Growing Into a Mature Church

 The Gift of Edifying

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 14

 

 Edifying is the building up of Christian knowledge.

 Edification is the process by which we, as believers, are built up. We are becoming advanced in knowledge and holiness.

 1Pe_1:15  But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation;

1Pe_1:16  Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

 Without holiness, we will never get to see the Lord Jesus face to face!

 Heb 12:14  Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord: 

 Rom 14:19  Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. 

 1Pe 3:12  For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. 

1Pe 3:13  And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? 

 We already know that "Love" is the number one gift we must seek, but after this, we should seek to prophesy, evangelizing the Word of God.

God calls each individual who He makes His Pastors, and Preachers, but we can seek the ability similair to this to be more able to witness for the Gospel and it is called evangelism.

We are all, every child of God is to be an evangelist. An evangelist is those who proclaim the "good news" of salvation effectively.

 Prophesy, as used here, does not mean foretelling of things to come other than the return of our Lord Jesus Christ.

There is no need for prophets today because we have the completed Word of God and there will be no new prophecies.

 Prophesy, as used here, means to open and apply the Scriptures to our lives under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.

God calls those He wants behind the pulpits of the Church. All others place themselves and are not God called.

 We should understand that all the gifts of the Holy Spirit are to be used for the work of the ministry of Jesus Christ.

 We are to use the Word of God to help desperate people in this world we live in to see a new life.

 Desperate people are those who do not know the salvation plan of God and will perish without this knowledge.

 Every human being will get an opportunity to say "yes" or say "no" to our Heavenly Father.

 We should keep in mind that there are always some people who feel their gifts and abilities make them better and more favored and privileged than others.

 As we know, the gift of tongues is especially subject to pride and super-spirituality because it involves a heavenly utterance as opposed to ordinary human language.

The Holy Spirit would never give everyone in the church the same gift of tongues!

 Since chapter 12, the Apostle Paul has been speaking of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. All gifts come by the Holy Spirit, and He decides what gifts we need as we serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

 1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. 

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 

 Some people may have natural talents, but these are different from the gifts of the Holy Spirit even though these talents should also be used for the cause of Christ.

 We know that the gift of tongues speak of languages and not some language of angels or any other Heavenly figure.

 *****1Co 14:1  Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts, but rather that ye may prophesy. 

 Love in the Church will always be the number one gift of the Holy Spirit.

Every child of God is to possess the love of God!

 Remember God is love!

 1Jn_4:16  And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.

 The Holy Spirit is God, so the Holy Spirit is love.

 Gal 5:22  But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 

Gal 5:23  Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law. 

 The Holy Spirit produces love in every believer!

 The next we should desire from the Holy Spirit then would be "prophesy" which is the ability to spread the Gospel as commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Mat 28:18  And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. 

Mat 28:19  Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 

Mat 28:20  Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

 There are no greater gifts of the Holy Spirit than these two!

 As far as the gift of tongues, listen to the Apostle Paul.

 *****1Co 14:2  For he that speaketh in an unknown tongue speaketh not unto men, but unto God: for no man understandeth him; howbeit in the spirit he speaketh mysteries. 

1Co 14:3  But he that prophesieth speaketh unto men to edification, and exhortation, and comfort. 

1Co 14:4  He that speaketh in an unknown tongue edifieth himself; but he that prophesieth edifieth the church. 

1Co 14:5  I would that ye all spake with tongues, but rather that ye prophesied: for greater is he that prophesieth than he that speaketh with tongues, except he interpret, that the church may receive edifying. 

 In reality, the gift of tongues was only for our benefit, and remember, tongues always speak of a known language.

 Act 2:6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. 

Act 2:7  And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? 

Act 2:8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 

Act 2:9  Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, 

Act 2:10  Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, 

Act 2:11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God. 

 The gift of tongues in the Book of Acts and the Book to the Corinthians were the same.

 Even if you know many languages it is still a lesser gift.

 1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

 The foundational gifts for the edifying of Church are: Apostle, Prophet, evangelist, pastor-teacher, and teacher.

 Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

 Tongues are not foundational gifts of the Church and were never meant to be.

 If anyone speaks in the Church, they must be understood if that message is to edify the Church!

 *****1Co 14:6  Now, brethren, if I come unto you speaking with tongues, what shall I profit you, except I shall speak to you either by revelation, or by knowledge, or by prophesying, or by doctrine? 

1Co 14:7  And even things without life giving sound, whether pipe or harp, except they give a distinction in the sounds, how shall it be known what is piped or harped? 

1Co 14:8  For if the trumpet gives an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? 

1Co 14:9  So likewise ye, except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken? for ye shall speak into the air. 

1Co 14:10  There are, it may be, so many kinds of voices in the world, and none of them is without signification. 

1Co 14:11  Therefore if I know not the meaning of the voice, I shall be unto him that speaketh a barbarian, and he that speaketh shall be a barbarian unto me.

1Co 14:12  Even so ye, forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts, seek that ye may excel to the edifying of the church. 

 There are two specific problems with tongues in the Church.

 1) Tongues do not communicate in the Church apart from some other gift, which is "interpretation".

 1Co 14:13  Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret. 

 Those sitting in the pews would not know what was being said and could not profit from the message, which is the job of the speaker for them to understand.

 The speaker is to share some revelation of the Holy Spirit or some knowledge, or some teaching given to him by the Holy Spirit.

 This can be proven by musical instruments, which must have a distinct sound, or that sound is meaningless.

 A military trumpet must have a specific message for the troops to understand.

 A person must speak words that are understood, or his message will mean nothing to those listening, who came to hear what God had for them on that day.

 There are many languages in our world, and each language has its own distinct speech.

 If a foreigner speaks to me and I do not understand, then I am a barbarian, dumb and senseless to him, or He is as a barbarian, dumb and senseless to me.

 We are to have zeal for the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but tongues should be at the bottom of the list, still considering that tongues is all about language and not about some unknown language.

 If we are not servants to our particular church, then we cannot help our church to grow in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus and our eternal blessings.

 2) The second problem is that tongues do not communicate even in prayer without "interpretation".

 If we get into our closet and pray to our Heavenly Father in some unknown language, no doubt He will know what is in our heart, but when I pray, I want to be concise because prayer is just too important.

 If someone is chosen to pray from the congregation and that person speaks in some unknown language, how is the congregation to know what is said without an interpreter?

 The truth is that tongues will not continue until the return of our Lord. Those who learn what the Bible says will stop the speaking of tongues themselves as they learn the truth.

 In truth, tongues were a part of the miraculous era of Jesus Christ and the Apostles and were necessary along with the gift of miracles as an authenticating sign of the Apostles.

 Since we now have the complete Word of God, these things are no longer needed, and the Holy Spirit will not give these gifts to God's people.

 1Co 14:20  Brethren, be not children in understanding: howbeit in malice be ye children, but in understanding be men. 

1Co 14:21  In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 

1Co 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 

 Tongues were a sign to the unbelieving Jews and, in this sense only were used only for evangelism.

 When unbelieving Jews would enter into any assembly and hear people speaking in foreign languages, it was a sign to them from Jehovah.

 Isa 28:11  For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 

Isa 28:12  To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 

 This sign should have led them to the Messiah, but they would not listen.

 You want to get on the wrong side of the Lord?

 Be the cause that someone walks in off the highways and hedges and thinks the whole church is mad because they cannot understand what is going on, and they leave and go to Hell because they never returned.

 1Co 14:23  If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad? 

 Worship must be orderly, showing the love of God!

 *****1Co 14:26  How is it then, brethren? when ye come together, every one of you hath a psalm, hath a doctrine, hath a tongue, hath a revelation, hath an interpretation. Let all things be done unto edifying.

 We should understand that the gifts given to us by the Holy Spirit are for the edifying of the people of God, who are the Church.

 The Church is not some building but the people of God, those who love the Lord Jesus Christ and are trying to follow in His ways.

 There is only One Church, the Body of Christ!

 This Scripture gives a view of just how divided this group of people was.

 Each one of us must prepare ourselves before we go to the House of God.

 We all have questions that we would love for the Lord our God to answer.

 We should never go before the Lord empty-handed!

 When in our daily lives we are made more aware of what the Lord Jesus Christ has given to us then He by our own mouths would love for us to tell Him about it.

 We could call this a testimony, and we all should have a testimony of what the Lord has done in our lives after we confess to Him our sins and invite Him into our hearts.

 He loves to hear from us how the Words of God have affected us.

 When we attend the gathering of the Church with these things, we will notice our heart is filled with Him.

 Sometimes may feel empty, and we want a refilling of the Holy Spirit and the message God has for us on that day we gather together.

 At Corinth, everyone came with something, but the services had degenerated into utter disorder and mass confusion.

 They all wanted gifts from the Holy Spirit that attracted attention much more than the gifts used to edify the Church and each other.

 They were neglectful of the Church order!

 Some had a hymn of praise.

Some had some doctrine they wanted enforced.

Some had a hidden mystery they wanted to reveal.

Some had an interpretation peculiar to themselves.

Some had some utterance in a foreign language.

 None tried to promote common welfare for all their brothers and sisters in Christ.

 Everyone was talking and doing their own thing.

 This was a church in disorder!

 To the visitor who came into the church, they heard nothing to tell them they needed a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.

 The thing that made matters worse was when they all tried to speak in some unknown language.

 If these things did not stop, this church would never be effective in the work the Lord Jesus Christ has given us all to do.

 Every child of God with a personal relationship with Christ Jesus has the same job, and it is to tell others about the salvation plan of God through His Son Christ Jesus and what He has accomplished in our lives.

 We attend Church to be edified by the Holy Spirit, and we must hear His message and apply it to our lives outside the Church.

 *****1Co 14:27  If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 

1Co 14:28  But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 

 We know that every word in this epistle came by the Holy Spirit.

 We know that the word tongues is always interpreted as languages.

 The Holy Spirit says no more than three people in the service were to speak in tongues and them not at the same time.

 There was to be nothing out of order and no confusion.

 There was always to be an interpreter, or no one was to speak in tongues (languages); they were to remain silent.

 The person who spoke was to have the gift of tongues.

 This was not some person who stood up with an impulse from the Holy Spirit that the person could not resist.

 The one who stood up to speak had control of his words because he had the gift, and he could control what he was saying.

 Those who stood up saying they had a message from the Holy Spirit in some gibberish did not have the gift of tongues.

 No one could interpret such unknown words!

 It would be hard to stop this sort of thing in a place where this takes place, but that place is to follow the Word of God, which is the Divine Truth.

 This type of tongues, which is some unknown tongue, will only edify the person who is speaking it, as no one else will understand what is said.

 The gift of "interpretation of tongues" involved the supernatural ability of someone in the assembly to interpret a foreign language, and that language would be translated into words for the people who were present to understand.

 It was not a gift to translate some unknown language spoken on that day, which is impossible for people and not of God.

 Since we now have the complete Word of God, the gift of tongues, along with the gift of miracles, is no longer given by the Holy Spirit.

 God has given us the complete Bible, all the Word of God we need, and miracles happen through prayer and some intervention by God's Angels.

 If there were more than one man called of God to preach in that service, then they would take turns, and the other one would judge the words of the speaker to see if he followed the truth of God and the Doctrine of Jesus Christ, the Gospel.

 *****1Co 14:29  Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge. 

1Co 14:30  If any thing be revealed to another that sitteth by, let the first hold his peace. 

1Co 14:31  For ye may all prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be comforted. 

1Co 14:32  And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. 

1Co 14:33  For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 

We should understand that the preacher has one job and one job only, and that job is to edify their brethren.

2Ti_4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.

What Word: 

2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works. 

Did you know it is a sin to despise the Word of God?

1Th 5:20  Despise not prophesyings. 

We are to listen closely to the preaching.

1Jn 4:1  Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 

1Jn 4:2  Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: 

1Jn 4:3  And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 

1Jn 4:4  Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.

Every true preacher has a message from the Holy Spirit and will contribute to any church.

If the Holy Spirit lives within the man of God, he will know how to bridle his tongue until he gets his chance to preach.

All of us who sit in the pews are to hold fast to the truth of God!

1Th 5:21  Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from all appearance of evil. 

We are not to accept everything we hear unless it is the truth of God.

Keep in mind, most of those in this church in Corinth did not have a copy of the Word of God, it was being written by the true men of God.

Today, here in the USA, we all have our own copy of the Word of God, so we can know that that preacher is speaking the truth or not.

When we accept the truth of God, we will be at peace and we will not be confused about anything that the Holy Spirit has given to us!

The next subject has caused some division in the Church just as it did in Corinth.

*****1Co 14:34  Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak; but they are commanded to be under obedience, as also saith the law. 

1Co 14:35  And if they will learn any thing, let them ask their husbands at home: for it is a shame for women to speak in the church. 

This chapter has been about the speaking of tongues, which, remember, are languages.

Next, this chapter has been about order in the Church.

We are never to take Scripture out of the context when it is given to us by the Holy Spirit.

Some believe that the women in this church were using tongues more than the men, and even this was causing the church to be divided.

This is not the only place Paul addresses the women in the church:

1Ti 2:11  Let the woman learn in silence with all subjection. 

1Ti 2:12  But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence. 

The family is the model of what the Church should be.

Eph_5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

This Scripture was written for the turmoil of that time that was happening in Corinth.

Whatever this passage is saying, it is not saying that women are barred from participating and sharing their own gifts in the Church.

Act 2:17  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams: 

Act 2:18  And on my servants and on my handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit; and they shall prophesy:

Act 21:9  And the same man had four daughters, virgins, which did prophesy.

This word prophesy means to speak under Divine inspiration.

I believe that women should not teach a men's class, and I also believe that a man should not teach an all-women's class.

Paul had already recognized the fact that women could come under Divine inspiration.

1Co 11:5  But every woman that prayeth or prophesieth with her head uncovered dishonoureth her head: for that is even all one as if she were shaven. 

1Co 11:6  For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. 

1Co 11:7  For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.

Without good, godly women, most churches would fail to exist.

Paul then asks the church if they had received some special revelation on all these matters.

*****1Co 14:36  What? came the word of God out from you? or came it unto you only? 

1Co 14:37  If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord. 

1Co 14:38  But if any man be ignorant, let him be ignorant. 

1Co 14:39  Wherefore, brethren, covet to prophesy, and forbid not to speak with tongues. 

1Co 14:40  Let all things be done decently and in order. 

We should understand that no lost person can receive a Divine revelation from God until they have first come under Holy Ghost conviction from the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

We must also understand that there will never be a Divine revelation to anyone that goes against the Word of God that we already have!

There will always be those who think they are God's greatest gift to mankind and to the Church.

There will be those who say they have some truth that no one else has.

Those who say they have some special insight.

Those who say they have some special revelation.

Those who say they have some special understanding.

All these are liars who are full of pride, and all puffed up about themselves.

Only the Lord Jesus Christ is the source of the truth and not some man or woman.

Many church groups say they are far above all others.

They, too, are deceived.

We should understand that the Books of the Bible from the Apostle Paul are the commandments of God, just as the Red-Letter words of Jesus Christ.

The speaking of tongues should have already left the Church and be non-existent, but it lingers on in certain denominations, even though they now have the truth of God, but they are not our enemies; they are dear brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is the preaching of God's Word that is the greatest of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Church is to conduct its business of leading the lost to Christ in an orderly fashion, but the Church is not to be so orderly that it becomes stiff and cold!

The congregation is to participate, and it is not limited to singing and the giving of offerings, but also testimonies, praise, and a good Amen from time to time.

Psa_47:1 O clap your hands, all ye people; shout unto God with the voice of triumph.

1Ti_2:8  I will therefore that men pray every where, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting.

All those who reject the truth of the Apostle Paul are rejecting the truth of God.

Amen

The Body of Christ

 Unity Gained from Proper Use of Spiritual Gifts

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 12

 What are Spiritual gifts?

 A Spiritual gift is the God-given ability to serve Him in the command that He has given to us.

 Eph 4:11  And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 

Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

Eph 4:14  That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 

Eph 4:15  But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ: 

 Spiritual gifts are given to the saints of God for the purpose that the whole Church might be built up and increased and grow to maturity.

 It is the Holy Spirit who decides what gifts are best for us and best for the Church.

 Jas 1:17  Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. 

 The Holy Spirit He is God with equal standing in the Trinity of God.

 God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. Not three Gods but one God in three persons. The Triune God!

 We may be born with natural talents, some of which are passed down from our parents, but Spiritual gifts have their origin with the Holy Spirit.

 Some of these gifts are even called "grace" gifts, a gift of God's "grace".

 Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us.

 Our lesson begins with verse 12, but let's see verses 4 and 11 before we begin.

 *****1Co 12:4  Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. 

1Co 12:11  But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. 

1Co 12:12  For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.

1Co 12:13  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.   

 The Apostle Paul is addressing these issues because of the controversies raging in this church in Corinth over so many things, and now, Spiritual gifts.

 Paul said that there should be no pride, no controversy, and no division over Spiritual gifts because these gifts are decided by the Holy Spirit.

 God had given many Spiritual gifts to the saints in Corinth so they could minister to the pagan citizens of Corinth, but this church could not minister the Gospel because of the many divisions inside the church.

 The Lord Jesus Christ identifies His saints with Himself.

 **The life we now live belongs to our Savior: Gal 2:20  I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

 **We have put on the New Man: 2Co 5:17  Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 

2Co 5:18  And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 

2Co 5:19  To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

 Eph 4:24  And that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. 

 Col 3:10  And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him: 

 **The Church is now the Body of Jesus Christ: Eph 1:23  Which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.

 When we accepted the Lord Jesus Christ, we were baptized in water as a symbol of our relationship with Christ.

 We know from Scripture that we are now home to the Holy Spirit, so we are now baptized by the work of the Holy Spirit within us.

 **The Holy will convict, chastise, and strengthen us until we are a useful member of the Body of Christ. Joh 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. 

Joh 3:4  Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born? 

Joh 3:5  Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. 

 It does not matter what our background in life had been; we are all treated the same by the Holy Spirit, but this does not mean we will all have the same gifts to serve the Lord Jesus Christ, and we are all united in One Body of Christ.

 Act 10:45  And they of the circumcision which believed were astonished, as many as came with Peter, because that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

 We should understand that the Holy Spirit is in fact, the "Living Water" of God

 There is only one Church, one Body of Christ.

 *****1Co 12:14  For the body is not one member, but many. 

1Co 12:15  If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 

1Co 12:16  And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? 

1Co 12:17  If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? 

1Co 12:18  But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. 

 Some who are less gifted feel like they are unimportant to the cause of Christ.

 Some who are more gifted feel like they are God's gift to the Church.

 These are untrue things!

 Every child of God has the same importance if we remain in the will of God!

 The "Body of Christ" is not one member but all its members working in one cause.

 Gal 3:28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 

Gal 3:29  And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise. 

 The unity of the Christian Church is most important because we seek one common life, and it is eternal life.

 It is the Life of Jesus Christ that supplies nourishment to the Body of Christ, and if one part falls away, then the Body of Christ loses its strength.

 Why is the Church failing today because much of the Church has abandoned the nourishment that can come only from Jesus Christ!

 1) Each member is necessary.

2) Each member has an essential function in the Church. The Church cannot function if the members do not function according to the gifts given to them by the Holy Spirit.

3) Each member is placed in the Body of Christ according to the will of God. God does not just set prominent members in the Church; God sets all members in the Church.

4) Each member is distinct.

 Rom 12:5  So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 

Rom 12:6  Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith; 

Rom 12:7  Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 

Rom 12:8  Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.

 We must try to make the best use of the gifts God has given to us!

 *****1Co 12:19  And if they were all one member, where were the body? 

1Co 12:20  But now are they many members, yet but one body. 

 Luk 10:21  In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes: even so, Father; for so it seemed good in thy sight. 

 We must not envy those we think have more important gifts.

 Those who seem to be more gifted must not look down on those who seem to have less gifts.

 In fact, the less gifted members are more necessary to the Church!

 That worker who is never seen by the crowd is much more essential to decisions for Jesus Christ than the evangelist who is at the center of view.

 In fact, the prayer warrior who can reach Heaven may be the most essential member in the Church, even more than that great preacher behind that pulpit.

Charles Spurgeon had a hundred and twenty praying for him in a room right under his pulpit, and he gave the credit for his great sermons to them.

 The point is that no believer or group of believers is to look down on the less gifted members in the Church, who are actually the backbone of the Church.

 1Co 1:27  But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 

1Co 1:28  And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: 

1Co 1:29  That no flesh should glory in his presence.

 *****1Co 12:21  And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. 

1Co 12:22  Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: 

1Co 12:23  And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. 

 What we consider great or small is never the same as how Jehovah sees things.

 To God, only one thing is important, and it is that we faithfully fulfill the order He has given to us, His will for us.

 God does not reward the size of the gift but the faithfulness to use that gift.

 Mat 25:21  His lord said unto him, Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful over a few things, I will make thee ruler over many things: enter thou into the joy of thy lord. 

 In the human body, we have things like the heart, the kidneys, the lungs, and other organs. Though we cannot see them, they are of crucial importance to the body. 

In the Body of Christ, it is exactly like that.

 All the work that is to be done for the Lord Jesus Christ must be bathed in prayer. Therefore, the greatest gift may be that prayer warrior, but every member has their importance to the plan of God.

 Even those sitting in the pews each have their particular importance as prayer warriors, and workers who take God's message out into the world.

 We are to support one another as we love each other. Support can mean many things besides money. Sometimes a good compliment goes a long way if it is done in love.

 We must take our place with the gift God has given to us and pay attention to where we can be of the most profit to others.

 Love is the greatest power in the Church, and many times it is shown the most by the faithful women of the Church.

 We are all to complement one another for the Church to reach those that God intends to be reached!

 *****1Co 12:24  For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: 

1Co 12:25  That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. 

1Co 12:26  And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it. 

 “Comely” means handsome, suitable, graceful, but just a little less than beautiful.

 It can also mean well-formed, honorable, and noble.

 We must understand that there is a difference between the Christian Doctrine of unity and equality, and the world's doctrine of one standard for all.

 In the Church, there is a place for the rich and the poor, the great and the small, the high and the low, the greatly gifted and those whose gift is unnoticeable to others, and no class of Christians is above the others or lower than the others in the Church.

 We sometimes forget that it is the Lord Jesus who is building the Church for Our Heavenly Father.

 With the Holy Spirit in the lead, the Church will be at peace with each other and the Church will be strong in the world.

 A Church at peace and full of love will be full of members who have the same care for one another.

 Act_4:32  And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul:

 This should describe the Church that the Lord Jesus is building during the Church Age, while realizing that the Kingdom of God is very near.

 When one member is suffering, then all the Church should be suffering with them.

 When one member is rejoicing, every member should be rejoicing with them.

 Not one member is more important than another in the eyes of God, and we must use this as the Lord's design for the Church.

 *****1Co 12:27  Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. 

 Every believer is a member of the Body of Christ!

 Every believer has their own place in the Body of Christ!

 It is a supreme privilege to be known as a child of God!

 1) God has set Apostles in the Church if we understand that the modern apostle is an ambassador for Christ.

 As ambassadors for Christ, we belong to Christ. We are commissioned by Jesus Christ. 

We possess the authority and the power of Christ through the Holy Spirit.

 Just as every apostle, each ambassador is chosen by Jesus Christ.

 There are no true Apostles today who saw the Lord Jesus when He was alive.

 No one today possesses many of the gifts given to those Apostles.

 Still, as ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit will give us the gifts that are needed and that we can use for the good of the Church and the glory of God.

 2) Second, God has set prophets in the Church, but those prophets are our preachers, pastors, evangelists, and missionaries, and do not use the name prophet anymore because we have the complete Word of God which the Holy Spirit uses to give that man of God the message God wants us to have on that particular day.

 I'm sure God still speaks to those He has called, but there is no new prophecy to be given that we do not already have in the Scriptures.

 3) God has set teachers in the Church, and each teacher is to use the existing Scriptures to teach as the truth of God and not deviate from those Scriptures.

 2Ti 3:16  All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 

2Ti 3:17  That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

 4) It is only God who can perform miracles today, and much of it is because of prayer, but we also know we are surrounded by Angels, and we may not know until we get to Heaven the things God has saved us from and the miracles that have kept us going. Even when the Apostles performed miracles, it was through the power of God, not a power they had themselves. They also had the Holy Spirit living within them.

 5) The gift of healing is no longer given to men but comes according to prayer and the will of God.

 Jas 5:13  Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms. 

Jas 5:14  Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: 

Jas 5:15  And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him. 

6) The gift of helps belongs to those who are always ready to jump in to help others who are in need. Some believers are always ready to lend a helping hand, and every Christian should have a part of this gift because it is a sign of love.

7) The gift of tongues is looked upon differently in many denominations, but the Bible is specific that the word tongues means languages and known languages.

Act 2:6  Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language.

Act 2:8  And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? 

Act 2:11  Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

They never spoke in an unknown language. This was never a foundational gift to the Church.

Tongues were actually a sign of unbelief!

1Co 14:21  In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord. 

1Co 14:22  Wherefore tongues are for a sign, not to them that believe, but to them that believe not: but prophesying serveth not for them that believe not, but for them which believe. 

What we should understand is that the Holy Spirit will give us what we need to remain in the will of God and be useful to the glory of the Church and the glory of God.

There is a reason the Holy Spirit gives such gifts to believers: Eph 4:12  For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 

Eph 4:13  Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 

We are to take the gifts of the Holy Spirit for the Glory of God and not any glory for ourselves!

Amen

Agape Love

 Agape Love

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 13

 

The word "Agape" is the Greek word for "love".

 Our lesson states that "if a church is having problems, love is always the fix".

 Our love for the Lord Jesus Christ will resolve any doctrinal issue within the Church.

 When we love the Lord Jesus, we will love each other, and Church problems will go away.

 There is no question, "what the world needs now is love, sweet love"!

This love must be according to the truth of God!

 What the Church needs is love, the love that Jesus Christ has shown to each of us and His expectation that we will follow in His ways.

 Throughout this passage, the word we see for love is "charity".

 In the Bible, the word "charity" is not used as we use it today for supporting a Christian cause; it is always used for "love".

There are a whole lot of charities out there today that do not support good causes, but they are allowed to exist.

 Let's compare the various types of love:

 1) There is "passionate love or eros love". This is the physical love between a man and a woman.

It can also describe the love we have for our nation or the ambition of those who are seeking power, wealth, or fame.

This type of love is never used in the New Testament.

 2) There is "affectionate love or storge love". This is the kind of love that exists between a parent and child and between a loyal citizen and a trustworthy ruler.

This type of love is also not used in the New Testament.

 3) There is "endearing love or philia love". This is the love that cherishes. This is the love of a husband and wife for each other, or a brother for a brother, or a sister for a sister, or a friend for their dearest friends.

It is a love that cherishes, that holds someone or something ever so dear to their heart.

 4) Then there is "selfless and sacrificial love or agape love.” Agape love is the love of the mind and loves a person even when they don't deserve it, even those who are unworthy to be loved, the love our Savior has for each of us. The love our Creator has for His creations.

 It is the love of God for the ungodly.

It is the love of God for the unworthy.

It is the love of God for His enemies.

It is the love of God for sinners.

 Selfless love, Agape love, is the greatest love in all of life and in all of Heaven!

 Mat 22:37  Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 

Mat 22:38  This is the first and great commandment. 

Mat 22:39  And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. 

Mat 22:40  On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets. 

 *****1Co 13:1  Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. 

 There is an absolute necessity for love in the Church!

 There is an absolute necessity for love in every child of God!

 The superior quality of life is love; it is not in any gift we possess.

The most excellent way to live and serve the Lord is to possess and share His love; it is not in gifts.

 Note: Paul did not say he spoke with all the languages of man, nor did he say he spoke the language of angels; he just said even if he did and did not have the love of God in him, he would be nothing more than a trumpet or a cymbal.

 Being able to have a conversation with anyone we meet and we do not show the love of God is meaningless.

 We all know that if a person with no musical talent, such as myself, were to use cymbals or any musical instrument, I would be making nothing but noise!

 There are Christians today who can speak in almost all languages of the world, but if they do not know how to show the love of God, then they are not good witnesses for the Lord Jesus Christ.

 When we do these things, without love, we become useless to the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Though someone becomes the best preacher in the world, if he does not have love, he is just someone who is making noise that the church can do without.

 *****1Co 13:2  And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. 

 Even if a preacher has the gift of speaking under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they can predict and proclaim the truth of God's Word, but have no love, they are useless in the work that Jesus Christ has given to us to accomplish.

 He may possess the stature, the eloquence, and the descriptive language in the world, but if he does not have love, he is nothing, and his gift of preaching means nothing because if those he is preaching to cannot feel the love of God, then his preaching is nothing and he is nothing.

 There is a great danger of those who know so much about the Word of God that they make themselves superior to God's people, and God's people will be turned off by this speaker.

 It is possible to long for souls and preach the glories of Heaven and the tragedy of Hell with an attitude and a tone that no one sitting in the pews will ever want because there is no love in his words.

 There is such a gift of understanding "all mysteries and all knowledge" of all the things God has revealed and all that man has ever learned and discovered, yet without love, this knowledge is meaningless because there is always the danger of looking down on others.

 There is such a gift as the gift of faith, and it is a very special gift given by the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus said this faith could move mountains and do great things for God, but without love, he could do nothing to win those lost souls for Jesus Christ.

 Some of these men of God have an overblown sense of importance about themselves; they are not good witnesses for the Lord Jesus.

If we are trying to be more like the Lord Jesus Christ, then nothing can help us more than having love in our hearts for all people as He does and as He showed when He was upon this earth.

 *****1Co 13:3  And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. 

 When we give out of duty, God does not acknowledge that gift.

When we feel forced to give, it is meaningless.

When we give because we have it and the needy do not have it, it is meaningless.

When we give with a rebuke because those who receive are irresponsible, it means nothing.

When we give unsacrificially, it is meaningless.

 If we cannot express the love of God to those around us, then we are useless in the work the Lord has commanded us to do!

 1Jn 3:14  We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 

1Jn 3:15  Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him. 

 1Pe 1:22  Seeing ye have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit unto unfeigned love of the brethren, see that ye love one another with a pure heart fervently: 

1Pe 1:23  Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.

 Without love, I am of no benefit to my Heavenly Father, and He cannot use me!

 *****1Co 13:4  Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, 

1Co 13:5  Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; 

1Co 13:6  Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; 

1Co 13:7  Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things.

If we do not know it, then we must know it is love that builds the Church!

Any church that does not show love to anyone, and this means anyone, who enters the sanctuary of God will not gain any new members.

What is given to us in these Scriptures is not to be taken as a definition of charity.

What is given in these Scriptures is the behavior of each Christian as we live before others in the Church and before the world outside the Church.

Our love for the lost of this world must endure in these last days.

Our love for the lost of this world must endure the evils in it, as this world gets even worse than it is now.

There is nothing in this world that we should envy. Envy includes malice, grudge, jealousy, and an evil eye.

Love is patient with all people, but not patient with the circumstances of their sin!

Love does not seek revenge.

Love controls itself to win another person to Christ and to help them to live and serve.

Love is kind even when we do not want to be kind.

Love is not boastful.

Love is not full of pride, nor brag, nor seeking recognition.

Love does not think evil of anyone.

Love is not rude.

Love is not disgraceful.

Love is not selfish.

Love seeks to serve, does not seek to be served.

Love is not resentful.

Love suffers any evil that comes to it and then forgets that it happened.

Love will never rejoice in unrighteousness!

We should understand by now, in these last days, that we will only be fed with tragedy from the reports of the world, and many times with open lies, and they are intentional.

Love rejoices in the truth, and there is no greater truth than the "Gospel" of Jesus Christ!

Love endures with patience and dignity unless the well-being of our brothers and sisters requires us to stand against such things, and then we will stand on their behalf.

*****1Co 13:8  Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. 

1Co 13:9  For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. 

Love never fails because the Word of God is the truth, and truth cannot fail.

The prophecies of Muhammad will fail.

The prophecies of Zoroaster will fail.

The prophecies of Krishna will fail.

The prophecies of Confucius will fail.

The prophecies of Joseph Smith will fail.

The prophecies of Ron Hubbard will fail.

The prophecies of Nostradamus will fail.

The prophecies of these men will fail and then fade away!

The prophecies of the Lord Jesus will reign supreme because He cannot fail!

Love is perfect and complete, but as humans, we do not know what perfect means unless we know the sinless Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ!

The "Day of Perfection" will come with the return of the Lord Jesus Christ!

On that day, only those who will be made perfect will stand and endure throughout eternity.

What is the one word that will describe Heaven? That word is charity, "love", "agape love"!

Love is far superior to any gift that the Holy Spirit may give to us in the Church Age because love rules every Age.

Far too many believers glory in earthly gifts and abilities instead of serving the Lord and ministering in love!

It is love that will bring a Christian to maturity of behavior, the love of Jesus Christ!

While upon this earth, all that we are and all that we possess, including our abilities, our knowledge, and our being, are all as a child.

While we are on this earth, we are immature and imperfect, no matter what area of life we are in at that time.

Rom 8:18  For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. 

Rom 8:19  For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. 

Rom 8:20  For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, 

Rom 8:21  Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God.

*****1Co 13:10  But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. 

1Co 13:11  When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 

1Co 13:12  For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.

We can only be perfect on the Day we are Redeemed!

Eph_4:30  And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Luk_21:28  And when these things begin to come to pass, then look up, and lift up your heads; for your redemption draweth nigh.

Love is being face-to-face with our Holy and Perfect God!

Love is when a Church can come together and truly be identified as the Body of Christ.

Eph_4:16  From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love.

It is only love that will bring us into a face-to-face relationship with Jehovah and a perfect knowledge of the truth!

Php 3:12  Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:13  Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, 

Php 3:14  I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. 

Php 3:15  Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded: and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you. 

*****1Co 13:13  And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity. 

What are the three characteristics every Christian must have?

Faith, Hope, and Love are the sum of perfection on Earth!

We believe only in the things we love!

We hope only for those whom we love!

Love alone is the sum of perfection in Heaven!

We see that faith and hope cannot work without love!

The Holy Spirit is love, and He produces love in every child of God.

If God does not possess love, He could not produce love in each believer!

1Ti 1:5  Now the end of the commandment is charity out of a pureheart, and of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned: 

1Pe 4:8  And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. 

When we get to Heaven, the one thing we will all witness will be the perfect love of our Savior.

We witness the love of Christ in the Scriptures, but we just cannot wrap our minds around what it really means, but we will on that day we are made perfect!

Amen

True Godly Worship

 Instructions for Godly Worship

 1 Corinthians Chapter 11: Verses 17-34

 What is the greatest problem of the modern church today? The modern church gathers together not for the betterment of the church, but for the worse.

 We are to come together to hear the message God has for us on that particular day and apply that message to our lives when we step back into the world.

 We know that if we love the Lord, then He knows it.

 We had better know that the reason we attend church is also known to the Lord!

 Do we come to receive the instructions from Jehovah so that we can grow in the Lord?

Do we come out of curiosity?

Do we come to observe worldly interest?

Do we come without any preparation of heart?

 Are we soon wearying of the services we attend?

 Eze 14:2  And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, 

Eze 14:3  Son of man, these men have set up their idols in their heart, and put the stumblingblock of their iniquity before their face: should I be enquired of at all by them? 

 Do we love the Word of God or not?

Are we just partially convinced of the truth of God?

Do we stifle the Holy Spirit?

 If we do not come together for the betterment of the Church and our lives, then we will come together for the worse!

 This is highly displeasing to Jehovah!

 Php 3:18  (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: 

Php 3:19  Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.) 

Php 3:20  For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: 

 There are only two ordinances assigned to the Church.

 One is Baptism.

The other is the Lord's Supper.

 Our lesson today is concentrated on the Lord's Supper.

 Here in the South, when the word supper is mentioned, it used to mean that the last meal of the day, when the whole family would come together to prepare for the end of the day and maybe plan a little for the next day.

 For the Jews, that evening supper was the principal meal of the day.

 The Lord's Supper is something that is, for the most part, entirely different.

 In our church, we say communion, and communion is fellowship with the Lord.

Communion is between the Lord Jesus Christ and His people.

 Joh 14:23  Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. 

Joh 14:24  He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father's which sent me. 

Joh 14:25  These things have I spoken unto you, being yet present with you. 

 The Lord's Supper is called the cup of blessing because in it there is fellowship with Jesus Christ and His disciples, and among the disciples with one another.

 1Co 10:16  The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 

1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 

 Every child of God belongs to Jesus Christ, and we can enjoy our relationship with Him!

 Only those who belong to Jesus Christ should take part in Communion.

 As the Apostle Paul wrote to Philemon, communion means the good things in us that come by Jesus Christ.

 Phm 1:4  I thank my God, making mention of thee always in my prayers, 

Phm 1:5  Hearing of thy love and faith, which thou hast toward the Lord Jesus, and toward all saints; 

Phm 1:6  That the communication of thy faith may become effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus. 

 *****1Co 11:17  Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.

 Paul begins his rebuke of the way this Corinthian Church was celebrating the Lord's Supper.

 As Independent Baptists, we only recognize two ordinances, which are baptism and the Lord's Supper.

 An ordinance is an outward rite prescribed by Jesus Christ to be performed by His Church.

 Our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Lord's Supper on the night of His crucifixion.

 Luk 22:14  And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 

Luk 22:15  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 

Luk 22:16  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 

Luk 22:17  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 

Luk 22:18  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 

Luk 22:19  And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

Luk 22:20  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

 This was the New Covenant in contrast with the old Mosaic Covenant.

 Only through His death could this New Covenant be applied to the Church because it was the death of Christ that provided forgiveness of sins, which is discussed later in this lesson.

 The Lord's Supper is a memorial to the death of our Savior!

 As we celebrate the memorial of our Savior, we must emphasize that we have faith that He died so that we could be forgiven.

 This church in Corinth was even divided in this celebration, that is to remind us of what the Lord Jesus has already done for us.

 1Pe 2:24  Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed. 

1Pe 2:25  For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls. 

 ***** 1Co 11:18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it. 

1Co 11:19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you. 

1Co 11:20  When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. 

 These Corinthians were tragically abusing the Lord's Supper!

 When divisions are in any church, the Spirit of the Church is in disorder!

 Minds and hearts are not upon the Lord but on the causes of this division.

 Paul knew how these matters would grow and become rumors and exaggerations.

 Paul understood there was great truth in the letter he had received from this church.

 This church needed to work on its problems before it could be a true House of God.

 None of these things could catch the Lord off guard or by surprise.

 In fact, the Lord will allow these things to persist so the true believers can stand out in the turmoil.

 These people who cause this division in any church will cause the love and truth of genuine believers to shine brightly, which is what verse 19 tells us.

 No Spiritual unity can exist where there is no supreme affection for Jesus Christ.

 We are all to unite with Jesus Christ because He is the Head of the Church.

 It seems so many places of worship have forgotten this today.

 The Lord's Supper is our way of showing our faith in the Lord but here in Corinth it was perverted into a means of gluttony and drunkenness.

 Today, we see churches that are perverted, Bibles that are perverted, and Christian ministries that are perverted.

 The one good thing for the pastor of any church was that he could tell who were genuine Christians and those who were not.

 *****1Co 11:21  For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 

1Co 11:22  What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 

 This gathering of this church was meaningless to the Lord, and He would never be a part of such a gathering!

 It is impossible to have a divided church and honor the Lord Jesus!

 Jas 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

 When the early church observed the Lord's Supper, they would incorporate it with what was called a "love feast".

 Everyone brought all the food they could in order that there would be plenty for everyone, including the poor and the slaves who could not bring very much.

 The idea was to have a common meal where everyone shared, and everyone would have enough to eat.

 This church at Corinth began to abuse the Supper. Instead of sharing, everyone sat off in their little group of friends and shared the food they brought only with that group.

 Some were neglected and had very little to eat, if anything.

Some were indulging as gluttons, trying to make sure that group had nothing to eat.

Some treated the whole thing as a social gathering, bringing alcohol to drink off to the side and becoming drunk.

 This was no longer a Christian fellowship, and there was no love shown to the brethren.

 This was no celebration of the Lord's Supper!

 This celebration was meaningless and useless in furthering the Gospel and strengthening the Church.

 This celebration ruined the testimony of this church.

 Some outside the church who believed would talk about how Satan had accomplished so much in the church in such a short period of time.

 Satan is working hard in many churches today!

 Paul said you must despise the House of God to do such things.

 Paul said Do you not have homes to do such things and not bring this inside the church.

 They abused the sanctity of the Church.

They shamed the poor and the slaves who had little food.

They corrupted the Lord's Supper.

They slapped the face of the Lord Jesus Christ.

They were proud of themselves.

 A divided church is a sin against the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Paul said, "How can I praise such a gathering in the House, the Lord Jesus has built"?

 1Ti 3:5  (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?) 

 1Ti 3:15  But if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how thou oughtest to behave thyself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. 

 Paul tells this church the truth of the Lord's Supper.

 *****1Co 11:23  For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 

1Co 11:24  And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 

1Co 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 

1Co 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come

 What is the real meaning of the Lord's Supper?

 The Lord's Supper involves our looking back to the historical event of the cross and anticipating His return, which could happen any day now.

 The Lord's Supper is a communion of believers with each other.

 1Co 10:17  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 

 At the Lord's Supper, we will all eat and drink the same symbolic elements of the body of our Lord as we become the Body of Christ in common faith!

 **What is the meaning of the bread? Jesus said: "Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me". 

 We must remember that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Glory of God!

 Joh 8:12  Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 

 Joh 10:9  I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. 

 The Lord Jesus took part in His final meal Himself. He was standing there with His disciples, who would become the Apostles.

 That bread symbolized the Lord's body.

 **In passing the cup, Jesus said: "This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me".

 Jesus did not say this was His blood, but it symbolized His blood, just as it was a symbol of the New Covenant God has made with mankind.

 His body had to be broken for this New Covenant to take place, and it was broken for all mankind, but especially for those who love Him.

 The Lord Jesus substituted His body for my body on that cross and the body of every sinner who has ever lived and will live in the future, though that future may now be short.

 Heb 2:9  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. 

 **The Lord did these things for us, and of the bread He said: "This do in remembrance of me"

 Of the cup He said: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me".

 This means we are to stir up our minds to meditate upon the person of Jesus Christ, the Holy Son of God.

 The Old Covenant, the Old Testament, is set aside, and this New Covenant is the blood of Jesus Christ and not the blood of bulls and goats.

 Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. 

 Every church is to set time aside to observe the Lord's Supper, which is to concentrate our minds upon our Savior.

 His death.

His return.

 Jesus Christ died for us that we might live for Him!

 We must understand that there can be severe consequences for taking part in the Lord's Supper unworthily!

 *****1Co 11:27  Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 

1Co 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 

1Co 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 

1Co 11:30  For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 

 We know that Paul has sent this letter by Timothy to preach to the Corinthian church, but this letter would be preached to every Christian church of that day, and we have a copy of it today.

 We know that if we have sin in our hearts, God will not answer our prayers.

 Psa 66:18  If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me: 

 In partaking of the Lord's Supper, we must understand its purpose.

 Psa_116:13  I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

Psa 116:14  I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. 

 The same night of the Lord's Supper, we know that He was betrayed by Judas Iscariot.

 If we partake of the Lord's Supper with sin in our lives, then we are not saved by the "grace" of God, we have not accepted the New Covenant of God, and we have partaken of the Lord's Supper unworthily.

 The Lord Jesus died for our sins; He had no sin.

 The Lord's Supper shows forth His death until He returns!

 This event commemorates the death of our Savior.

 1) Not His life, for He lived in holiness without sin.

2) Not His teaching, though He spoke in Divine Truth.

3) Not His miracles, though He walks in mercy.

4) But His death, not glorious, but broken. His blood, not flowing through His veins, but shed for all mankind.

The Lord's Supper is when we see our own sins laid upon Him

The Lord's Supper is when we see our souls washed by Him.

The Lord's Supper is when we see our doom reversed by Him.

The Lord's Supper is when we see our lives secured by Him.

So, we must show forth His death till He comes.

The eleven disciples who remained became more faithful witnesses after the Lord's Supper, and we should also, if we can see how great our salvation is.

Those who partake of the Lord's Supper unworthily put the Lord in open shame.

Heb 6:4  For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, 

Heb 6:5  And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, 

Heb 6:6  If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 

Those who have no concept of the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, His death in payment for our sin, and partake of the Lord's Supper show irreverence of the body and the blood of the Son of God, will stir the judgment of God the Father.

It sounds serious because it is serious!

1Jn 5:16  If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. 

*****1Co 11:31  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 

1Co 11:32  But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 

1Co 11:33  Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 

1Co 11:34  And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come. 

If we know we have unconfessed sin, we should not take part in the two ordinances of the Church, and certainly not the Lord's Supper.

If we take that word "judgment" to mean "discern," we need to examine ourselves to make sure we are not living in sin or carrying some unconfessed sin in our hearts; we must certainly not take part in the Lord's Supper.

We must confess our sin and repent of that sin, knowing that God will chasten us, but He chastens us out of His love for us. If we continue in sin, we may be running the risk of being judged with the unbelievers.

We must share and demonstrate our love by putting others first, serving one another.

We must not bring condemnation upon ourselves. We must repent of our old life. We must change what we have been doing.

We can eat our meals at home, but the Lord's Supper is for those who truly trust in the salvation plan of God through the Lord Jesus Christ.

When Jonah realized His sin, he cried unto the Lord with these words: Jon 2:2  And said, I cried by reason of mine affliction unto the LORD, and he heard me; out of the belly of hell cried I, and thou heardest my voice. 

Amen

Who or What Do You Worship

 Admonitions from Israel's History

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 10

 Idolatry is the practice of paying divine honor to any object that is created.

 There are three forms of idolatry:

 1) Fetishism: the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.

2) Nature worship: the worship of the sun, the moon, and the stars as the supposed powers of nature.

3) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors or heroes.

 During their long residence in Egypt, the Hebrews fell into idolatry.

 Eze 20:7  Then said I unto them, Cast ye away every man the abominations of his eyes, and defile not yourselves with the idols of Egypt: I am the LORD your God. 

 The world before the flood was a wicked and idolatrous world:

 Jos 24:14  Now therefore fear the LORD, and serve him in sincerity and in truth: and put away the gods which your fathers served on the other side of the flood, and in Egypt; and serve ye the LORD. 

Jos 24:15  And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.

 What is the first commandment given to Israel after Jehovah freed them from Egypt? Deu 6:4  Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: 

Deu 6:5  And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might. Deu 6:13  Thou shalt fear the LORD thy God, and serve him, and shalt swear by his name. 

 Today, throughout the world, people worship everything but Jehovah God!

Those who worship themselves have made themselves to be God.

 *****1Co 10:1  Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 

1Co 10:2  And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 

1Co 10:3  And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 

1Co 10:4  And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. 

1Co 10:5  But with many of them God was not well pleased: for they were overthrown in the wilderness. 

 As Paul gets further into this epistle, he will eventually get to the security of the believer.

 The security of the believer is one of the great doctrines of Scripture, but unfortunately, it is taught without much understanding and without the warnings that come from the Word of God.

 We know that when the time of judgment comes, God will first judge the Church.

 There are multitudes in the Church who are not truly converted to Jesus Christ, but they have a false security and are overconfident.

 They say they are saved, but their lifestyle says different.

 Saying and knowing are two different things.

 Being baptized and belonging to a church does not mean we are saved.

 Taking part in the Lord's Supper does not mean we are saved.

 Being greatly gifted and very active in the Church does not make a person safe and secure in Jesus Christ.

 These things were problems in the Church in Corinth.

 As Christians, we are in a race for an incorruptible Crown, but this crown is not given on a silver platter.

 We must actually be in the race!

 The nation of Israel was a prime example of a people who had been greatly privileged by Jehovah, and it led to a people who felt safe and secure, yet many of them perished in the wilderness after Jehovah had saved them from Egypt.

 All of them shared the many blessings of God, but none of that group but a few entered into the Promised Land.

 The Israelites were as much a people of God as we are today, yet most of them fell in the wilderness of sin.

 In truth, the possession of great privileges does not secure us from the danger of falling from the "Grace" of God.

 The worst sins of Israel were a direct result of idolatry!

 Idolatry is not a light matter to Jehovah God!

 Today, many in the Church are willing to be delivered from Hell but shy away from living life like Jesus Christ, which is the standard for being a Christian, and which is the standard for repentance.

 What did Jesus teach the Jews?

 Mrk_1:15  And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

 What has Jesus taught the Church?

 Rev_2:5  Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent.

 The Israelites accepted the position as God's people, but failed in the duties of being God's people.

 Is the Church doing the same thing today?

 We love to say we are the children of God, but is the Church fulfilling the duties of the Church?

 Many who say they are Christians were never truly converted and have never really repented of their sins before God!

 Israel passed through the Red Sea as if on dry land.

 Archaeologists have found the place of the crossing of Israel, even finding the chariot of that Pharaoh, but now Egypt will not allow any more research because it changes the narrative that they want remembered.

 Many more like them do not want the Bible to prove itself to be the truth, but it is.

 Israel had the presence of Jesus Christ with them.

 God gave His Son the Leader to lead them to the Promised Land. That Rock was Christ!

 God took care of their day-to-day needs.

 Jesus Christ was the source, the Energy and the Power, and the Person who caused water from the Rock, caused the Red Sea to part, who caused the cloud to guide Israel, and rained down the manna, and who gave Moses the promises of God.

 Jesus Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testament!

 We should remember there were over six hundred thousand men alone who broke away from the bondage of Egypt.

 This means we do not know the actual number of the children of Israel.

 We know that only two families, the family of Caleb and the family of Joshua, stayed true to the Lord; the rest died and were replaced before they entered into the Promised Land.

 So, we have proof that God will save people from one tragedy, but still not allow them into His Heaven.

 We must know that we know we are saved according to the Word of God, or we could still end up in Hell.

 These things are a warning to the Church!

 *****1Co 10:6  Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.

 These things were examples for the Church to learn from!

 God has given us a Jewish history lesson for the Church to learn because we know that God never changes.

 The things that happened to the Hebrews (Jews) are valuable lessons to Christians, and we must not ever forget this!

 Heb 4:11  Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief. 

Heb 4:12  For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 Eph 5:6  Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. 

Eph 5:7  Be not ye therefore partakers with them. 

 Then God gives us some of these examples.

 *****1Co 10:7  Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play. 

1Co 10:8  Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand. 

1Co 10:9  Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents. 

1Co 10:10  Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer. 

1Co 10:11  Now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. 

 **Warning number one: While Moses was upon the Mountain with God, the children of Israel began lusting after the things of the flesh.

Many of them turned to idolatry. Aaron made that golden calf, and the people began dancing around it.

 In typology, we know our Lord Jesus is now on Heaven's Mountain, and the Church is lusting after the flesh and worshipping idols.

 **Warning number two: Immorality took over the children of Israel.

 And the Lord Jesus says to the Church, Rev 2:14  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. 

 **Warning number three: Neither let us tempt Jesus Christ. They tried the Lord's patience.

 You want to get to Hell! Go ahead and see how far you can go to test the patience of the Lord Jesus Christ. These children of Israel always felt that God expected too much from them. Many in the Church still feel this way today!

 Many of them even longed for things they left behind in Egypt. Even onions. Who can believe that? Many people love onions, but I doubt they would choose slavery to get them.

 Many Christians think they will be forgiven even if they take that second look.

If they just get a taste, or if they could just touch, or if they slip just a little, or if they hold back just a little, which is the sin of covetousness.

 Heb 10:28  He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses: 

Heb 10:29  Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? 

Heb 10:30  For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. 

 **Warning number four: These people could not go a day without murmuring, complaining, and grumbling.

 It is the same for the Church of today. So many today are not satisfied with the truth and seek to make their own truth. Much of the Church has moved away from the truth of solid preaching and seeks a church and a Bible that goes along with their own thoughts of Christianity, forgetting what being a Christian is all about.

 Jud 1:14  And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, 

Jud 1:15  To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him. 

Jud 1:16  These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men's persons in admiration because of advantage. 

 All these things are examples for the Church not to get caught up in!

 Rom 15:4  For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 

Rom 15:5  Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 

Rom 15:6  That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 

 We must be sure of our salvation, and we must know what it is to be Christian!

 To be Christian is to be a follower of the Lord Jesus Christ.

 This name was given to the followers of Jesus Christ by unbelievers.

 Act 11:26  And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch. 

 This name was given to the followers of Christ in sarcasm.

 How many in the Church today would the world call Christian when the word I hear the most is hypocrites?

 All these things that Paul has mentioned today should cause us to look at ourselves and just see what our standing is with God.

 *****1Co 10:12  Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. 

1Co 10:13  There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it. 

We must understand that was impossible for any Christian in Corinth to avoid coming in contact with idolatrous practices in its many forms.

We can also say this about America today!

We must understand this warning from the Holy Spirit.

Most every church acknowledges that we are in the last days of the Church Age.

The Church Age is the Age of Grace. There will be no other Age of Grace as Jehovah moves forward with His plans!

Grace is the way God deals with people today. We are a foolish church if we do not heed the warning Jehovah is showing us in the examples of how He dealt with Israel.

Rom 11:20  Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear: 

Rom 11:21  For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. 

Any person can fall, especially when we get to thinking we cannot fall.

As long as we are still in the Church Age, there is no way to escape temptation!

We can be encouraged that there will be no temptation that is not common to everyone else.

This means we can prepare for those temptations.

No temptation will be superhuman.

No temptation will be unique to the Church.

No temptation will be beyond our capacity to handle.

No temptation will be terrifying in any sense of the word.

Every temptation that attacks the believer is common to all humans!

Most every Christian has already overcome most of these temptations, and yes, some of us have fallen and caved in, but we have repented and asked for forgiveness, and we can still be overcome if we are not prepared for them.

We should also understand that the Lord limits every single temptation within our limits to overcome it.

We must have enough faith to believe this. God will provide a way out of that temptation!

2Pe 2:9  The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: 

We of the Church have a greater responsibility to overcome temptation than the Jews because we can read of the mistakes they made and see how Jehovah dealt with them.

The modern Church has no excuse for sinking into sin!

*****1Co 10:21  Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. 

1Co 10:22  Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 

1Co 10:23  All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not.

1Co 10:24  Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. 

1Co 10:25  Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 

1Co 10:26  For the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof. 

1Co 10:27  If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 

1Co 10:28  But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fulness thereof: 

We must know that Satan is out to cut the heart of Jehovah and to destroy God's purpose in saving mankind.

Satan smiles every time he turns a person away from the Lord Jesus Christ by enticing us to give our lives to the things and the false gods of this world.

When we become consumed by the things of this world, then we have fulfilled the will of Satan, the Devil.

We had better understand that God will not allow us to be a guest at His table and be a guest at the table of idolatrous devils.

This is being a hypocrite, and we will provoke the Lord's wrath, and there will be no hypocrites in Heaven!

Even if we know that a certain thing is legal for us to do without it being a sin, should we do it?

There are limits to Christian freedom!

Should Christians attend social functions with our neighbors and fellow employees who are not saved?

We should ask ourselves:

1) Is it beneficial to me as a Christian?

2) Will it violate my conscience; will it grieve the Holy Spirit?

3) Will our actions affect our relationship with another Christian?

4) Are we just being courteous and kind to that unbeliever, who may just be seeing how far we are willing to go against his thoughts of God?

5) Does it hurt the conscience of another believer? 

If the answer is yes to any of these questions, then we should not attend.

Even if our own conscience is not bothered, we are to act for the sake of others!

We are not to do anything that might offend another brother or sister in Christ!

Rom 15:1  We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 

Rom 15:2  Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 

Rom 15:3  For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me. 

*****1Co 10:29  Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man's conscience? 

1Co 10:30  For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 

1Co 10:31  Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 

No man has a right to interfere with the liberty that is enjoyed by another if his own conscious, his own conduct, and his own convictions are not affected.

If I am doing no harm according to the Word of God, then why should I be judged by another Christian after I have asked God to bless my meal?

In fact, I do not have the right if it causes harm to another brother or sister who may think that I am worshipping idols when I should know better!

Bearing the criticism of another brother or sister in Christ will not be worth my attending such a social event.

We must keep in mind that everything we do outside the Church is to be for the glory of God!

Rom 14:17  For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost. 

We are not to be so concerned about our own rights that we have forgotten that all things we do are to be for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!

The Lord tells us: Mat 5:16  Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

We cannot allow our light to grow dim!

We are never to be stumbling blocks to the Jews, to unbelievers, nor believers!

We are to do absolutely nothing that will offend another person or cause them to stumble because this goes against the Lord's rule of love!

We are God's children, and again Jesus says: Mar 9:42  And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. 

We are not to seek our own profit because we are left upon this earth to seek the profit of our Savior!

Again, our Lord Jesus says: Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. 

Mat 16:25  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: and whosoever will lose his life for my sake shall find it. 

The world might ignore our Savior, but our life outside the Church is to bring Him glory every day that God the Father gives us!

Amen