Month: April 2021

21.q. “Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!”

1 Corinthians 1:10  I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that all of you agree, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be united in the same mind and the same judgment.

 1 Peter 3:8-9   Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

 Romans 12:16  Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.

 James 3:13-18   Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth.  This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice.  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.  And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

 Ephesians 4:31   Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

 Romans 16:17   I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions

 Psalms 133:1    Behold, how good and pleasant it is when brothers dwell in unity!

What does it mean to have or be in unity?  (Harmony, cooperation, agreement, solidarity, peace, cohesion, wholeness) What does it mean to not have or be out of unity? (conflict, strife, friction, disagreement, war, dispute, controversy, quarreling)  We have all seen or been in occasion to witness unity and as well, disunity.  If you think back to those times it is easy to see that when you were part of unity, what you were part of was fulfilling and gave meaning and purpose.  Each day was looked forward to, to be part of.  People seemed to be determined to set aside their personal biases, desires, and wants for the greater good of the whole.  There was no one stirring up division.  There was no one casting doubt.  There was no one whining.  

We also have been part of a group that did not have harmony.  Every day was a chore to face. Friction, discontent, bickering, and controversy at the end of the day led to mental and physical exhaustion.  There always seemed to be someone to stir the pot of conflict or someone who would throw gas on a little ember.  These people mostly stood in the background and never exposed themselves but rather moved on the fringes and would do their work little by little.  

Paul was made aware of the present status of the Corinthian church.  It could have been by a delegation sent to inquire about questions they were facing.  It could have been by messenger or letter.  Paul had to have been broken-hearted to hear or read of what the congregation had come to.  We know by this verse that there was disunity and rather than address the issues causing it he addresses the real issue which was the disunity its self. 

Unity takes effort, time, patience, love, grace, mercy, and at times allowing yourself to be wronged.  We all like to be in unity and cooperation but do we really work at it.  We can clearly see what happens when there is no effort given.  Sometimes we may think unity and compromise is the other person bending to our way of thinking and us giving no ground.  Certainly, in the essentials of the Christian faith, there is no room for compromise.  Most issues are not about the essentials they are about the non-essentials.  These cause more expressed division and conflict than there should be.  

We need to keep our minds clear of the examples we see in government officials, corporations, and many others who act as though they are 2-year-olds throwing temper tantrums.  These leaders are not trying to restore unity but rather get people to only think their way, do it their way, speak their way.  They give no room for discussion, differing opinions, or debate.  We see it so much that it appears this is how people are to act.  How is anything ever accomplished when the maturity of 2-year-olds is the guiding principle for creating unity?  It won’t happen and neither should this behavior and thinking be allowed in our minds to affect our church and witness to an unsaved world.

21.p. I read this the other day and wanted to share it with you.

Nehemiah expected problems. He understood that things tend to go downward, not upward, so he expected things in Jerusalem to deteriorate. That leads to a second principle: he exposed problems. He was willing to lay aside his rose-colored glasses and look at the situation as it really was, and he immediately saw four problems. The first problem was unwise alliances. While Nehemiah was away in Persia, the Israelites had formed some very unwise partnerships. Look at Nehemiah 13:4-5: “Now prior to this, Eliashib the priest, who was appointed over the chambers of the house of our God, being related to Tobiah, had prepared a large room for him, where formerly they put the grain offerings, the frankincense, the utensils and the tithes of grain, wine and oil prescribed for the Levites, the singers and the gatekeepers, and the contributions for the priests.” Remember Tobiah? He was one of the avowed enemies of Israel. He and his buddy Sanballat were the ones who tried to stop the rebuilding of the wall. Tobiah was an Ammonite, and God had said, in effect, “You shall never allow an Ammonite to come within the wall of the city” (Deuteronomy 23:3). Why? Because they were bent on destroying Israel. Not only had Tobiah been allowed to come within the wall of the city–he had been invited into the temple. In the temple there were rooms that were set aside to collect the tithes and offerings of the people. But the people had quit giving as they should, so the rooms were empty. And Eliashib came in one day and said, “Let’s put these rooms to use. Let’s put Tobiah in one of these rooms.”

Here is an important principle: any area of life that is not filled by the Spirit of God will be filled by the enemy of God. Think of your life like a temple with various rooms in it. One room is labeled “friendships.” One is labeled “career.” One is labeled “money.” One is labeled “habits.” You have all of these different rooms in your life. Any room that is not being filled by the Spirit of God is open to being filled by the enemy of God. You see, nature abhors a vacuum. Someone is going to fill that area of your life. That is why Ephesians 5:18 says, “Be filled with the Spirit.” That word “filled” here literally means “controlled by.” One of the most dangerous things you can do is allow some area of your life not to be controlled by the Spirit of God. If you do not allow God to control it, the enemy of God is going to control it. (Robert Jeffress)

Dwight L. Moody talked about the challenge of trying to live in the world without being controlled by the world. He compared it to a ship sailing on the sea. “The place for a ship is in the sea,” he said, “but God help the ship if the sea gets into it.” As Christians, we are to live in this world, but we have to be careful not to allow the world to seep into us or it will take us down spiritually. Any part of our life not filled by the Spirit of God will be filled by the enemy of God.

21.o. “To the church of God that is in Corinth”

1 Corintians 1:1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes, To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The city of Corinth was at the heart of an important trade route in the ancient world. Like many cities that thrive on trade, Corinth had a reputation for sexual immorality, religious diversity, and corruption. The church that Paul planted there (Acts 18) floundered under all of these influences and began to divide over various issues. First Corinthians addresses many practical questions dividing the church—questions concerning such things as spiritual gifts, marriage, food offered to idols, and the resurrection. Paul urged the Corinthians to be unified and to give themselves fully to “the work of the Lord” (15:58). Chapter 13 includes a well-known passage on the nature and importance of love. Paul wrote this letter to the Corinthians from Ephesus about A.D. 55.

Paul then received reports from people in Chloe’s household about disturbances in Corinth and he may have received a delegation from Corinth who brought him questions from the congregation. It seems evident from 1 and 2 Corinthians, Paul’s standing and authority as an apostle were not appreciated among the Christians of Corinth. Paul tells them just what kind of apostle he is, a called apostle. “Paul knows that he is not one of the twelve apostles, but he is on par with them because, like them, he is chosen by God.” (Robertson)   Paul emphasizes his point and already begins contending with the Christians of Corinth. It is as if he says, “You all may not recognize my apostolic credentials. That is of little importance to me because I am not an apostle because of a popular election. I am not an apostle through the appointment of the other apostles. I am an apostle of Jesus Christ through the will of God, not the will of any man.” (Guzik)

In the coming days, we will look at what God directed Paul to say to no only the Corinthians, but to us as well.

21.n. “The mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.”

 

 

Romans 16:25  Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.  

 Amos 3:7   “For the Lord GOD does nothing without revealing his secret to his servants the prophets.

 Matthew 13:17    For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

 1 Peter 1:20    He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you

 Luke 10:23-24   Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see!  For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

 Ephesians 3:9    and to bring to light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in God, who created all things,

 Colossians 1:26  the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints.

Once the mystery has been revealed, people will look at it in a host of different ways.  Some will see it clearly and welcome the revelation with open arms.  They see their sin, redemption through Christ, and firmly take hold of it by faith.  Some take hold of it by faith because of what was written in the past about a coming messiah, the coming of Jesus Christ fulfilling these past prophecies, and assurance of eternity.  The mystery was revealed and they believed.  They believed in the grace, mercy, and love of God through Jesus Christ our redeemer. 

There are those who have seen the mystery revealed and reject it.  They mock, deny, and reject it as not a mystery but a fairy tale told by weak-minded people and believed by the simple-minded followers.  They not only deny the revealed mystery but they deny God.  Paul makes it very clear that God has revealed himself to everyone and that no man is without excuse.  (Romans 1:18 “because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them, For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Professing to be wise, they became fools”)

Think about how gentiles were grafted into the redemption plan of God.  This is truly a mystery.  Prior to the rejection of Jesus Christ by the Jews, gentiles were, as it were, separated and without hope.  They knew nothing about the prophetic writings from old but surely some of them heard of the God of the Jews.  I wonder if this is the reason they came up with their own gods.  The fact that God, in His wisdom, grace, mercy, and love, chose to reveal the mystery of the Gospel of Jesus Christ to gentiles, and continues to open their hearts and minds up to their sin and the need of redemption, and be able to clearly see not only Jesus Christ but the need for Him.  This is truly the revealed mystery of grace, mercy, and love of God.

21.m. “WATCH OUT”!!!!!

 

 

Romans 16:17  I appeal to you, brothers, to watch out for those who cause divisions and create obstacles contrary to the doctrine that you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by smooth talk and flattery they deceive the hearts of the naive. For your obedience is known to all, so that I rejoice over you, but I want you to be wise as to what is good and innocent as to what is evil. The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

 Acts 15:24   Since we have heard that some persons have gone out from us and troubled you with words, unsettling your minds

 1 Corinthians 3:3    for you are still of the flesh. For while there is jealousy and strife among you, are you not of the flesh and behaving only in a human way?

 Jude 1:19    It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

 Galatians 2:4    Yet because of false brothers secretly brought in—who slipped in to spy out our freedom that we have in Christ Jesus, so that they might bring us into slavery—

 Philippians 3:2-3  Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers

 Colossians 2:8    See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

 2 Peter 2:1-2    But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies,

 2 John 1:7-10   For many deceivers have gone out into the world

Watch out for those who cause division and create obstacles. Watch out for the dogs and evildoers.  Watch out for empty philosophy, human tradition, and deceit. Watch out for false prophets and false teachers. Watch out for deceivers.  It is often overlooked, but good to know and realize all of the verses in the bible that speak about being careful not to be drawn away from Christ by the craftiness of man.  These are but a few and they are there for a reason so that we might walk in the fullness of Jesus Christ.  It is one thing to say “watch out”, and an entirely different aspect to be able to recognize it.  If there is one thing that limits the ability to recognize “watch out” signals it is the lack of God’s Word in our daily lives.  When His Word is neglected, the clarity of these “watch out” signals becomes blurred and believed as truth or true enough that is possibly true.  When this happens we are at the hands of Satan and not of God.  Be in His Word, study it, hunger and thirst for it, and meditate on it.  Know what you believe and why you believe it.  Know there are those who will pervert the Word of God and draw many away from the blessings of honoring, following, obeying, trusting, and hoping in Jesus Christ alone.

21.l. “Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.”

 

Romans 15:13   May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17  Now may our Lord Jesus Christ himself, and God our Father, who loved us and gave us eternal comfort and good hope through grace,  comfort your hearts and establish them in every good work and word.

 John 14:27   Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

 Isaiah 55:12   “For you shall go out in joy and be led forth in peace

 Galatians 5:22    But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,

Where has peace and joy gone?  Have they been taken away? Where does a person find peace and joy?  If you are hoping to find a measure of peace by staying tuned into the latest news outlets, I am afraid it will not be found.  What will be found is story after story of accidents, wars, hatred, or fear.  If you are hoping to find peace by staying tuned into the latest Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram posts, once again, I doubt you will find it.  You may find some semblance of peace in the lives of those who post how wonderful their life is.  Many times you will find those who bash this and that and drive division and confusion which leads to no peace or joy. Do you ever wonder why we spend so much time on things that will not bring peace or joy but certainly do bring the opposite? Chasing after peace and joy in what the world offers will leave you empty and wanting.

Paul tells us that peace and joy come through the grace of God by believing in Jesus Christ and it is in this hope we find true peace and joy.  It does not mean that we are going to go through this life without trials and troubles but rather, when we do we have hope in the God of all creation, all-powerful, all-knowing, and always present with us, we will find peace and joy that satisfies our souls and is able to make us rejoice and stand firm knowing He is in control.  It is when we take our eyes off of Him and place them on things of this world that peace and joy a far from us.

21.k. “Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,”

 

 

Romans 15:4  For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, that through endurance and through the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

 1 Corinthians 10:11    Now these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction,

 2 Timothy 3:16-17    All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,  that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

 2 Peter 1:20-21    knowing this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture comes from someone’s own interpretation.  For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

 Hebrews 6:11-12   And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness to have the full assurance of hope until the end,  so that you may not be sluggish, but imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises.

The Word of God teaches us that there will be trials, troubles, uncertainties, testings, and things that hurt us physically as well as emotionally.  Why else would scripture tell us that God is our Rock, ever-present in times of trouble, He is our refuge, In Him we find strength, Come to me all who are heavy laden with burdens and I will give you peace, all things work together for good for those called according to His purpose, Stand fast, be strong, etc…..? 

For those who trust in, cling to, and rely on Jesus Christ – faith and hope mature.  When we face trials, troubles, and uncertainties, is when scripture seems to have more meaning and where God’s power, might, strength, control, grace, mercy, and love is more relied upon, and where we find hope, peace, and rest for our souls.  Things do not happen by chance.  God is in control.  And, though we do not know why something has happened or how it will end, we find a peace that passes all understanding.  Faith and hope are what sustain us (those who believe in, rely on, trust in, and cling to Jesus Christ), and give us the courage and endurance.  

We do not have to look very far into our present world to understand the hearts, minds, and souls of those who do not have faith or hope.  In the absence of faith and hope they fall into despair, hopelessness, worry, fear, confusion, anxiousness, hate, etc….. There is no place for God in their lives and in the absence of God in their lives, there is no refuge, hope, peace, joy, assurance, strength, and confidence.  They are left alone and without hope to face the trials and troubles that are experienced by all of mankind.   

There is one God and in Him alone will we find true peace and rest for our hearts, minds, and souls, through faith and hope, in Him alone.

21. j. “Have this mind among yourselves”

 

 

Romans 15:1   We who are strong have an obligation to bear with the failings of the weak, and not to please ourselves. Let each of us please his neighbor for his good, to build him up. For Christ did not please himself, but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached you fell on me.”

 2 Corinthians 12:10    For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

 1 Corinthians 9:22    To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some.

 Philippians 2:4-5    Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others.  Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,

If you consider yourself strong in comparison to your brother, use your strength to serve your brothers in Christ – instead of using your “strength” just to please yourself. The idea isn’t really bearing with, but bearing up the weaker brother – supporting him with your strength.  This goes against the whole tenor of our times, which counsels people to “look out for number 1” and despises those who live lives of real sacrifice for the sake of others. Yet, undeniably Paul points the way to true happiness and fulfillment in life – get your eyes off of yourself, start building up others and you will find yourself built up.   It is a simple yet challenging call to simply put our neighbor first. Paul later wrote much the same thing in Philippians 2:3-4: Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.  This does not mean that the church is ruled by the whims of the weak. “A genuine concern for the weak will mean an attempt to make them strong by leading them out of their irrational scruples so that they, too, can be strong.” (Morris) All too often, Christians find it easier to tear each other down instead of building each other up. 

Make it a priority today to build someone up.

21.h. “As for the one who is weak in faith”

 

 

 

Romans 14:1  As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions.

Herein lies the problem; “to distinguish between essentials and non-essentials” of Faith.  Do you ever wonder how much baggage we add to the Gospel of Jesus Christ?  How many times do we allow our opinions and thoughts to give ourselves the freedom to live as the world does? How many times have churches split and friendships lost because there was no way found to reconcile between essentials and non-essentials?  There are those who establish their walk by faith in ways that do not make sense to us.  They refrain from certain things we do not.  Paul is saying do not look down on them.  In the essentials they are solid.  In the non-essentials, they have differing opinions and thoughts.  This brings us to points about how we live and grow in faith – “eating solid food and not just milk”, “Unity”, “allowing ourselves to be wronged”, “Keeping your eyes on Jesus”, “honoring and glorifying Jesus”, “letting no unwholesome talk come from your mouth”, “not causing other to stumble”, etc…. It is in our ability to distinguish between essentials and non-essentials where divisions, arguments, disagreements, and separations occur. Society will try to invade this space as well. It is very good at making arguments (by twisting selected scripture) to allow certain acts or actions into the essential space.  We should be able to distinguish these and call them out.  Abortion, LGBTQ, Pornography, Sex Trafficking, Rioting, Drunkenness, All paths lead to heaven, There is more than one God, etc…. are all creeping their way into being allowed into the Christian walk.  This should never be and it should be called out as neither good for the soul or God-honoring.  

Being able to discern and allow distinguish non-essential acts takes wisdom and understanding given to us by God.  As we grow in our faith we come to the understanding and knowledge that all things are acceptable to mankind (in their own eyes), but not all things are acceptable in the eyes of God.  He has given His written Word to us so that we might know Him and grow in our faith, understanding, and knowledge of what it means to humbly honor, glorify, follow, trust, and obey Him.  If you are not growing in this ability to distinguish between essentials and non-essentials they will forever become a cloudy fog in your mind.  James said that you will become like a ship tossed this way and that way by stormy waters.  Think about how much you have grown in your wisdom and understanding by the working of the Holy Spirit in your life since you first believed.  (If there is not much difference – there should be) Precept upon precept, line upon line, here a little there a little you have grown in understanding and knowledge and being able to more clearly see what it means to follow God.  Essentials become rock solid, non-essentials become malleable clay, and though they are recognized they do not cause your faith to turn or your mind to judge others but rather keep you thankful for how God has given you understanding, growth, and has put light to His plans and purposes for your life.  We are not all alike, nor are we all at the same level of faith in our walk with God.  Some are old, some are young, and many in between.  Tolerate the non-essentials that do not dishonor God but be ever intolerant of those which are and those who wish to apply them to the things of God.