John the Baptist and Baptism

 

The Message of John the Baptist and Jesus' Baptism

 Book of Luke Chapter 3

 

 In Chapter 2, we can read about the Lord Jesus as a twelve-year-old, but just a few verses later, we find our Savior at thirty years old.

 The rule of the nation of Israel and the Head of the priests is in the hands of people who do not care about Yahweh and will reject His Messiah.

 Pontius Pilate has been placed in Jerusalem to rule over God's land.

 Herod, a descendant of Esau, has been placed as King of Israel, and we know that the descendants of Esau have always been haters of God's people.

 Oba 1:6  How are the things of Esau searched out! how are his hidden things sought up!

 Oba 1:10  For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee, and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

 There are two High Priests, but there is no time when God said there should be two High Priests.

 Joh 18:13  And led him away to Annas first; for he was father-in-law to Caiaphas, which was the high priest that same year.

 At the end of this book, we will see how these political and religious leaders conspired to bring the Lord Jesus Christ to the cross that Jesus came to die on.

 The first coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, God's Messiah, was and still is the pivotal point in the history of our world!

 The earth that rejects our Divine God got a chance to see Him and what He stands for.

 The impact that the Lord Jesus made upon this world can never be overstated.

 John the Baptist paves the way.

 *****Luk 3:1  Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

Luk 3:2  Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

Luk 3:3  And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

Luk 3:4  As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Luk 3:5  Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

Luk 3:6  And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

Luke gives us an accurate picture of history in the early days of John the Baptist and the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Luke, with the help of the Holy Spirit, is showing us just how corrupt the government and the religious circles were on that day.

 The false High Priest, Annas, had been removed from office by the then Roman procurator, Valerius Gratus, but he continued to hold power over the High Priest office, with Caiaphas being his stepson.

 Rome wanted control over the religion of the Jews, and this was their way of doing this.

 This is the same thing China, and some other nations, keep control over some churches that teach Christianity.

 God had commanded that all High Priests were to be in the line of Aaron.

 God's call to John the Baptist came while he was in the wilderness, which was a sparsely populated area.

 God found John in a most obscure place.

 God always knows where we are and what we are doing.

 The Word of God can reach any place at any time because the Holy Spirit goes where He pleases.

 Today, the Holy Spirit is the most powerful Deity on the face of this earth, and we know that He will not always strive with man or mankind.

 The call of God is a personal matter, and this is the way God continues to work.

 He loves personal relationships with each of us.

 This Jordan is not the nation Jordan that we know of today, but the River Jordan where John could find a place to baptize those who repented.

 We will notice that John would not baptize those who would not repent of their sins.

The Church has been lax in this regard.

 The Lord Jesus Christ said: 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.

 In other words, the Lord Jesus states that there are no exceptions to this command.

 Eph 4:22  That ye put off concerning the former conversation the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts; 

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. 

 The work of John the Baptist was in fulfillment of prophecy.

 Isa 40:1  Comfort ye, comfort ye my people, saith your God

Isa 40:2  Speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem, and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned: for she hath received of the LORD'S hand double for all her sins. 

Isa 40:3  The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

Isa 40:4  Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

Isa 40:5  And the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it.

 Notice John does not call them back to the Laws of Moses; John calls them to repent of their sin.

 We must repent of our sin and our old life before we can be members of God’s family!

 They had to recognize that they were sinners just as we do today.

 John was called to serve God rather than to serve religion!

 Religion will send you to Hell. Only Christianity can get you to Heaven.

 John, as a descendant of his father Zacharias, was to train for five years and then serve

 at the Temple when his time came, but God had other plans for John.

 If our ministry does not align with God's plans, then we are in the wrong ministry.

 What is repentance?

 Repentance means that if anyone wished to be forgiven of their sins, they would turn from their sins and change their lives; then and only then could they be baptized.

 It should be obvious that we cannot do this without the Holy Spirit, but it must be our goal.

 Baptism was a sign to their neighbors and the world that they were changing their lives because they wanted God's forgiveness.

 As Christians, we follow in baptism because we follow the Lord Jesus Christ.

 Act 17:29  Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Act 17:30  And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent:

Act 17:31  Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.

 There would be no animal sacrifice; there would only be a living sacrifice.

 Rom_12:1  I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

 John's baptism was a sign that a man wanted forgiveness it was not the means of forgiveness.

Baptism does not wash away sins!

 It would be that changed life that would determine if these things came from the heart, just as it is today.

 Forgiveness of sins is conditional upon that repentance and that changed life.

 A person who truly repents will turn away from sin and turn to God!

 Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 The Holy Ghost(Holy Spirit)  will not move into a dirty house!

 Act 3:19  Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;

Act 3:20  And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:

 It was John's job to prepare the world for the coming of the Lord, and He would come first to the Jews because this was His promise, even though He knew they would reject Him and would then go to the Gentiles.

 Amo 4:12  Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.

Amo 4:13  For, lo, he that formeth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, that maketh the morning darkness, and treadeth upon the high places of the earth, The LORD, The God of hosts, is his name.

 The Jews will not reject the Lord Jesus a second time!

 *****Luk 3:7  Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

 We had better be aware that the preaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is not for entertainment.

 That sad fact is that John the Baptist would not be allowed to preach in many churches today because he preached the truth, and neither would the Lord Jesus Christ for the same reason.

 John preached the coming "judgment" of God. People do not want to hear about the judgment of God!

 So many today concentrate upon the love of God, which is very great, but they reject the judgment of God on the unbeliever, and they are wrong.

 No matter what different preachers preach, there will be a day of God's wrath!

 I admitted to God that I was a terrible sinner because I was!

 In fact, I am still a sinner only saved by the "Grace" of God, and He is still working on me.

 A viper is the great enemy of souls!

 Mat 23:33  Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?

A sinner is anyone who has voluntarily violated the divine law; a moral agent who has voluntarily disobeyed any divine precept, or neglected any known duty.

 All sinners are devoted to sin.

 1Ti 1:15  This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1Ti 1:16  Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.  

 The wrath of God is not coming to those who fall in love with Jesus Christ and believe in Him.

 The wrath of God is coming upon those who reject any part of the Word of God!

 The only unforgivable sin is rejecting the Lord Jesus Christ!

 Joh 16:8  And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: 

Joh 16:9  Of sin, because they believe not on me; 

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

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

 Psa 2:11  Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

Psa 2:12  Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

 To follow the truth of God is noticeable in those who do!

 *****Luk 3:8  Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

 The proof of a saved soul is repentance!

 Valuable fruits of repentance are speaking truth and doing things that are according to the will of God. Such fruits come from the new life that a person receives when he repents.

 The concept of having Abraham as their father made the Jews feel safe because their pride would not allow them to believe that any child of Abraham should ever be lost.

 That same pride said that any single Jew was of more value than all the people in all the nations of the world.

 The Talmud stated that God made the world for the sake of the Jews, which is not true, and the Bible never says such things as these.

 The Lord Jesus put an end to this nonsense: Mat 8:11  And I say unto you, That many shall come from the east and west, and shall sit down with Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, in the kingdom of heaven.

Mat 8:12  But the children of the kingdom shall be cast out into outer darkness: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

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

 It's called faith! Faith in the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that has been done to save us.

 Rom_4:13  For the promise, that he should be the heir of the world, was not to Abraham, or to his seed, through the law, but through the righteousness of faith.

Rom_4:16  Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all,

 Gal_3:7  Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham.

 To disagree with the Lord Jesus Christ is to bring the judgment of God upon yourself!

 *****Luk 3:9  And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

 God is the Divine Woodsman who cuts down trees, and He has laid His axe at the roots of the trees!

 This is God's warning to us all!

 To be honest, we cannot produce good fruit in our lives without faith in the Gospel and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

 For these Jews, the destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple was less than a generation away.

 *****Luk 3:10  And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

Luk 3:11  He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

Luk 3:12  Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

Luk 3:13  And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

Luk 3:14  And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

 When "judgment" is preached without prejudice, people begin to understand what God is saying.

 To the first group, John answered that we are to share our blessings with others.

To the second group, John answered that we should not rob others to enrich ourselves.

To the entire group, John answered that we share our prosperity with those who have nothing.

 The fruit of salvation goes much deeper than these practical things. John gave these people a good idea of where to start.

 We can see the reality of removing hate and increasing love.

 How can we tell we are in the last days?

 2Ti 3:1  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come.

2Ti 3:2  For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,

2Ti 3:3  Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good,

2Ti 3:4  Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

2Ti 3:5  Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away.

 Along with all these things, we see there is no natural affection for our neighbors.

 The one thing that drives our politicians today is hatred. They hate each other with passion; it drives them to make laws that each other hate instead of doing the job they went to Washington to do.

 They are a pathetic bunch, for certain.

 A question has come up about our military following illegal orders.

 We should understand that God does not condemn any soldier for doing his duty.

 A soldier who goes above his duty and simply becomes a murderer will be condemned by God, but even these can be forgiven.

 When John says to do no violence to any man, this is what he is saying.

 We follow orders, but indiscriminate killing, especially of the innocent, should not take place.

 All terrorists are murderers!

 God demands a changed life!

 When we are filled with the fruit of the Spirit, it will be noticeable to those we are around.

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

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

 Gal 5:25  If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.

 The Messiah would be mighty.

The Messiah would be more worthy than any man.

The Messiah would use the Holy Ghost.

 The baptism of John the Baptist was a full-immersion baptism and not a sprinkling.

 John's baptism was with water, but the baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ would be with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

 This fire would be unquenchable!

 John preached the truth of the Scriptures, but also as a Prophet, he preached the words God told him to preach.

 John the Baptist preached the same no matter who was in the audience.

 *****Luk 3:19  But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

Luk 3:20  Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

 When God gives His preacher a message to preach, it is to be preached as instructed, not watered down, not distorted, nor twisted.

 Rom 3:23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

 Herod was as much a sinner as we all are!

 A corrupt and sinful life will always bring the wrath of God.

 I hope our politicians, those who claim the Lord Jesus Christ, do not forget this, and those who do not know Him will certainly see that wrath aimed at them in the near future.

 It has to be hard to be a Christian in Washington, but it is not impossible, and they must know they are there because it is the will of God, and they are there to hold back evil and corruption in our nation.

 I do not believe that Herod would have killed John, but Herod had an evil wife.

 Mar 6:17  For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Philip's wife: for he had married her.

Mar 6:18  For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife.

Mar 6:19  Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not:

Mar 6:20  For Herod feared John, knowing that he was a just man and an holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly.

 When John preached, he told it like it was.

 When sin is relevant in our rulers, it makes it easier for the entire nation to be in sin.

 Corruption in our leadership just causes corruption throughout our nation, as we have seen and are still seeing.

 Herod the Great was living in sin, the sin of adultery; he was, as we know, also a murderer, and those soldiers who murdered those children were also murderers because that was a command that they should have refused.

 When our military stops the drug trade, they are not murderers or killers because those who spread the drugs are the killers, and our politicians need to be with our President and our military.

 What is the truth? We will never truly prosper in sin! 2Ch 24:20  And the Spirit of God came upon Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest, which stood above the people, and said unto them, Thus saith God, Why transgress ye the commandments of the LORD, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken the LORD, he hath also forsaken you.

 The judgment of God is coming to this wicked world!

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

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

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

 *****Luk 3:21  Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

 Baptism is an act of obedience to God.

 If the Lord Jesus Christ is obedient to His Heavenly Father, who are we to think we can be disobedient?

 We know that our Lord Jesus had no sin, so we must know that Baptism is not for the removal of sin; it is being obedient to our Heavenly Father.

 We had better know that every time Heaven opens up, it is the Lord Jesus Christ who is the object of admiration of Heaven.

 Joh 1:51  And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man.

 Rev 19:11  And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

 What did Stephen see? Act 7:55  But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up stedfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,

Act 7:56  And said, Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God.

 The one thing that sets these people apart from all others is the fact that they heard the message of John the Baptist, and they responded.

 God wants this whole world to hear His message so that everyone in the world will get a chance to respond to the truth of God.

 What did the Lord Jesus do differently from the others who were baptized?

 1) He demonstrated that He, the Son of God, was fulfilling all righteousness.

 Mat 3:13  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

Mat 3:14  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

Mat 3:15  And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

 2) He was demonstrating His humiliation, that He was a man, fully man.

 Jesus was required by our Heavenly Father to live obediently, just as all men are to live obediently to the Word of God.

 The Lord Jesus had to live a sinless life to accept all our sins on His body.

 Jesus became the Som of Man. Mat 8:20  And Jesus saith unto him, The foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.

 Birds and foxes are cunning and wicked, but God still cares for them; however, His Son does not have a home on this earth because His home is in Heaven. It is the same for every Christian.

 It is God's will for every human to hear the Gospel, and they all respond positively to it!

 1Ti_2:4  Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

 No man is above any other man in the eyes of God. If God expected His Son to be obedient to all the Word of God, then how can we say God will understand if we keep that secret sin or any other sin?

 This is why the Lord Jesus was baptized!

 Act 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

 We must all repent and be baptized!

 The Lord Jesus also obeyed God in prayer.

 As He was being baptized, His mind and His thoughts were upon His Heavenly Father.

 This is another thing that gets our prayers into the throne room of God.

 Baptism is the most significant act of discipleship and must be followed by a changed life.

 This is where many churches fail today. There is no change in life.

 God will not waste His "Grace" on those who will not change their lives!

 Prayer is something we must all do!

 Jas 5:16  Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 *****Luk 3:22  And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

 God is pleased with us when we are obedient and following the steps that Jesus took to be obedient; we are on the right path to the Glory World.

 1) When the Heavens opened up it showed us that God was approving the ministry of Jesus to begin, and it began that day.

 2) When the Heavens opened up it showed John that prophecy was fulfilled, and the Lord Jesus is truly the Lamb of God.

 Gen 22:8  And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.

 The Lord Jesus would soon give His life for us: 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.

 The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus in the bodily shape of a dove.

 We now get to see the Triune God.

 God the Father speaking from Heaven, saying This is My Son.

The Holy Spirit(Ghost) descended from Heaven in the shape of a dove.

The Son of God receives the blessing of God.

 Mar 1:9  And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

Mar 1:10  And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

Mar 1:11  And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

 When we love the Lord, God will do things that tell us He is much more than just real.

 Joh 14:21  He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him.

 We begin to understand just how wonderful Heaven is going to be.

 1Co 2:9  But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.

1Co 2:10  But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

 *****Luk 3:23  And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

 The Lord Jesus was about thirty years old in His body when He began His public service.

 If He had tried to begin at an earlier age, no one would have paid much attention to Him.

 Num 4:23  From thirty years old and upward until fifty years old shalt thou number them; all that enter in to perform the service, to do the work in the tabernacle of the congregation.

 He is an heir to King David.

He is an heir to Abraham.

He is an heir to Adam.

He is the Godly Heir. He became the Messianic Prophet of God.

 His name is Wonderful!

 Amen

The Body of Christ

 Unity Gained from Proper Use of Spiritual Gifts

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 12

 What are Spiritual gifts?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 The Lord Jesus Christ identifies His saints with Himself.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 There is only one Church, one Body of Christ.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 These are untrue things!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 1) Each member is necessary.

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

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

4) Each member is distinct.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Every believer is a member of the Body of Christ!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tongues were actually a sign of unbelief!

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen

Who or What Do You Worship

 Admonitions from Israel's History

 Book of 1 Corinthians Chapter 10

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

 There are three forms of idolatry:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Those who worship themselves have made themselves to be God.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Saying and knowing are two different things.

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

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

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

 These things were problems in the Church in Corinth.

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

 We must actually be in the race!

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

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

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

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

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

 Idolatry is not a light matter to Jehovah God!

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

 What did Jesus teach the Jews?

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

 What has Jesus taught the Church?

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

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

 Is the Church doing the same thing today?

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

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

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

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

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

 Israel had the presence of Jesus Christ with them.

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

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

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

 Jesus Christ is the Jehovah of the Old Testament!

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

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

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

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

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

 These things are a warning to the Church!

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

 These things were examples for the Church to learn from!

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

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

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

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

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

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

 Then God gives us some of these examples.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We can also say this about America today!

We must understand this warning from the Holy Spirit.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

This means we can prepare for those temptations.

No temptation will be superhuman.

No temptation will be unique to the Church.

No temptation will be beyond our capacity to handle.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The modern Church has no excuse for sinking into sin!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

There are limits to Christian freedom!

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

We should ask ourselves:

1) Is it beneficial to me as a Christian?

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

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

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

5) Does it hurt the conscience of another believer? 

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

We cannot allow our light to grow dim!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Amen

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