 1Cor 4?

Paul’s authority and apostleship are judged inferior by the Corinthians standards (refer 1Cor 1 guide). But Paul mentions these possible ways the “judging” originate:-

1. From believers he is ministering to (1Cor 4:3)
2. From human tribunal (1Cor 4:3)
3. From Paul himself (1Cor 4:3, 4, 6)
4. From God (1Cor 4:5)

Only item 4 will be absolutely right. Paul seems to hint to the Corinthians NOT to judge his apostleship authority. Humans are limited and do not have all the viewpoints of how things really are. We have SOME grasp of truth but necessarily INCOMPLETE.

However, the Lord will come and “will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive his commendation from God” (1Cor 4:5).

APPLICATION (1): Do not conclude before the conclusion, nor “pronounce judgment before the time” (1Cor 4:5).

REFLECTION (1): Are we afraid to invite the Lord to bring to light what we do while away from the supervisory eyes of the church community, while overseas, in our private rooms, with our electronic devices and tablets, in our minds or even our private notes and materials kept under lock and key?
————
Furthermore, the Corinthians should not ridicule Paul nor reject his authority:
1. Because of what Paul has suffered for them (1Cor 4:9-14).

2. Because Paul responded to their reviling with blessing, reacts to persecution with endurance, returns slander with earnest exhortations (1Cor 4:12). They should “be imitators” of Paul (1Cor 4:16) and relating to one another!

3. Because Paul is their “father” (1Cor 4:15) in the sense that Paul brought forth their new life in Christ through the gospel. As such, another child is sent (Timothy, 1Cor 4:17) to remind this child (Corinthians) “of my ways in Christ, as I teach them everywhere in every church” (1Cor 4:17).

4. Paul has power – to raise the dead (see Acts), survive the storms and seas (see Acts). Even though Paul is called by Jesus (see Acts), his authority is also challenged.

REFLECTION (2): Do you see similarities of Paul to Moses and Jesus? (In terms of power, waters, salvation/gospel, authority challenged)

5. Because Paul’s response is really dependent on how the Corinthians behave in response to his admonition – “What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a whip, or in love and with a gentle spirit?” (1Cor 4:21).
————-
ARROGANCE seems to be a big problem. 1Cor is written to readers who are wealthy, educated, “wise”, happening, trading, politically street smart, cosmopolitan, morally messed up but arrogant :-

The word “fusiow” and related forms occur 6 times in 1Cor, but already 3 times in 1Cor 4 alone:

1Cor 4:6, 18, 19
1Cor 5:2
1Cor 8:1
1Cor 13:4

APPLICATION (2): Check whether I am arrogant? If you dare, ask someone unfriendly.

http://www.s-word.net/wp1/?p=677

[Sorry, this is still long, but hey, it's a supermarket, you pick up what you need]

[Tuesday, 15/05/2012, Read 1Cor 3:1-17]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co3.1

In 1Cor 3, Paul seems to urge the readers to check themselves in the mirror for 2 things:-
1. What they have been doing for God (1Cor 3:1-17)?
2. How they look at themselves and fellow believers (1Cor 3:18-23)?
———
Firstly, have they been doing “spiritual things” for God? No! They are immature, as evidenced by
(a) Jealousy against one another (1Cor 3:3)
(b) Strife / quarreling among themselves (1Cor 3:3)
(c) Being people of the flesh by placing their loyalty with humans instead of God (1Cor 5-9)

If the foundation of their work is not Jesus Christ, their work will not survive the test of fire on “the Day” (1Cor 3:11, 13). Some may find comrades based on common agendas, common enemies or ideas. But may the common foundation of our works be Jesus Christ, in which case it is “God, who makes things grow” (1Cor 3:7).

Secondly, we should look at fellow believers as God’s holy temple. The “you” in 1Cor 3:16-17 are plurals, “you all” (你们). As a group, the Corinthians are God’s holy temple. The implication is that the temple should be kept holy as a corporate unity.

All immorality, division and strife ultimately pollute the temple – “destroys God’s temple” (1Cor 3:17). The consequence is severe, “God will destroy him” (1Cor 3:17). The 1Cor problem of vying for influence and power based on displayed “wisdom” should thus be avoided, because God will out-flank these power-brokers (1Cor 3:19).

In fact, the unity among believers should be recognised and protected because the base of the relationships among believers is traced all the way to God Himself (1Cor 3:22-23), instead of Paul (1Cor 3:4), Apollos (1Cor 3:4), Cephas (1Cor 3:22) or men (1Cor 3:21).

It is noted that the church in 1Cor is quite messed up, but NEVERTHELESS,
(a) Paul addresses them as “those SANCTIFIED in Christ Jesus” (1Cor 1:2)
(b) Paul addresses them as “the CHURCH OF GOD in Corinth” (1Cor 1:2)
(c) Paul reminds them of their “holy” status (1Cor 1:2)
(d) Paul notes the COMMON Lordship of Christ over Corinth and believers EVERYWHERE – “All those everywhere who call on the name of our Lord Jesus Christ – their Lord and ours” (1Cor 1:2).

REFLECTION: In view of the above, are we treating anyone within the spiritual community with less respect than that? Are we not fellow repented sinners on the way to recovery so as to be the sanctified church of God in STATUS as well as PRACTICE?

[Monday, 14/05/2012, Read 1Cor 2:1-16]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co2.1

Paul writes to the church in Corith in A.D. 54 or 55 from Ephesus (1Cor 16:8) across the sea. If you read 1st Corinthians and try to “imitate” the believers there, you MUST be VERY CAREFUL because Paul is writing to a church that is MESSED up in MANY major areas:

1. “What do you prefer? Shall I come to you with a WHIP, or in love and with a gentle spirit?” (1Cor 4:21)

2. Disunity prevailed, with cliques forming, in rejection of fellowship with others of a different power turf (1Cor 1:13)

3. A man having sex with his father’s wife (“incest”, 1Cor 5:1), “sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans”!

4. And they are “proud” of item 3 above! (1Cor 5:2)

4. “Lawsuits among you” — “completely defeated already” (1Cor 6:7)

5. Tolerance of sin in the church (1Cor 5:9-13)

6. Visiting prostitutes (1Cor 6:13-16)

7. Participation in pagan worship and idol feasts (1Cor 8:1-11:1)

8. Rebellion / divisions at the Lord’s Supper (1Cor 11:17-34)

9. Usage of spiritual gift for promoting self rather than edifying others, exercise of spiritual gifts without love (1Cor 12:1-14:40)

10. Various doctrinal errors, e.g., on resurrection (1Cor 15:1-58) etc

For this mess, Paul seeks to whip them into shape by rebuking & admonishing, regulating them, mitigating consequences and showing them the next step on the way to recovery -  2nd Corinthians sounds better in tone.

REFLECTION: Listen to our own speeches! Do they reveal “the spirit of the world”  or “the Spirit who is from God” (1Cor 2:12)? “Wise and persuasive words” or “with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (1Cor 2:4)?

APPLICATION: Go back to the basics of the gospel, Jesus Christ and him CRUICIFIED (1Cor 2:2), even though He is “the Lord of glory” (1Cor 2:8). The messenger (Paul) also embodies some of this spirit – “in weakness and in fear and much trembling” (1Cor 2:3) even as “we do, however, speak a message of WISDOM among the MATURE” that is not of this age (1Cor 2:6).

REFLECTION (2): Am I also embodying all of these qualities in my speech and behaviour, “so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power” (1Cor 2:5)?

[Sunday, 13/05/2012, Read 1Cor 1:1-31]

http://biblia.com/books/esv/1Co1.1

In Corinth of Paul’s time, people “advance in society”

- by gathering & displaying wealth,

- by spending / donating money to “buy friends” and business/political “connections”,

- by promoting one’s honour, grabbing power, stroking one’s own ego with impressive displays of speech, possession, knowledge and “wisdom”,

- by “slinging mud” at opponents to put others down,

- by participating rigorously at all community/religious events of the numerous gods worshipped at Corinth, especially the cult of the Roman Emperor, in order to gain imperial / business / relational favours …

Therefore becoming and remaining as Christians in faith and practice can be extremely challenging.

So for our Devotion we can leave Romans and the theme of unity for now? Er.. No, unless the problem of disunity exit Christ’s churches in Rome, Corinth and elsewhere.

“I appeal to you, brothers and sisters, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you AGREE WITH ONE ANOTHER in what you say and that there be NO DIVISIONS among you, but that you be PERFECTLY UNITED in mind and thought” (1Cor 1:10).

REFLECTION (1): Why were the Corinthian believers divided over the choice of the person whom they claimed they followed? “Paul”, “Apollos”, “Cephas”, “Christ” (1Cor 1:12-14)?

REFLECTION (2): Are you wise by “wordly standards” (1Cor 1:26) or by “Christ Jesus, whom became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption”? (1Cor 1:30)