2 Corinthians (Program #47) – Paul’s Vindication of His Apostolic Authority (2)

In the first epistle of Paul to the Corinthians, he was very bold and at times quite strong in dealing with the many problems that had risen in the church there.  Due to this, he was quite concerned about how the believers in Corinth received his word of loving discipline.  But upon hearing their open and repented heart, he began 2 Corinthians with nine very tender,intimate and pleasant chapters.  But following this, his tone once again become severe.  For in the final four chapters of the book, he is forced to make a defense, even a vindication of his apostleship.  Why did Paul, the clarion of the New Testament economy need to lower himself in such a way before this church which he himself established?   The answer may surprises but it will most definitely enlighten us.

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2 Corinthians (Program #3) -Introduction (3)

The apostle Paul after his strong rebuke and dealing with the Corinthians in his first letter had good reason to visit the city at his first opportunity. It would had given him the chance to answer first hand any misunderstandings and to sue any lingering stinging from his rebuke.

In the realms of public relations or human wisdom he surely would had taken this way. But Paul’s living was not directed by such things as “PR” in human wisdom. And though he was criticized by some of the Corinthians for delaying his coming after he told them of his desire to come.  We see the real reason for his delay. The reason was the Lord Jesus Himself. And Paul’s first concern which was not to live just a Godly life, but to live Christ, to live in perfect oneness with Him. This is the pattern that Paul had become not just to the Corinthians but to all of us.

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1 Corinthians (Program #49) – Dealing with the Gifts (5)

As the apostle Paul was writing chapter 12, 13 and 14 of 1 Corinthians, he had much more in his heart then just dealing with the problem of the improper use or abuse of the gifts of the Spirit. There was an overwhelming burden on his heart and in his spirit concerning several crucial matters related to the building up of the Body of Christ, the church.

In chapter twelve and thirteen, he emphasizes five things: Speaking, the Spirit, the Body, God’ administration and love.  Then in chapter 14, he comes to another main item, the superiority of one particular gift for the building up of the church. Among the main spiritual gifts describe in this portion of the word, one stands out as superior for building up the church. What is this unique superior gift?

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1 Corinthians (Program #47) – Dealing with the Gifts (3)

No division in the Body of Christ, is it too idealistic to think that they could actually be no division in the Body of Christ as the Bible charges in 1 Corinthians 12:25?

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1 Corinthians (Program #46) – Dealing with the Gifts (2)

Did you ever wonder what the purpose of the gifts of the Spirit, and the baptism of the Holy Spirit is?

Many Christians thinks the goal is their own personal self edification. But the apostle Paul care more for the building of the Body of Christ.  Stay tune for a special word from 1 Corinthians chapter 12.

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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 #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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