1 Corinthians (Program #45) – Dealing with the Gifts (1)

To our natural understanding the structure of a book like 1 Corinthians may seem random and really lacking any particular significance. But if we realize that the book is specifically arranged with the last half of the book focused on how God is administrating the entire universe for the accomplishment of His eternal purpose, we will have a key to open a much deeper understanding and appreciation of this portion of Scripture. It’s particularly important to use this key when we come to the matter of the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve.

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1 Corinthians (Program #44) – Dealing with the Lord’s Supper

In 1 Corinthians chapter ten, the apostle Paul first addresses the matter of the Lord’s table.

10:16-17 “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ?  Seeing that there is one bread, we who are many are one Body; for we all partake of the one bread.”

But then he moves quickly onto to talk a length about the matter of head covering at the beginning of chapter eleven. Heading covering that is a sign we, the believers are in absolute subjection to the unique headship of Christ. But following this he returns again to the Lord’s table in chapter eleven where he calls it the Lord’s supper and we see it developed in a marvelous and thorough way.

Why then he inserted this fellowship regarding head covering in the midst of his lengthily word regarding the Lord’s table?

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1 Corinthians (Program #43) – Dealing with Head Coverings

When the apostle Paul wrote 1 Corinthians, it”s clear that he dealt with many specific problems that were disturbing the believers in Corinth. He addressed these problems in a marvelous way by separating them into two groups.

The first group as we’ve seen covered in the first ten chapters deal with problems in the human life; things like division and argument, dispute between individuals and problems in the married life.

But beginning of chapter eleven he turns to deal with problems that touch things in the spiritual realm. Specifically things that deal with God’s administration in the universe. The first of these spiritual matters is head covering. We may not have much realization about this matter in today’s age. But if we hear Paul’s word on the matter we will get more deeply impressed because it touches the very matter of God’s headship in the universe.

11:3-5 “But I want you to know that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of the woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man praying or prophesying with his head covered disgraces his head. But every woman praying or prophesying with her head uncovered disgraces her head;”

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1 Corinthians (Program #42) – An Overview of 1 Corinthians

In the entire book of 1 Corinthians of course there are many wonderful verses. We may each have our favorites. But two verses are particularly worth a special consideration. Particularly because they carried great import and meaning but are so often overlooked.

1 Corinthians 12:13 “For also in one Spirit we were all baptized into one Body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and were all given to drink one spirit.”

We may have heard this verse mentioned but usually only the first portion, in one Spirit we were all baptized.

And then the other verse demands our attention is found in chapter 15:45 “So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul”; the last Adam became a life-giving Spirit.”

If you’ve never considered these two verses before been of great significance, we hope you stay with us today.

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1 Corinthians (Program #41) – The Lord’s Table (1) and (2)

The believers in the church in Corinth were confused by a practical issue – whether or not to eat food that had been offered to idols. Well, in giving opportunity to address it, the apostle Paul took the occasion to bring them into a deeper understanding of reality of eating and drinking. Actually eating and drinking are a kind of fellowship. Fellowship really means to participate, to enjoy. Surely we would all admit it is a good description of eating.

But the spiritual point that we need to come away with in this portion of 1 Corinthians chapter 10 is that we become one with whatever we eat. The old expression – “you are what you eat”, is true both physically and spiritually.

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1 Corinthians (Program #40) – Growing in the Full Possession and the Enjoyment

In 1 Corinthians the apostle Paul was speaking to the believers in the church of Corinth much like a father would speak to his own children often chastising and even correcting them. Eventually he warns them using the children of Israel who failed in the wilderness prior to enter into the good land that God had set before them as their goal, as a type.

Paul said in  10:5 “But with most of them God was not well pleased, for they were strewn along in the wilderness. Now these things occurred as examples to us, that we should not be ones who lust after evil things, even as they also lusted.”

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1 Corinthians (Program #39) – The Type of Israel

The Bible contains two histories. The history of Israel in the Old Testament and the history of the church in the New Testament. Actually these two histories are really one story. The history of Israel a type, a shadow while the church is the fulfillment, the reality.

In many of his writings the apostle Paul used the Old Testament as a book of types and pictures to help illustrate the New Testament economy that he was entrusted to preach.

In 1 Corinthians 5 he mentioned the Old Testament passover as our type of New Testament experience of redemption. In chapter 9 and 10 he again picks up the Old Testament to show us a pattern .

First, of our running the race that is our Christians life. Then as a picture of both aspects of our baptism by water and by the Spirit. And finally as a negative pattern regarding the possibility of the genuine, redeemed children of God could ultimately failed to overcome in their Christian life and missed the prize of the reward that is typified by the good land. This is a strong word, a word of warning, which we, like the Corinth believers should heed.

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1 Corinthians (Program #38) – Dealing with Eating of Sacrifices to Idols (3)

1 Corinthians chapter 9 shows us two very significant factors in the ministry of the apostle Paul. First we see how pure he was. Pure in a sense that he had only one motive to be wholly in Christ and for Christ. He sought nothing for his personal gain. Second Paul was also faithful. Faithful because he saw his commission from the Lord in the gospel is a kind of stewardship with which he had been entrusted. Listen to these verses in 1 Corinthians

9:16-17 “For if I preach the gospel, I have no boast, for necessity is laid upon me; for woe to me if I do not preach the gospel. If I do this of my own will, I have a reward; but if not of my own will, I am entrusted with a stewardship.”

To read words such as these can’t help but convict us because we all become keenly aware of the impurity of our motives when we receive light from God’s word. But rather be discouraged we should take heart. For in other of Paul’s writing he opens the door to help all of God’s children to as such pure living and in such a faithful serving.

In Galatians
2:20 “I am crucified with Christ;”

and in this book 1 Corinthians chapter

6:17 “But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit.”

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1 Corinthians (Program #37) – Dealing with Eating of Sacrifices to Idols (2)

Paul’s way of writing in 1 Corinthians chapter 9 indicates that the church in Corinth had doubts and questions about him and about his apostleship. Why else would he opened the chapter in such a bold way?

“Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not my work in the Lord?  If to others I am not an apostle, yet surely I am to you; for you in the Lord are the seal of my apostleship. My defense to those who examine me is this.”

Here is a striking account of the apostle commission with the majority of the New Testament revelation forced to make a bold defense of his own apostleship. But in so doing much was reveal about the Corinthians that were doubting him and much is revealed about us as well.

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1 Corinthians (Program #36) – Dealing with Eating of Sacrifices to Idols (1)

After opening the book of 1 Corinthians in a very spiritual way, the apostle Paul then turned his attention to several practical matters in the middle chapters.

Chapter 7 for instance deals with marriage. Chapter eight with eating, our diet. These are some of the most basic and practical of all human items. Yet as he begins this fellowship on eating in chapter 8 he inserts a very wonderful and very spiritual phrase. Listen to the first verse of chapter

8:1 “Now concerning things sacrificed to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. knowledge puffs up, but love builds up.”

Building up, a theme that runs through out this book. And a very important theme for all of us God’s people to understand.

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