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

Christian Freedom

 Claiming Rights and Living by Love

 Book of 1 Corinthians, Chapters 8 and 9

 

In this lesson, we will see the contrast between knowledge and love.

 We know the Word of God provides us with the knowledge of how to live our lives according to the Word of God.

 God has a response to every question we have in this life, no matter what it is!

 The City of Corinth was a pagan city, full of idolatry.

 Most of the meat sold in the marketplaces had been offered in sacrifice to idols, pagan gods.

 A portion of a sacrifice was offered as a burnt offering to a false god; the person who offered the meat would get a portion, and the rest of the meat would be sold in the marketplaces.

 Practically every social event in Corinth served meat that had been offered as a sacrifice to false gods.

 What was a Christian to do when they went shopping for meat for their own families?

 They had no idea where that meat came from, just as we have no idea when we go shopping for meat for our own families today.

 There were also great social functions in the city, and many of them were held in the temples built for the worship of these false gods.

 Could a Christian attend these events and eat the meals that were served, knowing that the meat might have been offered to false gods?

 Many felt that it was wrong to buy meat that had been offered to false gods, but they could not tell if the meat they bought had been used as a sacrifice or if the meat came from some other source.

 For this reason, many Christian believers became vegetarians.

 Just as these Corinthians, Christians of today live amid a sinful and pleasure-mad world, and we will have questions.

 These Corinthians wrote a letter to the Apostle Paul seeking answers to these questions, and the Church of today has those answers.

 The greatest questions of today are about Christian freedoms.

 Are we free to do as we please?

 What restraints are put on Christian Liberty?

 What controls our behavior in this wicked world?

 What is Christian love?

 Today, we have the complete Word of God, and it gives us all the answers we need to live in this life.

 *****1Co 8:1  Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth. 

1Co 8:2  And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. 

1Co 8:3  But if any man love God, the same is known of him. 

 We must understand the three Christian graces which are Faith, Hope and Charity!

 Faith is the vision of the unseen: Heb 11:1  Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 

This is our trust in God.

 Hope is our desire to be with our Creator: Eph 4:23  And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; 

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

 Charity (love) is the necessary condition of our dwelling with God and God in us: 1Co 12:31  But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way. 

 We know that God is love: 1Jn_4:8  He that loveth not knoweth not God; for 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.

 God loved us when we were worthless to Him, and we must strive to love like God loves and show that love not only to our brothers and sisters in Christ, but also to those we witness to.

 It will be our love that will define us as Christians in the end!

 Then, we need to first judge all things by love and not by knowledge.

 We all have knowledge if we study the Bible and attend a Bible believing Church, but we all may not have the love of God within us as we go through this world.

 The knowledge we have learned may come forth as pride, and our pride may interfere with our love.

 It is our love that must define our bodies as a Temple of God!

 We certainly have much more knowledge about God's creations, but it is by no means perfect knowledge.

 We have much knowledge about the true Church, but it is love that builds the Church.

 It is good to have clear views of Christian liberty, but if we exercise that knowledge without love for our brothers and sisters in Christ, then that knowledge is not fruitful for the Body of Christ.

 The Holy Spirit is not given to us to do as we please!

 We have the Holy Spirit living within us to give us freedom to serve the Lord Jesus, which is perfect freedom.

 We are free to obey all the Word of God.

 We are free from the law of sin and death: Rom 8:2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

 1Pe 2:16 As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.

 We have complete freedom to do the things that are in God's will for us.

 When God created this world, we live in, He said that it was all good.

 Gen 1:31 And God saw every thing that he had made, and, behold, it was very good. And the evening and the morning were the sixth day.

 No actions of any Saint of God are unlawful if they are in accordance with God's design in creation.

 We should understand that desires are a function of our bodies that God made. So, in this sense, we have complete freedom.

 1) We must understand that many things in this world are neither worthwhile nor are they profitable.

2) We must understand that many things in this world are not wise. Some things will enslave us and not bring self-respect.

 We are never to become slaves to anything on this earth, which would include such things as drugs or alcohol, or substance abuse.

 We are to preserve our self-control to control the things upon this earth and not be controlled by any of them.

 Our good health and our emotions depend upon us being in control of our bodies and our spirits.

 Indulgence in any of the appetites of the body is one of the greatest sins of any believer.

 Rom 6:12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof.

Rom 6:13 Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.

Rom 6:14 For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace.

 Our knowledge is useless if it is not bound by love for each other!

 It is love that unites us with Jehovah.

 If we love Jehovah, then He knows it and accepts it.

 We are not accepted by God because of our knowledge!

 Rom 8:28  And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 

 *****1Co 8:4  As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. 

1Co 8:5  For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) 

1Co 8:6  But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. 

 As Christians, we know that there is no God but Jehovah.

 We know that no idol is God and is nothing in this world, no matter what their worshippers may think.

 There is no God but One, and He is Jehovah.

 False gods are gods of the mind and imagination, ideas and notions.

 They are gods made of wood and stone.

 They are gods and lords of their own creation.

 We could all sit down and think about what a perfect God should be, but we do not even know what perfect really means; we just know that our Savior is perfect and He is a perfect God.

 We know that an idol is created because the Devil has influenced the mind of that person.

We know that an idol could represent the demons and evil spirits in our world.

 1Co 10:20  But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 

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. 

 There is indeed demonic influence in our world.

 Even the powers of nature are worshipped as gods.

 Even the Roman emperors claimed to be gods.

 As Christians, we know that all these so-called gods do not exist except in the minds of some foolish people.

 We know that there is, but one God and He is our Creator.

 Joh 1:1  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 

Joh 1:2  The same was in the beginning with God. 

Joh 1:3  All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 

Joh 1:4  In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

 Rom 11:36  For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen. 

 There are just far too many in our world who have not met the Lord Jesus Christ.

 *****1Co 8:7  Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. 

1Co 8:8  But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.

 We already know that this church in Corinth was full of baby Christians and was full of division.

 They had not understood the truth of Jehovah.

 They had many times eaten of this sacrificial meat and had visited the temples of false gods and taken part in the big banquets.

 To them, to continue to do these things had to be a sin against Jehovah and apostasy.

 It was their conscience that was weak. They just could not accept that this meat could be clean.

 They could not tell what meat came from which source, so to them all the meat was unclean.

 Too many, they just did not ask the source of the meat, and they just took it home and ate their conscience free and clear of any wrong.

 We can see a lack of faith by those who became vegetarians.

 They were not strong enough spiritually to control their minds and beliefs.

 Act 10:14  But Peter said, Not so, Lord; for I have never eaten any thing that is common or unclean. 

Act 10:15  And the voice spake unto him again the second time, What God hath cleansed, that call not thou common.

 Food is immaterial to God. Food does not make us more spiritual or less spiritual.

 The eating of food does not make us acceptable to God nor does it better or worse.

 We lose nothing by not eating and we gain nothing by eating.

 Some would tell you that this same line of thought would apply to wine or alcohol, but the Scripture never said wine was clean.

 Pro 23:29  Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? 

Pro 23:30  They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. 

Pro 23:31  Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. 

 Isa 5:22  Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink: 

Isa 5:23  Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!

 Isa 5:11  Woe unto them that rise up early in the morning, that they may follow strong drink; that continue until night, till wine inflame them! 

 There are many more places in the Scriptures concerning wine and alcohol.

 We understand that there is such a thing as Christian Freedom, so the question of real importance is, "What effect will our conduct have on others"?

 *****1Co 8:9  But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak. 

1Co 8:10  For if any man see thee which hast knowledge sit at meat in the idol's temple, shall not the conscience of him which is weak be emboldened to eat those things which are offered to idols; 

1Co 8:11  And through thy knowledge shall the weak brother perish, for whom Christ died?

 Some people use verse 8 to say "fasting" is not needed for a Christian, because of the words "but meat commendeth us not to God", but this would be a wrong interpretation.

 We do have liberties as true Christians, but we are in sin if we lead anyone to do that which he thinks is wrong.

 We make things worse for the "babe in Christ" by our example if we teach them to act in contradiction of their conscience.

 God has revealed Himself through conscience; Rom 2:13  (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 

Rom 2:14  For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 

Rom 2:15  Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 

 Conscience may be regarded as an inward monitor or the voice of God in the soul, that passes judgment on men's response to the moral law.

 We can study the Bible and learn every prophecy and think we know all that we can about Jehovah, but if we do not use these things to benefit others, such as babes in Christ, then these things will not bring the blessings of the Lord but rather reproach for the cause of Christ.

 No matter how great a Christian we think we are, we must not become a stumbling block to a new Christian and especially to that one who left the Church before they experienced the salvation of Jesus Christ.

 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.

 Note that phrase in verse nine: "But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours becomes a stumblingblock to them that are weak".

 To the world, the Church is already a place full of hypocrites, so why would we ever make matters worse?

 When Christians are seen out in public doing questionable things, others are sometimes influenced by the things they see us do, but in the wrong way.

 We must never forget that none of us are so Spiritual that we cannot fall.

 *****1Co 8:12  But when ye sin so against the brethren, and wound their weak conscience, ye sin against Christ.

 There is no greater sin for the Christian than to damage the conscience of another believer!

 A wounded conscience will make any person feel useless and helpless and may destroy their drive and initiative, and ambition.

 Jesus Christ died for us in our weakness. If we lead some poor soul astray, we have committed a terrible sin against the truth of Jesus Christ.

 What had the Lord Jesus told the Apostle Paul on his day of salvation?

 Act 9:4  And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 

 Any persecution of any believer is the same as persecuting the Lord Jesus Christ!

 *****1Co 8:13  Wherefore, if meat make my brother to offend, I will eat no flesh while the world standeth, lest I make my brother to offend.

 We must understand that we have no value in ourselves, but because of the work of Jesus Christ, we are valuable in Heaven!

 If we are striving to be more like Jesus Christ, then we must remember what He has said: Joh 15:12  This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. 

Joh 15:13  Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.

 Our love for our brothers and sisters should mean that we will self-sacrifice for their welfare.

 In the Church, we will influence more people by example than we will influence by our knowledge!

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

 *****1Co 9:19  For though I be free from all men, yet have I made myself servant unto all, that I might gain the more. 

1Co 9:20  And unto the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain the Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law; 

1Co 9:21  To them that are without law, as without law, (being not without law to God, but under the law to Christ,) that I might gain them that are without law. 

1Co 9:22  To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. 

1Co 9:23  And this I do for the gospel's sake, that I might be partaker thereof with you. 

 We can see that the Apostle enslaved himself to the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

 As did the Lord Jesus: Joh 13:14  If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 

Joh 13:15  For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 

 We talk about Christian freedom, and we have certain freedoms, but we are free to walk with the Lord.

 When we walk with the Lord, we are not as likely to return to the bondage of this world, which is bondage to the Devil.

 Gal 5:1  Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.

 This passage may apply more to preachers or pastors, but it also applies to every Christian.

 The one purpose of following the Lord Jesus is to reach out to the lost and be a witness for Christ.

 Paul said he was free from all men, but he had enslaved himself by love to serve one another.

 As we are free because of Jesus Christ, we are not obligated to conform to the world's opinions.

 We are never to compromise our convictions, but we must show the love of God to those we are trying to witness to.

 We must remember our humble Shepherd and how He treated everyone He met, no matter their walk in life.

 Paul obeyed the laws of Moses when he witnessed to Jews, as did the Lord, as long as nothing violated his walk with Christ.

 This is a great example for the Church today.

 We are free to do all things that do not violate the Law of God.

 Though Paul would be obedient to the Law of Moses as best he could, he did not compel any Gentile to do the same.

 Paul would go along with the customs of the Gentiles that were not in violation of the Laws of God.

 Paul would go along with babes in Christ and refrain from doing some things that he had the Christian freedom to do.

 Paul would not become a stumbling block to anyone seeking Jesus Christ!

 The most important "grace" we have in our possession is the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

 Mar 10:43  But so shall it not be among you: but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your minister: 

Mar 10:44  And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all. 

Mar 10:45  For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many. 

 No true Pastor or preacher, or even a Christian believer, can approach the Christian life with a bad attitude.

 *****1Co 9:24  Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but onereceiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain. 

1Co 9:25  And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible. 

1Co 9:26  I therefore so run, not as uncertainly; so fight I, not as one that beateth the air: 

1Co 9:27  But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway. 

One of the great festivals of the Greeks took place in Corinth during the Isthmian Games in honor of Poseidon, which took place every three years.

When Paul mentioned the word race, these people knew what he was talking about.

No racer entered those games determined to lose, knowing that only one would be crowned the victor.

To be honest, it is the race itself that brings excitement and not always the winner.

As Christians, we all enter the Christian race to be winners, and we can know that our journey to Heaven will be exciting if we put our hearts into it.

God expects us to run and run hard!

Php 2:16  Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain. 

A racer will spend much time preparing his body for that one day of the race.

He will prepare his body.

He will prepare his mind.

He will prepare his spirit.

As Christians, we must be just as disciplined as these athletes.

A true athlete will not put anything into his body that is corrupt or polluted.

Remember, our bodies are the Temple of the Holy Spirit.

We must control our minds and our thoughts, and we must give in to the Holy Spirit and follow His lead.

Eph 6:12  For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. 

That crown we receive from Heaven is far greater than any crown we could receive on this earth.

We must make every time we witness count toward salvation, even if we water where someone else has planted the seed.

We cannot allow our bodies to dictate our actions.

As we age, our bodies will tell us it is just too tired to do anything and has too much pain.

God will not accept this as an excuse!

We are not to be slaves to our bodies; our bodies must be a slave to our work for the Lord!

Luk 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me. 

That cross is a sign of pain and death, but we must overcome it because we can never die, and that cross will drive us to success.

To give in to our bodies is to be disqualified from the race!

We will struggle with sin all our days, but we cannot allow sin to dictate our actions.

There is nothing that we do that can separate us from the love of God.

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. 

Amen

Marriage

 Godly Instructions for Marriage

 1 Corinthians Chapter 7

 We know that marriage was instituted while Adam and Eve were still in the Garden of Eden.

 At this time, the human race was in that period of life described as innocence.

 Gen 2:18  And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. 

Gen 2:19  And out of the ground the LORD God formed every beast of the field, and every fowl of the air; and brought them unto Adam to see what he would call them: and whatsoever Adam called every living creature, that was the name thereof. 

Gen 2:20  And Adam gave names to all cattle, and to the fowl of the air, and to every beast of the field; but for Adam there was not found an help meet for him. 

Gen 2:21  And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; 

Gen 2:22  And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man. 

Gen 2:23  And Adam said, This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh: she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man. 

Gen 2:24  Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh.

 A Biblical marriage can only be between one man and one woman.

 One man, born a man, lives as a man, and one woman, born a woman, has lived her life as a woman.

 God does not recognize the marriage of two homosexuals

God does not recognize the marriage of the LGBTQ movement.

God does not recognize the marriage of two people who are confused about their gender.

God will never recognize the marriage of more than one wife.

God will never recognize the marriage of a man and some animal.

 God will only recognize a marriage that is in obedience to the Word of God, and the Church should do the same, or be in defiance of the Word of God and living in sin.

 We know these things have divided many so-called churches today, just as they divided the Church at Corinth.

 The Church at Corinth was a cesspool of immorality, just as the City of Corinth was immoral.

 Many churches of today have rejected the Word of God and have allowed all sorts of immorality into the church.

 Every church of today needs to be concerned about marriage.

 Believers must understand the concept of marriage because it was Jehovah who instituted the concept of marriage to begin with.

 Chapter 7 and verse 1

 *****1Co 7:1  Now concerning the things whereof ye wrote unto me: It is good for a man not to touch a woman. 

 Even if society is falling apart, which it is, in the divorce courts of this world and immorality and cohabitation run rampant, and it is, the Church that Jesus Christ built must hold high the truth of Biblical marriage.

 Marriage is ordained of God, and God never changes.

 Mal_3:6  For I am the LORD, I change not;

 It is a fact that God said it is not good for man to live alone, but here Paul says it is good for a man not to touch a woman, but this is not a contradiction.

 There are special situations for not marrying!

 That word "good" means advisable. Which can mean that it is open to advice.

 Let's look at the words of Jesus Christ: Mat 19:5  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 

Mat 19:6  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 

Mat 19:7  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 

Mat 19:8  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 

Mat 19:9  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 

Mat 19:10  His disciples say unto him, If the case of the man be so with his wife, it is not good to marry. 

**Mat 19:11  But he said unto them, All men cannot receive this saying, save they to whom it is given. 

Mat 19:12  For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.

 There are times that unmarried persons should remain unmarried because of situations happening in this world by unbelievers, such as Christian persecution, but we can also include wars, economic collapse, disease, obligations, and some other things.

 We should also consider what God has called us to do.

 We know that most men would not be able to live in this because of the sin of lust.

 Mat 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.

 1Th 4:3  For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: 

 What is a virgin?

 Rev 14:4  These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto God and to the Lamb. 

Rev 14:5  And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of God.

 A man could remain pure because there is no immoral sin between the singles in the Lord's Church.

 Of course, it is the same for women.

 Notice next the command of the Holy Spirit.

 *****1Co 7:2  Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife, and let every woman have her own husband.

 This Scripture should be the rule of the Church!

 This marriage is done to avoid fornication.

 We are sexual beings, but we are to follow the Word of God to avoid sin.

 Without marriage, there would be no human race!

 Without marriage, there would be no foundation for the family.

 Notice this verse eliminates polygamy.

This verse eliminates the marriage of two lesbians.

This verse eliminates the marriage of two men.

This verse eliminates the marriage of two people who do not know if they are a man or a woman.

This verse eliminates the marriage of a human and an animal.

 Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 

Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 

Eph 5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 

 A good marriage is a type of the design of the Church that Jesus Christ has built.

 Many groups of the human race will no longer exist simply because they have neglected true marriage, and this may be why some have already disappeared.

 Jer 29:6  Take ye wives, and beget sons and daughters; and take wives for your sons, and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; that ye may be increased there, and not diminished. 

 Some countries, like Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, are already experiencing noticeable population declines.

The U.S. and many countries in western Europe have below-replacement fertility rates but have not yet seen significant population decline.

China, for many years, allowed only one child, and the parents chose boys over girls, but now China is begging for families to have three children.

Our President said we should pay families to have children.

 God said to Israel Get married and have enough children so that their population would not go down while they were in captivity.

 God blesses the good marriage.

God blesses those who keep themselves pure.

God blesses those who give themselves to the work of the Lord and remain single.

God blesses those who live a life that avoids sin!

 *****1Co 7:3  Let the husband render unto the wife due benevolence: and likewise also the wife unto the husband. 

 We must understand that there are mutual duties within a marriage.

 That word benevolence used here means debt.

 Both the husband and the wife have rights in a Biblical marriage. Each one can expect to receive some things from the other.

 Both have a responsibility to pay the other exactly what is due to them.

 If we go back to the very first marriage of Adam and Eve, we know that in typology, this first marriage was a type of the Church.

 It was God who said that a man should not be left alone.

 It was the Church that the Lord God formed.

 Jesus Christ has but one wife, and it is the Church. Jesus Christ did not have a wife when He walked upon this earth, and He did not lust for any woman, and He certainly was not gay.

 It is the Lord Jesus Christ who has made the Church happy by His "Grace".

 The Church has but one husband, and it is Jesus Christ, and comes by "Faith".

 Hos 3:3  And I said unto her, Thou shalt abide for me many days; thou shalt not play the harlot, and thou shalt not be for another man: so will I also be for thee.

 The marriage of one man to one woman is special and is to be eternal, and is to be based on love!

 Eph 5:22  Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. 

Eph 5:23  For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. 

Eph 5:24  Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. 

Eph 5:25  Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 

Eph 5:26  That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 

Eph 5:27  That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 

Eph 5:28  So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 

 The word "render" used here is a continuous action.

 The rights and the duties of the man and the woman are to be continually fulfilled.

 Some say this verse means sexual rights, but it pertains to all the rights and the duties of the husband and the wife.

 To the husbands:

 1Pe 3:7  Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered. 

 To the wives:

 1Pe 3:1  Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives; 

1Pe 3:2  While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear. 

 Marriage is mutual ownership.

 *****1Co 7:4  The wife hath not power of her own body, but the husband: and likewise also the husband hath not power of his own body, but the wife. 

1Co 7:5  Defraud ye not one the other, except it be with consent for a time, that ye may give yourselves to fasting and prayer; and come together again, that Satan tempt you not for your incontinency. 

 We must understand that a good marriage comes because these two people will put comfort, well-being, and happiness before their own.

 Every married couple has made obligations to each other that they must keep.

 It is not a matter of giving and taking; it is just a matter of giving to each other.

 God knows we have sexual needs, and He gives us the outlet of marriage to satisfy those needs.

 Heb_13:4  Marriage is honourable in all, and the bed undefiled: but whoremongers and adulterers God will judge.

 Just as God is in everything, He is clear and forceful in His instructions for a good marriage.

 Both husbands and wives have equal rights over the other's body. This is part of the marriage union.

Both the husband and the wife belong to each other so fully that to withhold is an act of fraud, cheating the other of what he is due.

Both the husband and the wife must agree to abstain, but only for fasting and prayer. This is the only exception given in Scripture.

We know that the health of each other is also important.

 These things are the beginning of an intimate family structure that has disappeared in this sinful world, but must take place with God's people.

 Neither the husband nor the wife will stay apart from their spouse for too long a period of time because of temptation.

 We have to give Satan his due; he is strong in temptation, especially in this sex crazed society.

 The stronger the bond of marriage between two Christians, the stronger the loyalty and the security of the family.

 A good marriage begins when both husband and wife have surrendered their lives to the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Only His presence and power can keep marriages according to the Word of God, along with much prayer and, yes, some fasting.

 It is not good for us to believe that every marriage would work out just because we are obedient to the things mentioned by Paul, when we know that without prayer, nothing will work in this world.

 John 15:5  I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.

 We are all created differently from each other, and we will do things differently, but Jesus Christ is always the same, and He will guide us in His ways in all things, even marriage.

 *****1Co 7:10  And unto the married I command, yet not I, but the Lord, Let not the wife depart from her husband: 

1Co 7:11  But and if she depart, let her remain unmarried, or be reconciled to her husband: and let not the husband put away his wife.

 Marriage is God's gift to society.

Being single is also God's gift.

 Because persecution was coming to the Church, Paul said it might be best to remain single to those people who had already lived much of their lives in wickedness.

 The fact is, everyone must do as God's gifts call them to do.

 Corinth was an immoral city, so many of these church members had already been married and divorced and remarried, and many of these second marriages were any better than those first marriages because of wickedness.

 Paul said it might be better for them to stay as they were when they were saved.

 It was time for wickedness to end in the Church.

 The Lord Jesus has given us the one rule for divorce: Mat 5:31  It hath been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement: 

Mat 5:32  But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery. 

 No doubt some women were saved without their husbands, and some men were saved without their wives, and the Lord Jesus said this was not a good reason for divorce.

 If that unbeliever decides to depart from the marriage, then they should remain unmarried or be reconciled back together.

 The Lord Jesus explains this to every Pharisee: Mat 19:3  The Pharisees also came unto him, tempting him, and saying unto him, is it lawful for a man to put away his wife for every cause? 

Mat 19:4  And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, 

Mat 19:5  And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife: and they twain shall be one flesh? 

Mat 19:6  Wherefore they are no more twain, but one flesh. What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder. 

Mat 19:7  They say unto him, Why did Moses then command to give a writing of divorcement, and to put her away? 

Mat 19:8  He saith unto them, Moses because of the hardness of your hearts suffered you to put away your wives: but from the beginning it was not so. 

Mat 19:9  And I say unto you, Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery. 

 As the Lord Jesus explains, why would we ever want to live in sin and call ourselves Christians?

 We would be no different from the world.

 Paul said to these Corinthians it would be better to remain single than to live in sin.

 We should understand that God hates divorce!

 Mal 2:16  For the LORD, the God of Israel, saith that he hateth putting away: for one covereth violence with his garment, saith the LORD of hosts: therefore take heed to your spirit, that ye deal not treacherously.

 To God, divorce is not just a wrong choice; it is a destruction of His work, a violent act He abhors.

 There are three groups of people in this Church at Corinth.

 1) The unmarried.

2) The married.

3) The rest of them.

 There were mixed marriages of believers with non-believers.

 *****1Co 7:12  But to the rest speak I, not the Lord: If any brother hath a wife that believeth not, and she be pleased to dwell with him, let him not put her away. 

1Co 7:13  And the woman which hath an husband that believeth not, and if he be pleased to dwell with her, let her not leave him. 

1Co 7:14  For the unbelieving husband is sanctified by the wife, and the unbelieving wife is sanctified by the husband: else were your children unclean; but now are they holy.

 What do we do on those occasions when we cannot find the answer we are seeking from the Word of God?

 The Lord Jesus gives us this answer: Joh 16:12  I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. 

Joh 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. 

Joh 16:14  He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. 

Joh 16:15  All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

 When those times come that we just do not know what to do, we must not forget we have the Holy Spirit living within us, and we must trust Him to lead us.

 We may also have to do some fasting and praying.

 God will not leave us in the dark, and we know the Lord Jesus is the Light in all things of God!

 These were those church members who gave themselves to the Lord, but their spouse did not.

 God has already warned us against marrying someone who is lost.

 2Co 6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 

2Co 6:15  And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 

2Co 6:16  And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.

 Sometimes people have enough love to stay together under all circumstances, and sometimes they don't.

 We must understand that we are living under "Grace”, and we must show that "Grace" to the unbelieving spouse.

We must also show forgiveness to that person the same forgiveness we have received from Christ.

We must show the love that Christ has shown us.

 The bond of this marriage is still holy in the eyes of God.

 Any children that are born from this relationship are just as children born from any Christian marriage.

 Rom 11:16  For if the firstfruit be holy, the lump is also holy: and if the root be holy, so are the branches. 

 But they choose to depart from marriage, the believer is under no obligation to try to stop them from leaving.

 *****1Co 7:15  But if the unbelieving depart, let him depart. A brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases: but God hath called us to peace. 

1Co 7:16  For what knowest thou, O wife, whether thou shalt save thy husband? or how knowest thou, O man, whether thou shalt save thy wife? 

If you are married to an unbeliever, you are not under bond to that unbeliever if they choose to depart for that reason.

We do not know if this is true if you choose to marry an unbeliever after your salvation, because God commands us not to do this.

2Co_6:14  Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

Remember what God says are commands and not suggestions.

If one person in the marriage of one man and one woman gets saved and the other rejects the Gospel, then that person should try to keep the marriage functioning, but this may not be possible. 

If that unbeliever decides to depart, then that marriage bond is broken, and that person is free to marry again, but only to a believer.

We can see that "peace" in each believer's life is important to God!

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

2Co 13:11  Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you. 

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

Some saints would even try to keep that marriage together in the hope of leading that spouse to the Lord, but there is no way of knowing this.

In fact, in most cases, it is the unbeliever who would try to lead the saved spouse back into the world.

In every portion of our lives, God has called us to live in peace!

One more important thing we should see is that the believer is not to initiate this divorce, but it is the unbeliever who has decided to get a divorce.

This was a problem in the early church.

One of the great heathen complaints against early Christians was that Christianity broke up families.

This is something that the Lord Jesus said would happen, and it will get worse.

Mar 13:12  Now the brother shall betray the brother to death, and the father the son; and children shall rise up against their parents, and shall cause them to be put to death. 

Mar 13:13  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. 

God is never caught by surprise.

God tells us to abide in the same calling wherein He has called us.

We are bought with the price of the blood of Jesus Christ; we are to serve Him rather than serve mankind.

If we are married when God calls us, then we should not seek to be loosed.

If we are single, it may be best that we do not marry, but we must beware of the sin of lust.

It is very hard for a young person to remain single because this wicked world is so full of immorality and peer pressure.

Every wife is bound by law!

*****1Co 7:39  The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will; only in the Lord.

1Co 7:40  But she is happier if she so abide, after my judgment: and I think also that I have the Spirit of God.  

Every Christian widow has the right to remarry, but a Christian widow is only free to remarry another Christian.

This commandment of the Lord is as plain as can be written.

She may be happier if she remains single, if God is calling her to remain single.

Remaining unmarried may offer this widow more opportunity to serve the Lord.

It is always more important to remain in the will of God for our lives!

We must remember that every word we have from the Apostle Paul came by the Holy Spirit.

Every word we have in our possession is a word that came from our Heavenly Father.

Psa 119:89  LAMED. For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven. 

1Pe 1:25  But the word of the Lord endureth for ever. And this is the word which by the gospel is preached unto you. 

Amen